SNP

RIYADH : The King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, (KACST) has funded SR1.28 billion to support 1,497 research projects in areas related to public health, its vice president, Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, said here Thursday.

1,3 milliard de dollars pour financer # 1500 projets de recherche parmi lesquels de recherches sur le charançon rouge du palmier. Il s’agit de recherche génomique. Une fois encore les chinois ont la partie belle : Chinese Academy for Sciences-Beijing Institut of  Genomics..... 

RIYADH : The King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, (KACST) has funded SR1.28 billion to support 1,497 research projects in areas related to public health, its vice president, Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, said here Thursday.
Al-Suwailem was inaugurating a scientific meeting on genes and diseases at KACST headquarters here.
The KACST has set up a National Center for Genome Technology, Al-Suwailem said, pointing out that the field of genomic studies is considered one of the most advanced scientific fields where gene sequences are identified from DNA or RNA sequences. These sequences are chains of four different recurring sugar molecules (nucleotides) that can be thousands of millions in length arranged to form groups of coding sequences (genes) which are responsible for all functional expressions involved in biological processes which enable species to live, grow and reproduce. Analysis of a complete genome sequence of a given species helps to find its physical and genetic map, which, in turn, determines the function of every gene found in its genome, and leads to understanding all living, survival and disease resistance mechanisms.
Due to the importance of genomic technology in modern biological studies, the need for this technology has emerged, especially for the health sector in Saudi Arabia, he said. This technology provides valuable data to stop the spread of genetic diseases and improves health care for affected patients.
As for the field of agriculture, genomic technology can provide important biological information that is useful for improving cultivation methods based on the provided genetic data. These data are essential for fruit quality improvement and for obtaining new cultivars resistant to environmental stresses such as drought, soil salinity and devastating diseases and lesions
KACST possesses a leading role in the field of genomic studies. Through its cooperation with Beijing Genomics Institute, it has decoded the Arabic camel genome. In addition, KACST has conducted joint studies with scientists from the Chinese Academy for Sciences-Beijing Institute of Genomics to decode the genomes of some local plant cultivars such as date palm.
Moreover, he said through its collaboration with local universities and research institutes, KACST performed genomic studies for some insects, such as the red palm weevil.
The mission of the Saudi Genome Project (SHGP) is to identify the genetic basis of disease spread in the Saudi population utilizing the state-of-the-art genome sequencing and bioinformatics.
The SHGP was officially launched in December 2013. Five laboratories have been equipped in the participating parties’ locations for the program. By the end of December 2015, a total of 11,000 DNA samples have been sequenced and characterized from different infected families and hereditary disease, and a number of 13 genes have been confirmed to detect genetic disorders in the Kingdom. Regarding the bioinformatics field, the released data of the samples have been analyzed and securely stored in the first version of a database to make it easier for researchers to inquire about genetic changes in Saudi society.