Season 17 Innovators

About Ryad 

Ryad Hadj Habib grew up in Oran, Algeria. Like many kids, he watched cartoon shows—but the ones with strong plots and values stayed with him. They shaped his thought process, pushed him to question things, and built an early sense of resilience.

That mindset carried into his academic path. Ryad earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Oran 1, graduating with distinction. His thesis focused on using venom-derived peptides to reduce thrombo inflammatory responses caused by intravenous nanoparticles.

Along the way, he studied business and marketing to better understand how to build and deliver real-world solutions. Every experience, he says, added a new piece to the puzzle of his project.

His path wasn’t traditional, but each step was intentional. Now, with Stars of Science as a launchpad, he’s bringing together years of scientific and strategic work to focus on one goal: building safer, longer-circulating nanoparticles for more reliable theranostics.

About the Project 

Ryad is developing a stealth nanoparticle system inspired by nature, using specific peptides from scorpion venom to coat the particles. This coating helps them avoid detection by the immune system, stay longer in the bloodstream, and deliver medicine more precisely to where it’s needed.

“Many existing coatings are synthetic and can trigger unwanted immune reactions,” Ryad explains. “This one is built from natural peptides and designed to reduce those risks while improving delivery.”

First developed during his thesis, the system is now being refined for real-world use,aiming to improve the precision and safety of intravenous drug delivery.

The Impact

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, Ryad’s project represents a meaningful contribution. His work is helping inspire a new generation of Arab innovators to believe in their potential.

His long-term focus is on doing what others don’t dare to—solving tough problems and building work that lasts. Ryad wants to be remembered for challenging broken systems and proving real innovation can happen against allodds.

To innovators in the Arab world, Ryad’s advice is straightforward: start now, don’t wait for perfect conditions. Take risks while you have the freedom. Find the right people and focus on executionas that’s the only way ideas turn into real impact.

And above all, he believes in the power of community.

“The Arab world has immense scientific potential,” he says. “With the right support, we can create solutions that lead progress and drive real change.”