Egypt to establish a genome center

CAIRO – 28 February 2021: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has been briefed on a national plan to establish a genome center that will aim to prepare a map of the Egyptian human genome to discover and accurately determine the genetic characteristics of various diseases.

The project could help Egypt enter the era of precision medicine, gene therapy, and future specialized drugs based on genetic combinations, according to a statement from the Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Radi on Sunday.

The plan was discussed during a meeting between President Sisi, Prime Minister Mustafa Mabdouli and Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghaffar on Sunday.

President Sisi was also updated on the procedures for resuming the academic study, according to a statement from

President Sisi directed the government to take all necessary measures against the coronavirus pandemic for the safety and the health of the students.

The meeting has tackled efforts to resume the second semester in universities, as well as developments in the educational national projects, especially public and technological universities, and research centers and institutes.

Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghaffar briefed the President on ongoing and future projects in public universities (425 projects at a cost of about LE 35 billion over 27 governmental universities nationwide.

President Sisi also has been briefed on the executive measures taken for the digital transformation and mechanization system in public universities, and the development of educational and research services.

The meeting discussed the government’s plan of developing the university hospitals, as the President directed to provide all the capabilities and equipment necessary to ensure permanent readiness of those hospitals to deal with the pandemic.

The Minister of Higher Education discussed the plan for projects of research centers and institutes, which include 79 projects at a cost of about LE 3 billion, besides the work of  new technological universities in 6th of October City, Burj Al Arab, East Port Said, Samanoud, New Assiut and New Taiba In Luxor.