Nael Abdelsamad, MD, MBA, FACHE

Director, Research at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

Speaker

Nael Abdelsamad, MD, MBA, FACHE, is a physician–executive with over 15 years of leadership across academic medicine, healthcare systems, and industry. He serves as Director of Research at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where he oversees a large and diverse clinical trial portfolio spanning early-phase, interventional, and complex first-in-region studies.

Under his leadership, the research enterprise has transitioned from a predominantly observational program into a high impact, globally engaged platform aligned with international regulatory and quality standards. He led the establishment of the institution’s Clinical Research Unit, advanced governance through AAHRPP accreditation, and built strategic collaborations with biopharmaceutical companies, CROs, and academic institutions.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Abdelsamad served as Medical Director at CVS Health’s Clinical Trial Services, where he led national patient-recruitment operations and scientific protocol review for industry-sponsored studies. Earlier, he directed a national NIH-funded research network under the HEAL Initiative and served on the University of Utah’s Institutional Review Board during its early adoption of the single-IRB model.

A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and dual-certified by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, Dr. Abdelsamad focuses on building integrated research ecosystems that combine clinical excellence, regulatory alignment, and data-driven innovation, supporting the UAE’s role as an emerging global hub for life-sciences research.