Ausama Yousif

Professor Attia graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Cairo University (VMCU). He was awarded a master’s degree in virology for his work on the production of monoclonal antibodies to differentiate animal Capripoxvirus species affecting cattle and sheep. He was awarded his PhD in 2002 from South Dakota State University after he isolated and developed a PCR assay and a DNA vaccine for the first ever camel Pestivirus to be discovered. In Egypt, he held several positions in the Department of Virology of VMCU and served as department head. He also served on VMCU’s Faculty Board, Graduate Studies Board, and Undergraduate Education Board for several years. As a career educator, he helped with formulating the Egyptian National Academic Reference Standards for Veterinary Education, and taught students from 24 different nationalities in Egypt and elsewhere in the world. Professor Attia also served as the dean’s assistant for international cooperation. Moreover, Professor Attia worked with the industry on several aspects of research and development, production, and quality control of vaccines, and served on the board of one government-owned company. He cofounded a research and development company with an international partner and held the position of manager of technical operations for a large privately-owned national vaccine production company. Over the years, Professor Attia worked on different aspects of diagnosis, pathogenesis, and control of viruses belonging to fifteen virus families of veterinary and public health importance, including lumpy skin disease, camelpox, Rift Valley fever, foot and mouth disease, and avian influenza viruses. His research group has recently unveiled the presence of Equine hepaciviruses in Egypt, a transboundary genotype of fish iridoviruses, and the viral cause of massive tilapia mortalities in Egyptian aquacultures. His work also uncovered the underlying cause behind the failure to control the 2018 outbreak of lumpy skin disease in Egypt. Finally, professor Attia is recognized as a virology and vaccinology expert by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) of the Arab League, the Egyptian General Organization of Veterinary Services, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He has recently joined the experts of the Near East Group for Vaccination Advice, guidance, and Consultation (GVA) of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) of the FAO.