Elucidating the spectrum of {alpha}-thalassemia mutations in Iran

* Kariminejad-Najmabadi Pathology & Genetics Center, Tehran, Iran ° DNA Diagnostic & Research Lab, KK Women’s and Children Hospital, Singapore # Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO), Research Center, Iran; @ Amirkola Thalassemia Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran ^ ViennaLab Diagnostics GmbH, Vienna, Austria Correspondence: Hossein Najmabadi, Professor of Genetics, Kariminejad-Najmabadi Pathology & Genetics Center, 14665/154, Tehran, Iran. Phone: international +98.21.88363952. E-mail: hnajm{at}mavara.com thalassemia ( -thal) is one of the most common hemoglobin (Hb) disorders in the world. 1 -globin genes are located on chromosome 16. The majority of -thal mutations are deletions but point mutations are found as well. 2 Since the Iranian population is a mixture of different ethnic groups, frequency and distribution of -globin mutations in various regions of the country need to be clarified. These findings can contribute to a wider understanding of this disorder. Key words: thalassemia, mutation, Iran.