People Biography

Professor Khawla Al-Kuraya is a distinguished physician-scientist and Chair of Human Cancer Genomic Research at the Research & Innovation Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

After completing her residency in Pathology and fellowship in Molecular Diagnostics at
Georgetown University Hospital, where she also obtained board certification in Clinical Pathology, she joined KFSHRC as a Clinical Scientist.

Professor Al-Kuraya is an internationally recognized leader in cancer genomics and translational oncology. Her research focuses on defining the molecular landscape of prevalent Saudi tumors using advanced genomic technologies. Under her leadership, KFSHRC became the only institution from the Middle East to join the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC).

She has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, editorials, and book chapters, and presented more than 300 abstracts at international scientific meetings. Her work has been widely cited and featured in global media for its contribution to precision medicine and population-specific cancer research.

Professor Al-Kuraya serves on the Executive Committee of the ICGC, several editorial boards, and is an active member of major international scientific societies. She is the first Saudi female recipient of the King Abdulaziz Medal (First Rank) for her contributions to medical research and was among the first women appointed to the Majlis Al Shura (Saudi Parliament). She also served as a Visiting Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and has received multiple national and international awards recognizing her pioneering role in medical science and women’s leadership in research.