Slim Initiative in Genomic Medicine

 

 

Mexico, D.F.- 19/01/10.- Today, Mr. Carlos Slim Helú announced the launch of an investigation on genomic medicine that will be essential to public health in Mexico and the world. The Institute of Health Carlos Slim in partnership with the National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) and the Broad Institute, will develop knowledge of the genomic bases of cancer in world population, and diabetes mellitus in Mexico and Latin America population, and some aspects of renal faillure.

 

The project, titled Slim Initiative in Genomic Medicine, will run for three years and represent a contribution of $65 million dollars by the Institute of Health Carlos Slim.

 

The project includes training of Mexican researchers, led by the National Institute of Genomic Medicine of Mexico. For his part, Xavier Soberon Mainero, Director General of INMEGEN, said that this partnership represents a great opportunity for INMEGEN and researchers, as it this new institutional stage will allow more scientific and technological exchange with the Broad Institute, an  undisputed world leader in genomic medicine research.

 

 

Dr. Xavier Soberón Mainero, Director General of INMEGEN 

 

This research will use new technologies to identify DNA sequencing in an unprecedented speed. In the case of cancer, scientists will develop global catalogue of genetic variations (known as mutations), which among other things allow personalized, preventive and therapeutic actions.

As regards diabetes, will generate sistematic descriptions of genetic factors associated with the disease, with emphasis on the population of Mexico and Latin America.

For INMEGEN, cancer and diabetes have been part of its priority areas of research, so this partnership will foster a rapid development in the prevention of these diseases, production of better drugs and generation of gene based therapies.

Over the last three years of research, the knowledge generated will be presented publicly. To ensure its use for the benefit of science and the general population, the National Institute of Genomic Medicine of Mexico will be the priority recipient  of the information.

As part of the Initiative, has joined a Scientific Committe composed of leading experts from around the world, with vast experience in the fileds of cancer, diabetes and genomic study.

The Scientific Committe is composed for:
(Alphabetical order)

Carlos Bustamante
Genetic Department of Medicine School of Stanford University.

Thomas Hudson
President and Scientific Director of Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.

Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
Professor of Genomic Medicine of the National Autonomus University of Mexico, Director of the working Group on Biotechnology of OCDE and Scientific Director  of BioFields.

David Nathan
Director of the Diabetes Center and General Clinical Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Guillermo Ruiz Palacios
Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán of the Ministry of Health, Mexico.

Xavier Soberón
Director General of National Institute of Genomic Medicine of Ministry of Health, Mexico.