AJMAN, 12th June, 2026 (WAM) — Thumbay Group marked a major milestone in its commitment to advancing medical research and innovation with the groundbreaking of the Thumbay International Research Centre, a purpose-built, six-storey research facility in Al Jurf, Ajman. Designed to integrate scientific discovery, diagnostics, and clinical care under one roof, the centre will foster seamless collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and healthcare innovators.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Sheikh Majid bin Saeed Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ajman Ruler’s Court, and Dr. Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at Ministry of Health and Prevention.
Spanning approximately 3,000 square metres (32,283 sq. ft.) across a ground floor, five upper levels, and a rooftop, the facility will rise to a height of 27.75 metres on Plot 7150 in Al Jurf. Located within an thriving healthcare and academic ecosystem, the centre will enable research teams to work alongside clinical practitioners from its first day of operation.
The facility has been strategically designed to support the full research continuum. The first floor will house start-up laboratories, an incubation centre, and an advanced AR/VR laboratory. The second floor will accommodate general-purpose wet laboratories, while the third floor will focus on experimental oncology research. The fourth floor will be dedicated to genomics, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics.
A comprehensive preclinical research floor featuring animal facilities and a dedicated zebrafish research unit will occupy the fifth floor. The ground floor will include a 110-seat seminar hall and a shared imaging core facility.
The Thumbay International Research Centre will serve as the permanent home of Gulf Medical University’s research ecosystem, supporting faculty, researchers, and students across its colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, and AI in Healthcare. The facility will be anchored by the Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine (TRIPM), which has until now operated within existing university facilities.
The centre will also bring together health-tech entrepreneurs from the GMU Startup Lab and the Thumbay Institute for AI in Healthcare with doctoral researchers, genomics specialists, and clinical teams, creating a collaborative innovation environment rarely found in the region.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President, Thumbay Group, said: “For the past three decades, we have invested in building hospitals, healthcare services, and a world-class, Biggest & No.1 leading private medical university in the Gulf. This research centre represents the next chapter of that journey. Our vision is to bring discovery, diagnosis, and treatment together.”
Prof. Manda Venkatramana, Chancellor, Gulf Medical University, said: “The strength of a medical university is measured not only by the degrees it awards but also by the quality and impact of its research. This facility provides our faculty and students with the infrastructure needed to conduct internationally competitive research and positions Gulf Medical University firmly on the path toward becoming a leading research-intensive institution. Today, that vision takes a significant step forward.”
Prof. Salem Chouaib, Director, Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine (TRIPM), commented: “The new centre removes many of the limitations that have constrained our ambitions. It provides dedicated infrastructure for immunotherapy combination studies, advanced genomics and liquid biopsy research, and preclinical investigations supported by a fully operational zebrafish platform. Initiatives such as the region’s first liquid biopsy programme and our diabetes–cancer genetics collaboration with RCDR can now move from concept to implementation.”
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Thumbay Group announced the second cycle of the Thumbay International Research Grant, awarding funding of 3 million AED to 13 research projects led by investigators from institutions across twenty-six countries, each collaborating with a Gulf Medical University researcher.
Source: Emirates News Agency