Health Care Experts Meet in Doha for DALM

Javaid Sheikh, M.D., dean of WCMC-Q, addresses scientists at DALM.

More than 400 scientists, physicians, and other health care practitioners shared the latest scientific research on the causes and treatment of diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome at the XVII International DALM Symposium in Doha hosted by Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar Foundation, and the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation in Milan, Italy and Houston, Texas.

“We shared a great deal of information here over the past three days. It was an excellent symposium,” said Antonio Gotto, Jr., M.D., symposium co-chairman and dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. Other co-chairmen of the symposium were Javaid Sheikh, M.D., dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, and Rodolfo Paoletti, M.D., president of the Lorenzini Foundation.

The symposium was the first international research conference held by WCMC-Q in Doha, representing a significant milestone in its plan to build a world-class biomedical research program in the country. Researchers from around the world submitted more than 100 scientific abstracts for the three-day symposium.

“We are helping implement the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser to build a knowledge-based economy in Qatar,” said Dr. Sheikh in his presentation. “Qatar contributes 2.8 percent of its gross domestic product to research and development, an amount comparable to that spent by the United States, but well in excess of the .2 percent of GDP spent by other countries in the Middle East Region.”

(L to R) Radolpho Paoletti,M.D., president of the Lorenzini Foundation,
Antonio Gotto, Jr., dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York,
Mohammad Fathy Saoud, Ph.D., president of Qatar Foundation, and
Javaid Sheikh,M.D., dean of WCMC-Q at the DALM press conference.

Dr. Gotto spoke on the diagnostic and treatment implications of the metabolic syndrome as well as the use of a class of drugs called statins for treating abnormal blood lipid levels and related cardiovascular diseases.

Ronald Crystal, M.D., chairman of the Department of Genetic Medicine at WCMC-NY, spoke on his latest research related to the genetic makeup of the Qatari population, its historical underpinnings and its implications for research into disease and therapeutics. His findings were based on collaborations between his research team and investigators at WCMC-Q’s genomics core as well as Hamad Medical Corporation.

Francesco Rubino, M.D., associate professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, spoke about his research on the use of bariatric surgery to control diabetes.

Mahmoud Zirie, M.D., head of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism in the Department of Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation, said diabetes affects approximately 15 percent of the Qatari population and accounts for more than 10 percent of the state’s health care expenditures.

He discussed the reduction in maternal and fetal complications related to diabetes at HMC through the use of a diabetes care team made up of physicians, diabetes educators, dietitians.

By Emily Alp