Industrial Localisation
Design, licensing, and operation of GMP-certified medical diagnostic manufacturing facilities — from concept to commissioned production line.
Founder & CEO
Saudi biotechnology pioneer, academic, and serial entrepreneur with 20+ years in virology, molecular biology, genomics, and medical innovation — and the architect behind Gene Matrix's push to localise high-value molecular diagnostics manufacturing in the Kingdom.
Founder & CEO
Dr. Burhan Fakhurji is a Saudi biotechnology pioneer, academic, and serial entrepreneur with more than twenty years of frontline experience in virology, molecular biology, genomics, and medical innovation. He is the architect behind Gene Matrix and the driving force behind the Kingdom's push to localise high-value molecular diagnostics manufacturing.
What distinguishes Dr. Fakhurji is the fusion of deep academic rigour with proven operational execution. He moves fluidly between the laboratory bench, the regulatory filing, the manufacturing floor, and the strategy room — translating molecular science into commercially viable, nationally impactful solutions under the Gene Matrix banner.
Across two decades he has led the establishment of advanced laboratories to BSL-2 and BSL-3 biosafety standards, designed national PCR response capacity during epidemic events, and trained more than 1,000 physicians, laboratory scientists and biotech researchers across the Kingdom and the wider region.
He was internationally recognised at the Middle East's inaugural Precision Medicine Exhibition & Summit in Dubai (2022), held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan — a milestone in the public recognition of Saudi-led molecular diagnostics innovation.
"Gene Matrix exists to make one simple statement true: that a Saudi patient, in a Saudi hospital, can be diagnosed with a Saudi-made molecular test — at a world-class standard of accuracy, at a fraction of the imported cost, and without waiting on a foreign supply chain."
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Fakhurji's practice spans the full path from epidemiological need to manufactured diagnostic — combining clinical insight, laboratory design and regulated production.
Design, licensing, and operation of GMP-certified medical diagnostic manufacturing facilities — from concept to commissioned production line.
Establishment of fixed and mobile laboratories to BSL-2 and BSL-3 biosafety standards, including quality management systems and international accreditation pathways.
Field-tested protocols for rapid laboratory mobilisation, diagnostic coordination, and outbreak response — demonstrated across multiple regional health events.
Translation of academic research into commercial-grade diagnostic products, assays, and molecular platforms.
Design and delivery of advanced training curricula for physicians, laboratory scientists, and biotech researchers — building national cadres across the region.
Strategic negotiation and execution of international technology-transfer agreements bringing validated diagnostic IP into Saudi Arabia.
Leadership Track Record
Dr. Fakhurji's career has been defined by a single thread: taking Saudi molecular diagnostics from research concept to operational reality. Over two decades he has led the establishment of advanced laboratories, the training of more than 1,000 physicians and laboratory professionals across the Kingdom and the wider region, and the translation of peer-reviewed research into deployable clinical assays. Gene Matrix is the culmination of that track record — a fully integrated GMP manufacturing platform built on proven scientific, regulatory, and operational foundations.
Qualifications
PhD — Liver Fibrosis & Histology
King Abdulaziz University
MSc — Molecular & Cancer Cell Biology
University of Leicester, UK
MSc — Anatomy & Technical Histology
King Abdulaziz University
Executive Diploma — Leadership & Management
University of Oxford, UK
Professional Diploma — Applied Epidemiology
University of Liverpool, UK
Recognition
International Recognition
Precision Medicine Exhibition & Summit · Dubai 2022 — under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan
First Place
Global Health Exhibition 2024 · Riyadh
GInI Outstanding Organization
Global Innovation Institute · 2024
Deloitte Fast 50
Middle East fastest-growing technology companies