Dasman Institute initiates zebrafish research platform

KUWAIT: Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), which was founded by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), with the support of the Kuwait Ministry of Health and in partnership with Montreal Medical International and the University of Montreal, have successfully initiated a first-of-its-kind zebrafish research platform in the Gulf region. Under the vision of Professor Fahd Al-Mulla [Chief Scientific Officer], the DDI’s Animal and Imaging Core Facility led by Dr Ashraf Al Madhoun [Senior Scientist and Head], Dr Sardar Sindhu [Scientist II and Manager] and their team are working closely with Professor Pierre Drapeau [Neuroscientist and Zebrafish model expert] to develop the DDI zebrafish research platform using cutting-edge molecular biology techniques and protocols.

Zebrafish are a small and robust fish who share nearly 70 percent of their genetic code with humans which makes them an ideal research model for genetic and disease studies. The fish have many special traits and with the right settings can produce hundreds of fast-growing offspring every week, which allows scientists many ways to study embryonic development, organ regeneration, and genetic-based diseases. Zebrafish have already been used to unlock some of the mysteries behind muscular dystrophy, cardiomyopathy, embryonic developmental, and are in use to study the development of many diseases including diabetes and cancer.

As DDI seeks to establish itself as a leading research facility in Kuwait and the GCC region, the zebrafish laboratory will be pursuing research on genes and genetic variation which will help answer some of the core questions behind some of the most pressing issues in diabetes, obesity and cancer. With this platform now established, DDI will soon invite the leading researchers from across the GCC region to pursue their own research with the support of DDI zebrafish laboratory and team.