Masdar City launches Biosphere Labs at BIO 2026

USA — Masdar City has unveiled Biosphere Labs, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s first commercially scaled shared laboratory facility, marking a major step in Abu Dhabi’s efforts to strengthen its position as a regional and global life sciences hub.

The announcement was made during the BIO International Convention 2026 in San Diego, one of the world’s largest biotechnology gatherings, which has attracted more than 20,000 industry leaders, researchers, investors, and innovators from over 100 countries this year.

The event focuses on emerging technologies, biotechnology investment, precision medicine, and scientific innovation.

Expanding Access to Advanced Research Infrastructure

Developed through a partnership between Masdar City, M42, and Attentive Science, Biosphere Labs aims to address one of the biggest challenges facing researchers and biotechnology companies: access to high-quality laboratory infrastructure.

The facility provides researchers, startups, and biotechnology firms with immediate access to specialist laboratory space, advanced scientific equipment, operational support services, and connections to Abu Dhabi’s growing life sciences ecosystem.

By offering shared resources, the facility is expected to reduce the cost, complexity, and time required to establish laboratory operations.

For international companies looking to enter the Middle East market, Biosphere Labs also serves as a gateway into Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem, enabling them to develop, test, and scale technologies within a single connected environment.

The launch further strengthens Masdar City’s growing network of research and technology organizations dedicated to advancing healthcare and biotechnology innovation.

Supporting Abu Dhabi’s HELM Cluster

The new facility builds on the momentum of Abu Dhabi’s HELM (Health, Endurance, Longevity, and Medicine) cluster, launched in 2025 and based in Masdar City.

The cluster was created to accelerate medical research, clinical development, advanced manufacturing, and commercialization activities across the healthcare sector.

Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said the emirate has created an ecosystem where healthcare, research, investment, and innovation work together to accelerate scientific progress.

She noted that Biosphere Labs strengthens this ecosystem by providing researchers and biotechnology companies with the infrastructure needed to transform scientific discoveries into practical healthcare solutions.

Ahmed Baghoum, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar City, described Biosphere Labs as a defining milestone in the city’s life sciences journey.

He said the facility demonstrates what can be achieved when infrastructure, policy, and partnerships are aligned to support innovation.

According to Baghoum, the project will help attract global talent, encourage scientific breakthroughs, and support the development of technologies that can improve health outcomes both regionally and internationally.

Collaboration to drive scientific breakthroughs

Dr. Fahed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer of M42 Integrated Health Solutions, said the facility will help researchers and startups move more quickly from discovery to real-world application by providing access to world-class laboratory infrastructure and scientific expertise.

Meanwhile, Tareq Abu-Nadi, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Attentive Science, said Biosphere Labs is the result of more than two years of collaboration among government, industry, and academic partners.

He noted that the initiative is designed to foster scientific discovery, accelerate the development of new technologies and therapies, and support the creation of intellectual property with global relevance.

The launch comes as the UAE continues to invest heavily in biotechnology, precision medicine, and advanced healthcare infrastructure.

Recent initiatives within Masdar City have included expanding biological data infrastructure, enhancing multi-omics capabilities, and developing AI-driven healthcare platforms to strengthen the country’s life sciences sector.

Today, Masdar City hosts several leading organizations across the healthcare and biotechnology landscape, including M42, Attentive Science, the Abu Dhabi Biobank, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and Insilico Medicine, creating an increasingly interconnected ecosystem for scientific research and innovation.