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National Reference Laboratory is focused on increasing the quality, spectrum, coverage and overall efficiency of laboratory testing in the UAE and GCC region.
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Medical and Scientific Team

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Advanced Diagnostic Centres
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Providing clients the complete spectrum of clinical testing services.
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Services

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Laboratory Management

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Lab Innovation 2026
ISPC 2027

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العربية

About Us
National Reference Laboratory is focused on increasing the quality, spectrum, coverage and overall efficiency of laboratory testing in the UAE and GCC region.
Advanced Diagnostic Centres
Services
Providing clients the complete spectrum of clinical testing services.
- Services
- Services
- Referral Testing
- Laboratory Management
- Point of Care Testing
- Specialized Testing
Find a Test
Lab Innovation 2026
ISPC 2027

Clinical Education

Request a Call

Select a Section

Agenda: Day 1 - Innovations in Laboratory Medicine
Friday, 30 October 2026

08:30 – 08:55	Registration and Welcome Coffee
08:55 – 09:00	Welcome to Laboratory Innovation Day and Program Overview	Mr. Jonathan Harris National Reference Laboratory, UAE
Session 1 · Framing Innovation & AI in Laboratory Medicine Moderator: Mr. Jonathan Harris
09:00 – 09:20	Beyond Better: Telling Innovation from Improvement in Laboratory Medicine	Dr. Imran Mirza National Reference Laboratory, UAE
09:20 – 09:40	Artificial Intelligence in Anatomic Pathology	Dr. Basel Altrabulsi National Reference Laboratory, UAE
09:40 – 10:00	Mind the Fox: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Making Innovation Happen in Healthcare and the Laboratory	Dr. Lawrence Petalidis M42 Group, UAE
10:00 – 10:10	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
10:10 – 10:50	Coffee Break
Session 2 · Opening & Keynotes Moderator: Dr. Imran Mirza
10:50 – 11:00	Welcome Address	Dr. Laila Abdel Wareth National Reference Laboratory - CEO, UAE
11:00 – 11:20	Support for Research & Innovation in Healthcare — The Regulator’s Perspective	Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi Department of Health, UAE
11:20 – 11:50	Scientific Keynote: From Genomes to Precision Health — How Laboratory Innovation is Transforming Healthcare in the UAE	H.E Prof. Habiba AlSafar Khalifa University, UAE
11:50 – 12:20	Fireside Chat — Innovation, Regulation & the Future of Diagnostics	Dr. Laila Abdel Wareth Dr. Shweta Narang Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi H.E Prof. Habiba AlSafar Dr. Fernando Macario Moderated panel — M42 Group CMO joining
12:20 – 14:00	Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation Friday Prayers and Lunch Break
Session 3 · Longevity, Precision & Predictive Medicine Moderator: Dr. Sara Bisari
14:00 – 14:30	Keynote: Telomere Biology & the Science of Longevity	Dr. Maria Blasco Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Spain
14:30 – 14:50	Point-of-Care Pharmacogenetics: CYP2C19 Testing in Stroke	Mr. Jonathan Harris National Reference Laboratory, UAE
14:50 – 15:10	Alzheimer Biomarkers	Dr. Laila Abdel Wareth National Reference Laboratory - CEO, UAE
15:10 – 15:30	Telomere & Longevity Applications at NRL	Dr. Hemad Yasaei National Reference Laboratory, UAE
15:30 – 15:40	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
15:40 – 16:00	Coffee Break
Session 4 · Genomics & Cytogenomics Moderator: Dr. Andrew Turner
16:00 – 16:20	The Window of Early Intervention: Harnessing donor selection and chimerism to intercept leukemia relapse	Dr. Faisal Khan OncoHelix, Co-founder and CEO, Canada
16:20 – 16:40	Transforming Cytogenetics through Optical Genome Mapping: Hematological Malignancies	Dr. Sara Bisari National Reference Laboratory, UAE
16:40 – 17:00	Whole Transcriptome RNA Sequencing	Dr. Hemad Yasaei National Reference Laboratory, UAE
17:00 – 17:20	Entering a New Era of Lab Automation Together	Ms. Emilia Salmela BD Lab Automation & Workflow Consultant
17:20 – 17:30	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
17:30 – 17:35	Closing Remarks: Dr. Imran Mirza

Agenda: Day 2 - Hematopathology
Saturday, 31 October 2026

08:00 – 08:25	Registration and Welcome Coffee
08:25 – 08:30	Welcome to Hematopathology Day and Program Overview	Dr. Ahmad Al Duaij National Reference Laboratory, UAE
Session 1 · Myeloid Neoplasms (AML / MDS / MPN) Moderator: Dr. Ahmad Al Duaij
08:30 – 08:50	Diagnosing AML in 2026: Integrating Morphology, Genetics, and Risk Stratification	Dr. Chethan Belludi PureLab, Abu Dhabi, UAE
08:50 – 09:10	From controversy to clarity: Navigating the diagnosis of MDS in 2026	Dr. Rania Medhat Seliem Dubai Health, Dubai
09:10 – 09:30	BPDCN: Overview and GCC Guidelines	Dr. Rania Medhat Seliem Dubai Health, Dubai
09:30 – 09:40	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
09:40 – 10:00	Coffee Break
Session 2 · Flow Cytometry and Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) Moderator: Dr. Muntadhar Al Moosawi
10:00 – 10:20	Next Generation Flow Cytometry and Potential Machine Learning	Dr. Hani Bibawi Sidra Medicine, Qatar
10:20 – 10:40	Application of Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) by Flow Cytometry- Case studies	Dr. Hani Bibawi Sidra Medicine, Qatar
10:40 – 11:00	MRD Detection in AML: Flow Cytometry or Molecular?	Dr. Imran Mirza National Reference Laboratory, UAE
Keynote Presentation
11:00 – 11:30	Hemoglobinopathy: the good, the bad, and… the future?	Dr. Jason Ford Sidra Medicine, Qatar
11:30 – 11:40	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
11:40 – 12:10	Pharmatrade Symposium Beyond Hands-On Time: How Integrated Automation Drives Standardization, Efficiency, and Laboratory Performance	Dr. Lucia Testolin BD Biosciences, UAE
12:10 – 13:30	Lunch and Prayer Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
Session 3 · Lymphoid Neoplasms (Lymphoma/Myeloma/Histiocytic Disorders) Moderator: Dr. Imran Mirza
13:30 – 13:50	HHV8-positive Lymphoproliferative Disorders	Dr. Yasin Ahmad National Reference Laboratory, UAE
13:50 – 14:10	Cutaneous Lymphoma	Dr. Sara Al Janahi Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
14:10 – 14:30	Hodgkin Lymphoma and its Mimics	Dr. Ahmad Al Duaij National Reference Laboratory, UAE
14:30 – 14:40	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
14:40 – 15:00	Roche Symposium Performing Today, Transforming Tomorrow	Mr. Ahmed Abbas Roche Diagnostics, UAE
15:00 – 15:20	Coffee Break
Session 4 · Laboratory Coagulation and Quality Management Moderator: Dr. Andrew Turner
15:20 – 15:40	Establishing a Special Coagulation Reference Laboratory: Concept, Accreditation, and AI Implementation	Dr. Muntadhar Al Moosawi National Reference Laboratory, UAE
15:40 – 16:00	Lupus Anticoagulant Testing: Insights from UK NEQAS	Mr. Chris Reilly-Stitt UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation, UK
16:00 – 16:20	Factor Assay Standardization: Why Do Laboratories Get Different Results?	Mr. Chris Reilly-Stitt UK NEQAS for Blood Coagulation, UK
16:20 – 16:30	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
16:30 – 16:35	Closing Remarks: Dr. Ahmad Al Duaij

Agenda: Day 3 - Transfusion Medicine
Sunday, 1 November 2026

08:00 – 08:25	Registration and Welcome Coffee
08:25 – 08:30	Welcome to Transfusion Medicine Day and Program Overview	Dr. Muntadhar Al Moosawi National Reference Laboratory, UAE
Session 1 · Patient Blood Management and Clinical Transfusion Moderator: Dr. Eiman Al Zaabi
08:30 – 08:50	Patient Blood Management	Dr. Tarek Ansari SEHA, UAE
08:50 – 09:10	The Silent Crisis: Workforce Challenges in Blood Banking and Transfusion Services	Dr. Manuel Algora PureLab, Abu Dhabi, UAE
09:10 – 09:50	Keynote: Updates on the use of cold-stored platelets	A/Prof. Lacey Johnson Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Australia
09:50 – 10:00	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
10:00 – 10:20	AstraZeneca Symposium Think PNH: The Hidden Diagnosis Behind Transfusion Dependence	Dr. Hani Othman UAE
10:20 – 10:40	Coffee Break
Session 2 · Immunohematology and Blood Group Serology Moderator: Dr. Hiba Al Humaidan
10:40 – 11:00	Scientific Keynote: New era of ABO antibody testing	Dr. Anne Halpin University of Alberta Hospital, Canada
11:00 – 11:20	Immunohematology cases and genetics	Mr. Jasem Al Basri Prince Sultan Military Medical City, KSA
11:20 – 11:40	Rare blood group cases and PBM	Dr. Zakka Majeed Dubai Health, UAE
11:40 – 12:00	Managing non-standard transfusion scenarios: communication, escalation and documentation	Mrs. Ghada Mawad Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, UAE
12:00 – 12:10	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
12:10 – 13:30	Lunch and Prayer
Session 3 · Transfusion Quiz Moderator: Dr. Rania, Dr. Ravi, Ghada, Gloria, Steven
13:30 – 14:30	Transfusion Quiz An interactive session involving transfusion laboratory technologists from different UAE laboratories Ballrooms, P2, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
14:30 – 14:50	Coffee Break
Session 4 · Apheresis and Cellular Therapy Moderator: Dr. Muntadhar Al Moosawi
14:50 – 15:10	CAR-T: from benchtop to bedside	Dr. Ajlan Al Zaki Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE
15:10 – 15:30	BMT status in the UAE: a 6 year experience in ADSCC/YCKC	Dr. Mohamed Abu Haleeqa Yas Clinic Khalifa City · Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center, UAE
15:30 – 15:50	What’s new in ASFA’s 10th edition: Practical updates for the apheresis clinicians	Dr. Ravi Dara Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, UAE
15:50 – 16:00	Q&A Session with the Speakers Speaker Recognition and Certificate Presentation
16:00 – 16:05	Closing Remarks: Dr. Muntadhar Al Moosawi