The Biotechnology Department of Arabian Gulf University of Bahrain focuses research on medical molecular diagnosis, signalling immunology, development of Leishmania vaccine, molecular biology, enzymeology, protein biochemistry and cell biology. Clinical genetic services started in Salmaniya Medical Centre in 1984 to study the genetic diseases in the country. The hereditary disease programme was aimed at conducting epidemiological studies on the prevalence and trends of genetic disorders among Bahrainis, planning to reduce the prevalence of such diseases, and improving the standard of management and treatment of patients.