The National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Mexico formalized a Collaboration Agreement, marking a historical precedent. It is the first legal instrument that the UNFPA signs with a National Health Institute in Mexico.
The purpose of this agreement is to leverage high-specialization genomic tools to contribute to human identification processes, a priority challenge for thousands of families and the institutions in charge of the search for and administration of justice.
This legal instrument sets a precedent as the first agreement the UNFPA has signed with a National Health Institute in Mexico, which helps position INMEGEN as a strategic reference in genomic sciences at the national and international levels.
Since the inception of genomic sciences, the scientific community has worked to satisfy the creative spirit, always for the benefit of society. Specifically, at INMEGEN, we are committed to decisively contributing to the health of Mexico's population through the development of research, genomic diagnosis of various diseases, including rare ones, the training of highly skilled talent, and linking with different sectors of society to accelerate access to innovative goods and services that raise people's quality of life.
In this area, INMEGEN carries out activities in medical research to determine genetic profiles related to inter-individual differences in the Mexican population and their implementation in light of the country's medical and social needs, following international quality standards, strict ethical criteria, and institutional rigor.
The agreement formalized today also falls within the framework of a Presidential Decree, which instructs the federal public administration's departments and entities to cooperate, within their scope of attributions, in strengthening the technical processes related to human identification.
INMEGEN contributes its infrastructure, experience, human talent, and accumulated scientific capabilities in high-specialization genomic analysis. This agreement is an example of how articulated international cooperation contributes to this purpose.
As a first concrete action derived from this agreement, specialized supplies have been acquired that will allow for the analysis of samples during the initial phase of the project, in coordination with the state prosecutors' offices of Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Zacatecas.
Behind every process carried out at INMEGEN is the rigorous and highly specialized work of the institute's community. For the case at hand, I highlight the work of the INMEGEN Genetic Profiles Laboratory, which is the only laboratory in Latin America with international ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for obtaining genetic profiles through massive sequencing and capillary electrophoresis for forensic purposes.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that all individuals who make up the laboratory have duly endorsed technical competencies to perform their duties to the highest quality standards.
Dr. Jorge Meléndez Zajgla, General Director of INMEGEN, gave a speech highlighting the Institute's role as a National Reference Center in genomic sciences, its ethical commitment, its technical capacity, and the human value that underpins each of its processes.
