Dear All,
I hope you had a good summer! I would like to circulate an update on the UAE Drug Discovery and Biotechnology Network, as well as some details on events, vacancies, and other pieces of information relevant in particular for the region.
So here we go…
Organizational Progress and Communication
I intend to circulate this email newsletter ca every 1-2 months from now on (when there is a good amount of information to share) – if you have any events, jobs, or anything else you would like to circulate, please just send it over and happy to include it next time! Likewise, if you would like to be removed from the list, or be included, please just let me know by mail and I will update the list accordingly.
Also, I have set up a WhatsApp Group, which everyone interested in drug discovery, biotech, and beyond is welcome to join – feel free to also share relevant information there as you see fit (the group is open to all interested in the field): https://chat.whatsapp.com/BYHm01fr7wWCgyLC5mCNv5
As a central website for information sharing I have just extended https://genetic.ae with a proper Content Management System – this is where future information about our events will be posted, and where also all our newsletters will be archived for reference (such as this one). Note that while the website has been updated, some changes to the DNS (Domain Name System) still need to propagate through the network, which in particular currently may take a few more days.
Events
We are currently planning our next UAE Drug Discovery and Biotechnology Network meeting for Fall 2025 – this time in person! I will circulate details about location, date, and schedule with the next newsletter once this has all been defined. Please let me know if you wish to contribute, or suggest a suitable location for this or one of the upcoming meetings!
As for other events of interest in the drug discovery/biotech/health space:
Middle East Events
10 September 2025
ADIA Lab Seminar: Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery – Data, Translation, Start-Ups
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://forms.office.com/r/peXi0njzTB
19-21 September 2025
MedBio Hackathon at Khalifa University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
(Please contact me if you are interested and I will bring you in touch with the organizers directly)
2 October 2025
Public Health Symposium
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://kuconnect.ku.ac.ae/conference-registration#/23357187/PHSE
3/4 October 2025
9th Annual Infectious Disease Week
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://adidweek.com
21-23 October 2025
IEEE HealthCom
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://healthcom2025.ieee-healthcom.org
24/25 October 20205
1st UAE Biomaterials, Biofabrication, and Bioengineering Conference
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://u3b.org
28/29 October 2025
Drug Discovery, Delivery, and Therapeutics Conference
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://publicprograms.nyuad.nyu.edu/en/the-institute/events/2025/october/drug-discovery-delivery-and-therapeutics.html
13/14 November 2025
3rd Healthy Longevity Forum
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://ku.events/3rd-healthy-longevity-symposium
9-12 February 2026
WHX Dubai (Formerly Arab Health)
Dubai, UAE
https://www.worldhealthexpo.com/events/healthcare/dubai/en/home.html
24-26 March 2026
DUPHAT Pharmaceutical Conference
Dubai, UAE
https://duphat.ae
10/11 April 2026
9th UAE International Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance
Dubai, UAE
https://www.icamr-uae.com
11-13 May 2026
CPhI / BIO Middle East 2026
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
https://www.cphi.com/middle-east/en/attend/why-attend.html
(BIO details TBC, but planned to be co-located with CPhI next year)
On a very different topic, but possibly also of local interest:
16 September 2025
To the Edge of the Earth: The First Emirati Scientific Mission to Antarctica
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://nyuad.my.salesforce-sites.com/Events/NYUEventRegistration?event=gkl7gaiIaOB4ikdMOYvQLA_3D_3D
Worldwide Events (With virtual/hybrid mode)
30 September 2025
5th Virtual ChemBioTalks
Virtual Event
https://web.cvent.com/event/60e9f372-d2fd-49f0-bad4-10ac9a71b11c/summary
9 October 2025
6th EFMC2 Tandem Talks
Virtual Event
https://www.efmctandemtalks.org
7 November 2025
Machine Learning in Drug Discovery Symposium
Cambridge, MA and online (hybrid)
https://www.broadinstitute.org/machine-learning-drug-discovery-symposium/machine-learning-drug-discovery
Regional and Topical Information
Khalifa University has made significant investments into life science resources in recent years, in particular into a state-of-the-art cryo-EM facility, an animal house/vivarium (among the biggest in the Middle East), a microbiology laboratory, and others. These resources are available also for collaborations, both on a research and fee-for-service/commercial basis. Hence, if structural biology/cryo-EM, animal studies, or microbiology research or services might be of interest to you please get in touch and we will be happy to explore ways of working together!
Dubai Medical University are launching a degree in ‘MSc in Drug Discovery and Development’ from this year onwards – please circulate to those who might be interested: https://dmu.ae/home/drug-discovery-development-study-plan
Jobs
Principal Applied Scientist
Inception
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4262386511
Computational Biology (and other areas) – Open Rank Faculty Positions
MBZUAI
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/school/mbzuai/jobs
Research Engineer Intern
GenBio AI
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4268511441
Director of the Advanced Biosciences and Bioengineering Research Center
American University of Sharjah (AUS)
Sharjah, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4228462048
Research Assistant Professor – Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics
UAE University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4280368851
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Abu Dhabi University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4279445584
Biostatistician
Dubai Health
Dubai, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4290664714
Organic Chemistry Scientist
M42 Health
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4289498847
Assistant/Associate Professor – Healthcare Management
Gulf Medical University
Ajman, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4291226622
Core Laboratory Specialist – Cryo Electron Microscopy
Khalifa University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4287885635
Chief Medical Officer Northern Emirates (and other positions)
SEHA
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4289861935
Faculty, Health Sciences (Medical Laboratory Science)
Higher Colleges of Technology
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3797607845
Research Scientist in the Center for Translational Medical Devices (and other positions)
NYU Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, UAE
https://www.linkedin.com/school/new-york-university-abu-dhabi/jobs
Start-Ups and Translation
2025 H1 HSBC Venture Healthcare Report
https://www.hsbcinnovationbanking.com/-/media/hinv/pdf/2025-midyear-venture-healthcare-report.pdf
For bigger trends in healthcare investments
Bayanat Investor Map – focus on the Middle East Region
https://www.bayanat.pro/vc-map
For those looking for Venture Capital funding from the region
These were all the details I wanted to circulate on this occasion. Before I conclude, also a brief announcement about myself: I will more strongly be involved in outreach and collaborations of the Health area at Khalifa University in the future, and aim to extend industrial, clinical, academic, and any other type of collaborations with diverse partners in the future. Hence, if there is anything you would like to do with us in the Health area, from research to translation – please do get in touch!
I will aim to circulate this newsletter about every ca 1-2 months from now on, or once there is a good amount of new and interesting news to share. If you have information to circulate or would like to speak at our next meetings please just let me know, to advance the area of Drug Discovery, Biotechnology & Beyond further in the UAE, and across its scientific and technical, as well as geographic interfaces!
Best wishes and until soon again,
Andreas