King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh received  a group of female students from the Physics Department of Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University on Wednesday 22 Jamada Al-Awwal , 1437H corresponding to March 2nd, 2016. The delegation was headed by deputy-head of the Physics Department Ms. Mervat Al-Zumia accompanied by the Secretary of the Physics Department Ms. Hanaa Al-Jam'ee. It is worth mentioning that the Center includes six major departments, only three of them were visited, which are:

1- Genetics Department.

2- Biom edical Physics Department (Gama Section).

3- Molecular Oncology Department (Molecular Cells Lab).

First: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (General Organization) has made advanced steps in the field of research on "Human Genome" the genetics, that has been conducted in the laboratories of the Research Centre throughout the last ten years. The institution has considered this project a strategic objective which is a priority in the field of Applied Science Research, as it believes in the importance of this orientation which would lead in the future to the determination of the effective therapeutic and diagnostic methods to fight chronic and serious diseases, such as cancer, heart, and hereditary diseases. The discoveries of genes in the Specialist Hospital have revealed new genes that were not known before. They proved to be responsible for different genetic diseases, for example, optic neuropathy, neuropathy, and malformations.

Ms.Haya Al-Dosari, a researcher in hereditary metabolic diseases, received the delegation. She reported that the institution is working on a complementary strategy that combines scientific research and its medical applications, through the collaboration of medical and research staff and their complementary role in transferring scientific research into applied implementation.

She also stated that the high capacity of "Genome" laboratories in the Research Centre of King Faisal Specialist Hospital is universally rare compared with similar research centers. The genetic screening completed more than twenty thousand human samples, in addition to base analysis of billions of nitrogen alkaline. One of the research groups in King Faisal Specialized Hospital completed genetic survey studies of more than three thousand samples of patients with heart and blood vessels diseases, in an attempt to identify the genetic variants of society, which affect patients' response to certain drugs negatively or positively. Knowing the genetic or hereditary composition of humans and linking it with diagnosis, treatment, and prevention is the basis for all of the future treatment plans which could be accessed using the information of Saudi "Human Genome" project.

The delegation then proceeded to Stem Cell Therapy Department where a software was developed to detect and confirm strong prospects in the use of stem cells as an alternative treatment for most of human organic diseases. These diseases include heart and blood vessels diseases, neurological and nerve damage diseases, kidney diseases, liver diseases, autoimmune diseases, spinal cord problems and its cell deterioration, diabetes as well as cancer.

Decoding the genetic code of cancer was tackled, which aims at identifying the causes of cancer, and finding more effective treatment methods. The institution helped in decoding the genetic code for more than 500 cases of thyroid cancer.

The selection of thyroid cancer was due to its prevalence, which ranks second only to breast cancer on the list of the most common cancers among women, besides being one of the most prevalent cancers at the global level.

It is noteworthy that the Genetic Research Department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre aims to identify the genetic causes of hereditary diseases in Saudi society, to identify mutations causing these diseases, and to know its characteristics and its relation to the evolution of the disease.  (70) Genes were discovered, and more than 500 genetic mutations were identified throughout the last three years. The findings of "Genome" research at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre are transferred along a scientific production line from the research stage to the application stage in the field of diagnosis and prevention of genetic diseases.

After Ms.Haya answered students' questions, the delegation expressed their thanks and gratitude and left the Department.

Then, the Physics Department delegation moved to the conference room in the Medical Physics Department. They were received by the Head of Gamma Irradiation and Standards of Dosimeters Facilities, Engineer Saad, who welcomed the delegation and wished them a fruitful and useful visit. He explained to them that the Center provides sterilization radiation services and radiation therapeutics for about fifty hospitals as well as nuclear medicine for more than one hundred medical institutions in the Kingdom.

The Center has six major sections, including:

1- Department of Biomedical physics

The department of biomedical physics undertakes core responsibilities in four areas, which are:

Department activities are activated through four units, which are:

In addition, the department includes two supporting units, which are:

This department has a secondary standard laboratory for calibration of radiation, which is the only laboratory approved by the Global Atomic Energy Agency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf countries as a center for education and training. It is also regarded as a reference laboratory for calibration of radiation and its measuring devices in all regions of the Kingdom. 

Engineer Saad pointed out that all workers in the Gamma ray field must take precautions, and wear thermal lighting device (TLD) which measures the amount of radiation that the workers in this field are exposed to. According to the international system, the rate of received radiation should not exceed 100 mm Sievert in five years. Based on that, the employees database was created, the schedules of screening and changing badges are determined and First aid is provided when exposed to maximum level of radiation.

Then the tour began led by Engineer Saad and Dr.Fred Yohei, who introduced devices for testing radiation and calibration of radiation devices accurately through a standard laboratory at the level of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf countries for radiation detection (Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL). Dr. Hebah Al-Hamdan also enriched the meeting with more information and a detailed presentation of the components of X-ray device and the way it operates.

Most part of the visit was spent in the Irradiation unit (sterilization with Gamma ray) as the services provided by this unit exceed the scope of the Research Centre and the hospital to reach public and private sectors.

The unit of sterilization with Gamma ray in the Research Centre in King Faisal Specialist Hospital is one of 200 units around the world that uses the technology of irradiation in sterilizing medical products.   

The Department aims at:

1- Testing radiation devices and calibrating them accurately through a standard laboratory for radiation detection at the level of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf countries. This laboratory (Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) is the only one approved by the Global Atomic Energy Agency as a center for education and training in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf countries.

2- Measuring the quality of the radiation devices which are checked and repaired by specialists, in the various sectors so that doctors get correct and appropriate images.   

3- Ensuring Radiation safety with the aid of a specialist team that perform measurements of radiation rooms in hospitals and health centers to make sure that they meet the plumbing standards to avoid any risk of radiation leak.  

4- Offering training courses in the field of radiation protection and health physics. These courses are accessible to all sectors.

Engineer Saad also explained the three stages products go through to be sterilized:

1- The product is received through belt conveyors to be placed then in large baskets.

2- The product is passed through plates of Gamma Ray which can be controlled via the control room where sources rise from a seven-meter deep water basin. Water here serves as lead in insulation.

3- After ensuring its safety and quality when being exposed to irradiation, the product is moved to the sources room where it is tested on the mechanical tensile device. Security and safety precautions must be taken and TLD badges must be worn. The optic network of the door should also be locked as this would cause the sources to go down underwater.

The reaction of the students of the Physics Department in relation to the queries raised was noticeable as they recalled what they have learned in their studies while they listened to the presentation of the stages of irradiation.

Lastly, they visited the department of the treatment of the thyroid gland tumors by irradiation where they met with Dr. Huda Al-Khalaf, a researcher at the department of molecular cancer tumors, who explained the riskiness of working in this department, the way of delivering medication to the patient, and the way of cleaning floors if they get exposed to radiation.      

The meeting was concluded by distributing souvenirs to the members of the delegation handed by Ms. Nouf Al-Ajmi, public relations director of the research center at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

This visit is part of the activities of the Physics Department that aim at developing and promoting the academic level of the students in the department, as well as enhancing their association with their field of specialization and increasing their information. These activities also aim at opening up broad prospects for the students, whether scientific or practical, during study or after graduation in order to prepare them to be distinctive academic building blocks for building up a constructive community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The students who participated in the visit were: Reem Dhamri Al-Anzi, Wejdan Al-Garni, Layali Al-Otaibi, Areej Aasim, Reemah Al-Ali, Mawaheb Al-Dahhas, Yasmeen Al-Dhiabi, Ghuzail Al-Yami, Ameerah Al-Sabaawi, Sihaam Al-Qahtani and Bashaer Al-Nashmi.   

On his part, Dr. Ahmad Al-Qaoud, Head of the Physics Department, expressed his appreciation and deep thanks toH.E. Ms. Mervat, deputy-head of the Department, for her blessed efforts and for the success achieved in this visit that she has headed.   On the other hand, Ms. Mervat extended her thanks toDr. Raed Al-Hathlool, Vice-Dean of the College of Science for Development and Quality, and to Mr. Abdullah Al-Funaysan, Secretary of the Vice-Dean of the College of Science for Development and Quality, for their help in organizing and coordinating this successful visit.

​