23rd Medlab Middle East to spotlight NextGen Medicine in international pavilions_5-8 Feb 2024

Medlab Middle East, the MENA region’s largest laboratory exhibition and congress, returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre next week from 5-8 February. This year’s event will feature 900 exhibitors from more than 40 countries, representing a 20% increase in exhibitors from last year. 

Now in its 23rd year, Medlab Middle East is expected to be attended by more than 30,000 attendees. A key highlight for this edition is a newly introduced ‘NextGen Medicine Zone and Conference, which is hosted in partnership with Bahrain-based Express Med Diagnostics and Research.

The innovative exhibition zone will showcase over 100 exhibitors and bring into focus a pioneering area in the medical laboratory field that aims to customise healthcare to individuals, using advanced technologies and new developments in medical science. 

Taking place from 5 to 6 February, the NextGen Medicine Conference will explore topics including early cancer detection, precision oncology, preventative health screening, longevity, developments in cancer genetics and oncogenomics as well as updates on Middle East genome projects. The conference will also explore the digitalisation aspects of NextGen Medicine which includes Artificial Intelligence (AI), bioinformatics, and the cybersecurity of data. 

The headline partner for the NextGen Medicine zone is Medsol, while the Premium partner is biosytech Medical Laboratory. Other exhibitors in the zone include Virtus, Purelab, Leader Life Sciences and Naizak. Attendees can stay up to date with the latest insights and innovations in NextGen Medicine at expert-led industry workshops. Running from 5-7 February, the industry workshops are sponsored by Akoya Biosciences, nanoString, LaboShop, Atila BioSystems, biosytech, BioSkyrb and Nanopore Technologies. 

Addressing the upcoming edition of Medlab Middle East, Tom Coleman, Exhibition Director for Informa Markets, said: “Medlab Middle East provides a unique platform for the laboratory industry to showcase innovative products, state-of-the-art services, and cutting-edge solutions in a central global hub. One of the most exciting features of this year's exhibition is the NextGen Medicine Zone and Conference, which promises to be a game-changer in the field. This groundbreaking zone will bring together experts from around the world who will share the latest scientific advancements, providing a unique opportunity for industry professionals to learn and explore new possibilities.”

Medlab Middle East Congress, the region’s only multi-disciplinary congress, returns for another year. Offering 12 CME-accredited live in-person conferences throughout the four-day exhibition, the congress features over 130 speakers and 150 sessions, with over 4,000 delegates expected. 

NextGen Medicine and Clinical Genomic Interpretation are new additions to the Medlab Middle East congress this year, with returning tracks including Laboratory Management, Lab Quality Management, Clinical Chemistry, Immunology, Haematology, Clinical Microbiology, Blood Transfusion Medicine, Histopathology, Future of Lab and Sustainability in the Lab. 

In line with its long-term sustainability goals, Medlab Middle Middle East has introduced the Better Stands Programme, which aims to encourage exhibitors and their appointed contractors to create reusable, recyclable structures that have a life cycle beyond just a single event. Through a unified approach to sustainability, it is hoped that this initiative will reduce waste and lower the carbon footprint of the exhibition. 

Innovation will also take centre stage at Labpreneur, Medlab Middle East’s annual start-up competition. Held on the last day of the exhibition, Labpreneur features 10 shortlisted start-ups that have created revolutionary concepts for the medical laboratory field. The winner of the competition will receive complimentary stand space for Medlab Middle East 2025 along with a prestigious award. 

Fostering the talents of future scientists, Medlab Middle East will host the second edition of LabQ, an inter-college quiz competition for senior graduating college and university students majoring in medical laboratory sciences in the UAE.  The competition focuses on pathology and laboratory medicine and will host students from the University of Sharjah, Liwa College, the Higher Colleges of Technology and Gulf Medical University. 

The Scientific Poster Competition returns this year, with the winner receiving a research grant of a value up to USD 3,000. Elsewhere, attendees can expand their knowledge of the medical laboratory industry at the Medlab Partners Forum, which includes a think tank session from global research firm Frost & Sullivan and an insightful presentation from The Royal College of Pathologists on ‘The Global Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance’. 

Medlab Middle East will exhibit eight specialised product categories which include Disposables, Healthcare/General Services, Imaging, Infrastructure, IT, Laboratory, Medical Equipment and Pharma/Nutrition. Attendees will have the chance to explore the latest laboratory technologies from every corner of the globe with dedicated country pavilions from China, Taiwan, Brazil, Finland, Poland, the USA, Spain, Korea, Italy, Egypt and the UK. 

Medlab Middle East takes place in Za’abeel Halls 1-7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will showcase industry leaders such as Abbott, Randox, Al Borg Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter and Sysmex.