he Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, has inaugurated the Abu Dhabi Biobank, an integrated platform developed in partnership with M42 to accelerate global research, improve disease understanding and enable earlier, more precise healthcare decisions at scale.
This biobank further builds on Abu Dhabi’s broader genomics and data-driven health ecosystem, including its population-scale genomics programme, strengthening the Emirate’s ability to translate data into clinical insight and real-world outcomes.
The Abu Dhabi Biobank will bring its diverse biological samples and connect to genomic data and real-world clinical information as a part of the integrated ecosystem in the Emirate to enable faster translation from scientific discovery to patient impact. Together, this integrated platform will connect discovery, validation and care.
Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Abu Dhabi is building a health system where data drives earlier decisions and better outcomes. The Abu Dhabi Biobank strengthens our ability to translate research into real-world impact — not only for our population, but for global health.”
Located in Masdar City, the state-of-the-art, net-zero facility has the capacity to store more than 100,000 cord blood samples and more than five million biological samples. It will be powered by advanced robotic systems that automate the processing, storage and retrieval of biological samples to enable high-throughput, precision handling of specimens for research, AI-powered tissue analysis and seamless integration with clinical data. Beyond its infrastructure, it reflects a shift in how health systems use data, moving from reactive intervention to earlier prediction, prevention and personalised care.
One of the platform’s key contributions is its ability to address a critical global challenge, the lack of diverse, population-scale health data. Drawing on a uniquely diverse population of more than 200 nationalities, the biobank enables more inclusive and representative research, supporting better disease modelling, more effective clinical trials and the discovery of precision medicine across populations worldwide.
It also strengthens Abu Dhabi’s ability to support global clinical research, enabling faster trial design, improved patient matching and more representative study populations.
Dimitris Moulavasilis, Group Chief Executive Officer of M42, added: “Abu Dhabi Biobank is a critical step in working with local and global partners to understand disease better, identify risks earlier and tailor interventions. By combining diverse biological samples with AI, genomics and real-world health data within a single ecosystem, we are accelerating discovery of new treatments and enabling more effective precision health solutions for all.”
Designed as a living platform, the Abu Dhabi Biobank continuously integrates biological samples with longitudinal clinical, genomic and lifestyle data. This enables healthcare providers to identify risks earlier, improve diagnostic accuracy and deliver more targeted interventions, resulting in measurable improvements in patient outcomes.
The platform is also designed to enable collaboration across pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and healthcare providers, offering access to high-quality, integrated datasets that support faster clinical trial design, real-world evidence generation and AI-driven discovery.
As Abu Dhabi continues to advance its integrated health ecosystem, the Abu Dhabi Biobank plays a central role in connecting data, science and clinical application, strengthening the Emirate’s position as a partner of choice for global research and innovation.
