Mostafa Elshahed

Mostafa Elshahed is a Regents Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Oklahoma State University (OSU), where he has served since joining as a tenure-track assistant professor in 2007 after completing his PhD and postdoctoral research at the University of Oklahoma.

Education:

• PhD, University of Oklahoma, 2001
• Postdoctoral Research, University of Oklahoma, 2001-2006

Dr. Elshahed specializes in microbial ecology within anaerobic environments, investigating the diversity, evolution, and genomics of anaerobic gut fungi (Neocallimastigomycota) in herbivore digestive systems and microbial communities in sulfur springs, oil/gas formations, and lake sediments. His research prioritizes the uncultured fraction of microorganisms known as microbial dark matter, utilizing culture-based, culture-independent, genomic, and transcriptomic methodologies to unravel complex microbial interactions in oxygen-deprived habitats.

His work has been continuously funded since 2007 by major agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), and National Institutes of Health (NIH), alongside regional and private entities. With 105 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Elshahed serves on editorial boards for multiple scientific journals and maintains active collaborations with research groups across the United States and internationally.