Presented By:

Mohammed O Hassan , Sulayma  Albarwani , Saeed  Al Yahyaee, Saleh Al Haddabi Anthony G  Comuzzie  and Riad Bayoumi

College of Medicine and Health Sciences , Sultan Qaboos University,Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman and  The Southwest for Biomedical Research,San Antonio,Texas

:Abstract

Background. Oman Family Study started in 2001. It aims at studying the interactions of genetic and environmental factors in hypertension, diabetes and obesity in isolated Arab pedigrees. We adopted a cultural approach in explaining the importance of genetic research for current and future generations of OFS and other Arab populations

Study Population: 1280 subjects from 6 generations of 5 isolated large, highly consanguineous, polygamous Arab pedigrees from 50 founders living in the Interior Province of Oman.

Methods: Group consent was obtained first by a rigorous six months process starting with the Governor, tribal Sheikhs and households’ elderly. After several meetings in Mosques individual consent was then obtained.  Capacity building training educated male and female volunteers from each village for questionnaire assistance and other logistics. Primary genealogical records were obtained from elderly males and females. A high technology research centre housing equipment for phenotype and biochemical data acquisition was set up equidistantly from the villages. The centre also housed a multidisciplinary clinic that provides a wide range of health services for all villagers irrespective of their participation

Results: Linkage yielded 50 significant and suggestive QTLs.. Attempts to narrow the signals and search for genes with biotechnology firms are slow because of restrictions on data sharing with researchers, patenting and religious investments issues.

Conclusion: Community members, research scientists and health providers should understand and share genetic information as well as its financial outcomes. Being the first genetic study in Arabs our attempts to modify our own genetic research regulations are ongoing.