Appointed in 2013 as one of the first female members of the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, Hayat Sindi bridges the gap between laboratory biotechnology and global public policy. Her academic career spans elite institutions, resulting in groundbreaking contributions to point-of-care diagnostics and the promotion of science education across the Muslim world.
Academic Foundation
Born in Mecca in 1967, Sindi pursued her higher education in England after relocating in 1991. She earned a degree in pharmacology from King's College London in 1995, where she received Princess Anne's Award for her research on allergies. In 2001, she achieved a doctorate in biotechnology from Newnham College, Cambridge, becoming the first woman from the Arab States of the Persian Gulf to secure a PhD in that field. Her training continued at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
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Sindi’s professional output focuses on creating affordable medical testing tools. She founded or co-founded three organizations to advance these goals: Diagnostics for All, which develops low-cost disease detection devices; Sonoptix; and the Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, known as i2, which fosters youth innovation. Her work emphasizes simple, scalable technological solutions intended for use in developing nations.
Diplomacy and Public Service
In 2012, UNESCO head Irina Bokova appointed Sindi as a Goodwill Ambassador to promote science education. Her career transitioned into government and development sectors, including her role as a member of the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia and as a senior advisor for science, technology, and innovation to the Islamic Development Bank. In 2018, she launched the Transform Fund, a $500 million digital hub designed to support innovators addressing development challenges.
Fast facts
- Born: 6 November 1967, Mecca
- Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
- Religion: Sunni Islam
- Education: King's College London, Cambridge, MIT, Harvard
- Positions: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador (2012), Shura Council Member
- Award: BBC 100 Women (2018)
Questions readers ask
What is Hayat Sindi’s main area of research?
She specializes in biotechnology and the development of low-cost, point-of-care medical diagnostic devices.
Which major scientific fund did Sindi launch?
In 2018, she launched the IsDB's Transform Fund, a $500 million initiative supporting innovators in the developing world.
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