SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
A next-generation research platform was launched in Abu Dhabi's Masdar City on Thursday, marking a significant step in advancing biomedical discovery, AI-enabled healthcare, and personalised medicine in the UAE and beyond.
M42, a global health leader in AI, technology, and genomics, in partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), unveiled the new Abu Dhabi Biobank as a facility that goes beyond traditional stem cell cord blood storage.
The expanded centre can now collect and analyse millions of pan-human samples from thousands of individuals. These include a wide range of biological materials - from whole blood, tissues and tumours to urine and saliva - which are linked with anonymised health data to support cutting-edge research into human health and disease.
With its capabilities and advanced systems, the biobank will enable researchers, doctors and policy makers to turn data into "better diagnosis, better clinical care and management, and breakthrough discoveries and treatments", said Dr Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.
This marks a pivotal step in strengthening the emirate's life sciences ecosystem, she told Aletihad on the sidelines of the launch. The facility plays a critical role in "translating information into real-world impact and results for our people".
"The biobank adds to the wealth of data that Abu Dhabi is building, including biological samples, genomics, AI, and medical records," she said, describing it as a powerful asset that offers deep insight into the health of the UAE population.
Cancer research is one area where the Abu Dhabi Biobank can make a groundbreaking difference. "The biobank stores tumour samples that are analysed to understand why certain cancers occur within our population," Dr Al Mannaei said. Such insights allow experts to predict and prevent diseases before they develop, as well as design personalised treatments tailored to the community.
A New Era of Healthcare
Dr Fahed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Health Solutions at M42, said the facility will prompt a shift in how healthcare is understood.
He described the biobank as "a state-of-the-art facility, fully automated, designed to collect, process and store millions of sample vials securely, efficiently, and with precision".
"Today, we're linking genomic data, phenotypic data, alongside biological data from this facility," he said.
Paul Downey, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Biobank, emphasised that the facility will ultimately power biomedical research in the UAE.
What makes this initiative particularly significant is its local relevance, Downey said.
"The findings will be incredibly important because they are contextual. Living your life in Abu Dhabi has different influences on your health versus living in Tokyo, Europe or North America," he said, pointing to factors such as climate, lifestyle, diet and genetic diversity that can shape health outcomes in the UAE. Understanding these patterns more clearly will help develop treatments and prevention strategies tailored to the local population.
The UAE is well placed to become a leading biobanking centre, he said, citing key national assets, including the Malaffi integrated medical record system, alongside large-scale genome programmes that provide extensive population data.
"We can follow trajectories from early indicators to diagnosis and response to treatment, enabling researchers to study not only disease outcomes, but also the earlier stages where intervention is possible," Downey said.
The real impact, he added, lies in transforming how healthcare is delivered. "The future is a better understanding of societal and personal health and using that information to influence health outcomes," he said.
This shift, he noted, will enable "earlier detection, better treatments tailored to you as a person", moving beyond traditional trial-and-error medicine toward more precise, proactive care.