Qatar Biobank, which is creating a path towards personalised medicine to promote better health for the people of the country, will host the second Qatar Biobanking Congress from March 14-15.
The conference under the theme ‘The Impact of Biobanking on Precision Medicine Initiatives’ will focus on developments in Qatar and around the world as part of its mission to bring personalised healthcare to the country.
The pilot phase of collection of genome samples and information about the health and lifestyles of local populations, has significantly revealed insights into the health of Qatar’s local population. Data indicates high overweight and obesity levels, and a 17% rate of diabetes in the adults who took part in the study.
Further explorations into the samples at Qatar Biobank will enable researchers to better understand why some people in Qatar are more predisposed to a particular preventable disease than others. Once they have determined the contributing factors, they can develop tailored treatments based on that individual’s unique medical history and genetic makeup.
The prevalence of diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and neurological disorders, in Qatar currently pose a serious threat to the national healthcare sector and overall health of the population.
In recent years, personalised medicine has begun to take shape and increases both the quality and efficiency of care, leading to better outcomes at lower costs. The launch of Qatar Biobank in 2012, by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has significantly advanced personalised medicine, making vital health research possible for researchers in Qatar, the region and worldwide.
A participant of the pilot phase undergoes a range of tests.
