Alumni

About

Yaman Tayyar is a Syrian innovator specializing in gene technology and nanomedicine. After earning his pharmacy degree in Jordan, he pursued a master’s and Ph.D. at Griffith University in Australia, where he co-established the Griffith Nanomedicine Biofoundry and helped develop an RNA-based antiviral treatment for COVID-19.

He is the Founder and CEO of Prorenata Biotech, a company focused on gene-based therapeutics and drug delivery using nanoparticles. The startup, originally launched in Australia, is now incubated at Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP).

About the Project

His winning innovation, GENO, is an affordable kit that enables the production of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)—a vital component in gene therapy. GENO simplifies gene delivery, allowing researchers to create customized treatments for diseases such as cancer, genetic disorders, and infections without needing advanced lab infrastructure.

Impact

Since his winning, Yaman has expanded GENO’s development into multiple iterations, including those designed for personalized vaccines and intranasal delivery of gene therapies. His team filed for international PCT protection and secured the QRDI “Road to Biopharma” grant to launch Qatar’s first nanomedicine development hub.

Collaborations include pilot testing with Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, and Qatar University, with ongoing discussions with Sidra Medicine. Prorenata is now preparing GENO for global research distribution and developing a GMP-compliant version for clinical-grade production.

Beyond product development, Yaman is deeply involved in the innovation ecosystem. He has mentored participants in Season 17 of Stars of Science, participated in high-profile events such as Web Summit Qatar and WISH 2025, judged CMU-Q’s Tech Startup Launchpad, and joined several regional panels on entrepreneurship.