The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to elevate mutual cooperation in education, research and innovation programmes. In line with the department’s efforts to boost innovation in Abu Dhabi, both parties plan to collaborate to support the development of the life sciences research ecosystem with a focus on expanding translational research capabilities to further enable new discoveries to develop into fresh approaches to treat disease.
As the emirate’s healthcare sector evolves at a rapid pace, the department continues to work in unison with strategic partners to propel better healthcare outcomes, reiterating Abu Dhabi’s position as an innovation hub. Together, DoH and Penn Medicine will work towards expanding research capacity & developing new programs that enable the expansion of innovation capacity and related infrastructure, including the establishment of a regional precision medicine innovation hub. These efforts will support Abu Dhabi’s aim to make a global impact, while boosting the role of the healthcare sector in its contribution to the larger economy.
His Excellency Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of DoH, said: “In line with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi's vision to achieve the highest quality of care for its residents, the Department is pleased to work alongside the great minds at Penn Medicine. Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, Abu Dhabi continues to host partnerships with leading international bodies in an effort to further cement the Emirate’s position as a hub for innovation and life sciences. Our collaboration with Penn Medicine reflects our belief in cooperation across all sectors - including healthcare and academia, to provide a holistic ecosystem for various stakeholders to translate their creative ideas into real-life solutions. We look forward to witnessing the fruitful results in which this MoU will yield within the fields of innovation, healthcare technology and artificial intelligence (AI).”
Glen Gaulton PhD, Vice Dean and Director of the Center for Global Health at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, said: “Penn Medicine has become a global leader in precision medicine and innovation that has resulted in more than 20 new drugs and therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the past five years.
“These accomplishments were enabled by a translational research model and ecosystem developed over the past 20 years. We look forward to applying the experience and expertise of Penn Medicine to develop an ecosystem and international partner model that will help support Abu Dhabi in working toward its vision to become a true innovator in the biomedical sciences and a regional leader that will make a global impact.”
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
