Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering/ Outstanding efforts in genomics research and biotechnology
Al Ain, December 16 / WAM / The Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (KCGEB) continues its role in transforming scientific knowledge into applied solutions and strategic partnerships with a national and global impact, which contribute to strengthening the country’s position as a leading center in genomics and biotechnology.
The center, which is a leading national center for genomics and synthetic biology research, relies in its research vision on an advanced scientific approach based on adopting the concept of programming living plant and animal organisms, as it develops innovative genetic circuits and biological memories capable of controlling the biological behavior of these organisms in a way that enhances their adaptation and flexibility to climate change and environmental conditions. An example of this is studying the ghaf tree, determining its genomic composition, and understanding the mechanism of its ability to adapt to the change of seasons using biological memory, in order to determine a number of characteristics such as flowering dates during two seasons a year. The ability of roots to search for water and absorb elements, and this knowledge can be used to develop crops capable of withstanding climatic conditions and environmental stress.
Professor Dr. Khaled Amiri, Professor of Genomics and Molecular Genetics and Director of the Center, said in a statement to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, that modern scientific research has gone beyond the stage of focusing on modifying a single gene or improving a single trait, to move to understanding the genome as an integrated system that can be analyzed and programmed similar to smart systems. This trend is based on the study of the three-dimensional genome, epigenetic regulation, and non-coding regulatory elements, which constitute about 97% of the genome, after it was previously referred to as non-coding DNA. Functional (DNA).
He added that based on this advanced approach, work is being done to engineer integrated biological systems within living organisms, which are based on organizing and activating groups of genes in a coordinated manner instead of focusing on just one gene. He pointed out that this approach aims to enhance specific characteristics in plants, animals and microorganisms, such as improving their ability to endure, produce and resist difficult environmental conditions. This innovative method contributes to opening broad horizons for developing solutions that support food security, enhance agricultural sustainability, and push efforts to advance biotechnology to new levels.
He pointed out that, with the aim of promoting such an approach, the center concluded four international research cooperation initiatives with leading research centers such as the Sainsbury Laboratory in the United Kingdom, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Boyce Thompson Institute, in addition to cooperation with New York University.
Dr. Amiri explained that this advanced approach allows the center to develop highly efficient plants, animals and microbes that are more capable of facing environmental challenges, such as drought, salinity and high temperatures, in addition to enhancing other productive and functional qualities. This contributes to supporting food security and enhancing agricultural sustainability, especially in arid and semi-arid environments.
He stressed that benefiting from scientific progress in human research is a fundamental pillar of the center’s strategy, as the latest technologies in genomics, artificial intelligence, and biodata analysis are employed to raise the level of innovation and support applied research. For example, for the purposes of enhancing crop resilience and raising their productivity, which contributes to achieving sustainable agriculture and ensuring national food security, the center evaluated 350 strains of wheat, 396 of chickpeas, and 1,178 of rice, in order to develop methodologies for crop breeding programs suitable for dry environments in terms of tolerance to drought, high temperatures, and resistance to diseases and pests. Agricultural work also includes the animal production sector, such as camels, sheep, goats, poultry, and birds.
He added that the center is working to integrate advanced genomics, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology technologies to build programmable and controllable genetic circuits that enable researchers to predict the behavior of living organisms and improve their performance with unprecedented accuracy, in line with the country’s vision of investing in advanced science and establishing a knowledge economy based on innovation.
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