Doha, December 01 (QNA) - Qatar Precision Health Institute (QPHI), a global hub of genomics and biobanking and a national center for research under Qatar Foundation, hosted a two-day workshop titled 'Setting up Large-scale Programs to Empower Precision Health'.

The workshop also covered the technical aspects of genomics programs, with experts showcasing the best practices and sharing practical and theoretical experiences on infrastructure setup and building the necessary collaborations for developing national genome and biobanking programs.

Co-organized with the International Agency for Research on Cancer/World Health Organization (IARC/WHO) and Thermo Fisher Scientific, delegates from 17 countries across the MENA region, Africa, Asia, and Europe participated in the workshop.

The event focused on high-level strategic priorities and objectives for national biobanking and population genomics programs.

During one of the workshops, Prof. Said Ismail, Acting President of QPHI, commented: "We have accumulated extensive knowledge to share with our peers and are doing so with the best research partners.

Achieving what we have so far is down to our far-reaching experience, and we aim to share this with fellow experts looking to start their own national programs.

"For her part, Dima Darwish, the Genomics Education Expert at QPHI, also emphasized: "Qatar is a thought leader in genomics, and as one of the earliest adopters of precision health, we're proud to invite scientists and policymakers from all over world for this important workshop.

This two-day event serves as a benchmarking tool to share our expertise and encourage the international research community to become involved in such initiatives.

"As part of its efforts to transfer expertise in the fields of genomics and biobanks, QPHI aims through this workshop to enhance the exchange of knowledge and experience in the fields of biobanks and genomics, in collaboration with partner organizations to enable policymakers and scientists to develop their national programs.

The institute also focuses on leveraging population-based cohort studies to achieve patient-centered outcomes, with an emphasis on the importance of biobanks in supporting the precision healthcare system. (QNA)