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)
