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CAGS Newsletter
Issue 5, January 2006

Editorial

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue of the CAGS Newsletter highlights some of the important events taking place at the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS). CAGS achieved new 'firsts' with the publication of a research paper on the technical features of the CTGA Database in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. This is by far the 'first' study fully authored in the United Arab Emirates and published in this eminent journal. Furthermore, this paper ranks 'first' according to journal impact factor among 1,200 papers fully authored in the UAE over the last 10 years. In addition, CTGA is also the 'first' database indexed at the "Molecular Biology Database Collection" maintained by Dr. Michael Y. Galperin for the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

At present, a vivid activity is taking place in CAGS in preparation for its First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference (4-6 April 2006), Dubai, UAE. The conference burgeoned from the objective of CAGS to provide a platform for dialogue and education on issues related to human genetics and to bring together Arab and International experts to set the priorities for research on genetic disorders in the region. One of the most important attractions of the conference is the participation of the Human Genome Organisation for the 'first' time in such an event in the region.

www.cags.org.ae

First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference
4-6 April 2006 - Dubai, UAE

The scientific program of the conference will be preceded by a workshop organized by the Department of Health and Medical Services (DoHMS) in association with the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies on Fundamental Approaches in Molecular Diagnosis of Hemoglobinopathies (April 4, 2006) at the Genetic and Thalassemia Center, Dubai. Experts with extensive experience of molecular detection of hemoglobin disorders will conduct the course. The laboratory workshop program focuses on genome analysis in various monogenic disorders starting from basic DNA detection to PCR, RFLP, restriction enzyme digestion, DNA fingerprinting, reverse dot-blot hybridization, and automated DNA sequencing followed by interpretation of results. Workshop seminars include lectures on molecular medicine, methods and techniques in molecular biology, and molecular characterization of hemoglobinopathies.

The scientific program of the First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference includes 23 lectures given by 20 speakers distributed in 4 sessions from 5 to 6 April 2006 at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai. Topics that will be covered in the conference include: Population genetics, genetic disorders in the Arab World, clinical and molecular basis of human disease, genomics, cancer genetics, genetics of blood disorders, cytogenetics, consanguinity, and bioethics. Speakers in the conference include a faculty of renowned Arab and International scientists. Arab speakers include members of the executive committee of CAGS as well as all members of the newly formed Council of CAGS representing 9 Arab countries. Despite the fact that the conference is Pan Arab, international speakers are also numerous and represent important institutes active in human genetics: The Human Genome Organisation, University College London (UK), Cambridge University (UK), Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (Germany), University of Bonn (Germany), Russian Academy of Science (Russia), and the European Neuromuscular Center (The Netherlands).

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First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference
Conference Message

The Centre for Arab Genomic Studies is pleased to welcome you all to the First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference (April 4-6, 2006) in Dubai, UAE.

Human capital constitutes the most critical element of the health system and forms the basis for the realization of national health goals in any country. In the Arab world human genetic disorders and congenital abnormalities continue to challenge all progress achieved in recent decades in health care systems. In fact, close to 950 congenital abnormalities and genetic disorders do occur in Arab populations and are responsible for large numbers of perinatal and neonatal mortalities.

The completion of the Human Genome Project marked the start of the exciting era of genomic applications in medicine and health to recognize and treat human disease at its genetic roots. Accordingly, this conference is organized to provide a platform for dialogue and education on issues related to human genetics and to bring together Arab and international experts to set the priorities for research on genetic disorders in the region. In this regard, we do warmly thank the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) for its active participation and support to the conference. We also feel very proud that the first step of HUGO towards the Arab world is being achieved through the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies.

We hope to welcome you soon in the lively city of Dubai and wish success to all participants in the conference.

Prof. Najib Al Khaja
President of the Conference

Dr. Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali
Chairperson – Scientific Committee

First Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference
Key Note Speakers

Arab World Speakers

• Prof. Adekunle D. Adekile (Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University, Kuwait)
• Prof. Andre Magarbane (Unit of Medical Genetics, University Saint-Joseph, Lebanon)
• Prof. Habiba Chaabouni (Hospital Charles Nicolle, Tunisia)
• Prof. Hanan Hamamy (National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Genetics, Jordan)
• Prof. Laila Zahed (American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon)
• Prof. Lihadh Al-Gazali (Department of Pediatrics, UAE University, UAE)
• Prof. Lotfi Chouchane (Faculty of Medicine of Monastir, Tunisia; Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar)
• Prof. Rabah M. Shawky (Society of Human Genetics, Ain-Shams University, Egypt)
• Prof. Riad A. Bayoumi (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman)
• Dr. Aida I. Al Aqeel (Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia)
• Dr. Erol A. Baysal (Genetics and Thalassemia Center, Al-Wasl Hospital, UAE)
• Dr. Ghazi Omar Tadmouri (Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, Dubai, UAE)
• Dr. Mohammed Naveed (Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, UAE)
• Dr. Shaikha Al Arrayed (Salmaniya Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Bahrain)

HUGO Speakers

• Prof. Hans-Hilger Ropers (Member, HUGO Council; Director, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany)
• Prof. Nick K. Yankovsky (Chairperson, The HUGO Education Committee; Head, Genome Analysis Laboratory, Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Science, Russia)
• Prof. Sue Povey (Chairperson, The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee; Department of Biology, University College London, UK)

International Speakers

• Prof. Geoff Woods (Department of Genetics, Cambridge University, UK)
• Dr. Jon Andoni Urtizberea (Research Director, European Neuromuscular Center, The Netherlands)
• Dr. Osman El-Maarri (University of Bonn, Germany)

A Glimpse into Arab Papers
CTGA: the database for genetic disorders in Arab populations

Nucleic Acids Res. 2006 Jan 1; 34 (Database issue): D602-6.

Author: Tadmouri GO, Al Ali MT, Al-Haj Ali S, Al Khaja N.

Address: Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, P.O. Box 22252, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Arabs comprise a genetically heterogeneous group that resulted from the admixture of different populations throughout history. They share many common characteristics responsible for a considerable proportion of perinatal and neonatal mortalities. To this end, the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS) launched a pilot project to construct the 'Catalogue for Transmission Genetics in Arabs' (CTGA) database for genetic disorders in Arabs. Information in CTGA is drawn from published research and mined hospital records. The database offers web-based basic and advanced search approaches. In either case, the final search result is a detailed HTML record that includes text-, URL- and graphic-based fields. At present, CTGA hosts entries for 692 phenotypes and 235 related genes described in Arab individuals. Of these, 213 phenotypic descriptions and 22 related genes were observed in the Arab population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These results emphasize the role of CTGA as an essential tool to promote scientific research on genetic disorders in the region. The priority of CTGA is to provide timely information on the occurrence of genetic disorders in Arab individuals. It is anticipated that data from Arab countries other than the UAE will be exhaustively searched and incorporated in CTGA (http://www.cags.org.ae).

PubMed