Fatima Mostefai, a PhD candidate in bioinformatics, joined Hussin’s lab in September 2019 after earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Ottawa, where she explored the role of the Survival Motor Neuron protein in motor neurons. At the Hussin lab, Fatima’s research has been primarily focused on the detection and analysis of genetic mutations, with a particular emphasis on de novo mutations. Her work has been crucial in understanding the complexities and evolution of emerging de novo mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 genome during host infection. Fatima’s significant contributions to understanding SARS-CoV-2 viral evolution include the development of a comprehensive workflow designed to process extensive datasets of intra-host sequencing libraries. Moreover, her application of dimensionality reduction techniques, such as t-SNE and PHATE, has played a key role in decoding the complex genetic data derived from these libraries. Additionally, Fatima’s ongoing, focused analysis of SARS-CoV-2’s emerging mutations has shed light on its intra-host diversity and evolution dynamics. Her work underscores the vital role of bioinformatics in tackling pathogenic global health challenges.

Contact : fatima.mostefai [at] umontreal.ca
Address : 5000 Bélanger, Room C-1440