Dubai Police has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, UK, to strengthen cooperation and coordination in education, training, and support for research and development.
The MoU was signed by His Excellency Major General Ahmad Thani Bin Ghalita, Director of the General Department of Forensic Sciences and Criminology at Dubai Police, and Phil Watkins, Vice President-Finance at Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc.
Major General Bin Ghalita stated that this agreement reflects Dubai Police’s commitment to enhancing and supporting efforts related to research and development and the exchange of knowledge and sciences across various fields, including forensic science and criminology.
Major Ghalita added that, “Such partnerships contribute significantly to learning about different experiences and practices that can improve the performance of laboratories and specialties within Dubai Police’s General Department of Forensic Sciences and Criminology.”
Lieutenant Colonel. Dr. Mohamed Almarri, Director of the Genome Centre at the General Department of Forensic Sciences and Criminology said that, “This agreement facilitates the exchange of cutting-edge expertise in genomics, ensuring that Dubai Police remains a leader in applying advanced technologies.”
Tonya McSherry, VP of Commercial EMEAI, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, commented that, “We are pleased to partner with Dubai Police to deploy Oxford Nanopore’s cutting-edge sequencing technology. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in leveraging rapid, accurate, and accessible DNA sequencing to enhance public safety and health security. By combining our innovative platform with the expertise of Dubai Police, we aim to set new standards in forensic science and pathogen detection, enabling timely and comprehensive analysis.”
The MoU outlines the development of joint activities of mutual interest, including cooperation in training on certain techniques and technical aspects related to genomics, nanopore technology, and other supportive measures to achieve the set objectives.