This will help provide an innovative and individualized therapeutic approach for an individual's disease, or initiate a preventative measure that is particularly suited to that patient at the time of administration. Although screening patients for single-gene mutations is regarded beneficial and is being widely used in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases, but the fraction of patients who benefit from such approaches remain insignificant. Consequently, global approaches such as the whole-genome sequencing or other tools that provide comprehensive picture of the patients’ genomes are essential. This is possible only under the umbrella of a committed research team with an interdisciplinary approach at addressing the problems that are common in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The establishment of KACST TIC in Personalized Medicine (CIPM) and the promotion of the “Personalized Medicine” concept will have wider implications in the health sector, including hospital laboratory diagnostic units as well as the higher education sector. We strongly believe that the national planning sector will also benefit as personalized medicine will offer more efficient treatments and subsequently will result in less people suffering ill health taking them back to the job market. Furthermore, potential positive impacts will be manifested by overall reduced expenditure on provision of health care as inaccurate diagnosis will be eliminated and therapeutic regimens will become more efficient. This will lead to reduced hospital bed-blocking and reduced wastage on expensive drugs that may have been used needlessly. In addition, the center will enhance the research infrastructure by providing expertise, tools and equipments to carryout cutting edge research. Such advanced infrastructure in a university setting is bound to attract the attention of the students and enrich their imagination and foster the research and development culture.

This report details progress achieved in the period between October 2012-March 2013. In summary, the CIPM position within the King Abdulaziz University (KAU) organizational structure is now determined. The CIPM organizational structure has been determined, closely following the original proposal. The research themes and thrusts are in place for the next two years, with one project already completed. A bermanent base for CIPM operations is being readied at the King Fahd Medical Research Center (KFMRC) at KAU. Laboratory space and access to KAU core services guarantees excellent environement for conducting cutting-edge research. Finally, we hope to show in this report the clarity of our vision and the consistency in our approach and hope that KACST will continue to support us with the allocated TIC budget.