The College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) launched the ‘Genomie’ project, in line with its mission to frame contemporary debates on Islam in a global context.

The virtual public platform will enable discussion between experts and the public on developments in the field of genomics. Funded by the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), Genomics, Islamic Ethics and Public Engagement (GIEPE) will explore how public awareness and engagement with genomics amongst Muslims can be improved.

Webinars, articles, and social media will be incorporated to educate the public regarding current developments in genomics and Islamic ethics research. Moreover, the event promotes participation from both parties in the form of polls, surveys, and focus groups designed specifically for this purpose. This will enable the public to identify and shape research priorities and participate in steering groups.

The first webinar titled ‘Launching Genomie’ took place on September 19 and highlighted the role and importance of public engagement in shaping science. Proceedings were chaired by project co-lead Dr. Arzoo Ahmed, with contributions by GIEPE lead by Dr. Mohammad Ghaly. Additionally, Dr. Said Ismail (Qatar Genome Project), and researchers affiliated with the QNRF project including Dr. Mehrunisha Suleman (The Health Foundation and Genomie co-lead), Dr. Walid Qoronfleh (World Innovation Summit for Health-WISH), and Dr. Khalid Fakhro (Sidra Medicine) were present during this event. Apart from discussing issues related to the need to inform the public regarding genomics, a call for members of the public to join the Genomie Steering Group was highlighted during the webinar.

“Genomie is extracted from the Arabic equivalent for ‘my genome’ in English and, as such, reflects our commitment to engaging with the public on the issues of genomics and Islamic ethics. However, what sets this project apart from others is our ambition for the type and extent of engagement,” said Dr. Ghaly, Professor of Islam and Biomedical Ethics at CIS.

“From our webinars to calls for steering group members, and more, we’re determined to open up participation in Genomie to as many stakeholders as possible. We’re confident that this will facilitate a deeper understanding of both genomics and Islamic ethics and heighten awareness of the research strengths and interests of the academic community in Qatar and beyond.”

For more information on joining the Genomie Project Steering Group, please contact genomieproject@gmail.com.

To know more about CIS’s initiatives, please visit cis.hbku.edu.qa.

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