Pakistani scientists have successfully mapped genome of the first Pakistani, with this historical achievement, Pakistan joins few countries which have achieved this - those done before are US, UK, China, Japan and India.
Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine & Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (KU) in collaborationist with Beijing Genomics Institute, China, have mapped genome of the first Pakistani, living in Karachi.
Pakistan has become the first Muslim country in the World as well that has mapped genome of a first Muslim man.
This great announcement was made by Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Director International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), KU, while talking to a group of scientists at ICCBS. He said that the first Pakistani genome had been mapped using a newly developed technology ten years after the first human genome was discovered. The PCMD, working under the umbrella ICCBS, had reported mapping of the entire genome of a Pakistani male in just 10 months.
The individual who has been genetically mapped is a resident of Karachi, he added.
“According to the researchers, the newly-sequenced Pakistani genome has uncovered a multitude of ‘Pakistan’-specific sites which can now be used in design of large-scale studies that are better suited for the Pakistani population. The research team was includes of Dr Kamran Azim, Assistant Professor in the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research and Dr Yong Zhang, head of the genomics department at the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China; among world leading genomics institutions,” he said.
Admitting the fact that the complete Pakistani genome has been sequenced for the first time Dr Azim said, “The new thing in the study is the technique which can trace back a mutation to the specific parent. We are still studying the actual genome data itself and how the genetic differences we identified may predispose this particular individual to certain diseases”.
Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine & Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (KU) in collaborationist with Beijing Genomics Institute, China, have mapped genome of the first Pakistani, living in Karachi.
Pakistan has become the first Muslim country in the World as well that has mapped genome of a first Muslim man.
This great announcement was made by Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Director International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), KU, while talking to a group of scientists at ICCBS. He said that the first Pakistani genome had been mapped using a newly developed technology ten years after the first human genome was discovered. The PCMD, working under the umbrella ICCBS, had reported mapping of the entire genome of a Pakistani male in just 10 months.
The individual who has been genetically mapped is a resident of Karachi, he added.
“According to the researchers, the newly-sequenced Pakistani genome has uncovered a multitude of ‘Pakistan’-specific sites which can now be used in design of large-scale studies that are better suited for the Pakistani population. The research team was includes of Dr Kamran Azim, Assistant Professor in the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research and Dr Yong Zhang, head of the genomics department at the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China; among world leading genomics institutions,” he said.
Admitting the fact that the complete Pakistani genome has been sequenced for the first time Dr Azim said, “The new thing in the study is the technique which can trace back a mutation to the specific parent. We are still studying the actual genome data itself and how the genetic differences we identified may predispose this particular individual to certain diseases”.
