EMGEN, created in 2004 following the recommendation of the World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO/EMRO), links together a number of centres of excellence in health-related fields of molecular biology, biotechnology and genomics. Seven of these research institutions have joined the TWAS programme, which will enhance the exchange of researchers between the participating centres. Participating centres include:
- Division of Human Genetics, Immunology Research Centre, Avicenna Research Institute (ARI), Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM), Mashhad, Iran
- Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Evin, Tehran, Iran
- Proteomics Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tagrish, Tehran, Iran
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- Reproductive and Genetic Unit, Research and Clinical Centre for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan