‘Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children’ receives first batch of patients in London

The Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, located in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, received its the first batch of patients.

The centre, which is the outcome of the partnership between Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London and the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity Foundation, was established with funds provided by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, in 2014 worth ₤60 million.

The centre is the first of its kind in the world that treats rare diseases affecting children, and includes advanced gene therapy research rooms, multi-tissue culture rooms to test new treatments, a special cardiac research section with 3D printing facilities, and an open laboratory for 140 researchers.

Dr. Maha Barakat, First Advisor to the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, said that the grant provided by Sheikha Fatima to establish the centre reflects the humanitarian vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as well as the keenness of Sheikha Fatima to cooperate with global partners in addressing the challenges facing the global community, in light of the UAE’s commitment to creating healthy communities and providing children and their families with decent lives.

The centre has attracted hundreds of doctors and researchers, who are experts in diagnosing patients and finding new treatments for rare and complicated diseases.

Mathew Chao, CEO of Great Ormond Street Hospital, expressed his happiness at seeing the centre receive its first patients, noting that it integrates the latest technologies and medical research.