Doha, 17 April 2025 – As part of the Working Group for the Internationalization of the Biotechnology Sector and the Montalcini Global Biotech Tour 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of International Cooperation and the ICE Agency have promoted an institutional mission to strengthen ties between Italy and Qatar in the fields of research and biotechnology innovation, in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Doha, Assobiotec and Farmindustria.
The biotechnology sector in Qatar has experienced a rapid expansion in recent years, fuelled by strong investments in research and development and solid government support, which is part of the Qatar Health Strategy: launched last September by the Prime Minister of Qatar, The Health Strategy plan aims to create a healthy and health-oriented society, supported by an integrated and cutting-edge healthcare system.
Paolo Aquilanti, President and CEO of the Ri.MED Foundation, participated actively in the mission, taking part in the official visits and meetings of the Italian delegation led by the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci. Also present is Antonio Arcadipane, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care of IRCCS ISMETT. The link between Ri.MED and ISMETT continues to strengthen in view of the forthcoming opening of the Ri.MED research centre in Sicily, next to which the new ISMETT hospital will be built, with the aim of achieving full integration between cutting-edge research and highly specialised clinical performance.
During the first day in Qatar, the delegation visited three clinical centres of excellence:
1. Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center, one of the world’s largest clinical simulation centers, leading the way in the use of immersive virtual reality technologies for medical education;
2. Sidra Medicine, a 400-bed women’s and children’s hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for biomedical and genomic research;
3. Aspetar, centre of excellence in sports and orthopaedic medicine.
This morning also opened the thematic conference at the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, which was attended by institutional and academic representatives of both countries. The meeting facilitated a constructive discussion on areas of joint collaboration, investment opportunities and synergies in research and development programmes. Among the actors involved in Qatar, the national health system Hamad Medical Corporation, academic and research centres such as Qatar University and Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), leading hospitals like Sidra Medicine and Aspetar, partners for economic development such as Invest Qatar, the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), Qatar Development Bank and Qatar Foundation.
“The Ri.MED Foundation, born from the international partnership between the Italian Government, Sicilian Region, CNR, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC, is preparing for an exceptional phase of growth in view of the opening of the Ri.MED Research Center in Sicily. The meeting with Qatar’s medical and scientific ecosystem is an opportunity to promote strategic alliances in the field of biotechnology and life sciences.” Paolo Aquilanti said.
For companies, research centres, IRCCs and Italian academic institutions, the visits and meetings represented a concrete opportunity to initiate new collaborations in the fields of biotechnology, paediatric research, genomic medicine, Diagnostic imaging and sports medicine.