Professor Dr. Mohamed Omran Hamza participated in the discussion of the doctoral thesis of the student Bushra Abdul Hadi Jassim.

**Participation of Professor Dr. Mohamed Omran Hamza in the Discussion of the Doctoral Thesis of Student Bushra Abdul Hadi Jassim**
On Thursday, July 4, 2024, Professor Dr. Mohamed Omran Hamza participated in the discussion of the doctoral thesis of the student Bushra Abdul Hadi Jassim at the Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Baghdad.
The Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies at the University of Baghdad discussed the doctoral thesis of the student Bushra Abdul Hadi Jassim, titled: "Genetic Variation and Gene Expression of Parathyroid Hormone Receptor 1 (PTHR1) and its Relationship with Osteoporosis and Bone Turnover Markers in a Sample of Iraqi Women," in the discussion hall of the institute.
The study aimed to understand the impact of genetic variations and gene expression of the parathyroid hormone receptor 1 (PTHR1) on osteoporosis and its association with various clinical and laboratory factors among premenopausal Iraqi women.
The study included an evaluation of parathyroid hormone levels using the Cobas 411 analyzer (Germany), osteopontin, and 25-OH vitamin D3. ELISA was used to measure the levels of osteoprotegerin and matrix metalloproteinase in the blood. Serum levels of albumin, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus were determined using the FUJIFILM analyzer (Japan).
The results showed a significant increase in parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and phosphorus levels in the patient group compared to the healthy group (P<0.01). Conversely, blood levels of vitamin D3 and calcium were significantly lower in the patient group compared to the healthy group (P<0.01).
The findings also revealed that premenopausal women with osteoporosis had significantly higher levels of matrix metalloproteinase and osteoprotegerin compared to their healthy counterparts (P=0.001) and significantly lower levels of osteopontin compared to the healthy group (P=0.001). 
Genetically, DNA extraction was performed for both study groups, and three PTHR1 SNPs (rs1138518, rs6442037, and rs15724449) were identified using RT-PCR. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of PTHR1 in the blood, with GAPDH as the reference gene.
The study concluded that genetic variation in the PTHR1 gene increases the risk of osteoporosis, and the mutant allele (C) of SNP 1138518 may be a risk factor for the disease in premenopausal women, in contrast to the wild-type allele (T), which may have a protective effect. Additionally, matrix metalloproteinase could serve as a biomarker for increased bone resorption and the risk of osteoporosis.