Heba Mostafa

Associate Professor of Pathology,
Director of the Molecular Virology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Heba Mostafa, M.D., Ph.D., D(ABMM).
Dr. Heba Mostafa completed her M.D. at the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt. She then moved to the United States where she earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) followed by three years of Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN). Dr. Mostafa completed her Clinical Microbiology Fellowship training at the University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY) and earned her American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) certification. Dr. Mostafa currently serves as an Associate Professor of Pathology at Johns Hopkins school of Medicine and the Director of the Molecular Virology Laboratory at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Mostafa has achieved national recognition for her exceptional work in the field of molecular virology as a clinician, researcher, teacher, and thought leader. Dr. Mostafa established The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s molecular diagnostic testing for COVID-19 and she has translated this effort into impactful scholarships. She was among the earliest in the U.S. to build an efficient operation for whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2, which was instrumental in tracking the virus evolution in times of uncertainty. Her efforts were also invaluable in responding to the MPOX outbreak, where she promptly facilitated the inhouse diagnosis for the virus. These reputable diagnostic and surveillance operations are recognized nationally and internationally. Dr. Mostafa’s main clinical focus is implementing optimal molecular infectious disease diagnostics and establishing a central role of the Medical Microbiology laboratory in clinical decision-making and institutional response. Dr. Mostafa’s main research focus is implementing whole genome sequencing in the Molecular Virology Laboratory with applications that include genomic surveillance of viruses and the correlation between viral evolution and disease severity. With these initiatives, Dr. Mostafa has been working closely with the State of Maryland, the CDC, and as a member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance to perform large scale genomic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, enteroviruses, and other clinically significant respiratory viruses. Dr. Mostafa published more than 100 original research papers, review articles, and book chapters, serves as an editor for many reputable journals including journals of clinical virology and microbiology spectrum, has contributed significantly to many clinical virology societies including the Pan American Society of Clinical Virology (PASCV), and has earned multiple prestigious awards including the PASCV young investigator award.