Abu Dhabi’s ASPIRE to invest $54mn in 3 virtual research institutes

Abu Dhabi’s ASPIRE to invest $54mn in 3 virtual research institutes

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Abu Dhabi-based Advanced Technology Research Council’s (ATRC) technology program management arm ASPIRE is funding three Virtual Research Institutes (VRIs) in UAE Universities.

ASPIRE will invest $54 million (AED200 million) to fund new research in priority sectors. The funding demonstrates the Abu Dhabi government’s commitment to world-class research in the emirate’s priority industries.

According to the statement, “UAE University (UAEU) will have two research institutes while Khalifa University will have one.”

The new Precision Medicine Virtual Research Institute at UAEU will be led by Professor Milos Ljubisavljevic. It will focus on how to change biotechnology research in Abu Dhabi and how to improve people’s quality of life by increasing their average lifetime.

The institute will create research projects in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Health Authority (Seha) to address key diseases and strategies to improve clinical care in the emirate.

The second one at UAEU, the International Virtual Research Institute for Food Security in the Drylands will be led by Dr. Elke Neumann. It intends to achieve food security in arid regions.

The team will look at innovative ways to increase urban farming food supplies. The focus will be on protected urban plant cultivation, urban agroforestry, aquaculture as well as insect and algal farming.

The third institute