Abu Dhabi to create over 20,000 jobs in life science sector by 2035

Abu Dhabi is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs in the life science sector over the next decade, a senior official said on Monday.

“By 2035, Abu Dhabi is projected to add more than Dh100 billion to its GDP and create over 20,000 jobs in the life science sector,” said Mansoor Al Mansoori, member of The Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, during a keynote address at Abu Dhabi Finance Week on Monday.

Life science is the study of living organisms and life processes covering microorganisms, plants, animals and human beings. There are four basic branches of life science – biology, anatomy, astrobiology and biotechnology – and many other branches.

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In 2024, 25 per cent more firms localised the capital’s life science cluster with more than 180 clinical studies, he added.

“For us, health is wealth. A healthy population ensures societal well-being and fuels economic growth. We aim to create the most intelligent and efficient system, delivering personalised and preventive care to excel healthy lifestyle of our population,” he said, adding that this is based on three pillars – healthy population, best in-class service and cutting edge technology to improve productivity and reduce cost.

“This is a shift from a reactive system to a proactive approach where we predict, prevent and act through personalised intervention. This makes the health sector in Abu Dhabi unique. We have created the most holistic data, covering genome and lifestyle information, integrated from multi-disciplines, creating a digital twin of our population,” he said during the keynote address.

He elaborated that the UAE capital is completing the world’s largest genome project, along with the most comprehensive reference genome. Groundbreaking clinical applications such as personalised cardiovascular screening or cancer medication are based on an individual’s genetic profile.

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