Bioinformatics, an emerging sector in our Healthcare and Life Sciences industry

Building upon the recent major advances in its healthcare sector, and leveraging on its growing competitive advantages - such as in business process outsourcing, data warehousing and software development -  Mauritius is now poised for further growth and is embarking into biomedical research and development. Bioinformatics, an emerging discipline that brings together computer science and molecular biology, offers tremendous opportunities for the flourishing biomedical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in Mauritius. Bioinformatics uses techniques such as data mining, genome analysis, databases, scientific visualisation and high performance computing to elucidate fundamental biological processes at genetic and molecular level, and this knowledge can be used in many ways, for instance to design novel medical treatments and drugs. There is significant bioinformatics, proteomics and genomics research undertaken in our academic and research institutions, in particular in molecular diagnostics, DNA fingerprinting of our plants, and the genomic study of our marine organisms.

The Board of Investment is embarking on a programme to attract investment as well as initiate R&D projects in Bioinformatics. Investment opportunities have been indentified at various various levels of the value chain of this emerging sector, from business (or knowledge) process outsourcing of expensive and labor-intensive operations, through hosting databases and web-based services, to fundamental scientific research endeavors such as the determination of the genetic code of various species, finding the structure of various macromolecules (that underlie biological processes), drug discovery and design, cell and tissue culture, and others – with focus on the needs and competitive advantages of Mauritius (such as our endemic plants with medicinal properties). The specific areas identified for investment can be categorized as follows:     

• Bioinformatics Outsourcing:  Mauritius is already a leader in ICT/BPO sector with many companies involved in activities such as medical software development, translation of medical documents, or medical image processing. There is now the potential to develop bioinformatics outsourcing.
• Database Hosting: Being a stable, safe and neutral country, Mauritius is an attractive destination for hosting of bioinformatics databases and web-based services.
• Bioinformatics research: With our growing pool of scientists and graduates in computer science, biosciences, engineering and mathematics, Mauritius offers attractive potential for high-quality and cost-effective research in bioinformatics and related areas for a variety of application areas.
• Personalised Medicine: In the new DNA-driven world, individuals will soon afford to have their genome and health records in storage devices, like smart cards. This will unleash a wide range of services related to personalised medicine (predictive as well as preventive), including personalised drug treatment based on the patient’s genetic makeup.  With its well-qualified and multi-lingual workforce, excellent communications infrastructure, Mauritius has the potential to become a personalised medicine center.