Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on August 11 inaugurated the UAE's first independent biomedical research centre 'Mohammed bin Rashid Medical Research Institute'.

The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation; and Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

During the inauguration ceremony, H.H, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also took a tour of the facility where he met a group of scientists who presented their research projects. During the visit, Sheikh Mohammed also took an account of the various accomplishments and extensive research portfolio of the Al Jalila Foundation

Established with an initial investment of AED300 million, the Institute aims to carry out research focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and other viral diseases. The facility is a part of the Al Jalila Foundation under the umbrella of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated that medical research is an integral part of prevention and medical security in the UAE.

"Supporting research helps ensure sustainable economic, social and human development. Scientific research has been the main approach of scientists and researchers for many centuries in our region and is key to building a stable and prosperous future," His Highness said.

Adding that every individual can access the Institute’s research, he stated that the new centre is an important addition to the global network of research institutions. His Highness further said that the Institute is part of the UAE’s contribution to global biomedical research, adding that its research findings will be shared with other centres across the world.

Highlighting the contribution of the new facility towards the global scientific research community, he said that there is a need for specialised centres to conduct research that caters to our environment and responds to the health challenges facing our region.

According to state news agency WAM, the key objective of the state-of-the-art Institute is bolster the broader vision of preparing the next generation of researchers across various specialisations to develop an integrated health map which will facilitate in delivering sound and specialised medical research across all local, regional and global research community.

The Institute also aims to reinforce medical innovation, strengthen the use of artificial intelligence to monitor new diseases, and create proactive plans to control any outbreaks. The facility seeks to support global efforts to discover new effective treatments and vaccines for outbreaks by establishing an integrated medical database using big data analysis techniques. At the same time, it provides a platform for researchers and specialists to exchange significant information and expertise related to various developments in global medical research.

Significantly, Mohammed bin Rashid Medical Research Institute strives to position the UAE at the forefront of medical innovation and research across the world.

Taking note of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic across the world which has resulted in over 20 million infections and 728,000 deaths globally, development of extensive medical and prevention research has become all the more necessary. Evidently, researchers across the world are working tirelessly to develop effective ways to contain the virus and mitigate its impact on the citizens across the world.

Therefore, the facility targets to provide the much-needed contribution towards the global efforts in containing the impact of the pandemic. By providing advanced equipment and funding to support pioneering, ground-breaking research led by highly-experienced scientists, specialists and experts, the Institute aims to contribute towards the development of the next generation of innovators in health sciences. It will further result in the advancement of medical research and innovation for the greater good of the world.

Speaking at the occasion, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said that the Mohammed bin Rashid Medical Research Institute will help in boosting medical innovation and will empower the next generation of professional researchers in different biomedical fields.

"It will support new pharmaceutical and therapeutic innovations that can help advance the country’s healthcare sector. Driven by an unwavering commitment to boost medical research capacities, the new facility, located at the Al Jalila Foundation, embodies Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision to build a positive future for the region and create a knowledge-based society," he added.

The centre also aims to collaborate knowledge and expertise of local and global research institutions specialised in biomedicine and medical innovation to facilitate the utilisation of all possible resources and exchange of pioneering research projects with specialists across the globe. Furthermore, it seeks to facilitate collaboration of local and global research to find treatments and vaccines for viral diseases and pandemics in a bid to make them available to individuals around the world. The facility also adheres to all necessary frameworks related to the registration procedures of internationally-approved patents as well as supports intellectual property rights for medical research.

Notably, the specialised Institute will be using the latest and advanced technologies to promote the development of medical research tools. In addition, it will use immersive and augmented reality technologies for genetic mapping, monitoring potential outbreaks proactively using biomarker analysis techniques for individuals and deploying artificial intelligence, algorithms and machine learning to predict disease patterns. It will also help in improving communication among various research sectors and investing in boosting research and development talent.

Noting the existing medical research gap in the region, the Institute seeks to prepare researchers to bridge the gap and to encourage young researchers to pursue medical and scientific research. It will further motivate institutions and individuals to participate in medical research which will help in boosting advanced healthcare systems and improvement of community wellbeing in the Arab world.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Medical Research Institute is the first independent multi-disciplinary biomedical research centre in the UAE with its own board of trustees, focusing on equipping specialised researchers and funding scientific projects. It is expected to bring a 4% return on investment which will be approximately AED10.5 million annually. This amount will be further reinvested in development of healthcare and research programmes.

At the same time, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also unveiled the Crystals of Hope, a crystal installation featuring his profile and the names of 25 donors who have invested in medical research. It pays tribute to His Highness’ role and contributiontowardsthe development ofthe innovation and research for the advancement of theUAE’s healthcare sector.

WAM