Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation, has signed an agreement with the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine (RCIGM®) to collaborate on implementing BeginNGS (pronounced “beginnings”), RCIGM’s genome-based newborn screening research program. With this agreement, Sidra Medicine becomes the first international site to join the BeginNGS Consortium, advancing its mission to detect genetic diseases early and enable timely interventions that can prevent or reduce suffering among children.
The partnership supports Sidra Medicine’s Research Strategy, which focuses on translating genomic medicine into clinical practice for rare and complex conditions, including monogenic disorders and type 1 diabetes.
Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, stated:
“Joining the BeginNGS Consortium allows us to accelerate precision medicine from birth. By tailoring screening algorithms to our population, we can shorten the path from diagnosis to treatment and offer children in Qatar and the region the best possible start in life.”
This collaboration extends Sidra’s efforts with NOOR-QATAR, the first large-scale newborn genome screening research initiative in the region, led by Dr. Ammira Al-Shabeeb Akil, Director of the Metabolic and Mendelian Translational Research Program. NOOR-QATAR aims to set new standards for preventive genomic medicine.
Dr. Ammira Akil noted that families of children with rare genetic diseases often endure a long diagnostic journey, with an average wait of five years for confirmation. She emphasized that integrating BeginNGS builds on the NOOR-QATAR program and could help save lives by detecting rare diseases early and assessing polygenic risks such as type 1 diabetes.
Currently, BeginNGS screens for 511 severe childhood genetic diseases with effective therapies and is in use across several U.S. hospitals. The program’s long-term vision is to expand to 1,000 diseases by 2030 in 10 countries.
Dr. Stephen Kingsmore, President & CEO of RCIGM, said:
“International expansion is essential to understand rare disease incidence across populations and to identify effective treatments at or before symptom onset. Partnering with Sidra Medicine as our first international site will help bring the benefits of newborn genomic therapies to every child in Qatar.”