Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DoH) has concluded its first health and life sciences mission to China, identifying opportunities to strengthen collaboration in medical research, healthcare technology and advanced treatments.
The mission brought together representatives from Abu Dhabi’s healthcare and life sciences ecosystem with Chinese healthcare institutions, universities and innovators through 32 meetings and site visits across Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing.
Discussions focused on connecting China’s scientific, technological and manufacturing capabilities with Abu Dhabi’s clinical infrastructure, genomic resources, population health data and regulatory environment. Potential areas of cooperation include joint research, clinical studies, technology validation, knowledge transfer and the development of healthcare solutions for regional and international markets.
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Key areas explored included artificial intelligence in healthcare, precision medicine, advanced cell therapies, biologics, drug discovery, laboratory automation, surgical robotics and advanced diagnostics. Participants also discussed opportunities to strengthen precision oncology through molecular diagnostics, imaging, genomics and AI, supporting improvements across cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment selection and recurrence monitoring.
The delegation also examined how collaboration in genomics, biobanking and multi-omics research could support earlier disease detection, improve understanding of conditions affecting local populations and accelerate the development of targeted diagnostics and treatments.
Her Excellency Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Shaping the future of healthcare requires health ecosystems to connect scientific discovery and evidence with effective implementation and access to care. Innovation alone cannot transform healthcare. China brings exceptional scientific, technological and manufacturing capabilities, while Abu Dhabi offers an integrated environment where innovation can be advanced, validated, applied and responsibly scaled. Through this mission, we have identified clear opportunities to combine these strengths across artificial intelligence, precision medicine, advanced therapies and diagnostics. Our focus now is on translating these opportunities into meaningful partnerships that deliver tangible better health outcomes for communities in Abu Dhabi, China and around the world.”
The partnerships identified during the mission are expected to progress through the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026, scheduled for 20–22 October, where 24 organisations from China have been invited to participate.
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The delegation included representatives from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, PureHealth, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and L’IMAD, alongside DoH leadership and technical experts.
The initiative supports Abu Dhabi’s ambition to strengthen its position as a globally connected centre for healthcare innovation, research and life sciences development.
