Abu Dhabi Biobank partners with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on cancer research

Abu Dhabi Biobank and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi have launched a collaboration to advance cancer research through biological sample collection, genomic sequencing and laboratory models.

The initiative will collect blood and tumour tissue samples from patients receiving care at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Fatima bint Mubarak Center. Participation will be voluntary, with samples collected following informed consent and managed under established ethical and governance frameworks.

Abu Dhabi Biobank, a strategic initiative between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and M42, will process and preserve the samples for future research.

The pilot will include somatic sequencing of tumour tissue, which examines genetic changes acquired by cancer cells. The project will also support the development of patient-derived organoids: laboratory-grown models created from tumour tissue that researchers can use to study cancer biology and investigate responses to different treatments.

The initiative aims to bring together germline data relating to inherited genetic variation, tumour sequencing and laboratory research models within a centralised resource. This could help researchers investigate how cancers develop, evolve and acquire resistance to treatment.

The collaboration will cover multiple cancer types, including breast and pancreatic cancer. It is also intended to increase the availability of research samples from patients in the region, potentially improving their representation in cancer studies.

Abu Dhabi Biobank’s facility in Masdar City has the capacity to store five million human biological samples linked to health data, according to the organisations.

The collaboration aims to support research into earlier detection and more personalised treatment approaches. However, its immediate focus is establishing a resource for future studies; any impact on clinical practice and patient outcomes will depend on subsequent research and validation.