Joel E. Mortensen, PhD
- Director, Diagnostic Infectious Diseases Testing Laboratory (Microbiology and Virology)
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
About
Biography
My research interests involve developing testing methods for infectious diseases via clinical research trials. The type of goals my colleagues and I are attempting to reach through our research is to reduce the time it takes to detect infectious diseases as well as improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic testing by applying cutting-edge technologies.
The patient care I specialize in involves diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. I was inspired to become a healthcare provider and work with children through a deep personal identification with this particular mission.
I have provided direction to the diagnostic laboratory to ensure the highest quality of results for our patients and I have provided consultation services to the healthcare staff in clinical microbiology. I’ve pursued expanding rapid testing approaches in a clinical microbiology laboratory and in outpatient settings.
I have more than 30 years of clinical microbiology experience and first joined the team at Cincinnati Children’s in 1991. In collaboration with faculty and fellows at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, I have participated in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, text chapters and case studies. Our research has been published in numerous respected journals, such as Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, and Pediatric Quality and Safety.
BS: Mount Union College, Alliance, OH, 1979
PhD: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 1983
Residency: Accredited Postdoctoral Residence Program in Medical and Public Health Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas Medical School, Pathology, Houston, TX, 1985
Certifications: Certified Laboratory Consultant, American Medical Technologists, 1998
Interests
Application of rapid testing methods into the clinical microbiology laboratory and outpatient settings; LEAN manufacturing processes applied to clinical microbiology.
Services and Specialties
Interests
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of fastidious pediatric pathogens.
Research Areas
Publications
Reliability of Clinic-Obtained vs Self-Obtained Respiratory Samples From the Self-Sample Accuracy and Benefit Implementation Trial (S2wAB-IT). Chest. 2026; 169(6):1488-1495.
Respiratory muscle strength after lung volume reduction surgery. Updates in Surgery. 2026.
The effect of inhaled dry salt on pulmonary mucociliary clearance in obstructive lung disease: A randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging. 2026; 46(3):e70060.
Comparing Changes in FEV1 and Impulse Oscillometry Parameters Following Methacholine Challenge Testing: Physiological Correlates, Clinical Markers, and Pulmonary Symptoms. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2026; 15(5).
Oxygenation Targets and Long-Term Cognitive and Pulmonary Functions in Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: A Clinical Trial. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2026; 212(3):464-473.
Relation of pulmonary diffusing capacity changes to HRCT chest and V/Q SPECT findings at short-term and intermediate follow-up after COVID-19: a prospective cohort study (The secure study). European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. 2026; 53(3):2178-2189.
Adult reference values for spirometry, body plethysmography and diffusing capacity adjusted for sex, age, weight, height or arm span - the Danish lung function material (DALFUMAT) study. European Clinical Respiratory Journal. 2026; 13(1):2606556.
Recreational football training preserves bone health in women over 9 years during the menopause transition. Biology of Sport. 2026; 43:281-290.
Pulmonary diffusing capacity and dyspnoea following COVID-19: Insights from multicentre datasets. Data in Brief. 2025; 62:111925.
Drug Utilisation of Radium-223 Under Routine Clinical Practice (DIRECT) in Europe: A Post-Authorisation Safety Study. Oncology and Therapy. 2025; 13(3):595-616.
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