The 5th Middle East Rheumatology Conference (MRC 2026) is the premier scientific event of the GCC Association of Immunology and Rheumatology (GCC-AIR), held from 9 to 11 October 2026 at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The conference runs in a hybrid format, with a full in-person programme and a virtual pass giving remote access through the conference app.
Across three days the MRC brings together regional and international experts to explore the latest advances in rheumatic and related diseases, with a programme built around a single theme: precision medicine in rheumatology. Seven scientific sessions cover fertility, pregnancy and lactation, vasculitis including ANCA-associated disease, giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and difficult-to-treat disease. Each topic combines a case-based interactive discussion, basic science, local Gulf experience and an international keynote, so subjects are covered from bench to bedside to regional reality.
The conference opens on Friday 9 October with three parallel workshops: nephrology for rheumatologists led by Dr. Chadia Beaini, an approach to interstitial lung disease in clinical practice led by Dr. Bariq Alamiri, and AI in research led by Dr. Azhar Rahma. A separate BMJ Case Report Workshop, limited to 50 places, runs the same day with Dr. Seema Biswas and Mr. Khalid Qureshi. The opening ceremony is followed by the keynote "Rheumatology: Year in Review" delivered by Prof. Hassan Tahir (UK), and a networking dinner.
A dedicated Pediatric Rheumatology programme runs on 9–10 October alongside the adult track. Faculty are drawn from across the Gulf, the wider Middle East and the United Kingdom, and include Dr. Hanan Al Rayes (President of the Saudi Society for Rheumatology), Prof. David D'Cruz of the Louise Coote Lupus Unit at Guy's and St Thomas', Dr. Arti Mahto of King's College Hospital, Dr. Adeeba Al Herz (Kuwait), Dr. Ahmed Zayat (Sharjah), and consultants from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE.
Abstract submission for MRC 2026 closed on 9 July 2026, and accepted abstracts will be published with BMJ through the GCC-AIR–BMJ collaboration, across categories spanning basic and translational research, clinical research, allied health in rheumatology practice, rheumatology images and clinical cases.
Registration categories include physicians (USD 500), GCC-AIR members (USD 300), allied health professionals and students (USD 200), the BMJ Case Report Workshop (USD 200) and a virtual pass (USD 100); rates exclude 5% VAT. The conference is DHA CME accredited, with CME points captured by badge scanning at each session. Badge collection opens on 9 October from 13:00 in the pre-function area of the events centre.
