Sir Martin John Evans & Prof Shinya Yamanaka
DOHA: Two of the world’s leading geneticists will discuss advancements in stem cell therapy in Doha this month during the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference (ARC ’13), organised by Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) and its research institutes.
Sir Martin John Evans, an advisory board member of Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), and Professor Shinya Yamanaka, Director of the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in 2007 and 2012 respectively, for their research in stem cells.
Professor Yamanaka, who discovered how to re-programme mature cells to become pluripotent, will take part in a panel discussion ‘Facing the Challenges — International Experiences and Qatar’s Opportunities’, during the opening plenary of the conference. Yamanaka and Sir Martin, who was awarded the prize for his contribution to the discovery of principles for the introduction of specific gene modifications in mice through the use of embryonic stem cells, will participate in a debate ‘Stem Cells and Gene Therapies: Promises and Challenges’ on the second day of the conference. QBRI is a principal constituent of Qatar Foundation Research and Development and will lead these discussions, and other health deliberations, at the conference.
Dr Abdelali Haoudi, Executive Director of QBRI, expressed his delight at the calibre of researchers attending the event. “The number of international, regional and local leading experts taking part in the Annual Research Conference will once again shed light on Qatar’s thriving research landscape and showcase the activities of top scientists here in Qatar,” he said.
“Our institute was established to tackle diseases such as diabetes and cancer through five research laboratories and two research centres, including the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre. QBRI engages an innovative multidisciplinary approach, with a focus on the major diseases affecting the country such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
QBRI will showcase its latest developments in genomic medicine and stem cell research with regards to diabetes.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, Qatar has a high prevalence of the disease ranking eighth globally with a 23.3 per cent comparative prevalence rate. The Peninsula
