From ingestible technology to AI-powered diagnostics, New York University Abu Dhabi is turning longevity from an abstract ambition into a scientific pursuit.
Rather than simply living longer, longevity focuses on extending the years we spend in good health. At NYU Abu Dhabi, researchers are advancing that goal by understanding the body in new ways, detecting disease earlier, and developing more precise approaches to prevention and treatment.
In the Laboratory for Advanced Neuroengineering and Translational Medicine, assistant professor of bioengineering Khalil Ramadi is developing swallowable devices designed to access parts of the body that conventional technologies have struggled to reach.
His work includes the Ingestible Controlled Optogenetic Stimulation (ICOPS), a battery-free, wirelessly powered capsule that activates light-sensitive gut neurons from inside the gastrointestinal tract, giving researchers a new way to study how specific neurons influence digestion, appetite, and metabolism.
The Cellularly Organized Repeating Lattice (CORAL) is a device inspired by coral reef structures that collects bacteria from the small intestine. The 3D-printed capsule aims to shed light on precision health’s biggest blind spot, supporting more targeted research into immunity, nutrition, and disease.
To advance these technologies towards market deployment, the researchers are exploring the establishment of a new venture focused on further validation, refinement, and scale-up, creating a pathway from scientific innovation to broader adoption.
AI and the next frontier of longevity
Earlier detection is also driving the work of NYUAD researcher Osama Abdullah. At NYUAD’s Center for Brain and Health, Abdullah has developed imaging and image-analysis technologies for neurological diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), where earlier and more accurate diagnosis can enable faster treatment and help preserve health over time.
Abdullah’s LAMINATE system uses AI to analyze MRI scans for MS. Its early-detection module is being evaluated with patients at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Yas Clinic, while its disease-monitoring module has been validated using MRI data from 150 patients. A related tool, FLAIRstar, analyzes MRI scans for the central vein sign, an imaging marker that can help distinguish MS from similar conditions.
Developed for the UAE population, the approach keeps MRI data within the country while providing clinicians with additional information to support diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Abdullah plans to extend the technology to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The team is also engaging industry partners on testing and implementation in hospitals while exploring a startup to accelerate clinical and commercial adoption.
The bigger picture on UAE health
Longevity also requires understanding health long before disease appears.
The UAE Healthy Future Study, a national cohort launched in 2014, has recruited nearly 15,000 UAE nationals, making it one of the country’s largest prospective health studies. Led by NYUAD’s Public Health Research Center, it combines lifestyle and health information with physical measurements and biological samples to examine how genetics, environment, and behaviour influence obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
For centre director Youssef Idaghdour, this population-level research offers insights into how genetics and environment interact to shape health, supporting a wider shift in the UAE toward prevention, earlier detection, and more personalized interventions.
Together, these advances signal a broader transformation in how the UAE is reimagining health and longevity. By bringing engineering, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, genomics, and population health together, NYU Abu Dhabi’s research is helping build a more precise understanding of when disease begins, who is most at risk, and where intervention could make the greatest difference.
Longevity is no longer simply about extending lifespan; it focuses on extending healthspan and giving people the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives. For the UAE, where the burden of chronic and age-related disease is growing, advances in longevity science have significance far beyond the laboratory. By pushing the boundaries of diagnostics, precision medicine, and disease prevention, NYU Abu Dhabi is transforming longevity science and innovation into an investment in the health of future generations.
- Visit: nyuad.nyu.edu
