ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 31st Oct, 2019) The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, DoH, the healthcare sector regulator in the emirate, and Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, VIB, a Belgian-based life sciences research institute, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to enhance mutual cooperation in healthcare research.
The MoU was signed by Mashaal Al Hameli, Director of Legal Affairs and Acting Deputy Director of the DoH, and Jo Bury, Managing Director of VIB.
The signing ceremony was attended by Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of the DoH, and Professor Dr. Peter Carmeliet, MD, Phd Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism at the VIB Centre for Cancer Biology, KULeuven Department of Oncology.
Under the agreement, the two entities will cooperate in the field of healthcare research, enabling Emirati healthcare professionals to become more engaged, as well as exchange experiences amongst their medical teams. This, in turn, will allow the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi to benefit from the knowledge provided by the Belgian institute regarding the control of blood vessels by careful genetic intervention in the cells that make up said vessels.
Mashaal Al Hameli noted, "The DoH continues to lead the way in positioning Abu Dhabi as a global leader in the fields of medical research and healthcare innovation. With this MoU in place, we hope to set a precedent for future knowledge exchanges with countries that have been successful in medical research."
Al Hameli continued to praise the collaboration with the life sciences research institute, stating, "This agreement will open new horizons for Abu Dhabi and stimulate innovative medical research with the aim of improving the quality of life for residents and filling the capacity gaps to meet the immediate needs of our medical sector. We hope that these partnerships will build a healthy knowledge-based economy and position Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system as world-class."
Bury said, "Our experience, knowledge and advanced technologies in metabolic diseases and our future collaborations with our Abu Dhabi partners match perfectly with the growing global medical needs. Based on this collaboration, we will advance our knowledge in the frontline of science, which will be of immediate societal benefit to the local community of Abu Dhabi, the UAE and to the world".
