Can one innovative idea redefine cancer therapy? Dr. Khatija Ali believes it’s possible.

When you hear about a doctor leaving the operating room to start a company, it sounds like the plot of a Hollywood drama. For Dr. Khatija Ali, however, this wasn’t fiction—it was her life. As the founder & CEO of Biosapien, a company developing cutting-edge 3D-printed chemotherapy implants, Khatija’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Her drive comes from a deeply personal place, but it’s her relentless curiosity and determination that helped her build a company on the brink of revolutionising cancer treatment.

From the operating room to the business world 

“I’ve always been adventurous, resilient, and outgoing,” Khatija tells me, with a laugh that hints at the stories she’s about to share. Growing up, she was the kind of person who pushed boundaries, constantly asking questions, and chasing answers. It’s no surprise that her journey to founding Biosapien is rooted in a quest for deeper understanding.

But it was a tragic personal event that shifted her focus. “At 17, I thought I figured it out, but life threw a curve ball and my dad ended up getting diagnosed with cancer.,” she recalls. At the time, Khatija was a student, with big dreams and little understanding of the complexity of cancer. But as she watched her father—a man full of life—transform into someone fragile, her curiosity became laser-focused on one question: What can be done so that no one else has to go through this again?

Khatija spent days, weeks even, scouring medical journals, learning the ins and outs of cancer treatments. “I went from wondering why we exist to figuring out how we treat cancer,” she reflects. “Essentially, that's where that spark came from. Initially, I thought I was going to go into medicine, and I'm going to become a family doctor.” 

What was that epiphany? 

“My first day of anatomy class, I went in and you know, they put up a CT scan of a brain, it was a sagittal cross-section. And I looked at it.

And I was like, oh my god, we have two brains. And the whole class started out laughing.” - Khatija shared that memory with a burst of laughter. 

And, while initially, she thought of becoming a family physician, she fell madly in love with surgery. During her surgical rotation, she found herself surrounded by some of the top cardiothoracic surgeons in the world. “There’s nothing quite like starting someone’s heart and seeing them wake up the next day.” But in an ironic twist, it was a research project in the operating room that pulled her away from surgery forever.

While studying the use of orthopedic materials in vascular surgeries, Khatija had an epiphany: What if you could 3D-print chemotherapy drugs directly into a tumor site using suture-like materials? She describes this moment as a sudden flash of insight: “It was one of those ideas that felt too simple to be revolutionary, but that’s exactly what made it so powerful.”

By embedding chemotherapy drugs in a 3D-printed implant, the treatment could be delivered directly to the tumor, minimising the systemic side effects that often plague cancer patients. This idea became the seed for what would grow into Biosapien.

How the universe works is a miracle

It wasn’t easy for Khatija to step away from the life she had worked so hard to build. “Everyone thought I was crazy,” she says with a chuckle. “I was a doctor, I had a stable career, and here I was leaving it all to jump into business.” Even her family, though supportive, found it difficult to understand her decision. “My brothers still tease me about it—‘Oh, you’re a doctor pushing papers now,’ they say,” she recalls, laughing.

But for Khatija, the leap into entrepreneurship wasn’t just about building a company. It was about creating something that could prevent other families from going through what hers had. Her mother’s support by becoming the first-ever investor in Biosapien strengthened her will to take the plunge. 

That mission fueled her through the long days and sleepless nights that come with starting a business. “There were times I was literally Ubering and driving taxis as a doctor in New York just to keep my company running,” she admits. “But I never questioned why I was doing it—I knew I had to.”

The birth of Biosapien

“When I graduated from med school, one of my attending Dr. June Marshall, took me out for dinner. And said, “You can take over my practice if you want. I'll happily give it to you. But I think you should start a company. And here's $10,000.” I've been blessed in that sense, to have strong support, because $10,000 is a lot of money for someone to invest on an idea!” 

The journey began and she started Biosapien in New York in 2018.

Initially, she didn’t know much about biotech startups, but her intellectual curiosity pushed her to learn fast. She worked with venture capital firms, analysed other biotech companies, and slowly started building her dream.

"I remember sitting on the other side of the table, looking at pitch decks from other startups," she says. "It taught me so much about what it takes to build a company, and that knowledge became the foundation of Biosapien." She poured everything into it—time, energy, and every bit of money she could find.

Biosapien’s mission was simple yet powerful: to create 3D-printed chemotherapy implants that could deliver targeted treatment to tumors, reducing the toxic side effects of traditional chemotherapy. It was a bold idea, but it was backed by years of medical research and a deep understanding of what patients need.

The move to the UAE paid off

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Khatija made another unexpected move—this time across the globe. "We shifted our base from New York to San Diego during the pandemic, but it wasn’t until we moved to the UAE that things really started to take off," she says. Why the UAE? "It’s a startup in itself," she explains. "The UAE is young, but it’s accomplished so much in such a short time. I wanted to be part of that energy.

The move paid off. With support from initiatives like Hub71, Techstars, winning the Tim Draper show, and the Make it in the Emirates award for 3D printing, Biosapien is now preparing to launch clinical trials in the UAE by 2025. “We want to dose our first patient by February 2025,” Khatija says holding a breath. And if everything goes as planned, the technology could revolutionise not just cancer treatment, but also other diseases and industries.

"I’ve heard 959 no’s, but you only need one yes"

For Khatija, the path to success has been far from smooth. While many entrepreneurs face challenges, being a female founder in the biotech space brought unique difficulties. “Only 2% of female founders get funding, and in the MENA region, it’s even less—about a quarter of a percent,” she explains. But Khatija never let those odds deter her. “I’ve heard 959 no’s, but you only need one yes,” she says, her voice full of conviction.

Raising money has been one of the toughest parts of her journey. She’s had to remain optimistic, even during times when the company couldn’t pay salaries or when the future seemed uncertain. “There were moments where I thought, ‘Why am I doing this? I should just go get a regular job.’” But every time the thought crossed her mind, she reminded herself of the bigger picture—the potential to save lives. “Being an entrepreneur is challenging every day, but the bigger mission kept me going,” she says.

In addition to her personal journey, Khatija has gained valuable insights into fostering an early-stage entrepreneurial ecosystem within MENA. “You need three things,” she says. “First, startups that are willing to create and innovate. Second, academic or commercial institutions to supply the innovation. Third, you need investors.” Khatija highlights the lack of early-stage funds and angel investors in the region, noting that many investors in MENA are risk-averse, which poses a challenge for high-risk, high-reward ventures like startups .

Despite these hurdles, Khatija remains hopeful about the future of entrepreneurship in MENA and is determined to play a key role in shaping it.

Building a team that thrives

A key aspect of Khatija’s success is her focus on people, particularly her team. “When I hire, I’m not just looking for someone with the right skills. I need problem-solvers, people who can manage themselves under pressure,” she explains. Her unique approach to hiring includes unconventional methods like the “Lego challenge,” where candidates are given a set of Lego blocks and two minutes to build something. It’s not about what they create—it’s about how they handle stress and frustration.

“I once did a 24-hour marathon with my now-CTO. We locked ourselves in a room to solve a problem. Six years later, he’s still on the team,” she recalls. For Khatija, the ability to work through challenges and remain resilient is the most important trait a team member can have. It’s that kind of mental toughness that she believes is essential in a startup, where every day brings new pressure and new hurdles to overcome.

What’s success without failure

Despite the many challenges, Khatija embraces failure as part of her journey. “You can’t succeed without failing along the way,” she says. Whether it’s a failed experiment in the lab or a botched investor pitch, Khatija sees failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. “ My background in science taught me that if an experiment fails, you don’t just give up—you figure out what went wrong and try again. That mindset has been crucial for me as an entrepreneur.”

Her ability to bounce back from setbacks is what has propelled Biosapien forward. "There were times I thought we wouldn’t make it, but those failures taught me valuable lessons. They forced me to adapt and grow," she reflects.

The future of cancer treatment

Biosapien is now preparing to enter a critical phase—human clinical trials in the UAE. Khatija and her team are aiming to treat their first patient by early 2025. “If all goes well, this technology could change the way we treat cancer,” she says, her excitement palpable. The potential applications for their 3D-printed chemotherapy chips go beyond just cancer treatment. The platform could be adapted to target various other diseases, and Khatija sees opportunities in animal health and even non-medical industries.

But for now, her focus is on getting the product to market and proving that it works in human trials. “There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” she says.

Believe in what you are building

At the heart of Khatija’s story is a deep belief in human connection. Whether it’s her relationship with her family, the bond she shares with her team, or the support she’s received from mentors and investors, Khatija values the people who have helped her along the way. “You need people in your corner to make those risks worth taking.”

Her advice to other entrepreneurs is simple: believe in yourself and your mission. “If you don’t believe in what you’re building, no one else will. And if you’re truly passionate, you’ll find a way to make it happen.” For Khatija, that passion has been the driving force behind everything she’s accomplished.

What Keeps Her Going?

Khatija believes deeply in balance. While her work is intense, so is her need to recharge. "If I have a really stressful day, or something major coming up, I love going for a swim or kickboxing. It helps me clear my mind and calm down. If that’s not possible, I’m at home watching a movie, talking to my nieces, or reading a good book."

Books have always been a big part of her life. She recommends Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, a reminder of the value of human connection. “It’s a book I gift to young people, hoping it has the same impact it had on me.” Currently, she’s diving into Constructing Reality, a book on quantum theory that resonates with her optimistic mindset. Her fascination with human nature is also reflected in her admiration for The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene, which she finds invaluable for understanding people.

Beyond work and reading, Khatija has a love for adventure sports. Whether it’s skydiving or another adrenaline-filled activity, she’s always seeking new experiences that fuel her adventurous spirit. And when she needs a quieter escape, she turns to Urdu poetry, letting the beauty of words transport her to another realm.

A Legacy in the Making

As Biosapien prepares for its next big step, Khatija is already thinking about the future. “This is just the beginning,” she says. Her vision is not only to create a company that transforms cancer treatment but also to expand her influence into other areas. Khatija’s long-term goals include launching an early-stage biotech-focused investment fund in the UAE, fostering innovation and growth within the region's biotech sector. She also envisions offering consulting services to startups, sharing her expertise and insights gained from her entrepreneurial journey to help others succeed. Although she remains humble about these ambitions, her unwavering confidence and resilience suggest that this is only the start​.

Her story is one of resilience, courage, and an unrelenting desire to make the world a better place. It’s the story of a doctor who gave up surgery to save lives on a much larger scale—and she’s only just getting started.