Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), a home for technology-based companies, is set to open a robotic surgery centre in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

The three entities marked their new project, the Qatar Robotic Surgery Centre (QRSC), at a pre-launch ceremony held at the Royal Academy of Engineering recently with academics and surgeons from Imperial College London.

The collaboration represents the ongoing partnerships between Qatar Foundation and top universities around the world to provide opportunities for students, researchers and academics to learn in competitive and pioneering environments.

QRSC aims to become a platform for technological development of medical robotics and to advance healthcare research in both the UK and Qatar.

QRSC will focus on three core activities, a statement said. It will act as a demonstration platform for advanced surgical technologies with state-of-the-art equipment, laparoscopic simulators and 3D telecast capabilities.

The centre will also offer a broad range of robotic training programmes for surgeons, healthcare professionals and scientists.  Finally, it will perform and stimulate technology development in medical robotics.

The centre will allow surgeons from the Middle East to be trained in the technology, with live demonstrations as well as live-link training sessions, promoting the transfer of expertise between the UK and Qatar.

A team of doctors from Hamad Medical Corporation and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar have recently been trained in the technology at the Imperial College London.

Lord Browne of Madingley, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “The Academy wholeheartedly welcomes this development. The new centre provides an excellent opportunity to develop and apply this key area of medical engineering for the benefit of patients around the world.”

“The application of robots into surgical practice is in its infancy and we envisage QRSC will drive innovation in education and training, research and clinical practice,” said Lord Ara Darzi of Imperial College London, who has been appointed as chairman of the QRSC international surgery panel.

The panel membership also includes Professor Gunag-Zhong Yang of Imperial College London who is the chief scientific officer for the centre.

“We know the launch of QRSC will help continue the development of robotic surgery in Qatar, leveraging our partners for training, innovation and research,” said Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, chief executive officer of Hamad Medical Corporation.

“Today, Qatar has the most active robotic instruments in the region – with this partnership, we hope to lead the world,' he added.

'When one looks at frontiers of science and technology to see where a small country like Qatar can make a contribution, robotic surgery stands out as an obvious candidate,” said Dr Tidu Maini, executive chairman of QSTP. – TradeArabia News Service