History
Molecular Biology & Genetics Laboratory (MBG Lab) was housed in the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) that was founded in 1985 by the order of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai, as a diagnostic centre to help in the identification and control of infectious diseases.
MBG Lab was initiated in 1997 as the Molecular Biology section, with a prime focus on providing molecular tools for diagnosis of pathogens. In the year 2003, it was merged with the genetics section (initiated in 2001) and formed Molecular Biology & Genetics (MBG) division, with more focus on genomic research and development of new molecular diagnostic tests.
In November 2004, under the direction of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dr. Ali Ridha (Director General) unveiled the plan for a new and modern facility for the MBG Lab. The new building was completed and furnished with state-of-the-art technologies in May 2006. This facilitated a wide range of genomic research projects.
In 2009, when the Swine flu (Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic hit the world, MBG Lab was the first centre and the only testing centre for Dubai and northern emirates to carry out Real-Time PCR for H1N1. MBG Lab has processed over 10,000 H1N1 samples since May 2009.
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Our contribution to safe guard our community during pandemic outbreak and our involvement in type II diabetics research in local Arab population (as part of a PhD research project) opened the door for MBG Lab to provide further services in human genomic research and diagnostics.
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In 2012, under the direction of Dr. Ali Ridha (Director General), MBG Lab became an independent center enabling it to expand fully into medical diagnostics. Now it provides a diverse range of molecular diagnostic and genomic research services for both human Medical Healthcare providers and Veterinary Clinics. It also utilizes its capabilities and expertise to support student’s education, and provide specialized services such as microarray and regenerative stem cell therapy to the professional community.
In 2013, once again, MBG Lab was selected as the only centre in Dubai facilitating the detection of the MERS Coronavirus, a deadly pandemic which is still a threat to our society today.
In 2016, the MBG Lab was accredited by Dubai Accreditation Centre (DAC) under the recognition of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) to two international standards; ISO15189:2012 and ISO17025:2005. This demonstrates our continuing commitment to achieve the highest quality service for our customers.
Mission
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Vice President of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai
Dr. Ali Ridha
Director General, MBG Lab
To provide the highest quality of services in molecular diagnostic and genomic research for humans and animals, and pursue professional and technological advancement through continuous training, research and innovation.
Vision
To be a globally recognized genomic center in human healthcare and animal welfare.