Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Masdar City sign a Memorandum of Understanding contributing to health and life sciences hub in the emirate

16 Apr, 2025:

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Masdar City for the establishment of state-of-the-art health and life sciences laboratories to foster a thriving ecosystem for researchers and entrepreneurs. The MoU was signed as part of Abu Dhabi’s recently launched Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) clusterat the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week 2025 (ADGHW), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) between 15 – 17 April 2025.

In the presence of H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH, the MoU was signed by Dr. Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), Dr. Fatma Al Mulla, Head of the Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine Cluster at ADIO at ADIO, and Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City.

The MoU covers four key pillars namely, infrastructure development of laboratory spaces within Masdar City, equipped with advanced technologies to accommodate cutting-edge scientific investigation, fostering collaboration by developing programs to attract top-tier researchers and start-ups, establishing partnerships with academic institutions and industry leaders to promote knowledge exchange and collaborative research projects and creating incubator and accelerator programs to support the growth of life-science start-ups, talent development by implementing training programs and workshops, collaborating with universities to offer internship and research opportunities for students and organising regular scientific symposia and conferences to showcase research outcomes and attract international expertise, and translating research into economic value by developing partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to promote industry-sponsored research and clinical trials and creating a framework to measure and enhance the economic impact of the laboratories on Abu Dhabi's health and life sciences sector.

Dr. Asma Ibrahim Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Research and development is the key to driving innovation and sustainable development of the health and life sciences ecosystem, which in turn promotes proactive, holistic care of our communities. With partnerships such as these, we aim to strengthen our commitment towards creating a resilient ecosystem that will fuel the discovery of transformative care models and treatments. This initiative reinforces Abu Dhabi’s mission to accelerate the future of healthcare not only for the UAE but for the global community.”

Dr. Fatma Al Mulla, Health, Endurance, Longevity and Medicine Cluster at ADIO, said: “This agreement signals Abu Dhabi’s determination to shape the next frontier of life sciences. By building spaces that bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, and emerging technologies within our new Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine (HELM) cluster, we are cultivating an environment where scientific ambition can translate into practical breakthroughs. It’s a step toward redefining how innovation contributes to health outcomes, global competitiveness and Abu Dhabi’s long-term prosperity.”

Under the agreement, ADIO, in collaboration with DoH and Masdar City, will develop a strategic framework to assess the long-term impact of the health and life sciences laboratories on Abu Dhabi’s economic and healthcare priorities, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global research and innovation hub. ADIO will also facilitate global investment partnerships to help deliver high-impact scientific breakthroughs, and will play a key role in exploring mechanisms to ensure that talent development initiatives contribute to workforce sustainability.

Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, said: “This agreement reinforces Masdar City’s role as a cornerstone in Abu Dhabi’s mission to become a global hub for life sciences and innovation. As home to a growing cluster of biotechnology, genomics, and research-driven companies within our Free Zone, we offer a thriving ecosystem designed to support scientific advancement, cross-sector collaboration, and talent development. Through this partnership, we are building purpose-designed laboratory spaces that meet international sustainability standards and serve as launchpads for groundbreaking research. Together with our partners, we aim to translate science into scalable impact, contributing to Abu Dhabi’s knowledge-based economy and the objectives of the Falcon Economy.”

This strategic partnership between DoH, ADIO and Masdar City to establish labs that meet the international standards for safety, sustainability, and environmental responsibility in Abu Dhabi aligns with the ‘Investment in life sciences: Driving global innovation forward’ pillar of ADGHW. It aims to benefit the wider healthcare industry in the region, by fostering collaborations between researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and academicians, to create future-ready frameworks for research and innovation.

ADGHW is a major government initiative from DoH and serves as a platform for innovation and collaboration under the theme ‘Towards Longevity: Redefining Health and Well-being.’ It places a strong emphasis on community-driven health and well-being, with a proactive approach centred around preventive, personalised, and holistic care.

Four core themes will guide discussions and initiatives: Longevity and Precision Health; Health System Resilience & Sustainability; Digital Health & AI; and Investment in Life Sciences. By convening diverse stakeholders from around the world, ADGHW is a community without borders that seeks to advance the future of health and well-being.

ADGHW 2025 offers complimentary visitor passes that grant access to the event’s Start Up Zone, live stage sessions and exhibition hall featuring 150 global leaders in health. For more information, visit www.adghw.com