Biography

I started my professional career as a pharmacist then shifted to academia because of my strong passion for teaching and drug discovery research. I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in pharmaceutical sciences from Mansoura University (Egypt) then a PhD in microbial biochemistry and genetics from the University of Guelph (Canada). I joined McMaster University (Canada) for 3 years as a postdoctoral fellow to explore more fields of drug discovery using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Thereafter I started teaching at the rank of assistant professor in 2019 at Stockton University (New Jersey, USA) and then Whitman College in 2020 (Washington State, USA). During my 15 years of postgraduate research and teaching, I gained tremendous expertise in drug discovery across multidisciplinary fields that include, but are not limited to, biochemistry, genetics, and machine learning. I have an outstanding publication record in top-notch journals including Nature Microbiology, PNAS, Natural Products Chemistry, and others. My publications are recognized not only in the scientific community but more publicly as well and have been featured as podcasts in Canadian TV and the Middle East.

Education

• University of Guleph, Canada 2016
• McMaster University 2016-2019

Research Interests

1. Host microbe interaction

2. The human microbiome function

3. Machine learning in drug discovery 

4. Natural products chemistry and action

Selected Publications

• Merwin, N.*, and Mousa, W.K*. (*Equal contributing first authors), Dejong, C.A., Skinnider,     M.A, Dial, K., Johnston, C.W., Li, H., Merwin, N., Edwards, M., and Magarvey, N.A. (2020).DeepRipp integrates multi-omics data to automate discovery of novel ribosomally synthesized natural products. Proceeding National Academy of Sciences USA, PNAS, 2020 117 (1) 371-38.
• Mousa, W.K., Athar, B., Merwin, N., Magrvey, N.A. (2017). Antibiotics and specialized metabolites from the human microbiota. Natural Products Reports, 11, 1302-1331, 2017.
• Mousa, W.K., Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N.  (2016). Root-hair endophyte stacking in finger millet creates a physicochemical barrier to trap the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Nature Microbiology, 2016doi.10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.167.
• Mousa, W.K., Schwan, A., and Raizada, M.N. (2016). Characterization of antifungal natural products isolated from endophytic fungi of finger millet (Eleusine coracana). Molecules 3, 21(9). doi: 10.3390/molecules21091171.
• Mousa, W.K., Schwan, A., Davidson, J, Strange, P., Liu, H., Zhou, T., Auzanneau, F-I.,  and Raizada, M.N. (2015). An endophytic fungus isolated from finger millet (Eleusine coracana) produces anti-fungal natural products. Frontiers in Microbiology 6, 1157.
• Mousa, W.K. and Raizada, M.N. (2016) Natural Disease Control in Cereal Grains. In Encyclopedia of Food Grains. 2^nd Edition. pp. 257-263. (Eds: C. Wrigley,  H. Corke, K. Seetharam, J. Faubion). Oxford:Academic Press.
• Mousa, W.K. and Raizada, M.N. (2015). Biodiversity of genes encoding anti-microbial traits within plant associated microbes. Frontiers in Plant Science 6, 231. 
• Mousa, W.K., Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Zhou, T.,  and Raizada, M.N. (2015). Bacterial endophytes from wild maize suppress Fusarium graminearum in modern maize and inhibit mycotoxin accumulation. Frontiers in Plant Science 6, 805.
• Ettinger, C.L., Mousa, W.K., Raizada, M.N., Eisen, J.A. (2015). Draft Genome Sequence of Enterobacter sp. Strain UCD-UG_FMILLET (Phylum Proteobacteria). Genome Announcements 3:e01461-14.
•  Mousa, W.K., Raizada, M. N. (2013). The diversity of anti-microbial secondary metabolites produced by fungal endophytes: An interdisciplinary perspective. Frontiers in Microbiology 4, 65.

Conferences

• Mousa , W.K*., Magarvey, N.A., Challenges to Antibiotic Discovery in the genomic era. Canadian Chemical Society 100^th conference, May 31, 2017, Toronto, Canada.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N. (2016). Unusual natural products mediated root hairs-endophyte stacking (RHESt) that traps and kills pathogens.: 9^th joint Natural Products Conference, July 24^th, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N. (2015). A story of ancient co-evolution between an ancient host, a beneficial microbe and a pathogenic fungus.CSSA Society of America, November 14^th, Minneapolis MN, USA Awarded best oral presentation prize.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N.  (2015). Role of beneficial host associated endophytes in defense mechanisms. University of Nanjing, October 27^th, Nanjing, China. Awarded best oral presentation prize.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N.  (2015). Beneficial   microbes combat serious fungal pathogens. University of Guelph, April 12^th, Ridgetown, Canada. Awarded best oral presentation prize.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., Ettinger, C.L., Eisen, J.A. , and Raizada, M.N.  (2014). An ancient African crop hosts a novel bacterial endophyte that suppresses modern crop diseases. American Society of Microbiology 5^th Conference on Beneficial Microbes, September 27^th, Washington DC, USA.
•  Raizada, M.N.*, Johnston-Monje, D., Soliman, S.M., Mousa, W.K., and Shehata, H.R. (2013). Contributions of microbes to eukaryotic fitness. University of Minnesota, MPGI Fall Symposium (The Hidden Side of Everything), August 29^th, Minnesota, USA.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, C Limay-Rios V., and Raizada, M.N. (2014). Plant associated microbes as promising source of biological control agents. GFO Funding Report, July 22^nd, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada.
• Mousa, W.K.*, Shearer, and Raizada, M.N. (2013). Microbial endophytes that suppress the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Genomics for Sustainability: Third Annual Research Meeting, University of Guelph, June 10^th, Guelph, ON Canada.

Teaching Courses

1. Microbiology and Immunology

2. Microbiology for Health Sciences 

3. Infection outbreaks

4. Biochemistry

5. Cell Biology

6. Biotechnology and drug discovery 

 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

 

Memberships

Amercian Society of Microbiology (ASM)