The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi inaugurates Abu Dhabi Biobank, connecting data and biology, to enable earlier detection and more personalised care

3 Apr, 2026:

Abu Dhabi has taken a major step toward transforming how disease is detected, prevented and treated, with the inauguration of the Abu Dhabi Biobank, a platform that connects biological samples with genomic, lifestyle and clinical data to enable earlier action and more personalised care.

Developed through a strategic partnership between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and M42, the Abu Dhabi Biobank reflects a shift in how healthcare is delivered moving from treating disease to identifying risk earlier, improving diagnosis, and tailoring interventions.

Her Excellency Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Healthcare is moving from reacting to disease, to anticipating and preventing it. The Abu Dhabi Biobank enables this shift by connecting data, science and care in a way that directly improves people’s lives. It allows us to detect risks earlier, personalise treatment and deliver better outcomes for our community, while contributing to global progress in medicine.”

The Abu Dhabi Biobank was inaugurated in the presence of senior leadership, including H.E. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, H.E. Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dimitris Moulavasilis, Group Chief Executive Officer of M42, alongside Dr. Fahed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer of M42’s Integrated Health Solutions platform. The inauguration was also attended by representatives from leading healthcare providers, research institutions, academia and global industry partners.

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 up to five million biological samples, creating one of the region’s most advanced and diverse health data resources. More importantly, it introduces a new model of care where biology, data and clinical practice are connected at population scale to improve outcomes across the system.

Dimitris Moulavasilis, Group Chief Executive Officer of M42, added: “The Abu Dhabi Biobank is a critical step in building a health system that is more proactive, precise and data-driven. By bringing together biological samples, AI, genomics and real-world data, we are enabling faster insights, better decisions and ultimately improved outcomes at scale.”

The launch introduces two major capabilities: a pan-human biobank that links biological samples with longitudinal clinical, genomic and lifestyle data at scale, and a national eye bank that strengthens local transplantation capabilities and reduces reliance on imported tissue.

The Abu Dhabi biobank is designed as a living platform, continuously integrating biological samples with real-world health data to support prevention and research. Drawing on a population representing more than 200 nationalities, it enables insights that are more reflective of real-world diversity, helping improve the relevance and effectiveness of medical innovation.