Mohamed El-Mokhtar, PhD

Associate Professor
Microbiology Discipline Coordinator

Dr. Mohamed El Mokhtar is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. His academic and research career focuses on the interface between infectious diseases, host–pathogen interactions, and clinical microbiology. His work particularly addresses the pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis of viral hepatitis, the extrahepatic manifestations of viral infections, microbiome–host interactions, and immune dysregulation in infectious and inflammatory conditions.

Dr. El Mokhtar also maintains active research interests in hospital-acquired infections, antimicrobial resistance, and the development of nanotechnology-based antimicrobial and wound-healing therapies. His scientific contributions include more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and several competitively funded research grants.

In addition to his research activities, Dr. El Mokhtar has extensive experience teaching microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, and infection control across multiple health-science disciplines. His teaching philosophy centers on active, student-engaged learning, employing strategies such as team-based learning, problem-based learning, flipped classrooms, and case-driven discussions. He is committed to fostering an educational environment that promotes critical thinking, scientific curiosity, and lifelong learning.

Dr. El Mokhtar is dedicated to integrating basic science with clinical and public health applications by linking foundational microbiological principles to patient-centered practice. He is actively involved in mentoring medical students and trainees, contributing to the development of future physician-scientists and healthcare professionals in the region.

Professional and Research Interests

Medical microbiology and immunology
Host-pathogen interactions
Modulation of immune cells during infection
Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and epidemiology of viral hepatitis
Hospital-acquired infections, infection control, and antimicrobial resistance
Nanomedicine and nanoparticle-based antimicrobial and wound-healing therapies
Microbiome and its contribution to gastrointestinal and systemic diseases

Education and Training

Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Egypt
Masters Degree in Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Egypt
PhD. in Natural Sciences, Microbiology and Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Professional Memberships and Organizations

American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
World Society for Virology (WSV)
LAU-PIRF grant for the study Incidence and impact of Fusobacterium nucleatum infection on development and progression of colorectal cancer in Lebanon

Selected Publications

Mohamed NK, El-Mokhtar MA, Zahran AM, Gad GFM, Ibrahem RA. VISTA is a potential target for immunotherapy in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):23809.
Kotb AA, El-Mokhtar MA, Sayed IM. Effect of hepatitis E virus on the male reproductive system: A review of current evidence. Viruses. 2025;17(1):66.
Hetta HF, Mekky MA, Sayed HI, Soliman Mahran AA, Salama EH, Sayed D, et al., El-Mokhtar MA. Impact of sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir therapy on the frequency of CD200R+ dendritic cells in chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Immuno. 2024;5(1):2.
Mohamed SM, Abou-Ghadir OM, El-Mokhtar MA, Aboraia AS, Abdel-Moty SG, Abdel-Aal ABM. Design, synthesis and pro-inflammatory activity of palmitoylated derivatives of thioglycolic acid as new immunomodulators. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2024;104(6):e70029.
Mohamed DS, Abd El-Baky RM, El-Mokhtar MA, Ghanem SK, Yahia R, Alqahtani AM, et al. Influence of selected non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals on antibiotic resistance gene transfer in Escherichia coli. PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0304980.
Saddik MS, Al-Hakkani MF, Abu-Dief AM, Mohamed MS, Al-Fattah IA, Makki M, et al. Formulation and evaluation of azithromycin-loaded silver nanoparticles for the treatment of infected wounds. Int J Pharm X. 2024;7:100245.
Ahmed AK, Sijercic VC, Akhtar MS, Elbayomy A, Marouf MA, Zeleke MS, et al. Cholera rages in Africa and the Middle East: A narrative review on challenges and solutions. Health Sci Rep. 2024;7(5):e2013.
Elbadry MI, Tawfeek A, Hirano T, El-Mokhtar MA, Kenawey M, Helmy AM, et al. A rare homozygous variant in the TERT gene causing variable bone marrow failure, fragility fractures, rib anomalies, and extremely short telomere lengths with high serum IgE. Br J Haematol. 2024;204(3):1086–1095.
Mamdoh H, Hassanein KM, Eltoony LF, Khalifa WA, Hamed E, Alshammari TO, et al., El-Mokhtar MA. Clinical and bacteriological analyses of biofilm-forming Staphylococci isolated from diabetic foot ulcers. Infect Drug Resist. 2023:1737–1750.
Elsaghir A, El-Sabaa EM, Zahran AM, Mandour SA, Salama EH, Aboulfotuh S, et al., El-Mokhtar MA. Elevated CD39+ T-regulatory cells and reduced adenosine levels indicate a role for tolerogenic signals in progression from moderate to severe COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(24):17614.

Keywords

Microbiology, immunology, infectious diseases, microbiome, antimicrobial resistance, biofilms, hospital-acquired infections, infection control, nanomedicine, molecular biology, flow cytometry