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Triglycerides Research Finds Research Triglycerides Newsletter of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev News Heart of Predictor Greetings from the Dean Men Young in Disease Converging on research “Everything in the world began with a yes. One molecule said excellence yes to another molecule and life was born. But before prehistory there was the prehistory of prehistory and there was the never and there was the yes. It was ever so. I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began.” The Hour of Star, her 3 last novel, was written by Clarice Lispector, a Brazilian Jewish author, in 1977, the year of her death from a proliferative disease. BGU scientists make breakthrough in drug By saying yes to oneself and to the “Other”, each day the universe can be created for oneself and for the “Other”. delivery system across Just as I said yes to accepting the role of dean this past year, “blood-brain barrier” Lispector’s “yes” is a good concept to describe the steps taken to 5 Prof. Gabriel Schreiber achieve our educational and research goals. Yes to a new pilot initiative for research excellence. Promoting convergence of disciplines as Program launched a route to breakthroughs, the initiative includes more than 50 researchers from the Faculty to establish lines of and Soroka University Medical Center. For this first of its kind initiative, the Faculty and the University have allocated a startup budget for a five year period and are looking for matching communication between funds from donors. health professionals Yes to the enlargement of the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School: As we started a new 6 school year, we increased the number of students by 25% without compromising quality - only 5% of 1400 applicants were accepted. We have also created a new Pre-Med program for Faculty established new 50 undergraduate students this year. Mentoring Program for Medical Students Yes to the enlargement of the Nursing Program in the Leon and Mathilde Recanati School for Health Professions. The shortage of nurses, especially in the Negev, is expected to be even greater than the shortage of physicians. The number of nursing students rose last 8 year by 35% and will increase next year by 80% to 90 students. Faculty signs MOU with Yes to refining the quality of teaching of medicine and health professions by introducing humanistic studies, professional and inter-professional education, a new UC Irvine School of mentoring program, and using our simulation center to improve teaching. Medicine Yes to improving health services in the Negev through cooperative programs with the medical centers in the Negev area and continuous student initiatives. 11 Yes to reducing disparity. We intend to use our expertise to enable dozens of students from the community and the Negev to study health Mabruk to Jordanian professions in FOHS, and to establish a preparatory course in health sciences emergency medicine for the ultra-orthodox religious population after completing core general subjects. graduates As we begin a new year, we say Yes to growth, development, quality, 16 involvement, and Yes to the “Other”. 1 Health Sciences News Field Family Foundation Medical Simulation Health Center to be built Sciences News

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the

Prof. Rivka Carmi (far left) joins Larry Field (left) with his extended family and friend Rivka Seiden (far right) at the ceremony The family foundation of real estate developer and and updating physicians and the IDF units that are philanthropist Lawrence N. Field has agreed to support moving to the South in the next five years, she added. building the Field Family Foundation Medical Simulation Center at the Faculty. Their pledge was recognized The new Center will be invaluable in providing the most recently in the presence of Larry Field and his extended advanced training for the medical professions in the family. Last year, the New York-based Joyce and Irving Faculty while helping to ensure patients’ safety and well- Goldman Family Foundation contributed the seed money being. It will allow the Faculty to continue its work in to initiate the Center. human-oriented medicine, by producing graduates who will become expert practitioners with strong humane The new facility will provide students with the values and ethics, contributing to the well-being of their opportunity to practice clinical-based skills in a risk-free communities in and worldwide. environment, utilizing realistic materials, allowing for mistakes, which are inevitable in the learning process, Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Gabriel Schreiber, said that the to be made without endangering the lives of patients. Center would “enable us to improve medical training, And above all, it will improve patient safety. A variety of and teach preparedness and professionalism.” electronic mannequins and simulators will be available in the Center including an Advanced Lifesaving Simulator Larry Field recalled that his connection to BGU goes and birth process that exhibit life-like symptoms to back 40 years when he met BGU’s first president, Moshe simulate a variety of medical situations. Prywes, who later resigned to become the Founding Dean of the Faculty. “This is the institution with which I Once the Center is built, “We will not graduate any have worked the longest, I usually give anonymously,” students without their having experience in simulation so said Field. we make sure that they fulfill the dictum ‘Do No Harm’. It will represent the first simulation center created as part Noting that he often lectures about capitalism and of a medical school in Israel. Other medical schools are entrepreneurship, he explained that “One of the things I thinking about doing it and we are actually doing it”, often say is: if you can imagine it and work hard enough BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi said at the ceremony in you have a great possibility of achieving it.” Beer-Sheva. The facility will also be used for retraining

2 Health SciencesConverging on research News excellence The Faculty has recently launched a new pilot initiative Dean Prof. Gabriel Schreiber. “The current structure to produce even more promising research. Building on of department heads, faculty deans, etc., is all geared its already stellar reputation, the Faculty has decided towards managing teachers, but not research,” he says. to increase its focus on research. Nine projects were The new system couples investment and productivity by recently selected for participation in the pilot project. supplying resources such as research space, facilities, equipment, student grants, technicians, and a reagent Twenty-seven proposals were whittled down to budget. “The projects will be evaluated again in a year nine through outside reviewers who assessed their and a half to see what they’ve produced and whether relative and absolute value. Following the concept of it was productive to keep funding them,” Faculty’s convergence of disciplines in bio-medical research as Vice Dean for Research Prof. Angel Porgador explains. a route to breakthroughs, the nine projects include “The general trend has been for researchers to become more than 50 researchers from the Faculty and Soroka experts on ever narrower topics, but in bio-medical University Medical Center. research, there is a lot of value in having a group with complementary expertise work together to produce Fourteen of the recipients of our initiative – 7 out of 9 breakthroughs,” according to Schreiber. winning cooperative projects – were awarded BSF or ISF grants, including the Helmsley Foundation grant “The group will be able to generate more papers and for the best annual BSF proposal of 2012 and the Klein grants as well as breakthroughs,” all elements that Foundation Prize for the leading ISF proposal for 2012. contribute to global medical research, Porgador added. Half of all university grant recipients were from the To facilitate this type of research, the university is Faculty – a 400% increase from the previous period. This constructing a laboratory building that will concentrate unprecedented success attests to the high quality of the the sometimes far flung faculty members in one hi-tech external and internal evaluation process. building. “The Research Excellence Initiative is the first of its kind at the University,” Schreiber said. The Faculty The project is funded in a tripartite manner – the Faculty, and the University have put up the initial funds and are the University, and the researcher. “The researchers looking for matching funds from donors. “As David Ben- must invest in their research, which is why they are Gurion said, ‘A vision that is not coupled with action is a to contribute a third from their research grants,” says false vision’,” Schreiber quotes.

Prof. Ron Apte with his cancer research team

3 Health Sciences News HealthProf. Asher Bashiri awarded Edmond. Sciences J. Safra News Philanthropic Foundation 2012 Prize for Excellence

Prof. Asher Bashiri, a member of the Faculty and a senior as possible as long as the society to which you belong

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the physician at the Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, does not value, assist, and invest in education,” he added. has been awarded the prestigious Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation Prize for Excellence for 2012. Bashiri has published over 70 articles, presented The award was given for his exceptional achievements in numerous research studies at medical conferences, medicine and academic excellence, and his contributions focusing both clinically and in his research on repeated to society, which are exemplified by his support of miscarriages, and has supervised over 20 student students during their studies. theses. He organizes the gynecology course for fifth year students at the Faculty and was recently voted best Bashiri has made it his mission to teach, educate, and course coordinator of the entire six years of studies. retain medical students in Beer-Sheva. “Receiving the prize is a vote of confidence in education and excellence. The prize committee included: former education minister There are many successful and talented people who need Prof. Amnon Rubinstein, Tel Aviv University’s Sackler to be promoted. The fact that you act, create, and worry Faculty of Medicine Prof. Ilan Hemel, Hebrew University about others and someone thinks that it is noteworthy, of Jerusalem President Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, gives me a feeling of satisfaction and also transmits an Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN important message to the youth and the students that Prof. Gabriella Shalev, and former Technion-Israel there is someone watching out for them. There is no Institute of Technology President Prof. Zeev Tadmor. value if the personal world in which you live is as good

Prof. Priel make scientific breakthrough in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases

cells, stem cells, and lab mice. This enzyme prolongs life and prevents damage. In 2009, scientists Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider, and Jack W. Szostak won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.”

Priel’s current research study, which was just published in the EMBO Molecular Medicine Journal, describes how the compound can reach the brain and the spinal cord and increase the production of telomerase.

“We show that by injecting the compound into mice that are developing ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), we can successfully Prof. Esther Priel delay the development of the disease and increase the Prof. Esther Priel of the Shraga Segal Department of lifespan of the mice. “This is a scientific breakthrough Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics and her since these compounds have great potential not just colleagues have been awarded over $1 million for in fighting neurodegenerative diseases, but also other developing a patented breakthrough treatment for diseases related to aging,” Priel says. neurodegenerative diseases. BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of In her lab, Priel, and her team of PhD students, Erez Eitan BGU, has signed a research and licensing agreement with and Eylon Tichon, showed that these compounds raise a private US investment fund that will invest more than the levels of the protein enzyme telomerase in human $1 million over the next two years to further the research.

4 Health SciencesBGU scientists make breakthrough News in drug delivery system across “blood-brain barrier”

L-R: Dr. Sarina Grinberg, Prof. (emeritus) Eli Heldman, and Dr. Charles Linder A new drug delivery system, V-Smart, developed by BGU releases the encapsulated drugs in a controlled manner at scientists has been licensed to Lauren Sciences LLC in New the target site. York. Prof. (emeritus) Eli Heldman of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Dr. Sarina “Archi-bacteria, which are organisms that live under very Grinberg of the Department of Chemistry, and Dr. extreme conditions, such as in volcanoes, triggered our Charles Linder of the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren ideas for the technology,” according to Heldman. “To Department of Engineering developed the survive, they evolved lipids that gave them stability over technology over eight years of intense effort. a long period. But these lipids have to be very pure and it’s very difficult to synthesize them.” The V-Smart delivery system could be especially relevant to diseases of the central nervous system, He added that the team chose to create bola lipids, from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to multiple sclerosis, “which are like two-headed weapons that have a amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and neurological different kind of membrane. The result is a very stable complications of HIV, as well as brain cancers. and selective mechanism that makes it possible to release drugs in the spot we want beyond the blood The system uses synthetic nanoscale structures called brain barrier.” The BGU scientist said the team was also vesicles that pass through the blood-brain barrier. working on a delivery system for use in specific parts The vesicles are made up of bolaamphiphiles. The of the brain for Parkinson’s disease. “So far, the delivery breakthrough, which Heldman told The Jerusalem Post system has been shown to work, but it still needs a lot of could be in clinical trials in two years, may offer pills to development. Our patented technique could have major replace some types of injections. therapeutic potential for treating disease,” he said.

The work on oral medication delivery is preliminary but Heldman added that BGU and Lauren Sciences, where very promising, Heldman said. Teams working elsewhere he is Chief Scientific Officer, have recently been awarded have found other methods, including the injection of two prestigious research grants, one from the Michael hyperosmotic solutions that shrink cells or the injection J. Fox Foundation to develop the delivery of proteins in of drugs into the brain. the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, the other from the Campbell Foundation for delivery of the antiretroviral “But our system is much better because it doesn’t break drug Tenofovir for treatment of neuro-HIV. “We hope that the blood brain barrier,” he explained. “It also has great the success of these projects will improve these patients’ stability, can target where the drug will be sent and lives,” he said.

5 Health Sciences News Innovative Program launched to establish lines of Healthcommunication between health professionalsSciences News How many times have you felt that there is no The program, headed by Prof. Asher Bashiri, which communication between professionals? How many times began as a pilot in the Gynecology clerkship of medical does a specialist need to work with another specialist students at the end of the fifth year, introduces students

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the in order to find a cure ? How often have you thought to other health professionals such as nurses, sanitary that your medical problem could be solved already officers, social workers, and physiotherapists. During if only there had been communication between the their studies, the students are asked to describe situations health professionals ? Relations between the specialties in the hospital where they witnessed poor interpersonal is often complex and dynamic, involving concealed and communication amongst staff and are presented with visible struggles for power and authority, with attendant a video, produced by the staff of Soroka University attitudes and feelings culminating in a situation whereby Medical Center. In the future, the program will be open cooperation is complicated and at times impossible. to all students at the Faculty. In addition, a rehabilitation program by medical and nursing students will be As a step towards improving collaboration and presented on IPE day. communication, the Faculty has recently launched a new inter-professional education (IPE) pilot program with the The first in Israel to integrate this program in its objective of training Faculty students to work as a team curriculum, the Faculty anticipates that a dialogue for the ultimate enhancement of the quality of patient care between professionals for the exchange of knowledge, and safety. If students can work together during medical creative solutions to practical problems, and cooperative school, then they will be more likely to collaborate as thinking will act as a model to be adopted by other doctors, according to Dean Prof. Gabriel Schreiber. medical schools in Israel.

Four hundred University volunteers mobilize during latest round of missiles

Four hundred faculty, staff, and students of the University answered President Prof. Rivka Carmi’s call for volunteers in and around Beer-Sheva, during the latest series of missile attacks on the South in mid- November, reaching out to the residents of the neighborhoods.

In 2011, Prof. Carmi and Dr. Limor Aharonson-Daniel, head of the Department of Emergency Medicine, launched the initiative to provide volunteers to the municipality within the framework of the “University Volunteers” program, aiming to use human resources to empower local services in times of crisis. A student caring for childern The program was initiated in response to every single day, every hour, and for every task that we the lessons learned from Operation Cast Lead when the requested! It really was heart warming!” municipality faced a shortage of personnel. Over the past year, the program was upgraded and rose to the While the volunteers weren’t utilized this time around, challenge in November’s Pillar of Defence. “The response the response shows that the system that has been built, is amazing and the feeling is tremendous,” enthused works. The tasks the volunteers adopt include taking care Aharonson-Daniel. “Four hundred volunteers responded of the elderly and disabled, transporting the sick and their that they were in Beer-Sheva or its surroundings and accompanying medical equipment, security, daycare, and were prepared to volunteer. There were volunteers for acting as messengers for those in need.

6 Health SciencesTo Save a LifeNews the Foreign Ministry’s Israel Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) program, assistance from the World Health Organization and a dedicated medical team from both sides, two neonatal units were designed, built, and equipped in two regional hospitals in Kumasi.

“There’s no hope of keeping infection at bay with three babies to a bed,” Golan says. “This by itself increases infant mortality.” The neonatal units implement simple low tech interventions such as temperature-controlled rooms that accommodate many babies rather than sophisticated incubators that require high maintenance and a continuous electricity supply.

Other interventions include promoting breastfeeding and L-R: Dr. Eilon Shani, Dr. Agneta Golan, and Dr. Daid Agyei adoption of the “Kangaroo Mother In Sub-Saharan Africa, the rate of infant mortality is more Care” model in which the babies are kept in constant than one hundred deaths for every one thousand births, physical contact with their mothers. “There is a significant compared to the rate of four to ten per one thousand in shortage of medical staff, so mothers undertake most developing countries. Understanding the causes of death of the care for their babies. This is also a unique setup and planning sustainable interventions with simple low to promote health education that will have a significant tech interventions is the key to significantly improving effect as the babies are discharged to their homes. Low outcomes. cost interventions combined with health education achieve the highest results,” Golan explains. That’s the core philosophy behind a project in Kumasi, Ghana, initiated by doctors from the Faculty and For now, the Faculty team is composed mostly of Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC). “Appropriate volunteers. “This project has a significant impact on resuscitation at birth, maintaining the right temperature, the professional development of each member of my proper nutrition, promoting and encouraging breast- staff,” says Golan, “and we feel blessed to have such a feeding, and prevention of infection can all reduce infant unique opportunity to work with our Ghanian partners. mortality,” says Dr. Agneta Golan, Head of the SUMC’s The philosophy of our department is not just about self- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a member of the enrichment but also about sharing our knowledge with Faculty. those who need it. In the past we have trained physicians from the Palestinian Authority and groups from India and In cooperation with the United Nations’ Millennium Kazakhstan, but for many reasons the project in Kumasi Development Goals, the project is to be achieved by seems to be more sustainable and will hopefully produce 2015. Goal Four – Reducing Child Mortality – aims to more measurable improved outcomes,” Golan enthuses. decrease mortality of children under five by two-thirds. Since infant mortality represents a major percentage of The NICU is presently hosting Dr. Daid Agyei, a young deaths of children under five, improving newborn care is and dedicated physician from Kumasi South Hospital significant in achieving this goal. who was invited by the Israeli team to train in Israel under the auspices of MASHAV. Dr. Agyei actively Prof. Emeritus Michael Karplus, former head of SUMC’s participates in teaching medical students in our Medical NICU, along with Golan and Dr. Eilon Shani, launched School of International Health (MSIH). When he returns the Kumasi project in 2004 to help the two million to Ghana, he will be responsible for the function and people of Kumasi achieve this goal. With funding from supervision of the two maternal care units in Kumasi.

7 Health Sciences News Faculty established new Mentoring Program Healthfor medical students Sciences News

Formal mentoring programs for

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the medical students were developed only at the end of the 1990s. Various definitions exist for mentoring, but one of the most commonly cited in the English scientific literature is: “Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced, highly regarded, empathetic person (the mentor) guides another (usually younger) individual (the mentee) in the development and Prof. Issac Levi with students re-examination A new mentoring program for medical students in the of his/her own ideas, learning and personal and Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, headed by professional development. The mentor, who often works Prof Haim Reuveni, has recently been initiated by the in the same organization or field as the mentee, achieves Faculty. The purpose of this program is to strengthen this by listening or talking in confidence to the mentee.” the relationship of the students with the Faculty and the medical centers in the area, to provide information and Mentoring is one of the keys to a successful career in guidance regarding decision-making in choosing suitable medicine. It is important for the acquisition of clinical tracks for internship and specialization, confronting as well as research qualifications, Schreiber continues. personal problems, and to establish personal interactions Certain characteristics, qualifications, and appropriate between the mentor and the mentee. Through this preparation and supervision of the mentor are essential program, the Faculty strives to increase the chances that for achieving the program’s goals. The mentoring will students will remain in the Negev, which suffers from a begin as group mentoring for fourth year students and shortage of physicians, and contribute to the academic become one-on-one mentoring for fifth and sixth year and professional development of the students, enhancing students and interns. professionalism through role modeling. “The five major characteristics of successful mentors were “Supervision is a central teaching model in the area of found to be: a. enthusiasm and compassion, selflessness; psychotherapy. Supervision can provide one of those b. activity as a supervisor for career development preferred places that enable the working through of four suggesting focused, personalized, and mentee tailored central interaction crossroads: the personal and historic support and advice; c. commitment for constant, characteristics of the supervised student; the therapeutic frequent, and qualified mentoring meetings allocating relationship with the patients; the theories founded by necessary timeframes; d. supporting a personal/ the various disciplines; and explanations of the process professional equilibrium; e. establishing a legacy as a role of constructive personal change,” explains Dean Prof. model mentor through building mentoring patterns and Gabriel Schreiber, a psychiatrist by training. creating future expectations and standards,” Schreiber says. Mentoring programs were developed in the US in the early 1970s, especially in the private sector with the aim The program is supported by the Ministry for of strengthening young staff members. In the 1990s, Development of the Negev and the Galilee. similar programs were enacted in the health professions.

8 Health SciencesNew Lab. for Rehabilitation News and Motor Control

Finding new ways to apply chaotic perturbations to that will be a leading player in the development, study, facilitate motor learning and improve walking of persons dissemination, and application of knowledge in the field following brain damage is the objective of the recently of rehabilitation medicine. established Rehabilitation and Motor Control of Walking Laboratory in the Leon and Mathilda Recanati School for Dr. Bar Haim has been the principal investigator for Community Health Professions. numerous multi-center studies being conducted in the Middle East and EU, which has enabled her to develop Dr. Simona Bar-Haim, Director of the Laboratory for skills that are the key to the management of clinical Rehabilitation and Motor Control of Walking, funded by investigations presently being performed in multiple the USAID Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC), centers for the disabled. Present studies in the laboratory strives to improve the quality of life of populations have assessed adaptation of lower limbs to ease with motor disabilities by promoting research, physical perturbation by the use of a unique split-belt treadmill therapy educational programs, and scientific advocacy with force sensors. Additional research with Prof. Amir relevant to disabilities in the Middle East. In the frame Karniel from the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the Middle East Consortium, she plans to develop is being carried out to treat teenagers suffering from the Middle East Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation cerebral palsy.

Teaching anatomy in Nepal

a modified form, in some Faculty of Health Sciences (FOHS) courses including anatomy. While Ze’ev – called ‘Sir’ by the hyper-polite med students at PAHS – was lecturing and giving labs in gross anatomy, histology, and embryology, his wife, Rise, drawing on her 40+ years with juvenile diabetes, counseled diabetics on self-care. Although they worked hard, they also managed to do their own version of trekking, even finding time to go paragliding in the shadow of the Himalayas.

The number of FOHS faculty who have volunteered at PAHS continues to increase. PAHS, now in its third year, is thriving, though still dependent on foreign volunteers. There is a long way to go before an Students from PAHS in the laboratory endogenous faculty is in place and fully able When Prof. Mick Alkan brought Dr. Arjun Karki, the to manage without foreign volunteers. To further help visionary founder and Vice-Chancellor of the nascent that process, Silverman and Prof. Michal Hershfinkel Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) in Kathmandu, are presently hosting a young Nepali woman, Laxmi Nepal to his office in 2008, Ze’ev Silverman, of the Sunuwar, in their labs as a doctoral student. Like most of Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, knew he the native faculty at PAHS, Laxmi, who taught physiology, had met his future. Karki asked him to assist in the has only an M.Sc. A cadre of educator-scientists at the establishment of a revolutionary institution whose Ph.D. level is a crucial requirement for any modern mission would be to provide well-trained physicians medical school, but few opportunities exist in Nepal for in under-served regions of his country. Silverman’s such training. At the end of the day, training outstanding first visit during the summer/monsoon season of 2011, physicians is what FOHS clinical and basic science followed a sabbatical at the Drexel School of Medicine educators are committed to doing, whether here in Israel in Philadelphia. It was there that he was first exposed to or Nepal. Remember, adds Silverman. “Nepal was the problem-based learning (PBL), an approach emphasizing first country in Asia to recognize Israel; by helping PAHS, learning over teaching used at PAHS, and now, as well, in we’re helping an old friend.”

9 HealthHealth Sciences News Sciences News New medical BASc program opens at Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the The shortage of doctors in Israel, and particularly in the Negev, is critical. Recognizing the need for more students, the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School has just launched a new and innovative undergraduate medical program.

For those who reach the all but final round of interviews for the medical school, a place in the new program is offered. The three-year program headed by Prof. Asher Bashiri, is taught by the same faculty as the medical school and consists of similar content. At the end of the degree, students who graduate with honors will be offered an opportunity to continue to enter the fourth year of the MD or MD/PhD program.

According to Bashiri, “Through the program, we will be Medical students in their way to class able to increase the number of medical students in the coming years. There is no doubt that there are many that in the future, we can expand the clinical fields and eligible candidates for medical school but due to the fact therefore allow more students from this new track to that our students enter the clinical fields in the first year, study medicine.” The students in the new program will something unique to the Faculty, there’s a real barrier to be able to link up with a specific laboratory or field of increasing the number of medical students. The hope is research from the first year onward.

Gitler group identifies the glue that keeps synapses well stocked

Transmission of University of Sussex. In their recent featured article in the information between prestigious Journal of Neuroscience, they show that the neurons occurs at the protein synapsin holds the vesicles in place within the synapse, a junction synapse and resists their tendency to disperse. By using between two nerve state of the art fluorescence and electron microscopy, cells, where the club- the Gitler group found that contrary to the normal state, shaped tip of a nerve in neurons that were manipulated genetically not to fiber almost touches express synapsin, the vesicles are more liable to uproot another cell in order to and move, consequently ending up in the wrong place transmit signals. The the long axonal stretch between the synapses. They neurotransmitter signal observed a destabilization of the synaptic structure, that mediates synaptic resulting in a loss of as much as 50% of the vesicles. Dr. Daniel Gitler communication is stored This disruption leads to substantial functional defects in in vesicles found within this highly specialized structure. neurotransmission, which are especially conspicuous Although it has long been realized that the vesicles are when neurons are challenged to transmit intensely. In mostly confined to the synapse, how this feat is achieved short, these neurons fatigue much faster. had remained undetermined. This novel finding significantly expands our Dr. Daniel Gitler’s research group from the Department understanding of the inner regulation of the dynamic of Physiology and Cell Biology literally shed light on this process of synaptic transmission, and identifies synapsin question, in collaboration with the Staras lab from the as one of its key modulators.

10 Health Sciences News Faculty signs MOU with UC Irvine School of Medicine

Standing L-R: Prof. Gabriel Schreiber, Prof. Amos Drori, Prof. Kenneth Janda, Prof. Zeev Kain, Prof. Gregory Washington, Larry Gold. Seated L-R: Prof. Rivka Carmi, Michael Drake, Prof. Zvi HaCohen A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between from the Rose Project to fund four BGU students to come the Faculty’s Dean Prof. Gabriel Schreiber and UC to UC Irvine for a one-month elective,” he elaborated. Irvine School of Medicine Associate Dean for Clinical Operations Prof. Zeev Kain recently. Kain, a graduate of “We are also in the process of planning a joint conference the Faculty’s Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, between BGU and UC Irvine for 2014,” he added. was a resident at Soroka University Medical Center and In addition to the MOU signed between the medical worked with BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi while schools, Carmi and Chancellor of the University of earning his medical degree. California, Irvine, Dr. Michael Drake, also signed a general Memorandum of Understanding. “Ben-Gurion University and UC Irvine share much in common,” Kain said. “They are both relatively young Drake and Carmi discussed the fields in which universities that focus on innovation and are led by they hoped to encourage collaboration and faculty physicians. Within the context of the School of Medicine, exchanges including hydrology, earth sciences, and the relationship of Discover, Teach, Heal should be nanotechnology. “We are very happy to be here”, Drake enhanced across the two universities.” said at the signing ceremony. “Our relationship with Israel is very important and BGU is a wonderful place for The MOU includes provisions for student exchanges and collaborations.” UC Irvine and BGU were founded within faculty collaborations. “Just a few months ago we had five years of each other in the late 1960s and now boast two medical students from UC Irvine who visited BGU world-class researchers, laboratories, and student bodies for a month and they came back amazed and impressed of over 20,000. by both BGU and Israel. We have also obtained funding Medical school ranks at the top

Students from the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical excel in qualities such as humanism, communication School can hold their heads high. They scored highest skills, empathy, and ethics, and are heavily involved in on the recent national examinations out of all Israeli programs that promote health in the community – all of medical schools. What’s more, they had the lowest fail which is emphasized in their education,” says Dean Prof. rate. “We are proud of our students and our teachers. In Gabriel Schreiber. addition to their superb knowledge, our students also

11 Health Sciences News Three professors recognized for outstanding work Healthin fields of brain functioning Sciences News

experimental tools to prove it. In 1993, Ilya Fleidervish, a new

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the immigrant from the Former Soviet Union, joined the lab. Ilya, an expert on electricity in heart cells, was new to brain research. He quickly added new experimental and theoretical expertise, and soon we became one of the leading laboratories for the study of the physiology of nerve cells in the brain, as evidenced by the impact of our publications, including the article that appeared in the Journal of Physiology in 1996.

“Our success was essentially Computer display of MRI made possible because of the environment for world-class brain research that An article by three members of the Department of developed at BGU when the Zlotowski Center for Physiology and Cell Biology: Prof. Alon Friedman, Neuroscience came into existence. Alon Friedman went Prof. Ilya Fleidervish, and Prof. (Emeritus) Michael on to become one of the world’s most prominent experts Gutnick, was recently included in a special edition of the on neurological diseases such as epilepsy, and is now prestigious Journal of Physiology. a full professor at BGU and chairman of the Zlotowski Center. In the interim, Ilya Fleidervish, who has achieved Gutnick recalls the background of his original article, international recognition as one of the top experts of which was published in 1996. “I was one of the the cellular physiology of the brain, rejoined BGU as a founding members of the Faculty. As part of his thesis professor, and is a member of the Zlotowski Center.” work in my laboratory, Alon Friedman, who received both his M.D. and Ph.D. at Ben-Gurion University, Fleidervish was also invited to lecture at Trinity College had discovered that brain cells change their properties in Cambridge, England, at the conference “60 Years of slowly as a result of continued activity. We thought we Hodgkin and Huxley Conference” (July 2012), a major knew how this happened, but we didn’t yet have the honor and sign of his standing in the field.

Prof. David Rootman - as a Dozor Scholar

Prof. David Rootman, one of the world’s renowned Children. He has supported Fellowship positions for Ophthalmologists, visited the Faculty in July 2012 as generations of Israeli ophthalmologists. a Dozor Visiting Professor. He is a leader in corneal surgeries, corneal transplantations, and refractive surgery. The program for Dozor Visiting Scholars was initiated in 1975 by the First Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Moshe Prywes, During his visit, Rootman together with his host Prof. and funded by the late Harry T. Dozor of Philadelphia Tova Lifshitz, Head of the Ophthalmology Department, – a man of insight, wisdom, and philanthropy. Over the performed advanced corneal transplantation surgeries, years, the Faculty has been privileged to host through the delivered lectures to residents and senior surgeons from fund over 240 distinguished professors who have given all over the country, and examined clinical cases at the of their time to enrich both students and members of the outpatient clinic at Soroka University Medical Center. staff. This program has proved to be a corner-stone in Appointed to a full professorship at the University of the development of the Faculty and has led to important Toronto in 1988, Rootman is an active staff member of collaborative research in medicine, medical education, the Toronto Western Hospital and the Hospital for Sick and science.

12 Health Sciences News Awards and Recognition

Dr. Eli C. Lewis’s article entitled, “α-1 Antitrypsin for the Colorectal Unit, and added that it gave them Promotes Semimature, IL-10–Producing and encouragement to further advance their research. Readily Migrating Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells,” published in the Journal of Immunology, has been Benyamin Rosental was awarded the Ben-Gurion chosen as one of ten outstanding breakthrough University Rector’s Prize for excellence for his discoveries and developments in 2011. Lewis’s co- Ph.D. in June and was chosen this fall to become researchers are Eyal Ozeri, Mark Mizrahi, and Galit a Rothschild Fellow, the only recipient from the Shahaf. The citation from “In This Issue” highlights University. His doctoral research in cancer is under articles that are among the top 10% of articles the supervision of the Faculty’s Vice Dean for published in the journal. Lewis is the Director of Research Prof. Angel Porgador of the Shraga Segal the Clinical Islet Laboratory and a member of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Department of Clinical Biochemistry at the Faculty. Genetics. His research focuses on the use of AAT to treat inflammation in diabetes. Dr. Adi Weintraub’s study on “The Effects of Magnesium Sulfate on Placental Vascular Prof. (Emeritus) Bracha Rager from the Shraga Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Preeclampsia” won the Scientific Council of the and Genetics has been appointed by the Prime Israel Medical Association’s award for excellence in Minister and Minister of Health as Chairman of basic science research. The study was conducted as the Council to Regulate and Generate Biological part of Weintraub’s residency requirements in the Diseases. The purpose of this committee is to Faculty’s Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology supervise research on potential use of biological and was overseen by Prof. Gershon Holcberg hazards in order to protect the safety and the health at Soroka University Medical Center and Prof. of the public. Prof. Rager has held many prestigious Mahmoud Huleihel of the Faculty’s Shraga Segal positions, including Chief Scientist of Israel’s Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Ministry of Health and President of the Israel Genetics. Association of Microbiology. Prof. Ohad Birk, in a singular honor for an Israeli, Prof. Haim Belmaker of the Faculty’s Division was recently invited to participate for his role as “a of Psychiatry was elected by the International leader in genetic diseases in the Arab population” Society for Bipolar Disorders’ (ISBD) Board of on the BBC’s Doha Debates. Birk traveled to Councilors to the position of Vice President of Qatar on his Israeli passport to appear before a Outreach of their Executive Committee. The live studio audience. Despite the tensions roiling organization meets annually with several thousand throughout the Middle East, the Qataris hosted attendees worldwide. The ISBD is unique in that its the Israeli researcher with exceeding courtesy and membership includes professionals working in the comfort, dispelling any concerns about security, treatment of bipolar disorders along with patient Birk reported. and family advocacy groups. Belmaker has begun the process of inviting the ISBD organization to Birk is the head of the Morris Kahn Laboratory of hold their annual conference in Jerusalem in 2018. Human Genetics at Ben-Gurion University and the Naomi Fisher Bartnoff Genetics Counseling Unit Prof. Shlomo Walfisch, Head, Colorectal at Soroka University Medical Center. The award- Unit, Haim Mnitentag, Laser Center, Soroka winning Doha Debates, hosted monthly by award- University Medical Center, and Alexander Gersten, winning television journalist Tim Sebastian, are a Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University of leading platform for free speech in the Middle East the Negev, won the Laser Therapy 2012 Award and are transmitted to more than 400 million homes for “best competitive paper” entitled “Diamond globally via BBC World News and its broadcast Shaped Optical Fiber Delivery System.” The authors partners, including public television affiliates in the noted that winning the award was a great honor United States and several Arab media channels.

13 Health Sciences News Prof. Jacob Gopas awarded NIH grant to study Healthwhy viruses persist Sciences News Many viruses are known to persist in their target cells year NIH research grant to investigate “The role of host and establish chronic infection, long after resolution encoded microRNAs in the maintenance of the measles of their acute phase. The more immediate question is virus persistent state”. The research will be carried

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the how viruses modulate their host immune response and out in collaboration with Glenn Rall PhD, Fox Chase establish persistency. A thorough understanding of this Cancer Center, Philadelphia, US, and Dr. Yonat Shemer interplay between viruses and their host may offer insight Avni, while Prof. Zvi Bentwich from the Department into the mechanistic basis of human infectious diseases. of Virology and Developmental Genetics will act as MicroRNAs (mRNAs) represent a 22-nt-long class of consultant. noncoding RNAs that are known to inhibit target gene expression by binding to complementary regions on their These investigators will examine the role of host-encoded target messenger RNAs. While cellular mRNAs regulate mRNA in the establishment and maintenance of viral important biological processes that include cell growth persistency. Particular emphasis will be placed on how and differentiation, apoptosis, cancer progression, and viruses modulate the expression of host mRNA, and IFN-mediated antiviral defense, very little information which target genes are regulated. In addition, common exists about the mechanisms that promote viral host mRNAs that are involved in modulation of cellular persistence in the host cell. Moreover, viral strategies to gene expression and contribute to the establishment and promote these effects are not clear. maintenance of persistent infection will be identified. This collaboration is a result of an ongoing partnership Prof. Jacob Gopas of the Shraga Segal Department agreement between the Faculty and the Fox Chase of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, and Cancer Center (FCCC) to support and facilitate scientific Director of the Leon and Mathilda Recanati School for and clinical exchanges, and encourage collaborations Community Health Professions has been awarded a two- and joint research between scientists and physicians.

Prestigious grant awarded to Dr. Aviv Goldbart for research in children suffering from sleep apnea

Dr. Aviv Goldbart, a Faculty member who specializes in pediatric pulmonology and sleep disorders in the Department of B, at Soroka University Medical Center, was recently awarded a prestigious research grant from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) to conduct research on inflammatory changes in young children who suffer from snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)..

Goldbart, an alumnus of the Faculty’s Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, received this grant, which is generally awarded to university researchers who are not physicians, for the second time in recent years. Dr. Aviv Goldbart “Our goal is to find non-invasive treatments for OSA,” surgery occasionally suffer from post-operative infection, said Goldbart. “We are seeking a nonsurgical treatment bleeding, and dehydration. Some children experience a that will be used instead of tonsillectomies and recurrence of the condition.” polypectomies in children, and as a replacement for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines The study will run for approximately three years. When for adults. It should be remembered that a considerable completed, Goldbart’s team hopes to report on the percentage of children who suffer from OSA and undergo identity of specific receptors for drug intervention.

14 Cardiologist organizes Israeli activities to mark Health SciencesEuropean Heart Failure News Awareness Day Dr. Jean Marc Weinstein, a senior cardiologist at the Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) and a Faculty member, organized a series of events in the Faculty and other centers in Israel to mark European Heart Failure Awareness Day 2012. The activities were part of the successful popular series of lectures open to the public.

The day, an initiative of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, of which the Israeli Cardiology Society is a member, aimed to raise awareness of this serious and often debilitating condition. Lectures were given on cardiac failure, available treatments, and advice on diet and the importance of physical activities.

“Across Europe, during several days in May, many Heart Failure Societies promoted and provided practical heart failure information to patients, families, caregivers and also the general population,” he said. During the past years, the Faculty, in cooperation with SUMC, runs a popular series of lectures open to the general public on various health issues. The series emphasizes health Dr. Jean Marc Weinstein promotion and disease prevention, and encourages the promoting the health of the Negev population, while public to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Lectures are provided reinforcing the Faculty’s relationship and involvement free to the community with the hope of improving and with the community.

Relieving the orthopedic trauma

Dr. Amir Korngreen, a member of the Faculty and head equipment by medical provider Smith & Nephew to the of the Orthopedic Trauma Unit at Soroka University hospital in Gondar. Medical Center, has dedicated his life to helping the unfortunate victims of accidents and war. Since Last year, Korngreen spent October at PAHS in Patan, graduating from the Faculty’s Joyce and Irving Goldman Nepal. The country is close to his heart and he’s been Medical School, he has spent his entire career in the traveling there since 1981. This time, he combined travel South of Israel, using his medical expertise to benefit with medicine, doing rounds and giving lectures. He under-privileged communities around the world. Over also performed a marathon by carrying out 24 surgical the years, Korngreen has taught orthopedic trauma in procedures in one day across four operating rooms. Ethiopia, Nepal, and Nigeria. “There’s a severe lack of equipment in both Nepal and “There’s a lot of orthopedic trauma in the Third World, Ethiopia. It’s my dream to come back with suitcases full but the knowledge and treatment levels are terribly low, of it. The doctors in Ethiopia and Nepal are very eager especially for compound open fractures. I believe that to learn and welcomed me warmly,” he says of the by passing on simple practices and basic equipment, we experiences. can bring about a major change in the treatment of open fractures and gunshot wounds,” he says. Currently, Korngreen is organizing a fellowship for a Nepalese intern from PAHS. The new medical school Five years ago in Gondar, Ethiopia, Korngreen spent there was created with the help of the Faculty and SUMC three weeks doing surgical rounds and lecturing. doctors from different specialties who come to train and While the three weeks were valuable, the most critical to assess ongoing needs. “A month and a half here at component of his visit was to assess what the hospital Soroka will provide a tremendous amount of experience needed. As a result, Korngreen arranged a fellowship and will improve the skills of the fellow as he participates for an expert and an intern from Gondar for a month in hundreds of surgical procedures,” Korngreen explains. at SUMC. He also organized a donation of orthopedic

15 Health Sciences News HealthMabruk to Jordanian emergency medicineSciences graduates News

of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev of the University Sciences at Ben-Gurion Faculty of Health of the

L-R: Eli Bin, Adi Ashkenazi, Mashal El-Hadid, H.E Andrew Standley, H.E Daniel Carmon, Prof. Rivka Carmi, H.E Dr. Mohammed El-Hadid, Prof. Zvi HaCohen, Dr. Noam Ifrach, H.E Daniel Nevo

It was no ordinary graduation. There was a palpable without noticing how frequently we hurt one another. feeling among the audience and speakers that an historic The past few years have seen increasing tensions moment was in the offing. For the first time ever, 14 throughout the world but it has been especially hard Jordanians were graduating with Bachelor’s degrees for us in the Middle East where pain, suffering, and in emergency medicine from an Israeli university. The victimization prevail. students, including one woman, spent the last three years studying, touring Israel, and conducting large scale drills, “As war arises in men’s minds, it is in men’s minds that with the anticipation of implementing their new skills we should build the ramparts of peace. A young mind is and expertise in their society. receptive to change and ready to accept new ideas – this should be encouraged. Youth is the future generation and As Representative of the European Commission, Andrew any investment in youth made now will yield untold riches Standley noted, “This should be a commonplace in the future. A sample of which are our graduates tonight. graduation of one of a number of programs. But it’s not and so this is a very special occasion.” Head of the Foreign “All through my life I have been an optimist and Ministry’s MASHAV initiative H.E. Ambassador Daniel a believer in peace and I believe in the impact Carmon, and Mr. Adi Ashkenazi, representing the Regional of humanitarian relations on building bridges of Cooperation Ministry, also tendered their remarks. understanding, love, and respect between nations. I and my colleagues have chosen the humanitarian path President Prof. Rivka Carmi, in an effusive speech, talked to peace and are prepared to face all challenges to about choosing a different path in the region. “You are overcome hurdles along the way …” concluded El-Hadid. returning to Jordan an esteemed degree bought with a lot of effort, both academic and otherwise. I do hope it will Receive Health Sciences News on-line open doors in Jordan,” she said. “I think we managed To subscribe send an e-mail to [email protected] to prove that things can be different. We are more and the Newsletter will arrive directly into your inbox successful when we work together. Please consider this Produced by the Office of Public Relations place as home and regard us as a kind of family. Spread Faculty of Health Sciences the word and keep in touch!” she implored the graduates. Managing Editor: Ronit Temes Contributor: Caroline Simon Jordanian Red Crescent President H.E. Dr. Mohammed Text: Ehud Zion-Waldoks Photos: Dani Machlis, Rachel David El-Hadid, one of the principal visionaries behind the Design: www.image2u.co.il program, talked about recognizing the other’s humanity Further details of the material described herein a week after Operation Pillar of Defense, and on the may be obtained from: Ronit Temes, Head, Public Relations day that Israel was recognized by the UN in 1947 and [email protected], Tel: +972-8-647-7408 Palestine in 2012. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences In an eloquent appeal to all people’s common humanity, P.O. Box 653 Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel he said, “We can hardly look at the history of mankind http://cmsprod.bgu.ac.il/fohs

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