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Overview

A Consultant Endocrinologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh, leading the development of a comprehensive multidisciplinary Endocrine Oncology program encompassing thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and neuroendocrine tumors.

His clinical and translational research focuses on thyroid cancer biology and therapeutics, genetic endocrinology, and the genomics of the adrenal gland, pancreas, parathyroid glands, hypothalamus, and pituitary, with a particular emphasis on Saudi-specific cohorts that leverage the region’s unique epidemiological landscape.

He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and collaborates extensively with national and international partners to integrate precision oncology into routine clinical care, including omics technologies, molecular tumor boards, and biobanking. He has also led multidisciplinary initiatives aimed at expanding access to care, standardizing molecular testing workflows, and accelerating the translation of research discoveries from bench to bedside.

His current projects include Saudi cohort studies in endocrine oncology, optimization of targeted therapies for radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer and advanced genomic investigations of pituitary and adrenal tumors. He is deeply committed to workforce development through the mentorship of clinical medical fellows within the Endocrine Oncology Program, as well as PhD and Master’s students in Molecular Endocrinology, and to the establishment of sustainable research infrastructure aligned with national health and innovation priorities.

Fields of Expertise

Thyroid Cancer Biology and Therapeutics.

Endocrine Oncology.

Genetic of Endocrine.

Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas: Implications for Hereditary Risk, Phenotypic Expression, and Therapy.

Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of Pituitary Adenomas: Toward Personalized Management Strategies.

Population Prevalence of Cancer-Associated Genes and Syndromes in Saudi Arabia.

Molecular Genetics of the Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) in Saudi Arabia.

Career Background

More than two decades of extensive clinical and research experience, he is an internationally recognized leader in endocrine oncology. He obtained his MBBS from King Saud University, completed internal medicine residency training at KFSH&RC, and pursued clinical and research endocrinology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins University, where he also served as a Visiting Scientist, in addition to a visiting appointment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, with over 8,000 citations and an H-index of 42 in 2025. He currently leads the Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory at KFSH&RC, Riyadh, and previously served as Executive Director of the Research Centre. His work focuses on thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and neuroendocrine tumors, emphasizing molecular genetics, precision oncology, and Saudi-specific cohorts integrated into multidisciplinary clinical care. He has held prominent editorial and leadership roles, including Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Saudi Medicine, Academic Editor at PLOS One, and associate editor of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM), and Endocrine-Related Cancer, and enditorial board member of THYROID, Endocrine, and JCEMCR.

Publications

1. Alnwisser B, Alshehri S, Qattan A, Zou M, Aboussekhra A, Alzahrani AS, et al. Identification of novel prognostic biomarkers for thyroid cancer by integrated transcriptome analysis of metastasis-associated genes. Front Oncol 2025;15:1536270; Impact Factor: 3.3; doi 10.3389/fonc.2025.1536270.

2. Alzahrani AS, Alskait G, Aljufan Y, Alghaihb S, Alkhalifah A, AlAyoubi L, et al. Distant Metastases and Outcome of Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. J Endocr Soc 2025;9(8):bvaf070 ; Impact Factor: 3.1 ;doi 10.1210/jendso/bvaf070.

3. Howaidi, Ali; Alswailem, Anwar; Hakami, Abdulrhman; Hadadi, Afnan; Alturki, Deema; Abothenain, Fayha; Alobaid, Lulu; Ewain, Najla Saleh; Murugan, Avaniyapuram Kannan; Alzahrani, Ali S. Disease-specific Mortality of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer With Distant Metastases. J Endocr Soc 2025;9(4):bvaf034. Impact Factor: 3.1; doi 10.1210/jendso/bvaf034.

4. Murugan AK, Kannan S, Alzahrani AS. Immune checkpoint expression and therapeutic implications in IDH1-mutant and wild-type glioblastomas. Curr Probl Cancer 2025;55:101182; Impact Factor:2.3; doi 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2025.101182.

5. Zou, Minjing; Qattan, Amal; Al-Alwan, Monther; Ghebeh, Hazem; Binjumah, Naif; Al-Haj, Latifa; Khabar, Khalid S. A.; Altaweel, Abdulmohsen; Almohanna, Falah; Assiri, Abdullah M.; Aboussekhra, Abdelilah; Alzahrani, Ali S.; Shi, Yufei . Genome-wide transcriptome analysis and drug target discovery reveal key genes and pathways in thyroid cancer metastasis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2025;16:1514264; Impact Factor: 4.6; doi 10.3389/fendo.2025.1514264.

6. Kai, Jing; Yang, Luyao; Abuelela, Ayman F.; Abdel-Haleem, Alyaa M.; Alamoodi, Asma S.; Bin Nafisah, Abdulghani A.; Alshaibani, Alfadel; Alzahrani, Ali S.; Lagani, Vincenzo; Gomez-Cabrero, David; Gao, Xin; Merzaban, Jasmeen S. Building simplified cancer subtyping and prediction models with glycan gene signatures. Cell Reports Methods. 5(8):101140; Impact Factor: 4.5; Doi: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2025.101140.

7. Alzahrani AS, et al. Germline Telomere-Regulating Gene Variants Are Not Associated with Thyroid Cancer in a Saudi Arabian Population. Thyroid. 2025 Nov;35(11):1277-1284. Impact Factor: 6.7. doi: 10.1177/10507256251388092. Epub 2025 Oct 28. PMID: 41153079.

8. Alhamoudi, K. M., Alswailem, M., Alghamdi, B., Al-Showimi, M., Pena-Guerra, K. A., Arold, S. T., Al-Hindi, H, Alzahrani, A. Multiple Tumors of Different Lineages Likely Related to a DNMT3A Pathogenic R688H variant. BMJ Connections Clinical Genetics and Genomics. . 2025;2:e000007; Impact Factor: 3.7 (2025). doi: 10.1136/bmjccgg-2024-000007.

9. Almalki, Mussa H.; Elhadd, Tarik; AlDahmani, Khaled M.; Ekhzaimy, Aishah; Alqanaei, Abdullah; Jamal, Hasan F.; Alfutaisi, Abdulla; Mahzari, Moeber; Beshyah, Salem A.; Alzahrani, Ali S. Management of patients with Cushing's disease in the Gulf Region: a Delphi consensus recommendation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2025 Sep 30;16:1665985. Impact Factor: 4.6; doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1665985. PMID: 41098590; PMCID: PMC12518058.

10. Seefried, Lothar; Alzahrani, Ali S.; Wagner, Carsten A.; Eade, Damian; Fintini, Danilo; Haffner, Dieter; Frookh Jamal, Hasan; Bubbear, Judith S.; Guazzarotti, Laura; Cheung, Moira S.; Abid, Noina; Costa-Reis, Patricia; Ferreira Santos, Rui; Beck-Nielsen, Signe Sparre; Linglart, Agnes. XLH Matters 2024: expert insights and practical tools for enhancing care of people living with X-linked hypophosphataemia. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2025 Sep 18;20(Suppl 2):477. Impact Factor: 3.5; doi: 10.1186/s13023-025-03930-x. PMID: 40968383; PMCID: PMC12445020.

11. Bin-Abbas B…, Alzahrani, A, Molecular Genetics of 1α-Hydroxylase Deficiency in the Saudi Population, Journal of the Endocrine Society, November, 2025. Impact Factor: 3.1

12. Albasri, E….Alzahrani, A, A CDH23 Novel mutation as a likely cause of an ultra-giant Prolactinoma, Orphanet J Rare Dis. November 2025. Impact Factor: 3.5

13. Murugan AK, Al-Amr A, Al-Ansari MM, Manogaran PS, Al-Hindi H, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author) 2021 Single nucleotide polymorphisms in matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) enhance BRAFV600E mutation-mediated oncogenicity and invasiveness of papillary thyroid cancer cells. Endocr Relat Cancer 28:273-289.

14. Alzahrani, AS (corresponding author) et al, A novel claudin-10 mutation with a unique mechanism in two unrelated families with HELIX syndrome, Kidney International, accepted, 2020.

15. Alzahrani, AS (corresponding author) et al, How does the AJCC/TNM staging system 8th edition perform in thyroid cancer at a major Middle Eastern medical center? Endocrine Practice, in press, 2020.

16. Alzahrani, AS (corresponding author) et al, Course and predictive factors of incomplete response to therapy in low and intermediate risk thyroid cancer, Journal of Endocrine Soceity, In press, 2020.

17. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Alswailem M, Moria Y, Aldeheshi A, Al-Hindi H: One genotype, many phenotypes: SDHB p.R90X mutation-associated paragangliomas. Endocrine 2020.

18. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Alswailem M, Alswailem AA, Al-Hindi H, Goljan E, Alsudairy N, Abouelhoda M: Genetic Alterations in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Using a Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Gene Panel. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020, 105(10).

19. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Al Mourad M, Hafez K, Almaghamsy AM, Alamri FA, Al Juhani NR, Alhazmi AS, Saeedi MY, Alsefri S, Alzahrani MDA et al: Diagnosis and Management of Hypothyroidism in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries. Adv Ther 2020, 37(7):3097-3111.

20. Tuttle RM, Alzahrani AS: Risk Stratification in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: From Detection to Final Follow-up. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019, 104(9):4087-4100.

21. Siraj AK, Pratheeshkumar P, Parvathareddy SK, Bu R, Masoodi T, Iqbal K, Al-Rasheed M, Al-Dayel F, Al-Sobhi SS, Alzahrani AS et al: Prognostic significance of DNMT3A alterations in Middle Eastern papillary thyroid carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 2019, 117:133-144.

22. Murugan AK, Qasem E, Al-Hindi H, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author): GPCR-mediated PI3K pathway mutations in pediatric and adult thyroid cancer. Oncotarget 2019, 10(41):41074124.

23. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Murugan AK, Qasem E, Alswailem MM, AlGhamdi B, Moria Y, Al-Hindi H: Absence of EIF1AX, PPM1D, and CHEK2 mutations reported in Thyroid Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) in a large series of thyroid cancer. Endocrine 2019, 63(1):94-100.

24. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Murugan AK, Qasem E, Alswailem MM, AlGhamdi B, Moria Y, Al-Hindi H: Correction to: Absence of EIF1AX, PPM1D, and CHEK2 mutations reported in Thyroid Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) in a large series of thyroid cancer. Endocrine 2019, 65(1):226.

25. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Alswailem M, Moria Y, Almutairi R, Alotaibi M, Murugan AK, Qasem E, Alghamdi B, Al-Hindi H: Lung Metastasis in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer: Radiological Pattern, Molecular Genetics, Response to Therapy, and Outcome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019, 104(1):103-110.

26. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author): PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors in cancer: At the bench and bedside. Semin Cancer Biol 2019, 59:125-132.
27. Almubarak H, Qassem E, Alghofaili L, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Karakas B: Non-invasive Molecular Detection of Minimal Residual Disease in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients. Front Oncol 2019, 9:1510.

28. Albattal S, Alswailem M, Moria Y, Al-Hindi H, Dasouki M, Abouelhoda M, Alkhail HA, Alsuhaibani E, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author): Mutational profile and genotype/phenotype correlation of non-familial pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. Oncotarget 2019, 10(57):5919-5931.

29. Zou M, Alzahrani AS, Al-Odaib A, Alqahtani MA, Babiker O, Al-Rijjal RA, BinEssa HA, Kattan WE, Al-Enezi AF, Al Qarni A et al: Molecular Analysis of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Saudi Arabia: SLC26A7 Mutation Is a Novel Defect in Thyroid Dyshormonogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018, 103(5):1889-1898.

30. Murugan AK, Munirajan AK, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author): Long noncoding RNAs: emerging players in thyroid cancer pathogenesis. Endocr Relat Cancer 2018, 25(2):R59-r82.

31. Alzahrani AS (Corresponding Author), Mukhtar N, Aljomaiah A, Aljamei H, Bakhsh A, Alsudani N, et al. The Impact of COVID-19 Viral Infection on the Hypothalamic-PituitaryAdrenal Axis. Endocr Pract. 2021;27(2):83-9.

32. Mukhtar N, Aljamei H, Aljomaiah A, Moria Y, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding Author). Natural Course of the American Thyroid Association Response to Therapy Statuses (Dynamic Risk Stratification) in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. Eur Thyroid J. 2021;10(3):198-207.

33. Murugan AK, Qasem E, Al-Hindi H, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding Author). Analysis of ALK, IDH1, IDH2 and MMP8 somatic mutations in differentiated thyroid cancers. Mol Clin Oncol. 2021;15(4):210.

34. Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author), Alswailem M, Alghamdi B, Rafiullah R, Aldawish M, Al-Hindi H. Controversy on the management of patients carrying RET p.V804M mutation. Endocrine. 2022;75(2):478-486.

35. Albader N, Zou M, BinEssa HA, Abdi S, Al-Enezi AF, Meyer BF, Alzahrani AS, Shi Y. Insights of Noncanonical Splice-site Variants on RNA Splicing in Patients With Congenital Hypothyroidism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022;107(3):e1263-e1276.

36. Alhamoudi KM, Alghamdi B, Alswailem M, Nasir A, Aljomaiah A, Al-Hindi H, Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), A unique mechanism of a novel synonymous PHEX variant causing X-linked hypophosphatemia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022.

37. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Alswailem M, Alghamdi B, Al-Hindi H: Fumarate hydratase is a novel gene for familial non-medullary thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022.

38. Alzahrani AS (corresponding author), Alswailem M, Murugan AK, Alghamdi B, Al-Hindi H: Papillary Thyroid Cancer and a TERT Promotor Mutation-positive Paraganglioma in a Patient With a Germline SDHB Mutation. J Endocr Soc 2022, 6(7):bvac076.

39. Murugan, A. K.; Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author), Potential impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on parathyroid: current advances and trends. Endocrine 2023.

40. Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author),, The risk of expanding risk stratification in thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023.

41. Alzahrani, A. S. (an invited review, Corresponding author),, Clinical use of molecular data in thyroid nodules and cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023.

42. Alswailem, M.; Alghamdi, B.; Alotaibi, A.; Aljomiah, A.; Al-Hindi, H.; Murugan, A. K.; Abouelhoda, M.; Shi, Y.; Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author),, Molecular genetics of diffuse sclerosing papillary thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023.

43. Alghamdi, B.; Al-Hindi, H.; Murugan, A. K.; Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author), Thyroid Cancer, Neuroendocrine Tumor, Adrenal Adenoma, and Other Tumors in a Patient With a Germline PMS1 Mutation. Journal of the Endocrine Society 2023, 7 (5), bvad035.

44. Mukhtar, N.; Bakhsh, A.; Alreshidi, N.; Aljomaiah, A.; Aljamei, H.; Alsudani, N.; Elsayed, T.; Fadel, R.; Alqahtani, E.; Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author), COVID-19 infection and thyroid function. Endocrine and metabolic science 2022, 7, 100122.

45. Alzahrani, A. S. (Corresponding author) Mukhtar, N., Incomplete response to therapy in intermediate- and high-risk thyroid cancer. Endocrine 2022, 78 (3), 531-542.

46. Ahmad N, Ansari SA, Aleysae NA, Heaphy ELG, Sobaihi MM, Alghamdi BA, Alzahrani AS 2024 Hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets (HVDRR) case series: phenotype, genotype, conventional treatment, and adjunctive cinacalcet therapy. Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 30:74-80.

47. Alemadi B, Rashid F, Alzahrani A 2024 False-negative 99mTc-sestamibi scans: factors and outcomes in primary hyperparathyroidism. Endocr Connect 13.

48. Alhamoudi KM, Alswailem M, Alghamdi B, Alashwal A, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author) 2024 A CYP11A1 homozygous exonic variant inducing an alternative splicing, frameshift and truncation in a family with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Heliyon 10:e35058.

49. Almalki M, Alghamdi B, Benito A, Alfares A, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author) 2024 Pachydermoperiostosis Due to a Novel HPGD Splicing Site Mutation Masquerading as Acromegaly. JCEM Case Rep 2:luae215.

50. Alyusuf EY, Alhmayin L, Albasri E, Enani J, Altuwaijri H, Alsomali N, Arafah MA, Alyusuf Z, Jammah AA, Ekhzaimy AA, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author) 2024 Ultrasonographic predictors of thyroid cancer in Bethesda III and IV thyroid nodules. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 15:1326134.

51. Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author), Alswailem M, Buffet A, Alghamdi B, Alobaid L, Alsagheir O, Al-Hindi H, Pacak K 2024 EPAS1-related pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. Endocr Relat Cancer 31.

52. Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author), Bin Nafisah A, Alswailem M, Alghamdi B, Alsaihati B, Aljafar H, Baz B, Alhindi H, Moria Y, Butt MI, Alkabbani AG, Alshaikh OM, Alnassar A, Bin Afeef A, AlQuraa R, Alsuhaibani R, Alhadlaq O, Abothenain F, Altwaijry YA 2024 Germline Variants in Sporadic Pituitary Adenomas. J Endocr Soc 8:bvae085.

53. Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author), Mukhtar N, Alhammad Z, Alobaid L, Hakami AJ, Alsagheir O, Mohamed G, Hameed M, Almahfouz A 2024 A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing 2 Levothyroxine Regimens During Ramadan Fasting in Thyroidectomized Patients. J Endocr Soc 8:bvae173.

54. Bechmann N, Rosenblum JS, Alzahrani AS 2024 Current views on the role of HIF-2α in the pathogenesis and syndromic presentation of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 38:101955.

55. Mukhtar N, Alghamdi B, Alswailem M, Alsagheir A, Alzahrani AS (Corresponding author) 2024 Case report: Familial hypoparathyroidism with elevated parathyroid hormone due to an inactivating PTH mutation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 15:1415639.

56. Murugan AK, Al-Hindi H, Alzahrani AS 2024 LncRNA GAS8-AS1 dinucleotide genetic variant(n.713A>G, n.714T>C) is associated with early-stage disease, lymph node, and distant metastasis in differentiated thyroid cancer. Endocrine 85:1278-1288.

57. Murugan AK, Kannan S, Alzahrani AS 2025 TERT promoter mutations in gliomas: Molecular roles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutic targeting, and drug resistance. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 1880:189243.
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