PureLab and Baynounah Gene Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand collaboration in diagnostics innovation, synthetic biology, molecular sciences and healthcare research in the UAE, strengthening efforts to build local capability in advanced life sciences.Signed on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates 2026 in Abu Dhabi, the agreement brings together one of the region’s largest laboratory networks with a company focused on synthetic biology and molecular technologies. The partnership is expected to cover joint research initiatives, validation studies, pilot projects and workforce development programmes aimed at translating laboratory science into healthcare applications.
PureLab, part of PureHealth, operates more than 140 laboratories across the UAE and conducts more than 32 million tests a year. Its network supports public and private healthcare providers, national screening programmes and specialised diagnostic services. Baynounah Gene Solutions, also known through its BGS50 platform, focuses on locally developed synthetic biology tools, including oligonucleotide design, reagents, validation systems and molecular applications used in diagnostics, biosensing and gene-based research.
Arindam Haldar, chief executive officer of PureLab, said the partnership was designed to strengthen diagnostics innovation and local scientific capability. “Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen local diagnostics innovation, support research and development, and contribute to future-ready healthcare solutions,” he said.
Dr Omar Najim, chief executive officer of Baynounah Gene Solutions, said the collaboration would support biotechnology and molecular sciences aligned with national priorities. He said the two organisations would seek to accelerate scientific advancement and develop next-generation healthcare solutions.
The agreement comes as the UAE places greater emphasis on health technology, precision medicine and domestic life sciences capacity. Federal and emirate-level initiatives have pushed healthcare groups, research institutions and industrial partners to reduce reliance on imported technologies, improve supply-chain resilience and create platforms that can support clinical research, manufacturing and advanced diagnostics.
Make it in the Emirates has become a central platform for industrial partnerships, local manufacturing and technology transfer. Its 2026 edition, held at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 4 to 7 May, brought together government bodies, investors and companies across strategic sectors as the country seeks to deepen industrial value chains and attract knowledge-based investment.
Diagnostics has emerged as one of the fastest-moving areas of healthcare innovation, driven by demand for earlier disease detection, personalised treatment and population-level health surveillance. Molecular diagnostics, which can identify genetic material from pathogens or detect inherited disease markers, has become especially important after the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the value of domestic testing infrastructure and rapid validation systems.
PureLab’s expansion into AI-enabled diagnostics has added scale to the UAE’s testing ecosystem. Its 70,000-square-foot AI-powered laboratory, developed under PureHealth, is designed to process more than 30 million samples annually and offers more than 1,800 test parameters across areas including molecular genetics, pathology, infectious disease detection, transplant compatibility and environmental testing. The facility links automation, digital pathology and quality control systems with a wider laboratory network.
Baynounah Gene Solutions brings a different but complementary capability. Its work in synthetic biology involves AI-assisted design, local validation and production of biological components used in research and diagnostics. Such inputs are critical for molecular testing, genomic analysis and advanced bioscience applications, where speed, accuracy and supply security can affect both clinical response and research productivity.
The MoU is not an acquisition or commercial launch, but it signals a strategic direction for the two organisations. Validation studies and pilot projects are likely to be the first practical steps, as both sides assess how laboratory infrastructure, local reagent development and molecular science expertise can be combined. Workforce development could also prove significant, given the shortage of specialised talent in bioinformatics, molecular biology, laboratory automation and regulatory science across many emerging life sciences markets.
The UAE’s life sciences sector has been shaped by public-private partnerships, genomics programmes, healthcare consolidation and regulatory reforms covering clinical trials, health data and biobanking. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have both sought to position themselves as regional hubs for precision medicine, health data analytics and advanced healthcare manufacturing. Those ambitions have drawn investment from large healthcare groups, sovereign-backed platforms and specialised technology companies.
For healthcare providers, the partnership could eventually support faster validation of new diagnostic tools, broader access to locally adapted tests and stronger links between research and clinical use. For policymakers, it fits a wider effort to create a domestic biotechnology ecosystem that can respond to public health needs while supporting economic diversification.
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