Research Profile - College of Medicine and Health Science - United ...

Genetics and
Development
Research Group
Annual Report
Mission of the Group
The UAE is a young modern society, with traditional customs and
beliefs, in which consanguineous marriages are still the norm.
As a result, autosomal recessive disorders occur more frequently
in the UAE than in other populations with over 150 recessive
disorders having been reported so far. In addition, the local
population has a high frequency of alpha and beta thalassemia
mutations and hemoglobin S. Furthermore, the incidence of
multifactorial diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, certain
cancers, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases has
been steadily rising in the UAE over the past three decades. This
is mainly due to the rapid socioeconomic growth and a significant
rise in life expectancy. The rapid increase in the prevalence of
multifactorial diseases also suggests genetic predisposition to
those diseases revealed by rapid changes in lifestyle and diet.
The mission of the Genetics and Development Research Group
is to conducts the highest quality research into the basis of
genetic diseases and provide high quality health care and
education. In support of its mission, the group strives to (1)
define the extent of genetic, developmental and multifactorial
disorders in the country; (2) be the leading source of research
into the causes and pathogenesis of these disorders; and (3) to
seek new approaches to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of
such disorders. Our mission is also to educate the next generation
of health care leaders by providing continuing professional
development to physicians with up to date courses and to
educate the public by providing information on different genetic
disorders and approaches to prevention.
The Group Principal Investigators
Principal investigators members of the Genetics and
Development Research Group are affiliated to different
departments within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences