Nael Abdelsamad, MD, MBA, FACHE, serves as Director of Research at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where he leads the institution’s clinical research enterprise, advancing high-impact clinical trials, research governance, and global collaborations aligned with the UAE’s national strategy for life sciences innovation. Under his leadership, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi achieved AAHRPP accreditation, launched its Clinical Research Unit, and became one of the region’s fastest-growing centers for early-phase and industry-sponsored trials, including landmark studies such as Neuralink's UAE-PRIME trial.

Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Abdelsamad served as Medical Director of Patient Recruitment at CVS Health’s Clinical Trial Services in the United States, overseeing national recruitment operations, scientific review, and sponsor partnerships. Earlier in his career, he led a national NIH-funded research network under the HEAL Initiative, supporting translational programs that addressed the U.S. opioid crisis.

A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Dr. Abdelsamad also holds dual certification from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) as a Certified Principal Investigator (CPI) and Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC). With over a decade of cross-sector leadership experience spanning academia, healthcare, and industry, he bridges clinical operations, regulatory strategy, and AI-enabled research to build a research ecosystem that accelerates clinical discovery and positions the UAE as a global hub for life sciences innovation.