The main objective of the Regional Office/Organisation of Islamic Conference Standing Committee on Science and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) Grant for Research in Applied Biotechnology and Genomics in Health is to focus on the application of biotechnological and genomic techniques to strengthen health systems and improve health care.

One of the main purposes of the Grant is to support regional collaboration for the conduct of applied research. Normally, collaborative research requires a broad range of expertise and participants, with collaboration between researchers in other disciplines, sectors, institutions and geographic locations. However, even a modest, collaboration among the researchers of two different organizations/institutions of countries of the Region is expected to:

synergize the process to overcome obstacles and manage inescapable interdependencies needed for research in genomics and biotechnology;

make services more accessible and effective;

increase the integration of research results into other sectors (e.g., industry, government agencies or departments, community groups, universities) and offer opportunities to aid the dissemination of results;

diversify capability to accomplish tasks (provide opportunities for trainees to spend time in different laboratories, exchange data and experience between institutions and sectors); and

foster ties between researchers in the academic, community, private and public sectors.