Kuwait, Kuwait: Advanced Technology Company (ATC), the leading distributor of comprehensive medical equipment and supplies in Kuwait, partnered with Illumina, a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, and the Kuwait Medical Genetics Center (KMGC) to host the Illumina Genomics Day symposium at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kuwait earlier this week.
Medical professionals from both the public and private sectors attended the event, which aligns with ATC’s broader goal to support the Ministry of Health in enhancing the standard of healthcare in Kuwait.
The symposium kicked off with a workshop on data analysis for rare diseases followed by panel discussions with speakers from Illumina and KMGC on genetic testing for reproductive carrier screening, prenatal diagnosis, the benefits of rare disease genomics, and the role of genomics in healthcare research in Kuwait and around the world.
“Kuwait, like countries across the Middle East, is significantly underrepresented in public genetic databases despite the high prevalence of genetic diseases and health challenges in the region,” said Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali, Next Generation Testing Department Director, KMGC, during a panel discussion on the future of personalized healthcare in Kuwait.
“Symposiums like these play an integral role in educating decision makers and the public about the economic burden that genetic diseases present and the need to invest in genomic research and training initiatives,” Al-Ali added.
During the event, the speakers discussed the importance of early disease diagnosis in enhancing treatment success rates. They highlighted the crucial role genomics plays in identifying and detecting genetic alterations well before symptoms manifest through an expanding array of testing solutions like those provided by Illumina.
“In the past it took almost 10 years to sequence an entire human genome; with our latest technologies, we can sequence a 128 human genomes in just 48 hours. This is unlocking a whole new era for the understanding of diseases” said Ana Carrera, Marketing Director – Emerging Markets, Illumina.
“Our primary objective is to enhance Kuwait’s healthcare sector by focusing on patient care through education and by leveraging strategic partnerships with global solutions providers like Illumina. Educating future generations is a priority, which is why we are hosting this event to spotlight the evolving field of genomics,” said Adnan Kouly, Biotechnology Product Manager – Specialty Diagnostics, ATC.
“We aim to demonstrate how the public can directly benefit from the latest technological advancements, which emerge on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Ultimately, our focus remains on advancing patient diagnosis and shaping the future of healthcare,” Kouly added.