Shenzhen scientists will soon release the first genome sequence
map of the Mongoloid people in the world, the Daily
Sunshine reported yesterday.
The map, created by the Shenzhen Genomics Institute, is expected
to help scientists find genes causing hereditary diseases among
Mongoloid people.
The institute plans to release the map in October during the
China Hi-Tech Fair, said a spokesman for the institute. More than
100 scientists of the institute are finalizing the map, he
said.
The institute plans to apply the research results in the medical
industry within five years, said the spokesman, who did not reveal
any more details.
A group of scientists from China, the United States, Japan, the
United Kingdom and Germany jointly released the complete sequence
of the human genome April 15, 2003.
Most data used by existing genome maps have been collected from
Caucasian people. The genome map created by the Shenzhen Genomics
Institute, however, is expected to lead to new treatments and
customized drugs for the 2 billion Mongoloid people around the
world.
The Shenzhen Genomics Institute was registered in April this
year as a branch of the Beijing Genomics Institute, a leading gene
research institute in Asia. It has more than 100 scientists, most
of whom are from Beijing.
Shenzhen, known for its IT industry, has a number of successful
biotech companies, too.
The city established a biological industry incubator as early as
2004 and is one of the first three national bases for the
biological industry.
The world's first gene medicine on sale, Gendicine, was produced
by Sibiono, a company located in the science park in Nanshan
District.
(Shenzhen Daily September 14, 2007)