A research revolution: science, genes, and sport in Qatar
In this issue of Qatar 365, we profile three programs that are making tremendous strides in scientific research: the biobank DNA sampling transforming patient care, the Qatar Genome Program transforming precision medicine, and a facility transforming treatment revolutionized by sports injuries.
A leading player in sports medicine research
Since its opening in 2007, in the heart of Doha’s sporting city, aspetar has covered some of the biggest names in sport. It is internationally recognized as a leading sports medicine facility, combining the latest technologies with new research.
A range of resources are available at the hospital, including movement analysis laboratories, hydrotherapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation, as well as sports surgery and operating rooms, dentistry and fitness facilities.
dr Jamal al-KhanjiAspetar’s Chief Patient Experience Officer explains that the facility was created with elite athletes in mind.
“You want the athletes to feel at home, and their home is a training center or a gym. If you go to Aspetar you will see that it looks more like a gym than a hospital.”
Aspetar physiotherapist, dr Rod Whitelyhas witnessed many technological changes in the world of sport since he started treating athletes.
“When I started doing this over 30 years ago, we basically only had our eyes to judge how athletes were moving and to guess where the different loads were going through their joints, muscles and ligaments,” he says.
With scientific data, a good guess is now backed up with evidence.
The growth of precision medicine
Qatar Biobank uses patient data to provide healthcare professionals with all the information they need to provide personalized care.
It was established in 2012 to enable local scientists to conduct medical research on common health problems in Qatar such as diabetes, cancer and obesity.
Participants fill out questionnaires and provide blood and other DNA samples. Thereafter, they are reassessed every five years. Scientists can then test prevention methods for their effectiveness.
The director of the Qatar Biobank, Dr. Nahla Afifi, explains: “She is already helping physicians and pathologists to provide the right tools for diagnosis.”
Mapping our genomes
This is one of the projects that the Biobank has been involved in Qatar Genome Program – a pioneering genome sequencing initiative. QGP has sequenced 32,000 genomes since 2015.
Genome sequencing is essential to understand an individual’s predisposition to certain common diseases and to develop datasets of entire populations that can be used to understand causative factors. And the prognosis for rare genetic diseases can be determined quickly.
dr Said Ismailthe director of QGP, stresses the importance of having access to diverse genomic information.
“So far it can be said that over 95% of the available data are from Western Europe and North America, mainly Caucasian Europeans. You can’t claim to understand the human genome unless you study representative groups from around the world.’
QGP also conducts genome workshops for children.
“Basically, it’s about incentivizing the next generation of geneticists here in Qatar. Convincing them to go into science is not an easy task,” concludes Dr. Ismail.
Look to the future
As the country approaches the 2022 FIFA World Cup, sports science hospitals like Aspetar are at the forefront of treating sports injuries with the latest scientific technology.
The biobank has collected samples from more than 27,000 Qataris and long-term residents, but has enough capacity to store more than 2,300,000. His work with COVID-19 patients was an important step in making local and regional healthcare more consumer-centric.
And earlier this year, the Qatar Genome Program announced a partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific aimed at accelerating genome research and clinical applications of predictive genomics in the country.
It is clear that the scientific research taking place across Qatar – whether in the field of sports, precision medicine or genetics – aims to have long-term, tangible impact.