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Alimohamed MZ, Mwakilili AD, Mbwanji K, Manji ZK, Kaywang F, Mwaikono KS, Adolf I, Makani J, Hamel B, Masimirembwa C, Ishengoma DS, Nkya S. Inauguration of the Tanzania Society of Human Genetics: Biomedical Research in Tanzania with Emphasis on Human Genetics and Genomics. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 104:474-477. [PMID: 33350369 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Human genetics research and applications are rapidly growing areas in health innovations and services. African populations are reported to be highly diverse and carry the greatest number of variants per genome. Exploring these variants is key to realize the genomic medicine initiative. However, African populations are grossly underrepresented in various genomic databases, which has alerted scientists to address this issue with urgency. In Tanzania, human genetics research and services are conducted in different institutions on both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. However, there is poor coordination of the research activities, often leading to limited application of the research findings and poor utilization of available resources. In addition, contributions from Tanzanian human genetics research and services are not fully communicated to the government, national, and international communities. To address this scientific gap, the Tanzania Society of Human Genetics (TSHG) has been formed to bring together all stakeholders of human genetics activities in Tanzania and to formally bring Tanzania as a member to the African Society of Human Genetics. This article describes the inauguration event of the TSHG, which took place in November 2019. It provides a justification for its establishment and discusses presentations from invited speakers who took part in the inauguration of the TSHG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Zahir Alimohamed
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.,Sickle Cell Program, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Aneth David Mwakilili
- Plant Protection Department, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Zainab Karim Manji
- Department of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Frida Kaywang
- Sickle Cell Program, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Kilaza Samson Mwaikono
- Department of Science and Laboratory Technology, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ismael Adolf
- Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanzania
| | - Julie Makani
- Sickle Cell Program, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ben Hamel
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Collen Masimirembwa
- African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, Wilkins Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Deus Simon Ishengoma
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts.,Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Siana Nkya
- Dar es Salaam University College of Education, UDSM, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Sickle Cell Program, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
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