World’s first post-grad GPM programme

The Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) launched yesterday the Master of Science and PhD in Genomics and Precision Medicine (GPM) programme, described as a world first, which will start from fall 2017.Discussions at a meeting of university stakeholders highlighted how the new programme has the potential to support efforts towards developing efficient, patient-focused healthcare solutions in Qatar.The new programme will provide advanced training in a fast-growing healthcare sector that integrates cutting-edge technology with recent advances in medicine at the molecular level to understand the biology of individuals and tailor treatment for individual patients.HBKU will be helping to bolster Qatar’s drive towards supporting genome-based scientific discovery by supporting students who are later expected to join the programme, having had prior experience of studying the sciences and probably come from medicine, healthcare, and associated fields.The new programme provides advanced, holistic teaching across all the main areas of genomics and precision medicine, including clinical, technical, and bio-ethical aspects.The programme also offers students the opportunity to undertake extensive hands-on research experience.Applications are now being accepted for the first cohort of GPM students and an information session will be held at the Liberal Arts and Science Building within Education City at 5pm on April 19.Potential students will have the chance to meet with members of the faculty to obtain detailed information on the programme’s curriculum and discuss the application process with representatives of HBKU’s admissions team.HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari said that “the new graduate programmes present a real opportunity for the students of today to develop their knowledge and learning in order to improve the lives of patients and their families in the future”.HBKU president Dr Ahmad Hasnah noted that “the new Genomic and Precision Medicine programme seeks to develop future healthcare leaders through research training at the intersection of biological, clinical, societal and computational systems, and give our students the knowledge and skills needed to have a significant impact on disease treatment and prevention”.“Successful graduates of this programme will contribute not only to Qatar’s healthcare needs, but will be critical in enhancing and solving global medicine’s greatest challenges,” he added.The programme will be taught within HBKU’s life sciences division.HBKU provost Dr Khaled Letaief said: “Qatar is well positioned to become a world leader in the provision of healthcare services and has already launched many state-of-the-art initiatives such as the Qatar Genome programme.”