Born in 1935, Professor Mahgoub received his education at the University of Khartoum and the University of London, where he earned degrees in Medicine, Microbiology, and Medical Mycology. Throughout his career, he taught medical, dental, and nursing students at various universities, including the University of Khartoum, King Saud University, and the University of Science and Technology in Jordan.

With nearly 50 years of research in Medical Mycology, Professor Mahgoub made significant contributions to the field, particularly in the areas of Mycetoma and Paranasal Aspergillus Granuloma (PNAG). He discovered new agents, developed serodiagnostic methods, and established medical treatments that replaced surgical amputation in Sudan. He was a frequent speaker at national, regional, and international medical mycology conferences.

His research was widely recognized, with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine awarding him the Ademola Prize, and the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) of the World Health Organization (WHO) presenting him with the Shousha Prize. He was also granted honorary life-long memberships in the British Society for Mycopathology (BSM) and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM).