PAHO will hold a regional meeting to promote the implementation of genomics in clinical medicine and public health, and in strengthening genomics research in the Americas. This first initiative in the Americas, entitled "Human Genomics for Health: Enhancing the Impact of Effective Research," will be held in Brasilia, Brazil, on May 15-16, 2024.
Genomics is the study of the complete set of genes (the genome) of organisms, how genes function, interact with each other and with the environment. It deals with the characterization of all the genes of an organism, rather than the individual genes studied by genetics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council has employed a program of activities to promote equitable and fair access to genomics research and technologies for the benefit of people worldwide, as described in the publication (Accelerating access to genomics for global health, 2022).
Genomics is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary field of science that is progressively providing insights in diverse areas such as clinical care, ancestry and human genetic variation, food safety, infection control and is a vital component of the "One Health" approach.
Dr. Sebastian Garcia Saiso, Director of the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH) at PAHO, said that “the upcoming regional meeting in Brasilia, will serve as a key step toward promoting the implementation of genomics in the Americas. Emphasizing that during this two-day event, representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts will collaborate to set the agenda for advancing genomics research and precision medicine in our region.
Genomic knowledge and technologies bring new or improved approaches to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of various diseases and conditions, and offer opportunities to achieve many global public health goals," said Dr. Ludovic Reveiz, Advisor, Health Research, EIH/PAHO.
PAHO's Science and Knowledge for Impact Unit (SK/EIH), with the support of WHO, the PAHO office in Brazil, and the Brazilian Ministry of Health, is organizing this meeting that will convene representatives from PAHO Member States and regional experts and researchers working in the precision medicine ecosystem.
The regional meeting in Brasilia will be held in several languages—Spanish, English, and Portuguese—with simultaneous interpretation and live streaming.
Final Agenda Meeting's webpage
