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The United Arab Emirates has made a transformational gift to Cleveland Clinic in the name of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to accelerate research in cancer and pathogens. The gift supports research facilities in Cleveland, Ohio, and Port St. Lucie, Florida, as well as a new endowed chair for research in cancer immunotherapy.
H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak is the mother of H.H. The President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is considered by her people to be “the mother of the nation.” The significant contribution marks Cleveland Clinic’s 102-year history, as well as the UAE’s 51st year since its founding, and is made in appreciation of a vital collaboration and shared commitment to shaping the future of healthcare worldwide.
“We are deeply grateful to United Arab Emirates for this extraordinary gift which enables us to grow our research infrastructure and make discoveries that will lead to life-saving new treatments and vaccines for patients around the world,” said Serpil Erzurum, M.D., Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research and Academic Officer. “This expanded research ecosystem will provide leading-edge facilities dedicated to innovation and will be comprised of interconnected programs in which the best and brightest caregivers work smarter, faster and together toward the ultimate goal: better health for all.”
The gift recognizes the dedication to advancing innovation, research, education and training within Cleveland Clinic’s Global Center for Pathogen & Human Health Research and the Global Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-oncology at Cleveland Clinic. The funds will support:
Global Center for Pathogen and Human Health Research
In honor of the gift, the Global Center for Pathogen and Human Health Research will be named the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Global Center for Pathogen and Human Health Research.
Headquartered in Cleveland, the center spans Cleveland Clinic’s global footprint and is the centerpiece of the Cleveland Innovation District, a collaboration aimed at creating jobs, accelerating research and educating the workforce of the future.
The gift will support a new research facility to be constructed in the Cleveland Innovation District, named the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Global Pathogen Research Center. The center brings together multi-disciplinary experts to find new ways to protect against public health threats such as HIV/AIDS, Dengue fever, Zika and COVID-19. It is led by Jae Jung, Ph.D., an internationally renowned authority in virology and virus-induced cancers, known for his groundbreaking work in the field of emerging pathogens.
The gift will also support global pathogen research at the Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida. With 107,000 square feet of space on eight acres of land, this state-of-the-art facility features modern laboratory space, world-class biosafety level 3 facilities for work with infectious agents and provides an exceptional training environment for researchers. The center is led by scientific director Michaela Gack, Ph.D., a renowned virology expert who has an extensive background in microbiology and infectious disease.
Global Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-oncology
The gift also establishes a new endowed chair, the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Endowed Chair, to support the Global Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-Oncology, a state-of-the-art center focused on advancing research and treatment in the rapidly growing field of cancer immunotherapy in Cleveland and Florida.
Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., a pioneer in precision immuno-oncology and director of the center, will be the initial chair holder. Dr. Chan and his team are dedicated to advancing personalized immune-based therapies, an approach that analyzes an individual patient’s unique situation to match them to the most effective immunotherapy.
In addition to advancing cancer therapies, the center is dedicated to innovating new genomic approaches and expediting discoveries out of the laboratory for patients. With this gift, the Global Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-oncology will advance cancer research, including immunotherapy cancer research, in the Middle East, establishing a foundation for patients to have access to the latest and best treatments, from early to late stages of disease.
These newly named resources and facilities will enable trainees and partners from United Arab Emirates to collaborate with Cleveland Clinic’s top leaders in cancer, virology, genomics and drug development, fostering hands-on training and education, and leading to seamless global operational integration.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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