Reem Alkharji

Stem Cells, Gene Therapy and Regenrative Medicine

Reem Al Kharji is a stem cell scientist whose research investigates the biological origins of neurodevelopmental disorders, a leading cause of lifelong disability , using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models. With patient-derived and CRISPR-Cas9 isogenic lines, neural cultures and brain organoids, she builds "disease-in-a-dish" models that reveal how genetic mutations disrupt human brain development. Her doctoral research at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health showed how such mutations impair neuronal maturation, calcium signalling and inflammatory pathways, with findings published in Glia and Acta Neuropathologica Communications. Alongside more than a decade in CAP-accredited clinical laboratories, she is helping establish stem cell and regenerative medicine capacity at the Natural and Health Sciences Research Centre, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, where her work focuses on modelling genetic diseases relevant to the Saudi population and advancing their translation toward therapy.