Academic Staff

May 31, 2026, 9:40 a.m.
Sarbast Ihsan Mustafa (PhD)
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor in Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Animal Production
College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences
University of Duhok

  • Ph.D. in Animal Molecular Cytogenetics and Genomics (Genetics and Genome Biology), University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom, 2018.
  • M.Sc. in Animal Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Zakho, Kurdistan Region – Iraq, 2011.
  • B.Sc. in Animal Science (Animal Production), University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region – Iraq, 2005.

  • Animal Genetics/ Undergraduate students/ Theory and Practical
  • Molecular Genetics/ Undergraduate students/ Theory and Practical
  • Molecular Biology/ postgraduate students/ Theory and Practical
  • Bioinformatics/ Postgraduate students/ Theory and Practical

Academic Activities

  • Certificate of Participation – Took part in the workshop “Molecular Biology Techniques: From DNA Extraction to Bioinformatics” held at the Health and Biology Research Center, University of Sulaimani, 29–31 October 2024, and contributed to the scientific discussions.
  • Seminar Participation – Attended the seminar “Management of Academic and Scientific Staff” at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, 2024.
  • Workshop Attendance – Participated in the workshop “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Agricultural Extension Services” in 2025.
  • Workshop Participation – Took part in the workshop “Copy-Facilitated Study Program of the Potato Value Chain Project” in collaboration with project partners in the Kurdistan Region, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, 18 November 2024.
  • Seminar Participation – Participated in the seminar on Positive Psychology, presented by Husain Mohammed Rashid in December 2024.

Research

  • Bebane, P., Yousif, P. S. A., Mustafa, S. I. (2025). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identifies biological pathways and biomarker genes associated with chickens' adaptation to both low and high altitudes. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 13(1), 98–101. Link
  • Mustafa, S. I. (2024). Bioinformatics and molecular analyses identified the control region as the most powerful mitogenomic marker for distinguishing the main maternal haplogroups in goats. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 12(2), 176–188. Link
  • Bebane, P., Mustafa, S. I., Taha, H., Darweesh, O., & Kheder, R. K. (2023). Molecular evidence for the involvement of alternative splicing in jejunum epithelial cells in broiler chickens fed dietary supplementation with olive mill wastewater. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 69(6), 29–35. https://doi.org/10.14715/cmb/2023.69.6.5
  • Bebane, P., Mustafa, S. I., Taha, H., Darweesh, O., & Kheder, R. K. (2023). Molecular evidence for the involvement of alternative splicing in jejunum epithelial cells in broiler chickens fed dietary supplementation with olive mill wastewater. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 69(6), 29–35. Link
  • Mustafa, S., Heslop-Harrison, J., & Schwarzacher, T. (2022). The complete mitochondrial genome from Iraqi Meriz goats and the maternal lineage using whole genome sequencing data. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science, 12(2), 321–328. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.2251628.2022.12.2.12.3
  • Mustafa, S. I., Schwarzacher, T., & Heslop-Harrison, J. S. (2022). The nature and chromosomal landscape of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) integrated in the sheep nuclear genome. DNA, 2(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.3390/dna2010007
  • Mustafa, S., Heslop-Harrison, J., & Schwarzacher, T. (2022). The complete mitochondrial genome from Iraqi Meriz goats and the maternal lineage using whole genome sequencing data. Link
  • Mustafa, S. I. (2021). The complete mitogenome of the Iraqi Awassi sheep breed and the maternal lineage utilizing high throughput sequencing raw reads. Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, 19(4), 465–470. https://doi.org/10.5455/JBAU.126194
  • Hussen, S. H., Hussein, S. M., Mustafa, S. I., Isa, R. H., & Barwary, M. S. (2021). Prediction of potential mutation of chicken coronavirus into future human coronavirus based on spike s1 glycoprotein gene. Journal of Duhok University, 24(2), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.26682/ajuod.2021.24.2.8
  • Mustafa, S. I. (2021). The complete mitogenome of the Iraqi Awassi sheep breed and the maternal lineage utilizing high throughput sequencing raw reads. Link
  • Hussen, S. H., Hussein, S. M., Mustafa, S. I., Isa, R. H., & Barwary, M. S. (2021). Prediction of potential mutation of chicken coronavirus into future human coronavirus based on spike s1 glycoprotein gene. Link
  • Mustafa, S. I., Schwarzacher, T., & Heslop-Harrison, J. (2018). Complete mitogenomes from Kurdistani sheep: abundant centromeric nuclear copies representing diverse ancestors. Mitochondrial DNA Part A, 29(8), 1180–1193. https://doi.org/10.1080/24701394.2018.1431226
  • Mustafa, S. I., Schwarzacher, T., & Heslop-Harrison, J. (2018). Mitochondrial and repetitive DNA defining the sheep genome landscape. Link
  • Mustafa, S., Schwarzacher, T., & Heslop-Harrison, J. (2016). The repetitive DNA landscape in sheep. Link
  • Fattah, Y. M., & Mustafa, S. I. (2014). Toxic effects of miller on chromosomes and sperms of albino males mice. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 2(1), 54–64. Link
  • Fattah, Y. M., & Mustafa, S. I. (2014). Agriculture and Biosciences. Link
  • Fattah, Y. M., & Mustafa, S. I. (2012). Effects of the pesticide cyren on chromosomes and sperms of albino males mice. Link

  • Molecular Genetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genomics
  • Bioinformatics

Supervised Master’s Thesis

Student: Aws Amer Ismael
Degree: Master of Science (MSc) in Animal Production / Molecular Genetics
Title of Thesis: First Global Mitogenome Assembly and Population Genetic Insights of the Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) from Iraq
Institution: College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok
Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Sarbast Ihsan Mustafa
Graduation Year: 2025
Location: Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq