Seven Years of Healing: The Zayed Centre’s Quiet Revolution in Childhood Medicine

In a London research institute bearing the name of the UAE's visionary leadership, scientists and clinicians are rewriting the possibilities for children born with rare diseases. Seven years in, the results speak for themselves.

In a converted wing of one of London’s most distinguished children’s hospitals, something quietly remarkable is taking place. Researchers are identifying genetic causes of childhood neurological disorders that once seemed insurmountable. Surgeons are engineering new tissues to repair what nature left incomplete. Immunologists are harnessing the body’s own cells to fight childhood cancers that offered no hope before. This is the work of the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, which marks seven years of advancing the frontier of paediatric science.

The Centre emerged from a vision translated into resources: a £60 million contribution from H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation. When it opened its doors in 2019 as a partnership between Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London and the hospital’s children’s charity, the ambition was clear: to place scientists, clinicians and researchers under one roof, accelerating the translation of discovery into treatment.

The Centre’s 2026 Annual Report captures the momentum of that ambition made tangible. In the past year alone, 46 principal investigators and their research teams generated 61 peer reviewed scientific publications. Twenty-three new research projects were launched, with 11 dedicated to gene and cell therapies. Among the breakthrough moments: a pioneering treatment for Hunter syndrome, manufactured and administered to a three-year-old patient as part of a world-first clinical trial. Parallel advances have emerged in regenerative medicine and innovative approaches to treating childhood cancers.

The Centre’s achievements rest on the shoulders of researchers whose work spans the full spectrum of modern paediatric medicine. Professor Manju Kurian identifies the genetic causes of childhood neurological disorders, developing precision therapies including gene therapy approaches to improve diagnosis and treatment for complex conditions affecting the brain. Professor Paolo De Coppi, a surgeon and pioneer of regenerative medicine, has spent his career developing tissue-engineered solutions for congenital anomalies, giving children treatment options that did not previously exist. His work as co-lead of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine theme of the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre exemplifies the marriage of breakthrough science and patient benefit.

Dr. Amy McTague’s work in genomic research is accelerating diagnosis of severe childhood epilepsy through rapid genome sequencing, now identifying genetic causes within weeks rather than months or years. The Gene STEPS study she leads has demonstrated this transformation in clinical practice. Professor Francesco Muntoni, Director of the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, has bridged genetic discovery and treatment in rare neuromuscular conditions including Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, laying foundations for therapies transforming outcomes for previously untreatable conditions.

In the rapidly advancing field of cellular and gene therapy, Professor Waseem Qasim stands at the frontier, leading pioneering work in genome edited CAR-T cell therapies, including world-first treatments for children with otherwise untreatable leukaemia. His team’s innovations aim to create off-the-shelf cellular therapies that could extend life-saving treatments to more children worldwide. Professor Sara Ghorashian, a consultant paediatric haematologist and clinician scientist, advances cellular immunotherapies for children with difficult to treat blood cancers, improving the safety and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapies and translating laboratory discoveries into clinical treatments. Professor Claire Booth, a consultant paediatrician and Professor of Gene Therapy and Paediatric Immunology, has helped establish the hospital as a global leader in gene therapy for children with rare immune deficiencies, leading multiple clinical trials to ensure discoveries reach patients as quickly and safely as possible.

Dr. Kiki Syrad, Director of Research and Innovation at Great Ormond Street Hospital, reflects on the Centre’s transformation: “Seven years ago, the Zayed Centre was established with a bold ambition to bring together scientists, clinicians, patients and families to accelerate discoveries for children with rare and complex conditions. Today, it stands as a world-leading centre of excellence where groundbreaking research is improving diagnosis, pioneering new treatments and giving hope to families around the world.”

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The Zayed Centre represents a distinctive expression of Emirati values and vision in global healthcare. H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s investment of £60 million reflects the UAE’s commitment to positioning itself at the forefront of medical research and innovation, extending its influence and expertise across continents. Through this Centre, Emirati leadership continues to shape the future of paediatric medicine, ensuring that children facing rare diseases benefit from discoveries made possible through UAE generosity and vision.

As Dr. Maha Barakat, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Medical Affairs and Life Sciences, observed in marking the anniversary, the Centre’s progress demonstrates how investment in scientific research and innovation can transform scientific discoveries into better outcomes for children worldwide. For Abu Dhabi and the UAE, the Zayed Centre exemplifies soft power deployed in service of humanity: the capacity to lead not through force, but through wisdom, resources, and an unwavering commitment to advancing human health and possibility across the world.

Source: WAM