PMFG 2025 Showcases Qatar’s Strength in AI in Genomics

Day 3 Highlights 

• Joins HiFi Solves Consortium to End Rare Disease Odyssy 
• Officially recognized as a PacBio Certified Service Provider
• One Year of Innovation Lab

Doha, Qatar, 4 December 2025 – The third and final day of the Precision Medicine and Future of Genomics Summit 2025 by Sidra Medicine put the spotlight on Qatar’s leadership in utilizing advanced genomics and artificial intelligence for the study of rare diseases.

Day 3 kicked off with a keynote address by Dr. Patrick Tan, a globally acclaimed thought leader in the field of genomics medicine and AI-driven clinical diagnostics, who asserted that sustained collaboration, data-driven innovation, and the adoption of advanced sequencing technologies are necessary to improve diagnostic journeys and patient outcomes, especially for underserved populations.

A high-level panel of thought leaders discussed the future integration of AI, data-driven genomics, and global innovation. The session emphasized the need to construct international reference datasets, develop research programs that are representative of diverse Middle Eastern populations, and establish partnerships to enable clinical implementation.

PMFG Co-Chairs – Dr. Sonia Davila and Mr. Muhammed Ali Hameed 

Dr. Sonia Davila, Executive Director of Translational Medicine and Mr. Muhammad Ali Hameed, Executive Director Research Core Services at Sidra Medicine and Co-Chairs of PMFG 2025 said: “Our call to action at PMFG 2025 is for global collaboration and further investment in AI-enhanced diagnostics, genomic data infrastructure, and clinical partnerships are key to advancing precision healthcare. Such collaborations can help fast-track precision diagnosis and change the face of clinical genomics”.

Prof. Khalid Fakhro, Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine concluded: “Sidra Medicine’s mission to apply genomics and AI-enabled diagnostics is an integral part of our joint efforts to improve the care of rare diseases affecting children and families in Qatar and worldwide. This is also in line with the Qatar National Precision Health Strategy and further cements Qatar’s position as a hub for advanced rare disease research and AI-driven genomic medicine.”

PMFG Summit 2025 closed by recognizing the support of key partners, sponsors, and research collaborators whose contributions continue to advance genomic science and precision medicine in Qatar and the region.

HiFi Solves Consortium: Embarking on a Global Mission to End Rare Disease Odysse:

Sidra Medicine Joins HiFi Solves Consortium

Sidra Medicine announced on Day 3 that its researchers have joined the international HiFi Solves Consortium, a world-class collaboration to advance long-read sequencing and eliminate the rare disease diagnostic odyssey.

HiFi Solves brings together leading clinical genomics experts worldwide to accelerate the clinical adoption of long-read sequencing, promote data sharing, and advance its integration into healthcare. The initiative aims to overcome current challenges in detecting structural variants, repeat expansions, and other complex genomic regions beyond the reach of short-read sequencing, while enabling multiomic and AI-based analyses that foster global collaboration and set a new standard in clinical genomics.

Prof. Younes Mokrab, Head of Medical and Population Genomics (MPG) at Sidra Medicine, said: “After a decade working with long-read sequencing, we now see the real power of this technology to shed light on the hidden layers of rare diseases. Through the HiFi Solves Consortium, we join a global effort to ensure Middle Eastern populations are no longer missing from the latest advances in precision medicine.”

Researchers at Sidra Medicine have pioneered the use of long-read sequencing in Qatar, a transformative technology that sequences large sections of DNA without fragmentation, achieving unprecedented completeness and accuracy. Earlier this year, the MPG team received a major grant from the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) to apply this technology to resolve pediatric neurological rare disorders in Middle Eastern populations.

Dr. Alexander Hoischen, Chair of the HiFi Solves Consortium and Professor of Genomic Technologies and Immunogenomics at Radboud University Medical Center, said: “The HiFi Solves Consortium is the first effort in the world to transform how rare diseases are diagnosed in such a drastic way. By uniting leading experts and state-of-the-art long-read sequencing, we aim to shorten the diagnostic journey for patients worldwide and bring advanced genomics closer to clinical care.”

Sidra Medicine’s involvement in HiFi Solves reinforces ongoing effort to create national capacity in long-read sequencing and multiomic research. 

PacBio Certified Service Provider Accreditation

Genomic Core Facility – PacBio Certification

Sidra Medicine also announced that its Genomic Core Facility is now a PacBio Certified Service Provider. The certification formally recognizes that the Core has met PacBio’s standards for data quality, instrument performance, and staff expertise in long-read sequencing. PacBio’s HiFi sequencing technology produces long and highly accurate DNA reads, allowing researchers to analyze parts of the genome that are difficult to study with other methods.

Dr. Sara Tomei, A/Director of the Advanced Research Cores at Sidra Medicine, said: “The PacBio CSP certification reflects our long-standing commitment to excellence and to delivering the highest-quality services to our community. As PacBio’s HiFi sequencing expands further into clinical and diagnostic applications, we are proud to be positioned to support the next wave of precision medicine innovations.”

Sidra Medicine has consistently focused on advancing the frontiers of precision medicine. Over recent years, significant investments have been made in genomics capabilities, with PacBio technology playing a central role in this development.

This recognition underscores the quality of Sidra Medicine’s sequencing services and reflects the institution’s commitment to delivering reliable, high-precision genomics support for researchers, clinicians, and the wider community. As HiFi sequencing becomes increasingly adopted for applications such as structural variant detection and comprehensive genome analysis, Sidra Medicine’s CSP status enhances national and regional capacity to generate high-quality long-read data and advance genomic research.

One Year of Innovation Lab: Updates 

Sidra Medicine Innovation Lab Team

Sidra Medicine announced milestones from its Innovation Lab, an initiative that serves as an entry point into Sidra Medicine’s clinical, scientific, and data capabilities. Access is open to innovators to startups and industry partners through end-to-end innovation infrastructure, services, and collaboration paths.

The Innovation Lab provides access to clinical and research data, biomaterials, and advanced genomic platforms; high-quality validation and testing environments including the Industry Sandbox; structured pathways for co-development, IP creation, clinical trials, and commercialization; incubation space and collaborative opportunities within Sidra Medicine’s leading clinical and scientific ecosystem.

Through the Innovation Lab, Sidra Medicine aspires to connect research to real-world clinical delivery, and to create opportunities for collaboration to bring innovative solutions into the healthcare system. It aims to bridge the gap between discovery and delivery — ensuring that innovations become accessible care.For more information, please visit: https://www.sidra.org/research/innovation-lab/