The Qatar Genome Programme (QGP) aims at positioning the country among the pioneering nations in implementation of precision medicine services. The QGP seeks to study the genetic makeup of the Qatari and other Arab populations and generate a genomic database to introduce precision medicine and personalised healthcare to the national healthcare system.
The genome project combines genome sequencing with other omics data, thus offering an unprecedented opportunity to healthcare providers to have a comprehensive and deep understanding of the population at the molecular level.
The QGP was launched in 2015 with a comprehensive strategy, which is aligned with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, and extends beyond generating data to areas related to policies and regulation, human capacity-building and clinical integration. The QGP is generating large databases, combining genome sequencing with other omics data collected by Qatar Biobank, enabling researchers to make discoveries and policymakers to plan for future healthcare policies in Qatar.
The QGP supports genomic researches targeting diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Genomics plays a vital role in treating rare diseases, which often have a genetic component. In about 80 percent of rare diseases, changes to DNA are involved.
The Qatar Biobank aims to recruit 60,000 participants for its medical health research initiative to improve the health of the local population through personalised medicine. It has already successfully enrolled more than 36,000 participants. The data collected by Qatar Biobank for the Qatar Genome Programme is giving scientists a unique insight into the causes of diseases, thus enabling the prevention of those diseases through personalised treatments in line with the genetic coding of an individual.
Participants enrolled for the cohort study will first take part in an assessment session, which will last for less than three hours. A series of measurements, such as height, weight, grip strength, blood pressure, body composition, heart, and lung function will be recorded and samples of blood urine and saliva collected. All tests are entirely optional and participants will be able to opt out at any point.
The participants need to complete a questionnaire and provide some overall feedback on their experience at the Qatar Biobank centre. A full MRI scan for the whole body and brain will be scheduled for a second visit, after this another visit can be made after five years.
The Qatar Biobank has been integrated with Oracle Cerner’s electronic health record system, which is deployed as the clinical information system at Hamad Medical Corporation.
