UAE Announces First Full Genome Sequencing of the Coronavirus
Dubai’s COVID-19 Command and Control Centre (CCC) announced the UAEs first full genome sequencing of the COVID-19 virus.
The successful sequencing of the virus from a patient in Dubai was performed by researchers at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU).
“The genome of the virus causing COVID-19 (known as SARS-CoV-2) consists of 30,000 genetic bases or letters. Many countries have started reporting genomic sequences of the virus from patient samples”, the centre said in a statement.
Professor Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, MBRU’s Provost and Member of the Emirates Scientist Council said that the aim is to fully sequence viral samples from 240 patients with COVID-19 across various age groups and at different time points of this pandemic.
The sequencing study is led by an experienced research team which includes experts in virology, epidemiology, public health, genetics, and clinical research.
The team is also working on other research questions related to COVID-19 and will continue to build collaborations with research institutions in the UAE and abroad.
