Genomics and health

Dr Hinda Daggag, Head of Genetics at SEHA, explains the importance of the field

Genomics has the potential to reshape clinical practice and to fundamentally change the way we prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor illness, providing the opportunity to have more precise and tailored treatments, according to Dr Hinda Daggag, Head of Genetics at SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company.

“With the increasing population lifespan, genomics has the potential to transform health care and the national economy and make genetic diagnosis of disease a more e icient and cost-e ective process.”

The Emirati Genome Project is a national project which aims to use genomic data to improve the health of the Emirati population. Similar to the

UK’s 100,000 Genomes Project, the UAE is beginning to profile and determine the genetic architecture among UAE nationals to aid in the development of preventive and personalised healthcare, the mapping of the Emirati genome, the study of susceptibility to diseases and the development of more targeted treatment plans. The delivery of such an ambitious programme testifies to the UAE’s commitment to embedding the promise of Genomics into the National Health system.

“The understanding of genetic variation in the Arab population is a challenge due to the lack of a high-quality Arab reference genome,” says Dr Hinda. “By producing a

Dr Hinda Daggag Head of Genetics SEHA

Dr Hinda Daggag is a geneticist who joined the SEHA team in April 2020 as the Corporate Head of Genetic Projects. Her core values reflect her passion and drive to build a sustainable genomics framework within SEHA which will eventually enable better patient care and facilitate genomic research and development. Furthermore, she advocates for and is involved in initiatives driving national actions for personalised medicine advancement. She also specialises in supporting public-health related genomic initiatives and establishing international networking opportunities. She received her PhD in Genetics in 2009 from Melbourne University, Australia and later obtained a postgraduate certificate in genetic counselling from the UK.

reference genome specific to UAE citizens, it will enable us to deliver better and more targeted healthcare to the local population, which is largely under-represented in international reference databases.”

Targeting rare diseases

As head of genetic projects at SEHA, Dr Hinda sits at the corporate o ice under the Medical and Clinical A airs Unit. Her current role is to lead, manage and develop SEHA Genomics and help build a sustainable clinical genomics framework within SEHA which will eventually enable lack of data standardisation in genomic reference databases as well as a shortage of clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors,” she says.

“Nevertheless these challenges can be overcome and, by incorporating genomic data into healthcare management, we can provide individuals with more tailored healthcare solutions when it comes to disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment and informing reproductive decisions”, she adds. “Right now, it’s about being able to have reproductive choices by being properly informed. For example, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) can pharmacogenomics or more traditional clinical genetics tools utilised for diagnosis, management and treatment, genetics is bound to be embedded in routine clinical practice. Also, more recently there is an emphasis on moving from reactive to proactive healthcare model.

The importance of genetic counselling

Much of the work undertaken by geneticists is in the field of research, o en isolating the scientists from the frontline experiences of clinicians. Dr Hinda’s career has taken her from research to becoming a clinical lab manager, back to research and then to her current role in strategy within a corporate environment rather than a hospital.

“When I was working with patients within the genetics field in Jordan, I realised the importance of sitting with the parents and explaining to them in simple terms what they are facing. This covers the challenges, the condition and how we are going to try to address it, as well as what the diagnosis means for them and for their children,” she says. “It’s that human element - empathy and someone caring about what you go through as a family a ected by a genetic condition - that matters at the end of the day.”

Many countries don’t have the resources for genetic counsellors, and this vacuum is o en filled by clinical geneticists or specialised physicians. “Ideally a genetic counsellor should be sitting with the families but when this is not possible, upskilling programmes can be utilised to equip other clinicians to deliver the message, such as genetic nurses for example.” better patient care and facilitate genomic research and development. She is also involved in genomics initiatives driving national actions for personalised medicine advancement.

“In light of decreasing costs of genomic technologies and their increasing relevance to healthcare, many countries have been restructuring their genomic medicine services to prepare for increased demand. However, integrating genetics into the clinical workflow is a persistent challenge and will require addressing issues identified universally such as inconsistency in laboratory testing procedures, incompatible data systems, be o ered on early embryos created by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for specific genetic conditions that run in the family. This way parents can make a fully informed decision regarding their reproductive choices. Such important work has profound implications for families who have to deal with the consequences of hereditary diseases.”

Once genomic data is incorporated into healthcare management, healthcare practitioners will be able to deliver personalised medicine tailored to an individual’s unique genetic makeup. Whether it is through preventative and proactive testing platforms such as carrier testing, pre-marital screening,

“Out of everything I have achieved so far, my work with the families has stuck with me most. It was giving them the knowledge to deal with their situation. I felt so many times it was just the fact that they didn’t have the right information in their hands - they wanted it so badly but they didn’t know where to go or how to get it. Giving them that information to empower them le the most impact on me.”

“Overall, genetics is such an interesting area to be in because you can contribute and make a di erence from so many di erent perspectives - whether it’s in research, life sciences, biotechnology, AI and data, or at the government level and writing the policies. Genetics is now at the forefront of medical innovation.”