NEW YORK – Abu Dhabi's Department of Health and the Authority of Social Contribution-Ma'an have awarded more than AED 19 million ($5 million) to fund research into cell and gene therapies, precision medicine, and advanced cancer treatments.
The grants, funded through the Healthcare Research and Innovation Fund, were awarded last week at the inaugural Department of Health Research and Innovation Summit. They were awarded in partnership with the Authority of Social Contribution-Ma'an, a part of Abu Dhabi's Department of Community Development, which connects the government and private sector.
The AED 19 million will fund 11 projects, led by academics, healthcare professionals, and other innovators, according to a news release from Abu Dhabi's Department of Health. The projects tackle healthcare challenges within cancer care, chronic disease management, pediatric metabolic health, and inherited eye diseases.
"Research funding is the foundation of progress, enabling innovators to turn ideas into life-changing solutions," Asma Al Mannaei, executive director of the Department of Health's Health Life Sciences Sector, said in a statement. "By investing in research, we are building a healthcare ecosystem that is proactive, adaptive, and compassionate, designed to meet the needs of our community while shaping the future of healthcare globally."
The announcement adds to a growing list of gene therapy programs that Abu Dhabi's Department of Health has promoted. In 2024, the department said it would collaborate with Durham, North Carolina-based Opus Genetics to accelerate development of gene therapies for patients with inherited retinal diseases in the United Arab Emirates.