Riyadh: Researchers from Taibah University participated in identifying a gene associated with neurodevelopmental disorders as part of a scientific study recently published in Nature Cell Biology. The international study was led by a research team from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the gene identification is part of an international scientific collaboration focused on analyzing genetic variants that cause neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

The research effort included a team from the Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases and College of Medicine at Taibah University, comprising Dr. Sulman Basit, Dr. Jamil Hashmi, and Dr. Majed Alluqmani. The team contributed to the collection and analysis of clinical genetic data from several rare cases.

The study analyzed samples from 24 patients belonging to 13 families, including three Saudi families. It successfully described variants in the ribosome biogenesis factor AIRIM/C1orf109 that are primarily linked to early brain development disorders. The achievement opens new avenues for understanding the mechanisms underlying hereditary neurological disorders and for developing targeted therapeutic and preventive interventions.