Saudi/Arab Cancerome Initiative (SACI)

The Saudi/Arab Cancerome Initiative (SACI) is an initiative led by Dr. Dilek Colak to transform cancer research and clinical care in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region. Unlike Western populations, cancers in Arab patients often present at younger ages and with more aggressive disease. Yet, Arab populations remain underrepresented in global multi-omics cancer research. SACI integrates genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics with artificial intelligence and network medicine to:

1. Define molecular signatures for major cancers (breast, liver, colorectal, lung, and others).

2. Develop non-invasive, blood-based biomarkers for early detection, risk prediction, and monitoring.

3. Establish AI-driven prognostic models for cancer progression and therapy response.

4. Explore shared and unique oncogenic pathways across cancer types.

5. Validate findings in patient-derived organoids and xenograft models, bridging computational discovery with clinical translation.

This initiative directly supports Saudi Vision 2030 by advancing personalized oncology, reducing cancer-related mortality, and enabling evidence-based prevention strategies through the study of lifestyle and environmental risk factors.