China eye genome project launched in Shenyang

Genetic engineering is a developing science that has been benefitting an increasing number of patients suffering from eye diseases in recent years.

The 1st International Conference of Genomics on EYE (ICGEYE) was held in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province, on June 8, with the China eye genome project also being launched on the same day.

Attendees included academics, renowned experts and scholars from both home and abroad, as well as representatives from scientific research institutes, universities, and companies, promoting the development of precision ophthalmic medical treatment in China.

According to Colin J. Barnstable, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine, genomics will help doctors develop treatment plans for each unique problem, allowing effective individualized treatment for patients.

The China eye genome project was initiated by the China National GeneBank's eye gene bank, which was set up in Shenyang in September 2017 by BGI Genomics and the Shenyang He Eye Hospital.

The project aims to set up a database of eye disease samples, genes, and clinical information from over 100,000 Chinese people, and improve molecular screening techniques and the diagnosis of clinical eye diseases.

“Genomics is one of the most active areas in life sciences. Biotechnology, represented by genomics, has become an international frontier of science and technology,” said Jiang Youwei, mayor of Shenyang.

“Shenyang is an important and central city in Northeast China. In addition, the biological medicine industry has become an emerging sector in the city,” added Jiang.

China eye genome project is launched in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on June 8. [Photo/China Daily]

He Wei, dean of the He Eye Hospital, attends the conference in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on June 8. [Photo/China Daily]