Dr. Heba Mostafa’s research program is centered on applying advanced genomic and molecular methods to improve infectious disease diagnostics and surveillance, and to understand the association between virus evolution, outbreaks, and disease outcomes.
1. Viral genomic surveillance and evolution
Mostafa lab uses whole genome sequencing (WGS) to track how viruses evolve in populations and how genetic changes relate to disease severity and outcomes. This includes large-scale sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, among others to understand regional diversity and respiratory virus seasonal trends. These efforts help contextualize clinical and epidemiologic patterns during outbreaks and endemic circulation.
2. Implementation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in clinical virology and infectious disease diagnosis and research
Her group works on integrating NGS technologies—such as Nanopore and short-read platforms—into diagnostic and surveillance workflows. This includes evaluating agnostic and targeted sequencing methods and advocating for their use in clinical settings for comprehensive pathogen characterization, including pathogen identification and antiviral resistance profiling (e.g., HIV and cytomegalovirus).
3. Respiratory virus testing and diagnostics
The lab conducts systematic analysis of respiratory virus infections (influenza, RSV, rhinoviruses, enteroviruses, SARS-CoV-2) to inform clinical and public health responses. This work pairs molecular test results with clinical outcomes to better understand viral impact on disease.
4. Development and validation of molecular diagnostics
Mostafa team has developed and validated in-house molecular assays, including SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, and measles testing, and is focused on molecular diagnostic innovation for clinical infectious diseases.
Overall, Dr. Mostafa’s laboratory integrates genomic surveillance, advanced sequencing technologies, and clinical diagnostics to better detect, characterize, and respond to viral and microbial pathogens, especially respiratory viruses, with the goal of improving patient care and informing public health strategies.
Contact Information
Mostafa Lab
Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe Street
CMSC 3101.A
Baltimore, Maryland 21287
email: [email protected]
Our Team
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Post Doctoral Fellow | Dr. Amary Fall |
| Research Specialist II | Julie M. Norton |
| Research Specialist | Omar Abdulla |
| Current Grad Students | Chun Huai (Alex) Luo Andy Wu Karena Chu Eliana Li |
Alumni
- Dr. C. Paul Morris
- Victoria Gniasdowski
- Adannaya Amadi
- Nicholas Gallagher
- Madeline Yunker
- David Villafuerte
- Ting Xuan (Peter) Zhuang
- Christa Han