The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and M42 have unveiled the Abu Dhabi Biobank, featuring the region’s largest hybrid cord blood bank. It aims to bolster the emirate’s position as a leading destination for life sciences and address critical healthcare challenges.
At the heart of this initiative is a state-of-the-art cord blood banking facility, capable of storing 100,000 cord blood samples. This resource promises to significantly impact the treatment of haematological and immune system disorders, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and bone marrow diseases requiring transplantation.
Enhancing research and therapeutic capabilities
The biobank’s ambitious scope extends beyond cord blood storage. With a capacity to house five million pan-human samples, it aims to create a diverse dataset that can facilitate better-matched haematopoietic stem cell provision globally. This comprehensive approach is designed to support therapeutic treatments, life science research for medical innovation, novel drug discovery targets, and disease prevention.
The facility, located in M42’s Omics Centre of Excellence, boasts cutting-edge automated technology and large-capacity biobanking infrastructure. Samples will be preserved for up to 30 years, ensuring long-term viability for both research and therapeutic applications.
Ashish Koshy, Group Chief Operating Officer at M42, emphasised the biobank’s potential impact: “The Abu Dhabi Biobank will foster global innovation in therapy development, as it holds huge potential for regenerative medicine, aiding in rare disease treatment, genetic screening, early detection, and scientific research.”
Collaborative effort across healthcare entities
The initiative will be implemented across four leading maternal and child health facilities in Abu Dhabi: Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women & Children (part of the M42 group), Corniche Hospital, Kanad Hospital, and hospitals within the NMC Healthcare network.
Expectant mothers will have the option to preserve their newborn’s stem cells through a safe, painless, and non-intrusive process. This service will be available for both public and private banking, offering families the opportunity to contribute to this groundbreaking programme.
