Youssef A. Kousa
Youssef A. Kousa (born 1982) is an Egyptian–American physician–scientist specializing in neonatal neurology and prenatal neurovirology. He is known for leading major international research consortia investigating the impact of prenatal viral infections—particularly Zika—on fetal brain development and neuro-developmental outcomes.
Early Life and Education
Kousa earned a Bachelor of Science (2005) and Master of Science (2007) in Biology and Biotechnology from Kean University in New Jersey. He subsequently pursued dual degrees at Michigan State University, obtaining a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2015 as part of a combined DO–PhD Physician–Scientist Training Program.[1][2] He completed a child neurology residency (2020) at Children's National Hospital and The George Washington University School of Medicine.[3]
Career
Kousa’s work is especially known for his leadership in response to the Zika virus outbreak, where he founded and now directs the Prenatal Infection and Neurodevelopmental Genetics (PING), a global collaborative network of 13 institutions studying over 12,000 mother-infant pairs across Zika-affected regions. The team has grown to include 35 investigators across 23 institutions.[4]
At his K-Labs at Children’s National Hospital, Kousa leads investigations into Gene-environment interactions during fetal brain development and Genetic modifiers of viral teratogenicity (e.g., Zika, CMV).[5]
His work combines clinical cohorts, animal models, and next-generation sequencing to uncover key developmental pathways disrupted by infection or mutation.[6] He has also contributed to vaccine design and production using adenoviral vectors and published on orofacial and neural tube development.[7]
Dr. Kousa’s research has been funded by the NIH (NINDS K08 Award), CDC, and private foundations.[8] He has authored over 35 peer-reviewed publications, with growing citation impact in the fields of pediatric neurology, developmental biology, and infectious disease.[9]
Awards and Honors
National recognition via national research grants, including a K08 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).[10][11]
Additional recognition came from Kean University and Michigan State University as a distinguished alumnus. He has had multiple invited research presentations.
Selected Publications
- Marques FJ, Tran L, Kousa YA, et al. “Long‑term developmental outcomes of children with congenital Zika syndrome.” Pediatric Research. February 2025.[12]
- Abdelmalek C, Singh S, Fasil B, Horvath AR, Kousa YA, et al. “Building a growing genomic repository for maternal and fetal health through the PING Consortium.” Pediatric Research. January 2025.[13]
Professional Affiliations
Active member of professional societies such as Child Neurology Society and American Neurological Association.[citation needed]
References
- ↑ Children's National Hospital. "Research Profile". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ University of Maryland. "Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Children's National Hospital. "Provider Profile". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Children's National Hospital. "PING Consortium". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Children's National Hospital. "K-Labs". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Kean University. "Two-Time Kean Alumnus Is Unraveling the Mystery of Viral Brain Injuries in Newborns". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Science Daily. "Interferon regulatory factor 6 mutations implicated in neural tube defects, including spina bifida". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ NIH RePORTER. "Viral Neurobiology in the Prenatal Brain". Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Youssef Kousa. "Researcher Profile". Google Scholar. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ "Dr. Youssef Kousa awarded Pediatric Epilepsy Research Grant". Innovation District. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ "Researcher to decipher how viruses affect the developing brain with nearly $1M NIH award". 15 March 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
- ↑ Marques, Fernanda J. P. (2025). "Long-term developmental outcomes of children with congenital Zika syndrome". Pediatr Res. 97 (3): 989–993. doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03389-9. PMID 38969814 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Abdelmalek, Clara M (2025). "Building a growing genomic repository for maternal and fetal health through the PING Consortium". Pediatr Res. doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03793-1. PMC 12222536 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 39753885 Check|pmid=value (help).
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