.
This program includes knowledge and
technology transfer, capacity building projects and the fostering of innovative
and integrated care models, are designed towards the vision of establishing
genomic medicine in Bahrain and improving public health.
Advances in
genomics, clinical diagnostic methods and therapies are now fueling healthcare.
By integrating clinical data and genetic information, healthcare providers can
improve population screening, diagnosis, prognosis, risk management, and in
some cases, offer new and innovative targeted therapy for conditions such as
cardiovascular diseases, lipid disorders, diabetes, cancer, among many other
clinically complex morbidities.
In the Middle
East, genetic disorders represent a large proportion of healthcare expenditures
and corresponding societal impact. These disorders are the most challenging to
address due to enormous phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Genetic diseases
are significantly more prevalent in the Arab countries, and also comprise one
of the leading causes of infant mortality in this part of the world.
There are approximately 7,000 clinically described genetic diseases, and
only about half of these have a clearly described genetic cause. Characterizing
novel genetic phenotypes and identifying the genes responsible can yield
critical new insights into human biology, empowering the development of novel
or tailored therapies for these diseases as well as for more common conditions,
contributing to precision medicine
