Page 103 - Genomic Medicine in Emerging Economies

92 CHAPTER 5: Screening for Hereditary Cancer in Latin America

Off course more research in cancer genetics needs to be done in Latin American
countries, to cover other populations not studied until today, to extend the num-
ber of patients within each country, and to know the genetics of other hereditary
types of cancer. In addition, ancestry determination in cancer patients is highly
relevant in order to determine the influence of ethnic origins in the develop-
ment of cancer. To increase knowledge and expertise in cancer genetics in Latin
America, a significant increase in state investment is required in the funding of
research grants, the training of young scientists in genetics, and the installation
of PhD programs in genetics and genomics. It is not by chance that Brazil, the
country with the highest investment in Science (1.24% GDP; 2013) in Latin
America, has the most developed research in genetics and genomics: Brazil’s
expertise in this area is revealed in the number of papers, grants, infrastructure,
and technology related to genetics and genomics. It is true that science in Latin
America has become a more visible presence because of countries where sci-
ence has become more developed. Those countries started establishing PhD
programs 30 years ago and began developing research in their own laborato-
ries with continued collaboration with European or North American research
groups. The high qualification of scientists has raised the impact of research,
with very small funds. The majority of Latin American countries allocate scarce
investment to scientific research (Argentina: 0.88% GDP; Chile: 0.38% GDP;
Mexico: 0.54% GDP); hence the number of scientists, research grants, young
scientists, and technology is insufficient to cover the fields in need of investiga-
tion fields. Latin American countries need more investment in research, in edu-
cation of young scientists, improvement of technology, but all these need to be
developed in house, in Latin American Laboratories. Collaborations between
our researchers and scientists from countries with a more developed science
are very welcome and necessary; however if samples from our populations are
only taken out for analysis, but not shared with our scientist, there will be no
improvement in our research nor developments in our science.

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