Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center
Burjeel Holdings’ Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center was established in Abu Dhabi, one of the most visionary and advanced healthcare cities in the region, with the aim of offering a holistic care, innovatory facility for patients with thalassemia and sickle cell disease in the UAE and wider region. It was inaugurated in May 2025 under the patronage and in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Shaikha bint Saif bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, wife of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Advisor to His Highness the President, and Chairperson of the Emirates Thalassemia Society.
What Sets Us Apart
- Patient-centric and multidisciplinary care model
- Evidence-based monitoring and treatment protocols adopting the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) and British Society of Haematology (BSH) management guidelines, delivered through the guidelines’ authors
- Dedicated transfusion unit available seven days a week, with satellite transfusion services across the UAE through our network of hospitals
- Genotyping capabilities through an in-house advanced molecular laboratory facility
- Expertise and first-hand experience with new disease-modifying therapies
- Access to innovative medicines through global clinical trials
- Social integration and education support through specialized services
- Comprehensive chronic care provided by world-renowned experts with decades of experience in management of pediatric and adult patients with thalassemia and sickle cell disease
- International advisory board validating the care model and supporting management of complex cases
- Internationally validated MRI quantification of iron overload in the heart and liver
- Conveniently located at a quaternary care hospital with direct access to state-of-the art medical subspecialties ensuring seamless referrals for monitoring and management of complications
- Expertise in automated exchange transfusions for patients with sickle cell disease, with acute and emergency services available 24/7
- Equal attention to lifestyle, nutrition, and mental health of patients and caregivers
Our Team
Prof. Khaled Musallam, MD, PhD
Director, Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center Founding Director, Center for Research on Rare Blood Disorder (CR-RBD) (BMC)
Group Chief Research Officer (Burjeel Holdings)
Head, Innovative Trials Unit, Genetics and Rare Disease Center (BMC)
Global Research Lead, Burjeel Institute for Global Health (New York)
Dr. Farrukh Shah, MBBS, DM, FRCP, FRCPath, MBE
Medical Head, Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center
Consultant Hematology (BMC/BCI)
Dr. Fouzia Nambiatheyil Aboobacker, MBBS, DCH, DNB, DM
Consultant Pediatric Hematology (BMC)
Dr. Mojtaba Alhaj, MBBS
General Practitioner (BMC)
Prof. Meer-Taher Shabani-Rad, MD, FRCPC, ABPath
Chief Medical Officer, OncoHelix-CoLab
Dr. Jayesh Sathenjeri Rajendra, MBBS, DNB, FRCR, MMed
Consultant Radiology (BMC)
International Advisory Board
Our Core Team meets with our international advisory board on a quarterly basis to discuss and validate the Center’s operations and for general guidance on management of complex patient profiles, based on their global expertise and long-standing experience in managing patients in the US, Europe, and the Middle East.
Prof. Ali T. Taher, MD, PhD, FRCP
Professor of Internal Medicine, Hematology & Oncology; Associate VP for Academic Centers, Development and External Affairs; Director, Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
Prof. Maria Domenica Cappellini, MD, FRCP, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Unit of Medicine and Metabolic Disease, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
Prof. Sujit Sheth, MD
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
Dr Perla Eleftheriou, MD, MRCP, FRCPath
Consultant Hematologist and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University College London, UK
Research and Innovation
The Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center works closely with Burjeel Holdings’ Center for Research on Rare Blood Disorder (CR-RBD) to provide access to the most novel therapeutics through clinical trials. For more information on CR-RBD
Please visit: https://burjeelholdings.com/center-for-research-on-rare-blood-disorders/
Address and Contact
Location
Ground Floor
Burjeel Medical City
28th St, Mohamed Bin Zayed City
PO Box 92510, Abu Dhabi, UAE
tscc@burjeelmedicalcity.com
Phone
+971 (0) 55 275 6736
Website
www.burjeelmedicalcity.com