PAHO will be hosting a regional meeting in Brasilia, Brazil on May 15-16, 2024 to promote the implementation of genomics in clinical medicine and public health. This initiative, titled “Human Genomics for Health: Enhancing the Impact of Effective Research,” aims to strengthen genomics research in the Americas.
Genomics is the study of the complete set of genes of organisms, how these genes function, and how they interact with each other and the environment. It focuses on characterizing all the genes of an organism, as opposed to studying individual genes as in genetics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council has a program to promote equitable access to genomics research and technologies for the benefit of people worldwide. Genomics has applications in clinical care, ancestry, food safety, infection control, and is essential to the “One Health” approach.
Representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts will collaborate at the upcoming regional meeting in Brasilia to advance genomics research and precision medicine in the Americas. Dr. Sebastian Garcia Saiso, Director of the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH) at PAHO, highlights the significance of this event in promoting genomics implementation in the region.
Dr. Ludovic Reveiz, Advisor, Health Research, EIH/PAHO, emphasizes how genomic knowledge and technologies can improve disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The meeting is organized by PAHO’s Science and Knowledge for Impact Unit (SK/EIH), with support from WHO, the PAHO office in Brazil, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. It will bring together representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts and researchers in precision medicine.