title: A comparative study of the genetics of Behcet's disease in Iraq: international collaboration to transfer clinical and laboratory skills to Baghdad medical school and hospitals.
abstract: A collaborative project funded by the Iraqi Research Fellowship Programme of the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics was set up to transfer laboratory and clinical skills in between three clinical research teams in the UK, Jordan and Iraq. The project was set up to study the genetics of the potentially debilitating condition, Behçet's Disease (BD). Blood samples were collected from: 38 BD patients, 28 patients with oral ulcers not related to BD and 32 healthy controls. All samples were analysed using Micro SSP HLA Class I B locus kit (B locus, generic). Logistic regression analysis revealed that samples positive for HLA-B51 were 7.4 times more likely to have BD than the healthy control subjects. The results of this study make a valuable addition to the scientific literature. Additional valuable outcomes include the intellectual exchange and transfer of skills in between the collaborating teams, which led to the establishment of an international research collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. a.r.tappuni@qmul.ac.uk
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Tappuni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tbakhi
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Sharquie
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hayani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Kaisi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lafi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Araji
mesh_terms: D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000193:education; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing; D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007493:Iraq; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D059949:HLA-B51 Antigen