Genomics in Egypt: Current Status and Future Aspects

Abstract

Egypt is the third most densely inhabited African country. Due to the economic burden and healthcare costs of overpopulation, genomic and genetic testing is a huge challenge. However, in the era of precision medicine, Egypt is taking a shift in approach from “one-size-fits all” to more personalized healthcare via advancing the practice of medical genetics and genomics across the country. This shift necessitates concrete knowledge of the Egyptian genome and related diseases to direct effective preventive, diagnostic and counseling services of prevalent genetic diseases in Egypt. Understanding disease molecular mechanisms will enhance the capacity for personalized interventions. From this perspective, we highlight research efforts and available services for rare genetic diseases, communicable diseases including the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID19), and cancer. The current state of genetic services in Egypt including availability and access to genetic services is described. Drivers for applying genomics in Egypt are illustrated with a SWOT analysis of the current genetic/genomic services. Barriers to genetic service development in Egypt, whether economic, geographic, cultural or educational are discussed as well. The sensitive topic of communicating genomic results and its ethical considerations is also tackled. To understand disease pathogenesis, much can be gained through the advancement and integration of genomic technologies via clinical applications and research efforts in Egypt. Three main pillars of multidisciplinary collaboration for advancing genomics in Egypt are envisaged: resources, infrastructure and training. Finally, we highlight the recent national plan to establish a genome center that will aim to prepare a map of the Egyptian human genome to discover and accurately determine the genetic characteristics of various diseases. The Reference Genome Project for Egyptians and Ancient Egyptians will initialize a new genomics era in Egypt. We propose a multidisciplinary governance system in Egypt to support genomic medicine research efforts and integrate into the healthcare system whilst ensuring ethical conduct of data.

Exploring Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Barriers to Using Genetic Services in Damanhur City and Beni-Suef City, Egypt: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Egypt underscored the importance of advancing medical genetics and genomics nationwide to address prevalent genetic diseases effectively. To achieve this, there is a pressing need for comprehensive knowledge of the Egyptian genome and associated diseases and for understanding the perspectives of the population regarding the use of genetic services [ 9 ].…”

Synergistic effects of bee venom, hesperidin, and piperine with tamoxifen on apoptotic and angiogenesis biomarker molecules against xerographic MCF-7 injected rats

“…Many forms of breast cancer exist, such as ductal and lobular carcinomas, which represent an important percentage of cancers in women 3 . The most prevalent cancer among Egyptian women is breast cancer (16.4%), which is followed in frequency by non-Hodgkin lymphoma (5.4%), bladder cancer (7.9%), and lung cancer (4.9%) 4 . Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and hormone therapy are among potential possibilities for treatment.…”

Introducing Circulating Vasculature-Related Transcripts as Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Disease

“…Previous epidemiological studies indicated that CAD susceptibility is 40-60% of genetic origin [3]. In Egypt, cardiac genetic and genomic changes are currently considered a priority with the rise of the Egyptian Collaborative Cardiac Genomics (ECCO-GEN) project supported by the Aswan Heart Center and the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation [4].…”