- Abu Dhabi Biobank and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute partner to launch the Middle East’s first Eye Bank, based in Abu Dhabi.
- The facility will reduce reliance on imported donor corneal tissue and build long-term regional transplant capability.
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, ranked America’s best eye hospital 24 times by U.S. News & World Report, will support clinical protocols, training and research for the new eye bank.
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi Biobank (ADBB), a strategic initiative between the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, and M42, a global health leader, announced a landmark collaboration with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, part of the University of Miami Health System. Announced at the BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, USA, the partnership aims to establish the Middle East's first Eye Bank in Abu Dhabi, creating a critical new healthcare capability that will transform access to sight-restoring corneal transplantation across the UAE and wider region.
Globally, an estimated 10 million people live with bilateral corneal blindness, yet only one donor cornea is available for every 70 patients requiring transplantation. More than half of the world's population has limited or no access to corneal transplantation services. As the region’s Living Lab for Life Sciences, Abu Dhabi is positioned to extend world-class corneal transplantation care to patients across the region.
The Abu Dhabi Biobank - Eye Bank marks a significant milestone in the development of advanced transplant and biobanking infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, helping extend world-class corneal transplantation care to patients across the region. Last year, DoH had partnered with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute to establish its first-ever international facility in Abu Dhabi, expanding access to Bascom Palmer’s globally renowned ophthalmic care, pioneering research, and outstanding medical education in the Emirate.
H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi’s evolution as a global pioneer in specialized healthcare is rooted in our commitment to provide the community access to quality care and world-class medical expertise close to home. The Emirate’s partnership with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute continues to raise the bar for excellence, strengthening our commitment to innovation, international collaboration, and new standards for care. Through this partnership, our ecosystem continues to champion a globally connected healthcare hub, leveraging cutting-edge technology and international standards to accelerate the delivery of next-generation, patient-centered care.”
By establishing local eye banking capabilities for the first time, the partnership aims to provide patients in the UAE timely and reliable access to sight restoring corneal transplants. This will reduce reliance on imported donor tissue, strengthen regional self-sufficiency, improve access to life-changing treatment and provide patients with a more reliable pathway to timely sight-restoring care. The eye bank will recover, process, preserve and distribute donor corneal tissue according to international standards, creating a secure and sustainable local supply chain from donor through to recipient. The capability is expected to significantly reduce the logistical challenges, supply uncertainty and delays associated with sourcing corneal tissue internationally, while enhancing quality assurance, traceability and patient outcomes.
Albarah El Khani, Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Health Solutions, M42, said: “The establishment of the Middle East's first Eye Bank marks the creation of critical health infrastructure that will restore sight, reduce dependence on imported tissue and build long-term transplant capability for the region. Through Abu Dhabi Biobank, we are creating the foundations for a more self-sufficient, resilient and innovation-driven healthcare system. Partnering with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute ensures this capability is built to the highest international standards from day one, combining world-class expertise with Abu Dhabi's ambition to lead the future of healthcare.”
The Abu Dhabi Biobank - Eye Bank will recover, process, preserve and distribute donor corneal tissue according to international standards, creating a secure and sustainable local supply chain from donor through to recipient. The capability is expected to significantly reduce the logistical challenges, supply uncertainty, and delays associated with sourcing corneal tissue internationally, while enhancing quality assurance, traceability and patient outcomes.
Dr. Zain Kenderian, MD, MBA, MStJ, Chief Executive Officer of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Abu Dhabi said, “Bascom Palmer has spent more than six decades advancing ophthalmic care, research, and education, and extending that expertise through international partnerships is core to our mission. This eye bank is foundational infrastructure for research, not simply a storage and logistics facility, and it will support transplantation science and clinical training in the region for years to come. We are proud to support the Abu Dhabi Biobank's Eye Bank as it works to build sustainable, high quality corneal donation and transplantation capability for the region.”
The Abu Dhabi Biobank - Eye Bank will collaborate with Hayat, the UAE's national organ donation initiative, on the recovery, processing, preservation and distribution of corneal tissue.
Recognized as the No. 1 eye hospital in the United States for the 24th time by U.S. News & World Report, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute brings more than six decades of pioneering expertise in ophthalmology, transplantation and eye banking. Through the collaboration, the Institute will support the development of clinical protocols, operational standards, workforce training, research and education, helping establish a center of excellence for corneal transplantation in Abu Dhabi and the wider region.
Together, Abu Dhabi Biobank and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute aim to build a sustainable ecosystem that restores vision, supports surgeons and serves the region more widely. This will be one of several capabilities within the Abu Dhabi Biobank, which includes the largest hybrid cord blood bank, a pan human biobank and a tumor bank, all designed to advance early detection, prevention, and personalized care.
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