Qatar’s Sidra Medicine partners with BeginNGS for newborn screening
Initiative to advance early detection of rare childhood diseases and expand precision medicine in the region
DOHA, Qatar (MNTV) — Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has partnered with Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine (RCIGM) in the United States to implement BeginNGS, a genome-based newborn screening research program aimed at detecting hundreds of treatable genetic disorders from birth.
Sidra Medicine has become the first international site to join the BeginNGS Consortium, a move that will enhance early detection of rare genetic diseases and enable timely interventions to reduce suffering among children in Qatar and the wider region.
The collaboration forms part of Sidra Medicine’s broader research strategy to integrate translational genomic medicine into the treatment of rare and complex diseases, including monogenic disorders and type 1 diabetes.
Prof. Khalid Fakhro, chief research officer at Sidra Medicine, said the agreement would help accelerate precision medicine efforts from the earliest stages of life.
“Through this partnership, we will develop screening algorithms tailored to our population and shorten the path from diagnosis to intervention, giving children with rare and metabolic disorders in Qatar and the region the best possible start in life,” he said.
The initiative will also expand Sidra Medicine’s NOOR-QATAR program, the region’s first large-scale newborn genome screening research effort.
Led by Dr. Ammira Al Shabeeb Akil, director of the Metabolic and Mendelian Translational Research Program, the project aims to set a new benchmark for preventive genomic medicine in the Middle East.
Dr. Akil noted that families with children suffering from genetic disorders often endure years of uncertainty before receiving a confirmed diagnosis.
“The BeginNGS Consortium builds on our NOOR-QATAR program, with an exceptional network of partners that can save lives by identifying rare diseases and assessing polygenic risk for conditions such as type 1 diabetes,” she said.
Currently, BeginNGS screens for 511 severe childhood genetic diseases with proven therapies across multiple hospitals in the US, with a vision to expand to 1,000 diseases by 2030 across 10 countries.
Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, president and CEO of RCIGM, emphasized the significance of expanding the program beyond the US. “International participation is critical to understanding the incidence of rare diseases in different populations and to identifying treatments before the onset of symptoms. Sidra Medicine’s leadership ensures that these benefits will be available to every child in Qatar,” he said.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
