The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute to advance drug discovery and translational research.
Signed during Abu Dhabi’s healthcare and life sciences delegation visit to the United States, the partnership will combine the institute’s biomedical research and therapeutics expertise with Abu Dhabi’s clinical, genomic and biobanking capabilities.
The collaboration aims to accelerate promising therapies from early-stage target identification through translational validation and preclinical development. Partners will explore pathways to advance selected therapeutic candidates toward clinical development, supported by Abu Dhabi’s population-scale genomics programmes, longitudinal health data, research infrastructure and diverse patient population.
H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “The future of healthcare will be shaped by our ability to connect scientific discovery with real-world implementation, bringing life sciences assets and stakeholders together within one integrated environment. Our collaboration with Sanford Burnham Prebys strengthens this model by creating new pathways to accelerate drug discovery, advance translational research and bring innovative therapies closer to patients, transforming scientific potential into tangible health impact for communities worldwide.”
The agreement will also promote researcher exchanges, joint training and scientific collaboration, supporting the development of Abu Dhabi’s health and life sciences workforce.
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Both parties will explore establishing a strategic presence for the research institute within Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem, connecting its expertise with platforms including the Bioscience Park, Genome Oasis and HELM Cluster.
David A. Brenner, President and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys said: “With our shared vision of improving health through research, we look forward to identifying areas of synergy that can evolve into long-term collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, while exploring Sanford Burnham Prebys’ potential anchor presence within Abu Dhabi’s health and life sciences hub, combining our respective strengths to contribute to the future of health.”
The partnership forms part of Abu Dhabi’s broader efforts to strengthen its life sciences ecosystem and accelerate innovation across genomics, advanced therapeutics, AI-enabled healthcare and drug discovery.
