Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, VPS Healthcare launched the Moonshot initiative, the first of its kind in the region, to support medical research in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The initiative, organized by VPS Healthcare in collaboration with Al Bayt Mitwahid Association (ABM), aims to unite key decision-makers from the public and the private sectors, alongside leading academics from around the world, for fruitful discussions to establish a robust framework for healthcare research in the UAE.
The event shed light on approaches for creating a research agenda that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship. In line with the UAE Vision 2021, the Moonshot initiative aims to fuel the UAE’s evolution towards a knowledge-based economy.
The initiative was divided into three main sessions. The first session was led by Dr. Martin Stumpe, Pathology Project Lead at Google. The discussion entailed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis of diseases with precision, and the prospect of the healthcare sector further developing AI and machine learning. Furthermore, they explained the algorithm they had developed that can detect certain forms of cancer more accurately.
The second session centered on the creation of a sustainable global research agenda, which would aim to attract the best scientific talents under the umbrella of innovation, while respecting rationality and research values. The discussion was moderated by, Dr. Garth Powis, Director of the Cancer Research Center at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Institute in California and Dr. Lynn Kirkpatrick, CEO of Ensysce Biosciences in California. Additional speakers included Dr. Martin Stumpe, Pathology Project Lead at Google Research, and Dr. Saad Kenderian, Assistant Professor of Oncology and Director of Immunology and Director of the T Cell Engineering program at the Mayo Clinic.
The third discussion focused on methods of establishing and developing supporting systems for the global research agenda, involving the creation of creative and research institutes within the public and private sectors. This will contribute to forming a sustainable base of knowledge in funding and attracting forward-thinking scientists. This session was conducted by Dr. Stanley Hamilton, Head of Pathology Medicine at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Other experts in attendance were Dr. Jason Hipp, Pathologist at Google, with the participation of Dr. Dr. Lina Meinel,. Oncology Solution Leader at Royal Philips, and Dr. Abdulla Al Jneibi, Pediatrics and Endocrinology Specialist at Burjeel Day Surgery Center.
His Excellency Saif Ali Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Al Bayt Mitwahid Association, commented, “We are proud to support VPS Healthcare, one of our most influential partners in organizing the ‘Moonshot’ Initiative. Helping to maintain healthy living standards across the community is at the heart of Al Bayt Mitwahid’s focus; we’re delighted to continue our contribution through the Moonshot initiative, an innovative global event designed to be a catalyst for the creation of the future healthcare and research agenda of the UAE and the region”.
H.E. continued by stating: “Investing time and resources into innovation is a priority for us, and something we’re deeply passionate about in all of our projects at Al Bayt Mitwahid.”
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of the VPS Healthcare commented, “The Moonshot Initiative was launched to bring the community and experts together for establishing an agenda that fosters creation of knowledge, fuels innovation and accelerates entrepreneurship. We’re here to create a platform to develop enterprising scientists, innovative entrepreneurs and educators in the UAE who can help address the challenges facing our society, today and tomorrow. We’re here to fuel the UAE’s development towards a knowledge-based economy and make meaningful, sustainable contributions to society.”
Vayalil added: “We need to tap into the global culture of innovation and facilitate knowledge creation, which will provide a solid foundation for economic prosperity and social inclusion. For this to happen, people and organizations must facilitate, demand and celebrate the highest standards of excellence in research.”
As a final result, the discussions will act as a catalyst in delivering a roadmap that will provide a framework to build a broad-based clinical research agenda powered by state-of-the-art technology. Moreover, documentation will be organised to provide both government and private funding dedicated to the preliminary plans for developing advanced laboratories within the necessary research infrastructure, with the aim to attract scientific talent, thereby bringing more research to the UAE.
To achieve these aspirations, the speakers stressed the importance of integrating not only the educational and medical systems, but also the manpower in the sector, taking into account the changing demographic structures in the UAE.
