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In 2019, the Thai government launched the Genomics Thailand Initiative to sequence the genomes of 50,000 Thai people and build infrastructure to harness genomic information. Among the project’s aims is a better understanding of southeast Asia’s unique genomic complexity and advances in personalized diagnostics, drug selection and treatment in the fields of non-communicable diseases, cancer, infectious diseases and rare diseases. In parallel, a fast growing global and regional market for genomic medicine may also see the twisted double helix help form a ladder out of upper-middle-income status for Thailand.
Nuanced variations in bacteria genomes indicate a need for vaccines that better treat Asian strains, and could help countries in the region track and treat outbreaks.
Patients with rare genetic diseases often have to wait years for a diagnosis. By harnessing the power of DNA sequencing, the Genomics Thailand Initiative aims to reduce this to weeks.
Genomic data from cancer patients in Thailand is a step towards more accurate diagnostic tests and treatments tailored more precisely to individuals in the region.
Thailand is positioning itself to play a leading role in collecting local genomic data to better tailor regional responses to conditions such as diabetes and stroke.
Thailand’s Center for Medical Genomics is advancing the region’s genomic toolkit so that clinicians can better determine if a patient will respond well to a drug.