Professor Mazen Hassanain is the Vice President for Research and Innovation at Fakeeh Care Group, a leading private healthcare provider recognized for its comprehensive services and role in advancing academic medicine in the private sector. He is also the Founder and Managing Director of SVax, a pioneering Saudi biotechnology company focused on developing and manufacturing high-quality, affordable vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.

A distinguished clinician-scientist, Professor Hassanain is a Professor of Surgery, a consultant in hepatobiliary and solid-organ transplant surgery, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. His work bridges clinical practice and research, with extensive experience in translational science, immunology, and oncology, driving innovations from bench to bedside.

He earned his medical degree with honors from King Saud University and completed his surgical residency, as well as a fellowship in hepatopancreatobiliary and transplant surgery, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He holds a Ph.D. focused on translational research and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and the American College of Surgeons. He is also an active member of the American Society of Transplant Surgery and the American Association for Cancer Research.

Prior to founding SVax, Professor Hassanain served at the Saudi Ministry of Health from 2012 to 2014 as Director-General of the General Administration of Research and Studies. During this time, he led the development of Saudi Arabia’s national health research strategy and established key national initiatives, including the Health Services Research Center, the Central Ethics Review Board, and the National Biobank Strategy. He has also held leadership roles as Vice President at the Prince Naif Research Center and Scientific Director of the National Liver Disease Research Center at King Saud University.

Over the past 15 years, Professor Hassanain has delivered more than 60 presentations at national and international conferences and has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications. He has also supervised and mentored hundreds of graduate and postgraduate students across Saudi Arabia and Canada.