Thumbay Lab for AI in Healthcare launches to drive education & innovation in medicine

Something exciting just stirred the waters in Ajman. Gulf Medical University (GMU) has cut the ribbon on its newest pride and joy — the Thumbay Lab for AI in Healthcare. Nestled in the university's Library Main Foyer, this new lab isn't just a bunch of high-end computers and blinking screens. It's a promise. A spark. A tangible sign that GMU's all-in on turning its students into the healthcare innovators of tomorrow.

"This lab reflects our commitment to integrating artificial intelligence into every aspect of medical education and healthcare delivery," said Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President of Thumbay Group. The man's not mincing words — he's building a bridge between textbooks and tech revolutions.

How does it work?

Here's where it gets hands-on. The Thumbay Lab isn't just for show. It's packed with top-tier tools and platforms that let students and faculty roll up their sleeves and dive headfirst into real-world healthcare challenges.

• Want to explore how AI can catch diseases faster than the human eye? There's a module for that.
• Curious how machine learning helps hospitals run like well-oiled machines? Yep, you'll study that too.
• Thinking of using generative AI to support clinical decision-making? That's on the curriculum.

The lab is wired right into GMU's growing roster of AI-focused academic programs, including:

• Master in Artificial Intelligence and Health Informatics (MAIHI)
• Certificate in AI in Healthcare
• Certificate in Generative AI (GenAI) in Healthcare

These aren't just shiny course titles — they're doors. Doors into the kind of hybrid skillset modern healthcare demands: medical knowledge laced with tech fluency.

Why does it matter?

Because the future won't wait — and healthcare's playing catch-up.

AI's not a gimmick anymore. It's already helping doctors detect cancers earlier, manage hospital resources better, and predict patient outcomes with shocking accuracy. But if we want these tools to truly help people, we need professionals who can speak both languages: medicine and machine.

"This lab will significantly enrich the academic experience of our students," said Prof. Manda Venkatramana, Acting Chancellor of GMU. "It also opens new avenues for collaborative research, innovation, and real-world problem solving in healthcare." That's the kind of boots-on-the-ground thinking that moves the needle.

The context

GMU's been laying bricks on this road since 1998. What started as a regional medical school has grown into one of the largest private healthcare universities in the Middle East. From medicine and pharmacy to nursing and healthcare management, it offers a buffet of accredited programs — all wrapped inside an academic health system that encourages bold thinking and practical application.

The Thumbay College of Management and AI in Healthcare is the university's latest brainchild. And it's not going it alone. With more than 15 partnerships across the health-tech and AI industries, this isn't just ivory tower theory — it's plugged into the beating heart of the real world.

In a region racing toward digital transformation, GMU's Thumbay Lab isn't just keeping up. It's setting the pace.