CELEBRATING 8 YEARS
The D. Dan and Betty Kahn Technion Institute of Technology • University of Michigan • Weizmann Institute of Science Partnership Symposium FRONTIERS IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH 2019
DECEMBER 2-6, 2019 COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM PELEG HASSON, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Associate Professor, Laboratory of Tissue Development
Associate Professor Peleg Hasson has joined the Technion in 2010 and since then he has head the tissue development laboratory at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. His research PHONE is aimed at dissecting the interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix, primarily +972-4-8295462 within a growing and regenerating tissues. Towards that end, the Hasson laboratory has generated multiple novel mouse models for manipulating extracellular modifying enzymes ADDRESS that are involved in distinct human diseases. The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine Technion – Israel Institute of Technology P.O.B. 9649, Bat Galim, Haifa 31096, Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE phasson.net.technion.ac.il AVRAHAM LEVY, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Gilbert de Botton Professorial Chair of Plant Sciences; Principal Investigator, Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences
Prof. Avraham Levy was born in Paris, immigrating to Israel as a young man. He earned his BSc and MSc in agriculture and plant breeding at the Hebrew University ADDRESS Weizmann Institute of Science of Jerusalem, and his PhD in plant genetics from the Weizmann Institute of Science. P.O.B. 26 He conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University and at the Institut National Rehovot 76100, Israel de Recherche Agronomique in Versailles, France, after which he joined the Weizmann Institute of Science. He was Head of the Department of Plant Sciences as well as Chair EMAIL of the Professorial Council . He currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Biochemistry. [email protected] In his research, Prof. Levy probes the evolutionary processes that have generated WEBSITE hundreds of thousands of plant species, compared to only a few thousand species weizmann.ac.il/plants/levy of mammals. His research asks: What are the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms responsible for biodiversity in the plant kingdom? This includes mechanistic studies on hybridization, genome doubling, DNA recombination, DNA repair and genome stability as well as population genetics analyses of wheat evolution in the wild habitat. A better understand of these mechanisms might be used to improve food production, to assess evolution under climate change as well as to find alternative energy solutions. In particular, he harnesses advanced genetic manipulation techinques, such as genome editing, to engineer plants with desired features in a precise manner.
Prof. Levy coordinates a group of Israeli scientists who are working on precise genome editing in plants, and serves on the scientific board of Israeli Agro-biotech companies. He was awarded the Landau Prize of Mifal Hapais for Plant Sciences and was the recipient of an ERC grant for targeted engineering of plant genomes. He previously served as President of the Genetic Society of Israel.
Prof. Avraham Levy is the incumbent of the Gilbert de Botton Professorial Chair of Plant Sciences and he is the Director of the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine; and the Dr. Erhard, Emmi, and Fred Loewinsohn Center for Pediatric Health.
Prof. Levy is married and he is the father of four children. DAVID J. PINSKY, MD University of Michigan Health Systems – J. Griswold Ruth M.D. & Margery Hopkins Ruth Professor of Internal Medicine; Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology; Founding Scholar, Taubman Medical Research Institute; Chief, Cardiovascular Medicine; Director, Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center
David J. Pinsky, M.D. is the J. Griswold Ruth and Margery Hopkins Ruth Professor of Internal Medicine, the Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, and a Director of the University PHONE of Michigan’s Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center. He graduated with top 888-287-1082 honors from both the University of Toledo and the Ohio State University College of Medicine, then trained in internal medicine at Mount Sinai. After training in cardiology, ADDRESS nuclear cardiology, and vascular biology at Columbia, he joined the Columbia faculty University of Michigan where he served until his recruitment to the University of Michigan in 2003. Dr. Pinsky Cardiovascular Center is an inventor on over a dozen patents, is an author of over 200 scientific papers and Floor 3 Reception C book chapters, and leads an active laboratory focused on understanding how natural 1500 E Medical Center Dr. SPC 5856 blood vessel defense mechanisms may be amplified to protect in conditions such as Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5856 stroke, heart attack, or organ transplantation. His work focuses on a protective enzyme which lines blood vessels, amplifying a natural defense mechanism against unchecked EMAIL inflammation and coagulation. His lab was the first to directly measure nitric oxide [email protected] in the beating heart, and to discover that very small amounts carbon monoxide may actually protect blood vessels following flow interruption. His team has also discovered a fundamental new mechanism by which white blood cells control their own destiny in the vicinity of a clotted vein, in a cholesterol-choked artery, in the brain, or in the heart. Pinsky’s goal is to understand, amplify and harness a blood vessel’s natural defenses in order to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Dr. Pinsky is an elected member of honorary scientific societies including the ASCI, AAP, ACCA, and the Association of University Cardiologists. He has served on and chaired numerous national peer-review and strategy panels for the AHA, DOD, and NIH, and is a popular lecturer world-wide. THE PROGRAM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 15:10 Roi Avraham, WIS Arrival and Transport to Hotel Characterizing Human Bacterial (dinner and refreshments Infection Using Single Cell RNA-seq available in hotel room) Analysis of Blood Immune Cells 15:30 Coffee Break TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 SESSION 1 continued... 11:00 Registration and Light Lunch 16:00 Naama Geva-Zatorsky, IIT 13:00 Welcome Remarks Studying the Mechanisms of Gut Microbiota-Host Interactions: SESSION 1: PRECISION MEDICINE How do Individual Microbes CHAIRS: LONA MODY, UM Communicate with the Host? AMOS TANAY, WIS 16:20 Ido Amit, WIS 13:30 Amos Tanay, WIS The Power of ONE: Immunology in Understanding Blood Aging: the Age of Single Cell Genomics From Electronic Health Records to Single Cells SESSION 2: METABOLIC DISORDERS CHAIRS: OREN ROM, UM 13:50 Shai Shen-Orr, IIT RUMA BANERJEE, UM Human Immune Monitoring Coming of Age 16:40 Roger Cone, UM Characterization of the 14:10 Betsy Foxman, UM Melanocortin-3 Receptor as a The Nose/Throat Microbiome and Target for Treatment of Eating Susceptibility to Influenza Infection Disorders 14:30 Roy Kishony, IIT 17:00 Eyal Gottleib, IIT Predicting Antibiotic Treatment Targeting Metabolic Vulnerabilities Failure of Cancer 14:50 Lona Mody, UM 17:20 Ayelet Erez WIS Preventing Infections: From Implications of Amino-Acid Translational Research to Metabolism for Cancer Diagnosis Precision Health and Therapy 17:40 Ruma Banerjee, UM B12 Disorders and Immunomodulation WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 11:20 Moran Benhar, IIT CHAIR: DAVID SHERMAN, UM Regulation of Apoptosis Signaling by Reactive Sulfur Species 09:00 Ada Yonath, WIS Keynote Lecture: SESSION 4: CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH Key Issues in Contemporary CHAIRS: IZHAK KEHAT, IIT Medicine, Antibiotics Resistance, ABHIJIT GHOSH, UM Environmental Aspects and the 11:40 Eldad Tzahor, WIS Microbiome Novel Strategies for Heart SESSION 3: CELL PROLIFERATION, Regeneration DEATH AND REGENERATION 12:00 Abhijit Ghosh, UM CHAIRS: SHULAMIT LEVENBERG, IIT Circulating Transgelin and Anti- ALON KAHANA, UM Transgelin Antibodies in Abdominal 09:30 Adi Kimchi, WIS Aortic Aneurysm and Electronic Controlling Embryonic Stem Cigarette Vaped Rats Cell Fate Decisions by a Unique 12:20 Izhak Kehat, IIT Mechanism of mRNA Translation Regulation of Transcription in the 09:50 Shulamit Levenberg, IIT Heart The Effect of Local Geometry and 12:40 Benjamin Brenner, IIT Topology on the Development and Cancer Associated Thrombosis- Orientation of Sprouting Blood Mechanisms and Implications Vessels 13:00 Lunch and Poster Session 10:10 Donna Martin, UM CHD7-Mediated Chromatin SESSION 5: INFECTIOUS DISEASE Remodeling and Transcriptional CHAIRS: MICAL PAUL, IIT Regulation in Embryonic Stem Cells NOAM STERN-GINOSSAR, WIS 10:30 Coffee Break 14:00 Joseph Eisenberg, UM New Directions to Address Old SESSION 3 continued... Problems: A System Approach to 11:00 Alon Kahana, UM Diarrheal Disease Epidemiology Retinoid regulation of de novo 14:20 Mical Paul, IIT inflammatory signals: a targetable Problems and Challenges of the trigger for auto-immune fibrosis? Antibiotic Pipeline THE PROGRAM
14:40 Keith Kaye, UM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Conducting Clinical Trials Addressing SESSION 7: NEUROSCIENCE Antimicrobial Resistance: Global Challenges and Solutions CHAIRS: ORLY REINER, IIT HERMAN WOLOSKER, WIS 15:00 Noam Stern-Ginossar, WIS 09:00 Elior Peles, WIS RNA Modifications Sculpts Innate Axoglial Contact Regulation of Immune Response to Infection Myelination 15:20 Arnold Monto, UM 09:20 Gabriel Corfas, UM The Future of Influenza Vaccine Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms 15:40 Coffee Break of Hidden Hearing Loss or Why I Can’t Hear Well in a Loud Restaurant SESSION 6: IMMUNOLOGY 09:40 Herman Wolosker, IIT CHAIRS: MARILIA CASCALHO, UM ZIV SCHULMAN, WIS Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity by Astroglia-Neuron Crosstalk 16:00 Miki Rahat, IIT Anti-EMMPRIN Vaccination Induces 10:00 Melvin McInnis, UM Necroptosis and Shifts Macrophage Modeling Mood and Emotion from Polarization Passively Collected Speech to Predict Need for Intervention in 16:20 Ziv Schulman, WIS Bipolar Disorder Generation of High-Affinity Antibodies: A Game of Clones in 10:20 Uri Alon, WIS Immunological Niches A Systems Biology Approach to Bipolar Disorder 16:40 Joseph Holoshitz, UM Empirical Validation of the MHC 10:40 Coffee Break Cusp Theory: A New Therapeutically SESSION 7 continued... Targetable Mechanism of HLA- 11:10 Orly Reiner, WIS Disease Association Modeling Early Human Brain 17:00 Noga Ron-Harel, IIT Development in Health and Disease Cellular Metabolism in T Cell 11:30 Shai Berlin, IIT Activation and Aging Two-Photon Gated NMDARs 17:20 Marilia Cascalho, UM TNRSF13B Polymorphisms and the Control of Immunity: The Challenge of Diversity SESSION 8: PROTEINS – FROM SYNTHESIS 15:00 Victor Malka, WIS TO DEGRADATION Development of Laser Plasma CHAIRS: MOTTI CHODER, IIT Accelerator for Early Cancer Tumor YIFAT MERBL, WIS Detection with Xray Phase Contrast 11:50 Motti Choder, IIT Imaging mRNA Imprinting: a Novel Mode of 15:20 Sam Nason, UM Regulation of Gene Expression Restoring Fine Finger Control to 12:10 David Sherman, UM Paralyzed Hands Using a Low- Power Brain-Machine Interface Functional Convergence of Polyketide Synthases and Ribosomes for the 15:40 Lola Eniola-Adefeso, UM Discovery of New Anti-infective Nanoparticle Systems for Specific Agents Targeting of Neutrophils in 12:30 Yoav Arava, IIT Thromboinflammation and Other Inflammatory Diseases Protein Synthesis Regulation Through Binding of Aminoacyl tRNA 16:00 Coffee Break Synthetases to mRNA SESSION 9 continued... 12:50 Lunch and Poster Session 16:30 Max Shtein, UM 14:00 Yifat Merbl, WIS Personalizing Small Molecular Dumpster Diving for Health Medicines 14:20 Sarel Fleishman, WIS 16:50 Netanel Korin, IIT Computational Design of New and Microfluidics and Mechano-medicine Improved Antibodies and Enzymes Applications in Vascular Disease 14:40 David Markovitz, UM 17:10 Yaron Antebi, WIS A Molecularly Engineered Anti- Specific Activation from Cancer Banana Lectin: a Sweet Promiscuous Interactions in the Story BMP Pathway
SESSION 9: BIOENGINEERING 17:30 Assaf Bester, IIT Separate Wheat from Chaff: CRISPR CHAIRS: OMER BERENFELD, UM Approach to Study the Non-Coding VICTOR MALKA, IIT Genome 17:50 Poster Award Announcements 18:00 Closing Remarks THE PROGRAM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 Individual Lab Meetings
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 Free Day in Tel Aviv
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 Archaeological Tour of Jerusalem Transport by Bus from Renaissance Tel Aviv Hotel
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH Check-out and Transfer to Airport CONFERENCE SPEAKERS AND CHAIRS URI ALON, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Abisch-Frenkel Professorial Chair, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology
Understanding biological circuits that perform computations is a central problem in biology. Circuits can be made of proteins inside the cells, or cells that communicate PHONE +972-8-934-4448 with each other in a tissue. From the point of view of physics, the circuits offer the mobile +972-52-660-8681 challenge of understanding the collective behavior of interacting molecular machines designed to operate with remarkable precision under strong biological constraints. Dr. ADDRESS Alon’s lab studies biological circuits using a combined experimental and theoretical Wolfson Building for Biological approach, aiming to uncover general underlying principles that govern their functioning Research, Room 607 and evolution. Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/mcb/UriAlon IDO AMIT, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Eden and Steven Romick Professorial Chair, Department of Immunology; Faculty of Biology
Born on Kibbutz Hatzor, Prof. Ido Amit earned his PhD in biological regulation at the Weizmann Institute of Science in 2007. For four years, he was a postdoctoral fellow at PHONE the Broad Institute of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, +972-8-934-3338 before joining the Weizmann Institute in 2011. +972-50-510-9696 mobile Ido Amit is a Professor at the Immunology Department at the Weizmann Institute ADDRESS of Science. His lab pioneered single cell genomic technologies and their application Wolfson Building for Biological to characterize the immune system. Amit’s research answers some of the most Research, Room 252 fundamental questions in immunology which are being translated into innovate Weizmann Institute of Science new targets for immunotherapy in autoimmune diseases, neurodegeneration and Rehovot 76100 Israel cancer. Prof. Amit is also known in the science community as a leader in the field of immunogenomics, aimed at detecting and engineering genome sequences that EMAIL are essential for the function of the immune system in physiology and disease. [email protected] Among others, Prof, Amit is a recipient of the EMBO Gold Medal award and an HHMI WEBSITE International Research Scholar for his work to reveal the function of the immune system. weizmann.ac.il/immunology/ AmitLab YARON ANTEBI, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Department of Molecular Genetics; Faculty of Biochemistry
Dr. Yaron Antebi is a Senior Scientist in the Molecular Genetics Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He received his PhD in high energy physics from the PHONE +972-8-952-9098 Weizmann institute of science, before deciding to change his research field to biology and focus on understanding intercellular communication networks in biological systems. ADDRESS Dr. Antebi conducted research as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Arnold R. Meyer Building, Technology, before joining the Weizmann Institute in 2018. Room 415A Weizmann Institute of Science In his lab, Dr. Antebi aims to understand the way cells interpret and integrate Rehovot 76100 Israel information from their environment to determine cellular behavior, and study the computational capabilities that emerge from the complex interaction network within EMAIL signaling pathways. His research combines theoretical and experimental techniques [email protected] with the goal of enabling a more rational approach to control cellular behavior with implications in therapeutic strategies, tissue engineering and synthetic biology. WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/molgen/Antebi YOAV ARAVA, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Principal Investigator
Yoav Arava is a faculty member at the Faculty of Biology at the Technion. He did his graduate studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science, working on regulation of insulin PHONE expression in pancreatic beta cells. During a postdoctoral period at Stanford University, + 972-4-8293683 Yoav shifted to work on basic mechanism of protein synthesis using the unicellular eukaryote yeast cells as a model. This is also a major research direction also at the ADDRESS Technion, where his lab identified and characterized several protein factors that are Emerson building, Room 5-06 involved in regulation of protein synthesis during cellular growth and stress. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Haifa 32000 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE aravalab.net.technion.ac.il ROI AVRAHAM, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Philip Harris and Gerald Ronson Career Development Chair, Department of Biological Regulation; Faculty of Biology
Dr. Avraham manages the lab of host-pathogen genomics and is interested in how individual encounters between host and pathogenic bacteria can ultimately define the PHONE +972-8-934-2748 outcome of infection. This is achieved by applying cross-disciplinary single-cell analysis mobile +972-58-466-0470 platforms that collectively enable us to extensively profile and precisely monitor host- pathogen interactions within the context of in vivo infections. ADDRESS Max and Lillian Candiotty Building, Room: 123 Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/ Biological_Regulation/avraham RUMA BANERJEE, PhD University of Michigan Medical School – Vincent Massey Collegiate Professor, Biological Chemistry
Dr. Banerjee is the Vincent Massey Collegiate Professor of Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan Medical School. Her research focuses on the chemical biology PHONE of sulfur-based redox homeostasis and signaling and on B trafficking in humans with 12 734-615-5238 a strong emphasis on redox biochemistry. She was awarded the Pfizer Award by the American Chemical Society, the Merck Award by the American Society for Biological ADDRESS Chemistry and Molecular Biology, and was an Established Investigator of the American University of Michigan 4220C MSRBIII Heart Association. She has edited books on “The Chemistry and Biochemistry of B12” and on “Redox Biochemistry” and has published >250 articles. Dr. Banerjee serves as 1150 W. Medical Center Dr. an Associate Editor for the Journal of Biological Chemistry and for Chemical Reviews Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0600 and is on the editorial boards of Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, Trends in Chemistry EMAIL (Cell Press). [email protected]
WEBSITE medicine.umich.edu/dept/ biochem/banerjee-lab-members MORAN BENHAR, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry; Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Benhar has a longstanding interest in nitric oxide signaling and in redox mechanisms involved in inflammation and cancer. Benhar and his group employ proteomic and PHONE +972-4-829-5376 biochemical tools to explore the roles of protein redox modifications (such as cysteine S-nitrosylation) in cellular signaling in macrophages and cancer cells. ADDRESS The Benhar group has developed a new proteomic approach to identify proteins Rappaport Building, 6th floor Technion – Israel Institute of regulated by S-nitrosylation. Research by the group has provided new insights into the Technology crosstalk between nitric oxide and the thioredoxin antioxidant system in cancer cells. Haifa, Israel Representative Papers
EMAIL Engelman, R., Ziv, T., Arner, E.S. and Benhar, M. (2016) Inhibitory nitrosylation of [email protected] mammalian thioredoxin reductase 1: molecular characterization and evidence for its functional role in cellular nitroso-redox imbalance. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 97:375-85. WEBSITE benhar.net.technion.ac.il Ben-Lulu, S., Ziv, T., Admon, A., Weisman-Shomer, P. and Benhar, M. (2014) A substrate trapping approach identifies proteins regulated by reversible S-nitrosylation. Mol. Cell. Proteomics. 13(10):2573-83. OMER BERENFELD, PhD University of Michigan – Professor of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Engineering
1. Dynamics of Impulse Propagation and Reentrant Activity. We investigate the effects of the ionic and structural properties of the heart on the ADDRESS normal and abnormal propagation of its action potential. As studies demonstrates that Center for Arrhythmia Research reentrant propagation of activity underlies some arrhythmias, I am using theoretical, North Campus numerical and experimental approaches to better understand the dynamics of such Research Complex pattern of activation. University of Michigan 2800 Plymouth Road 2. Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Analysis in the time, phase and frequency domains is used for mechanistic correlation of activation patterns with the ionic and structural properties of the atria. Emphasis is EMAIL given to technological developments enabling the translation of knowledge derived [email protected] from animal and computational models into the clinical setting of patients with atrial fibrillation. WEBSITE med.umich.edu/arrhythmia_ 3. Mapping of Cardiac Fibrillation. research/faculty/berenfeld.htm We study and develop novel methods to better characterize the structure and electrical function of the heart. Here we focus on optimizing existing electrical approaches to increase accuracy in invasive and non-invasive mapping of fibrillation. In addition, we are developing revolutionary new photonic approaches for structural and functional characterization of the heart in-vivo.
Representative Papers
Guillem MS, Climent AM, Rodrigo M, Fernández-Avilés F, Atienza F, Berenfeld O. Presence and Stability of Rotors in Atrial Fibrillation: Evidence and Therapeutic Implications. Review. Cardiovasc Res. 2016, Apr 1;109(4):480-92. PMID: 26786157.
Berenfeld O, Jalife J. Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation: Rotors, Ionic Determinants and Excitation Frequency. Cardiol Clin. 2014 Nov;32(4):495-506, NIHMS 616129. Review. SHAI BERLIN, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Principal Investigator
Shai was born in Israel and raised in Montreal, Canada. After his high school studies, Shai completed his bachelor’s prior his military services in Ben-Gurion, Israel. He then PHONE +972-4-8295346 served as a Medical officer in the Medical Corps, during which he also started his PhD studies at Tel Aviv university’s faculty of medicine. After graduating, he moved ADDRESS with his wife for a postdoctoral fellowship at University of California at Berkeley in Department of Neuroscience Neurosciences. During his Postdoc, he specialized in engineering novel optical and The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport optogenetic tools to study synaptic plasticity. During 2016, Shai was recruited to faculty of Medicine the Technion’s Neuroscience Department at Rappaport’s faculty of medicine. His Technion – Israel Institute of lab continues to engineer novel optical tools and novel genetic methods to study Technology the brain. Since his arrival to the Technion, Shai has patented unique MRI- contrast 1 Efron st. Bat Galim Haifa, 3525433 agents, received the young innovator prize from the Rich Foundation, obtained several Israel competitive grants, including a starting grant from the European Research council.
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE shaiberlin.net.technion.ac.il ASSAF BESTER, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Assaf Bester received his MS and Ph.D. training under the supervision of Professor Batsheva Kerem at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. He obtained his Ph.D. PHONE in Genetics in 2012 for his work on the molecular basis for replication induced genomic +972-4-8293412 instability in cancer. in 2014 Dr. Bester starts his post-doctoral training in the laboratory of Professor Pier Paolo Pandolfi at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Assaf is an assistant ADDRESS professor at the Technion since 2019. The Bester lab studied gene gradation and the role Technion-Israel Institute of of non-coding RNA in cell identity and cancer. Technology Biology Building, Room 203 Technion City Haifa 3200003, Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE besterlab.net.technion.ac.il BENJAMIN BRENNER, MD RamBam Health Care Campus – Director of the Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Institute; Director of the Division of Internal Medicine
Dr. Benjamin Brenner is Professor of Hematology and the Caster Chair for Leukemia Research, at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine of the Technion (Haifa, ADDRESS Ombudsman Israel). He was Director of the Institute of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Rambam Health Care Campus and Chair of Division of Internal Medicine at the Rambam Health Care Campus in PO Box 9602 Haifa, Israel between 01.2011 and 03.2019. Dr. Brenner is Director of the Hematology Haifa 3109601 Research Center and Supervisor of Academic Promotion at Rambam. His research interests over the years have included venous thrombosis, cancer-related thrombosis, EMAIL inherited bleeding disorders and their management, mechanisms of thrombosis and [email protected] clinical studies of new anticoagulants and hemostatic agents. His major focus of interest is women's health issues associated with thrombosis, especially in regard to pregnancy WEBSITE rambamhospital.com/prof- complications in patients with inherited thrombophilias and placental hemostasis. Prof. benjamin-brenner.aspx Brenner has been co-chair of two subcommittees of the SSC, namely, Women's Health Issues in Thrombosis and Hemostasis and Perinatal and Pediatric Thrombosis. He is a member of the Steering Committee of RIETE and International Advisory Committee of the North America Thrombosis Forum. Prof. Brenner is an Associate Editor of Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis. He has multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as chapters and books that he has initiated and edited, with a focus on women's health issues, cancer, antithrombotic therapy, and pregnancy. MARILIA CASCALHO, MD, PhD University of Michigan – Associate Professor of Surgery
Dr. Cascalho’s research focuses on the immunobiology of B cell and T cell responses to transplants, microorganisms, and tumors. Dr. Cascalho’s interest on B cell biology ADDRESS was sparked by her early work on molecular mechanisms of immunoglobulin gene University of Michigan Health recombination and mutation (1-2). Her discovery that DNA mismatch repair drives B System cell Ig gene hypermutation led her to investigate the genetic, molecular biological and 1140 W. Medical Center Drive cellular basis of immune fitness, viral evolution and the B cell biology pertinent to organ A520 Medical Science Research transplantation. These interests led to the current inquiry into the genetic and molecular Building 1 determinants of B cell responses to microorganisms and transplants. Dr. Cascalho and Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200 her team and collaborators, including Dr. Jeffrey Platt (co-PI in this proposal) discovered EMAIL that the receptor encoded by TNFRSF13B (TACI or Transmembrane Activator and [email protected] CAML Interactor) controls plasma cell differentiation by inducing BLIMP-1(3). Although deficiency in TACI or expression of dominant-negative TACI variants had been associated WEBSITE with the common variable immunodeficiency syndrome, Dr. Cascalho observed that sites.google.com/a/umich. TACI-deficient mice, despite low baseline levels of Ig, produce burst of high affinity edu/platt-cascalho/marilia- antibodies against model antigens and against an enteric pathogen, C. rodentium (4). cascalho-research Especially remarkable was that TACI-deficient mice or immunodeficient mice given antibodies produced by TACI-deficient mice clear C.rodentium infection more rapidly and completely than wild type mice. Consistent with the qualitative impact of TACI- deficiency in mice, Dr. Cascalho also observed that human kidney transplant recipients with TACI variants are more apt to develop severe antibody-mediated rejection. These findings led to the hypothesis that the extraordinary allelic diversity ofTNFRSF13B may be advantageous and maintained by balanced selection. The research proposed in this application will determine how modifying TACI function by expression of the murine equivalent of the most common human dominant-negative allele improves resistance and decreases transmission of C. rodentium, as preliminary work indicates. The research will affirm the mechanism of immune-mediated resistance and test a novel approach to locally modify TACI function which if successful would constitute a much needed therapy to break the cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition in undeveloped countries. Dr. Cascalho's expertise in the analysis of B cell responses and immunoglobulin genes is central to the success of the research proposed in this application. MOTTI CHODER, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Professor of Biology
The cross-talk between the various stages of gene expression is a new field, in which my group has been at the forefront. Analogous to the whole-genome view, obtained in recent ADDRESS Technion – Israel Institute of years by zooming-out from single gene to gene networks, we have shifted our attention Technology from studies of the distinct steps of gene expression (e.g., transcription, translation) to Haifa 31096 Israel the integration of all these processes. Hence, our work tries to unravel the cross-talks between all distinct processes. This integration is critical for ability of the cell to function EMAIL as a system. These studies have led us to propose the following novel concepts: [email protected] • “mRNA imprinting”, which results from co-transcriptional binding of factors to nascent WEBSITE transcripts; this phenomenon affects the functionality and the fate of the imprinted choder.net.technion.ac.il transcripts in the cytoplasm. Using novel proteomic and genomic approaches, we have recently found dozens of proteins that bind nascent transcripts co-transcriptionally.
• “Synthegradases”, which are factors that enhance, or repress, both mRNA synthesis and decay simultaneously. These factors play key roles in determining RNA levels in the cells, and are also capable of imprinting these RNAs.
• “Synthegradosome”, which is a two-arm machinery that comprises of many transcription factors (including Pol II subunits) and mRNA decay factors; the synthegradosome shuttles between the nucleus, where it mediates mRNA synthesis, and the cytoplasm, where it mediates mRNA demise.
• “mRNA coordinators”, which are factors that integrate all stages of the mRNA lifespan into a system.
These concepts should help us obtaining a “bird eye” view of regulation of gene expression. ROGER CONE, PhD University of Michigan – Mary Sue Coleman Director & Research Professor, U-M Life Sciences Institute; Vice Provost and Director, U-M Biosciences Initiative; Professor, Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, U-M Medical School; Professor, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, LSA
Before joining the University of Michigan, Roger Cone served as a professor and chairman in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and also the Joe C. Davis Chair PHONE in Biomedical Science at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. 734-615-9787 He was also the director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Obesity and Metabolism and an associate director for Vanderbilt's Diabetes Research and Training Center. ADDRESS University of Michigan Life Prior to joining Vanderbilt in 2008, Cone served as the director of the Center for the Study Sciences Institute of Weight Regulation and Associated Disorders at Oregon Health and Science University 210 Washtenaw Avenue (2003-2008) and a senior scientist at the Vollum Institute. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2216 Cone and his laboratory associates work on the central control of energy homeostasis. Their EMAIL primary interest is understanding how the central nervous system regulates energy storage, [email protected] and the role of these neural circuits in obesity, disease cachexia, and anorexia nervosa. Recent projects include: development of small molecule compounds for the treatment of WEBSITE obesity, identification of novel cell signaling pathways in the brain involved in the regulation lsi.umich.edu/science/our-labs/ of body weight, and identification of genes predisposing humans to anorexia nervosa. roger-cone-lab
Cone has been recognized for a number of awards and distinctions including election to the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, and named as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Cone has received both local and international awards for his work, including the Ernst Oppenheimer Award (U.S. Endocrine Society), the Berthold Memorial Award (German Endocrine Society), the Freedom to Discover Award for Distinguished Achievement in Metabolic Diseases Research from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Ipsen Prize, the Berson Award from the American Physiological Society, and the Donald Steiner Award from the University of Chicago.
Cone holds several U.S. patents and has published over 160 scholarly articles. He has served on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the board of the Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation, and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the journal Cell Metabolism, and the National Academy's Board on Life Sciences.
Cone earned his B.A. in biochemistry, summa cum laude, from Princeton University in 1980. He received his Ph.D. in biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985 under the mentorship of the gene therapy pioneer, Richard Mulligan. GABRIEL CORFAS, PhD University of Michigan – Director, Kresge Hearing Research Institute; Associate Chair of Research, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; The Lynn and Ruth Townsend Professor of Communication Disorders; Faculty Mentor, Neuroscience Graduate Program
Gabriel Corfas obtained an MSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires and a doctorate in Neurobiology from the Weizmann Institute of Science where he PHONE 734-615-2222 studies the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory under the mentorship of Dr. Yadin Dudai. During his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, he contributed ADDRESS to the identification and cloning of the trophic factor Neuregulin 1 and its mechanism University of Michigan of action. In 1996 he was recruited as Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School Medical Sciences I Building, and Boston Children’s Hospital, eventually becoming Professor of Neurology and Rm. 5424A Otolaryngology, and director of basic research in Otolaryngology at BCH. 1150 West Medical Center Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5616 Since 2014 Corfas is the Director of the of Kresge Hearing Research Institute and associate chair for research for the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck EMAIL Surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Dr. Corfas is also very involved in [email protected] Otolaryngology research at the national level, having served as member of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Institute of Deafness and other Communication WEBSITE medicine.umich.edu/dept/ Disorders and member of the Board of Directors for the American Tinnitus Association. khri/faculty-labs/labs/corfas- Dr. Corfas was elected to serve as Secretary, Treasurer and member of the Council for laboratory the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. Dr. Corfas’ laboratory is dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms of neuron-glia interactions and roles of glia in health and disease and using this knowledge towards developing treatments for nervous system disorders. Some of the Corfas’ lab key discoveries include a novel mechanism for ErbB4 receptor signaling in embryonic neural precursors and its role in cortical development; the effects of social isolation on central nervous system myelination and its implications for cognition and behavior; trophic factors that mediate synapse formation and regeneration of synapses in the inner ear and their use in hearing restoration; the identification of a drug that prevents and ameliorates small fiber neuropathy; the effects of transient demyelination on hearing; the roles of enteric glia in gastrointestinal motility; and mechanisms of age- related vestibular dysfunction. JOSEPH N.S. EISENBERG, PhD, MPH University of Michigan – Chair and Professor, Epidemiology; Professor, Global Public Health
Dr. Eisenberg is the John G. Searle endowed Chair and Professor of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Dr. Eisenberg received his PhD ADDRESS in Bioengineering in the joint University of California, Berkeley/University of California, University of Michigan San Francisco program, and an MPH from the School of Public Health at the University 4659 SPH I of California, Berkeley. Dr. Eisenberg studies infectious disease epidemiology with a M5174 SPH II focus on waterborne and vectorborne diseases. His broad research interests, global 1415 Washington Heights and domestic, integrate theoretical work in developing disease transmission models Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029 and empirical work in designing and conducting epidemiology studies. He is especially interested in the environmental determinants of infectious diseases. EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE sph.umich.edu/faculty-profiles/ eisenberg-joseph.html LOLA ENIOLA-ADEFESO, PhD University of Michigan – University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor; Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, Department of Chemical Engineering; Professor of Chemical Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
Dr. Eniola-Adefeso is the director of the Cell Adhesion and Drug Delivery lab at the University of Michigan. She graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore PHONE County (UMBC) with a bachelor’s in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. She 734-936-0856 completed her masters (2000) and doctoral degree (2004) in Chemical and Biomolecular ADDRESS Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. She was postdoctoral associate at Baylor University of Michigan College of Medicine in Houston, Texas in the Pediatrics/Leukocyte Biology Department. Chemical Engineering Dr. Eniola-Adefeso’s research interests focus on the interactions between blood B-28 G072W NCRC leukocytes and the endothelial cells lining the blood vessel lumen during inflammation 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800 response with the central goal of using acquired knowledge to facilitate the design of novel vascular-targeted drug delivery vehicles. Dr. Eniola-Adefeso’s lab currently EMAIL focuses on two major research thrust: (1) elucidation the mechanism of the receptor- [email protected] ligand interactions critical for the adhesion and migration of immune cells and (2) hemodynamics and hemorheology-driven design of sophisticated leukocyte mimetics WEBSITE particulate carriers for targeting therapeutics to diseased vasculature. Since her arrival cheresearch.engin.umich.edu/ at Michigan, has received several honors and awards including the NSF CAREER Award, eniola/ American Heart Association Innovator Award, and the American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant. Her research is currently funded by an R01 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a grant from the National Science Foundation, and an industrial partnership with Banyan Biomarkers Inc. AYELET EREZ, MD, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Leah Omenn Career Development Chair, Department of Biological Regulation, Faculty of Biology
Ayelet Erez was born in Israel, and completed her medical studies at the Technion Institute in Haifa, Israel. Following her Paediatric Residency, she completed a PhD in Cancer PHONE Genetics at Tel Aviv University. She then went to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston +972-8-934-3714 Texas, where she trained in Clinical Genetics together with being a postdoctoral fellow in +972-50-510-9725 mobile metabolism.
Ayelet returned to Israel on 2012 as a senior researcher at the Weizmann Institute of ADDRESS Max and Lillian Candiotty Science in Rehovot Israel. In parallel, Ayelet works at the Genetic Institute in Souraski Building, Room 214 Medical Center in Tel Avivi as a paediatric cancer geneticist. Weizmann Institute of Science In her lab, Ayelet’s research focuses on changes in cancer metabolism through the prism Rehovot 76100 Israel of amino acid homeostasis. She has found that in addition to changes in amino acid EMAIL anabolism to support cancer proliferation, there are also changes in amino acid catabolism [email protected] in the tumor, which can be identified at the genomic and biochemical levels. These findings may potentially lead to the development of identifiable metabolic alterations for WEBSITE cancer diagnosis and therapy. Ayelet Erez is the incumbent of the Lea Omenn Career weizmann.ac.il/Biological_ Development Chair. Regulation/Erez SAREL FLEISHMAN, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Department of Biomolecular Sciences; Faculty of Biochemistry
Dr. Fleishman’s lab is interested in how protein function is encoded in the structures of protein binders, enzymes, and antibodies. To test their understanding, they PHONE computationally design new protein functions not seen in Nature and experimentally +972-8-934-6361 mobile +972-52-610-2042 characterize these designs. Iterations of design and experimental characterization enable them to understand new features of how protein function is specified in Nature. ADDRESS Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences, Room 479 Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE fleishmanlab.org BETSY FOXMAN, PhD, MSPH University of Michigan – Professor, Epidemiology; Director, Center for Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Betsy Foxman is the Hunein F. and Hilda Maassab Professor of Epidemiology, Director of the Center for Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (MAC-EPID), ADDRESS and Director of the Interdisciplinary Training Program in Infectious Diseases (IPID). Dr. University of Michigan Foxman received her Bachelor's of Science in Conservation of Natural Resources from M5108 SPH II the University of California, Berkeley, and MSPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the 1415 Washington Heights University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health. She has been at Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029 since 1984. Dr. Foxman studies the transmission, pathogenesis, ecology and evolution of infectious agents, with an emphasis on transmission. She researches the transmission EMAIL of antibiotic resistance among bacteria, of bacteria among individuals, and the population [email protected] transmission system using molecular biologic, epidemiologic, and ecologic approaches. Her studies have demonstrated sexual transmission of uropathogenic E. coli, and sexual WEBSITE transmission of Group B Streptococcus. Currently she is characterizing the role of oral sph.umich.edu/faculty-profiles/ and vaginal microbiota in pre-term birth, the dynamics of oral microbiota and risk of foxman-betsy.html dental caries, and investigating transmission of antibiotic resistance among E. coli and Group B Streptococcus. Additional projects include studies of viral infection and bacterial pneumonia, characterizing biofilm growth on medical devices, and determining the effectiveness of cranberries in preventing urinary tract infections. NAAMA GEVA-ZATORSKY, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Technion Integrated Cancer Center; Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Naama Geva-Zatorsky, Assistant Professor at the Technion, Faculty of Medicine. Ph.D., at the Weizmann Institute, Systems-Biology with Prof. Uri Alon, completed with honors and ADDRESS received the JFK, Teva and Barenholz awards. Postdoctoral studies, at Harvard Medical The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine School, Mentor- Prof. Dennis Kasper and Profs. Benoist and Mathis. During her postdoc, Technion – Israel Institute of in a collaborative effort, characterized the host response to ~60 different gut bacteria. She Technology also applied metabolic labeling to enable, for the first time, visualization of anaerobic gut 1 Efron St. microbes, in real time, in association with the host. Rappaport building In her lab, she is applying Systems-Biology thinking strategies with Microbiology, 12th Floor Haifa Bat Galim 3525433 Immunology, metabolomics and bacteriophage biology to study the mechanistic P.O.B. 9649 Bat-Galim interactions of the gut microbiota with mammalian host physiology in health and disease (specifically IBD and Cancer). EMAIL Geva-Zatorsky recently received the Alon and Horev fellowships, the UNESCO-L’Oreal [email protected] award, Human Frontiers, EMBO and Fulbright fellowships, the CIFAR-Azrieli Global Scholar WEBSITE award of the Humans&Microbiome Program and the Jonshon&Johnson WiSTEM2D geva-zatorsky.net.technion.ac.il award. Representative Papers
Geva-Zatorsky, N., Sefik, E., Pasman, L., Kua, L., Guan, T., McGuire, A. M., Earl, A., Ortiz-Lopez, A., Jupp, R., Mathis, D., Benoist, C., & Kasper, D. 2017. Mining the human gut microbiota for immunomodulatory organisms. Cell.
Geva-Zatorsky N*, Alvarez D*, Hudak JE, Reading NC, Erturk-Hasdemir D, Dasgupta S, von Andrian UH and Kasper DL. (2015). Metabolic Labeling of Gut Anaerobic Bacteria: A Strategy for Understanding Host–Microbiota Interactions. Nature Medicine. AOP: August 17, 2015. ABHIJIT GHOSH, PhD University of Michigan – Research Investigator
Dr. Ghosh studies the biochemical and molecular mechanisms behind cardiovascular diseases that are caused by tobacco smoking. He is specially interested to understand PHONE the pathogenesis of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) due to smoking. His research 734-763-0943 concerns cell signaling pathways, redox reactions and biomarkers that can help understand the cause and diagnosis of AAA. He is also interested in studies aimed at ADDRESS determining the effects of electronic cigarette vapors on cardiovascular, pulmonary and University of Michigan oral health. Dr. Ghosh completed his Ph.D studies from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, Jobst Vascular Laboratory India and did further trainings in National Institutes of Science and Technology, Tsukuba, 241N NCRC Bldg 26 Japan. He was a visiting fellow at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, U.S.A prior 2800 Plymouth Rd Ann Arbor MI 48109-2800 to joining University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has mentored both basic and clinically oriented trainees through his research activities. EMAIL Representative Papers [email protected]
Comparing the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in a Novel In Vivo Exposure System. Hage AN, Krause W, Mathues A, Krasner L, Kasten S, Eliason JL, Ghosh A. J Vis Exp. 2017 May 24;(123). doi: 10.3791/55672.
Cross-talk between macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells in response to cigarette smoke: the effects on MMP2 and 9. Ghosh A, Pechota LV, Upchurch GR Jr, Eliason JL. Mol Cell Biochem. 2015 Dec;410(1-2):75-84. doi: 10.1007/ s11010-015-2539-3. Epub 2015 Aug 29.
Cigarette smoke-induced MMP2 and MMP9 secretion from aortic vascular smooth cells is mediated via the Jak/Stat pathway. Ghosh A, Pechota A, Coleman D, Upchurch GR Jr, Eliason JL. Hum Pathol. 2015 Feb;46(2):284-94. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2014.11.003. Epub 2014 Nov 22.
Phosphorylation of AKT and abdominal aortic aneurysm formation. Ghosh A, Lu G, Su G, McEvoy B, Sadiq O, DiMusto PD, Laser A, Futchko JS, Henke PK, Eliason JL, Upchurch GR Jr. Am J Pathol. 2014 Jan;184(1):148-58. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.09.016. EYAL GOTTLIEB, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Director of Translational Research; The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Chair of Cancer Research
Dr Eyal Gottlieb is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Chair of Cancer Research, at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. PHONE +972-4-8295469 Dr. Gottlieb received his BSc in Agriculture from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and MSc and PhD in Molecular Cell Biology from the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he ADDRESS studied the role of the tumor suppressor gene, p53, in programmed cell death. In 1998 Dr. Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute Gottlieb started his postdoctoral research as an EMBO fellow at the University of Chicago, Technion-Israel Institute of and in 1999 he moved to the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, where he became a Technology Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Special Fellow. During his postdoctoral work, Dr. Gottlieb P.O. Box 9649 initiated his interest in metabolism and cancer research. In 2003, he moved to the Cancer Haifa 31096 Israel Research-UK, Beatson Institute in Glasgow as a Research Group Leader and was appointed a Professor of Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Glasgow in 2009. In 2016, Dr. EMAIL Gottlieb moved to the Technion where, in addition to his Chair position, he is the Director of [email protected] the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Metabolomics Center.
WEBSITE Dr. Gottlieb studies metabolic adaptations that support tumor growth under metabolic ticc.web3.technion.ac.il/labs/ stress. Specifically, he explores vulnerabilities induced by the loss of the metabolic tumor cancer-metabolism suppressors fumarate hydratase (FH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), as well as metabolic essentialities required for the survival of cancer cells under oxygen and nutrients scarcity. He utilizes genetics and biochemical approaches and particularly employs metabolomics, including stable isotope tracing, in cells and in-vivo, to delineate metabolic adaptabilities of cancer cells. Many of his discoveries are clinically relevant, and were translated to several drug discovery programs in academia and industry.
Among Dr. Gottlieb’s key accomplishments is the identification of onco-metabolic signaling cascades mediated by TCA cycle metabolites (Cancer Cell 7: 77, 2005), the elucidation of metabolic adaptations to FH or SDH loss (Nature 477: 225, 2011; Nat Cell Biol 17: 1317, 2015), and to metabolic stressful environments (Nature 491: 458, 2012; Cancer Cell 27: 57, 2015; Nat Cell Biol 17: 1556, 2015; Nat Med 23: 1234, 2017).
Beyond his academic research activities, Dr. Gottlieb is a Senior Editor at Cancer Research and a member of several Editorial Boards including Cell Chemical Biology, Cancer & Metabolism and Cell Death and Differentiation. He served as an adviser in several pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including AstraZeneca and Astex Pharmaceuticals and he is a co-Founder and Executive Board member of two Biotech companies, MetaboMed and Pangea Therapeutics. JOSEPH HOLOSHITZ, MD University of Michigan – Professor of Internal Medicine; Division of Rheumatology; Associate Chief for Research
The research theme of Dr. Holoshitz' laboratory is the role of signal transduction events in health and disease. Using cellular, molecular, signal transduction and protein chemistry PHONE strategies, the laboratory is focusing on three research projects:1. We have recently 734-647-5900 discovered that the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) shared epitope (SE) is capable of altering important signaling events. The cell surface receptor of the SE has been identified. We ADDRESS are presently characterizing the intracellular events that the SE triggers and deciphering University of Michigan the structure/function requirements of ligand-receptor interaction, using empiric and Taubman Center Floor 3 combinatorial peptide design approaches as well as mutational analysis of the binding Reception A domain(s) on the receptor. In a related project, the effect of the SE on endothelial and 1500 E Medical Center Dr dendritic cells activation and differentiation is being studied. Beyond their potential SPC 5370 Ann Arbor, MI 48109 utility for understanding immune mechanisms in RA, these studies could provide new insights into MHC-disease association.2. The second project involves non-peptidic EMAIL phosphoantigens, which activate a subset of T cells, called gamma-delta T cells. We have [email protected] made progress in understanding the signaling pathway triggered by these compounds. We are currently investigating the effect of phosphoantigens on the cytolytic activity of gamma-delta T cells and the mechanisms involved in attenuation of that activity with SE ligands. 3. The focus of the third project is aberrations in program cell death (apoptosis) signaling in RA. We have identified a pathway that aberrantly attenuates apoptotic signals in lymphocytes and synovial fibroblasts from patients with RA. We are currently focusing on a family of G protein coupled receptors, which transduce the aberrant signal. In addition, proteome and microarray gene expression analyses are being employed to identify gene and protein expression patterns of RA lymphocytes in response to activation of these G protein-coupled receptors. ALON KAHANA, MD, PhD University of Michigan – Associate Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
The Kahana lab pursues the following interrelated projects: (1) Molecular markers and personalized medicine for periorbital basal cell carcinoma; (2) Role of nuclear receptor PHONE 734-615-0435 ligands in orbital inflammation and thyroid eye disease; (3) Orbital muscle and nerve regeneration (using zebrafish); (4) Clinical outcomes in orbital surgery. ADDRESS Representative Papers University of Michigan Laboratory of Orbital Louie, K.W., Saera-Vila, A., Kish, P.E., Colacino, J.A., Kahana, A. Temporally distinct Development and Disease transcriptional regulation of myocyte dedifferentiation and Myofiber growth during Kellogg Eye Center muscle regeneration. BMC Genomics. 2017;18:854. 1000 Wall St Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Saera-Vila, A., Louie, K.W., Kish, P.E., Grzegosrki, S.J., Klionsky, D.J., Kahana, A. Autophagy Regulates Cytoplasmic Remodeling During Cellular Reprogramming in a EMAIL Zebrafish Model of Adult Muscle Regeneration. Autophagy, 2016:2;12(10):1864-1875. [email protected] PMID 27467399.
WEBSITE Rao, R.C., Chan, M.P., Andrews, C., Kahana, A. Epigenetic markers in basal cell medicine.umich.edu/dept/ carcinoma suggest universal themes in oncogenesis and tumor stratification. Cellular ophthalmology/ Oncology, in press. alon-kahana-md-phd Rajesh C. Rao; May P. Chan; Christopher A. Andrews; Alon Kahana. EZH2, Proliferation Rate, and Aggressive Tumor Subtypes in Cutaneous Basal Cell Carcinoma. JAMA Oncol. 2016;2(7):962-963. KEITH KAYE, MD University of Michigan Medical School – Professor of Internal Medicine; Director of Research, Division of Infectious Diseases
Dr. Kaye is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Medicine at University of Michigan Medical School. He is the Director PHONE of Research for the Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Kaye’s particular academic 734-647-5899 interests and skills include the prevention and management of healthcare-associated infections including those due to multi-drug resistant pathogens; antimicrobial ADDRESS stewardship; infections in the older adults; and surgical site infection. University of Michigan Taubman Center Floor 3 Dr. Kaye received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and Reception D completed his Internal Medicine residency and Infectious Diseases fellowship at Beth 1500 E Medical Center Dr Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA. During fellowship, Dr. Kaye earned SPC 5352 a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Kaye has Ann Arbor, MI 48109 authored over 280 peer-reviewed articles and 18 book chapters and has presented original research at national and international conferences. Dr. Kaye has dedicated his EMAIL [email protected] entire career to infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship and served as the Corporate Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Detroit Medical Center (DMC) from 2008-2016 and as Corporate VP of Quality and Patient Safety at DMC from 2012- 2016. He is currently serving as Past President of the Society for Health Epidemiology of America (SHEA). He is recognized as an expert in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance and has been invited to speak on these topics at venues throughout the world. Some of his most noteworthy work pertains to the polymyxin antimicrobials, nephrotoxic antibiotics discovered in the 1950s that have recently taken on growing recognition and importance due their high level of activity against practically untreatable multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacilli. He currently is the PI on 2 NIH-funded trials evaluating the treatment of infections due to extremely-drug resistant (XDR) Gram-negative bacteria with polymyxins. Dr. Kaye also conducts cutting edge research pertaining to infection prevention, and is currently the PI on an AHRQ- funded trial evaluating the impact UV disinfection of patient rooms on the acquisition of infection due to Clostridium difficile and MDR pathogens in hospitals. IZHAK KEHAT, MD, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Principal investigator, Molecular Cardiovascular System Research Lab
The mechanisms responsible for maintaining macromolecular protein complexes, with their proper localization and subunit stoichiometry, are incompletely understood.We PHONE +972-4-829-5378 study the maintenance of the sarcomere, the basic contractile macromolecular complex of cardiomyocytes. We perform single-cell analysis of cardiomyocytes using imaging ADDRESS of mRNA and protein synthesis, and demonstrate that three distinct mechanisms are Molecular Cardiovascular responsible for the maintenance of the sarcomere: mRNAs encoding for sarcomeric System Research Lab proteins are localized to the sarcomere, ribosomes are localized to the sarcomere with Dept. of Physiology localized sarcomeric protein translation, and finally, a localized E3 ubiquitin ligase allow and Biophysics efficient degradation of excess unincorporated sarcomeric proteins. We show that The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport these mechanisms are distinct, required, and work in unison, to ensure both spatial Faculty of Medicine Efron St., P.O.B. 9649 localization, and to overcome the large variability in transcription. Cardiomyocytes Bat Galim simultaneously maintain all their sarcomeres using localized translation and degradation Haifa 31096 Israel processes where proteins are continuously and locally synthesized at high rates, and excess proteins are continuously degraded. EMAIL [email protected] Representative Papers Abend A, Shkedi, O, Fertouk M, Caspi L, Kehat I. Salt Inducible Kinase induces WEBSITE kehatlab.net.technion.ac.il cytoplasmic Histone Deacetylase 4 to promote vascular calcification. EMBO Rep. 2017 Jul;18(7):1166-1185
Lewis YE, Moskovitz A, Mutlak M, Heineke J, Caspi LH, Kehat I. Localization of transcripts, translation, and degradation for spatiotemporal sarcomere maintenance. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 116 (2018) 16-28.
Golan-Lagziel T, Lewis YE, Shkedi O, Douvdevany G, Caspi LH, Kehat I. Analysis of rat cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts identifies combinatorial enhancer organization and transcription factor families. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 116 (2018) 91-105 ADI KIMCHI, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Department of Molecular Genetics; Faculty of Biochemistry
Dr. Kimchi’s lab studies programmed cell death (PCD), a network of multiple cell death and survival pathways, whose complex coordination determines a cell’s decision to live PHONE or die. They focus on apoptosis, autophagy and necroptosis. Their aim is to discover new +972-8-934-2428 pathways within and among these three modules, and to identify points of vulnerability +972-50-532-0075 mobile in human diseases. ADDRESS Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research, Room 209 Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/molgen/Kimchi ROY KISHONY, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Marilyn and Henry Taub Professor of Life Sciences; Faculty of Biology; Faculty of Computer Science (secondary); Director – the Lorry Lokey center for Life Sciences and Engineering
Prof. Kishony is the Marilyn and Henry Taub Professor of Life Sciences and Director of the Lorry Lokey center for Life Sciences and Engineering at the Technion-Israel Institute PHONE +972 (0) 77-887-1529 of Technology. Prof. Kishony received his B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from the Hebrew University and his Ph.D. in Physics from Tel-Aviv University (1999). He moved ADDRESS to Biology as a postdoc at Princeton and Rockefeller Universities and continued as a Emerson Life Sciences Building, Bauer Fellow at Harvard University. In 2005 he joined the newly established Department Room 4-23 of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School, where he was rapidly promoted to a Department of Biology Full Professor (2011). As a physicist at a major medical school, Dr. Kishony became Technion – Israel Institute of fascinated by the urgent public health concern over the rapid evolution of antibiotic Technology resistance. His combined theoretical-experimental background enabled him to define Haifa 32000 Israel key questions in evolution of resistance in bold new ways. His lab has made a series of EMAIL ground-breaking discoveries, showing how some drug interactions can select against [email protected] resistance, unraveling mechanisms that keep resistance in check in natural ecological environments, and pioneered unique experimental and theoretical methodologies for WEBSITE tracking whole-genome evolution of pathogenic bacteria. The video of his experiment of kishony.net.technion.ac.il evolving bacteria on a “MEGA-plate” was viewed more than 25 million times, making it one of if not the most viewed science videos in the world. These new approaches and discoveries inspire novel treatment paradigms for effective antimicrobial chemotherapy and genome-based diagnostics. Bringing his combined experimental-computational- theoretical expertise, Dr. Kishony has recently joined the Faculty of Biology and Faculty of Computer Science (secondary) at the Technion to develop an interdisciplinary initiative in quantitative biology at the Technion’s Lorry Lokey center for Life Sciences and Engineering. NETANEL KORIN, PhD Technion - Israel Institute of Technology – Assistant Professor
Our research interest is in engineering aspects of vascular biology with a focus on the interplay between hemodynamics, vascular physiology, and transport phenomena PHONE in vascular diseases. The long-term objective of this research is to allow better +972-48293144 understanding of the biophysical determinants of vascular disease and to leverage this knowledge to develop innovative therapeutic approaches. Projects are interdisciplinary ADDRESS and include: machine-responsive nano medicines, novel thrombolytic and anti-platelet Faculty of Biomedical nano-therapeutics, biomimetic micro-fluidic models of vascular disease and the study Engineering of red blood cell mechanics. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Representative Papers Haifa 32000, Israel
Korin N, M. Kanapathipillai,B.D. Matthews, M. Crescente,A. Brill, T. Mammoto, K. EMAIL Ghosh,S. Jurek. S.A. Bencherif, D. Bhatta,A.U. Coskun,C.L. Feldman,D.D. Wagner, [email protected] D.E. Ingber Shear-Activated Nanotherapeutics for Drug Targeting to Obstructed Blood Vessels, Science ,2012, 337(6095),738-42 WEBSITE korinlab.net.technion.ac.il Marosfoi M.., N. Korin, M. Gounis, O. Uzun, S. Vedantham, E. Langan, A.L. Papa, O. Brooks, C. Johnson,A. Puri, D. Bhatta,M. Kanapathipillai, B. Bronstein, J. Chueh, D.E. Ingber, A. Wakhloo, Shear-Activated Nanoparticle Aggregates Combined With Temporary Endovascular Bypass to Treat Large Vessel Occlusion, Stoke, 2015,46(12),3507-13.
Epshtein M. and N. Korin, “Shear Targeted Drug Delivery to Stenotic Blood Vessels”, Journal of Biomechanics, 2017, 4 (50), 217-221. SHULAMIT LEVENBERG, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Professor Biomedical Engineering Department; Technion Israel Institute of Technology Head; Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory
Professor Shulamit Levenberg is the elected Dean of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the Technion. She also serves as the director of the Technion Center PHONE +972-4-829-4810 for 3D Bioprinting and The Rina & Avner Schneur Center for Diabetes Research. Prof Levenberg earned her PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she focused ADDRESS on cell adhesion dynamics and signaling, and pursued her post-doctoral research in Faculty of Biomedical tissue engineering at MIT, in the lab of Professor Robert Langer. In 2004, she joined Engineering, Room 161 the Technion Faculty of Biomedical Engineering where she conducts interdisciplinary Technion – Israel Institute of research on stem cells and tissue engineering. She spent a sabbatical year (2011-2012) Technology as a visiting professor at the Wyss Institute for Biology Inspired Engineering at Harvard Technion City University and a summer sabbatical (2017) at the University of Western Australia as a Haifa 3200003 Israel winner of the Raine Visiting Professor Award. Prof Levenberg received the Krill Prize for EMAIL excellence in scientific research, awarded by the Wolf Foundation, and was named by [email protected] Scientific American as a “Research Leader” in tissue engineering, for her seminal work on vascularization of engineered tissues. She also received the France-Israel Foundation WEBSITE Prize, the Italian Excellence for Israel Prize, the Teva Research Prize and the Juludan biomed.faculty-ms.technion.ac.il/ Prize. In 2018, she received the Rappaport Prize members/shulamit-levenberg for Biomedical Sciences and in 2019 received the Bruno prize. Levenberg has authored over 100 publications, and presented her work in over 100 international conferences as an invited or keynote speaker. She is founder and CSO of two start-up companies in the areas of cultured meat and nanoliter arrays for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing. She is a member of the Israel National Counsel for Bioethics and is actively involved in training young scientists. VICTOR ARMAND MALKA, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Schwartz/Reisman Chair in Laser Physics, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Faculty of Physics
Victor Malka, Professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, has obtained his PhD thesis at Ecole polytechnique in 1990. He was until September 2019 a CNRS PHONE Research Director at Laboratoire d’Optique Appliquée, and a Professor at Ecole +972-8-934-4294 Polytechnique. He worked on different topics such as atomic physics, inertial fusion, +972-50-510-9818 mobile laser plasma interaction. His works now is mainly devoted on relativistic laser plasma interaction and on laser plasma accelerators and related societal applications, in which ADDRESS he makes several breakthrough contributions. He has published about 350 articles and Edna and K.B. Weissman has been invited in more than 175 international conferences. He got several international Building of Physical Sciences, prizes and has coordinated many European projects. Victor Malka, fellow of APS and Room 266 Weizmann Institute of Science EPS, is member of the European Academy of science and officer of physic division. He Rehovot 76100 Israel is also member of Science Romanian Academy of Science. He got 2 Advanced and 2 Proof of Concept grants from the European Research Council. EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/complex/malka DAVID MARKOVITZ, MD University of Michigan – Professor of Internal Medicine; Division of Infectious Diseases
David Markovitz is a Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan, who also has appointments in the programs in Cellular PHONE 734-647-1786 and Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, and Immunology. His laboratory focuses on understanding how human cellular factors control the replication of viruses, and ADDRESS retroviruses in particular. These studies are performed both to understand the biology of University of Michigan viruses and to develop possible therapies for these important human pathogens, as well 1150 W. Medical Center Drive as to exploit the viruses as a mechanism for understanding human cellular biology and 5240 Medical Science Research cancer. Dr. Markovitz’s work has been recognized by his election to the two principal Building III honorary societies for academic Internal Medicine physicians, the American Society Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5640 for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, as well as to the EMAIL American Clinical and Climatological Association. [email protected] In addition to his research, Dr. Markovitz is a consultant on the Infectious Diseases service at the University of Michigan and Veterans Hospitals. He has been married to WEBSITE markovitzlab.med.umich.edu Ruth Hurwicz Markovitz for 37 years, and they have three wonderful children, Lara, Rebecca, and Adam. David has a wide range of non-medical interests, and majored in Middle Eastern Studies as an undergraduate. He has a long-time interest in art, music, movies, novels, sports, and both serious and junky TV. David has traveled widely, and speaks 3½ languages. DONNA MARTIN, MD, PhD University of Michigan – Donita B. Sullivan Research Professor in Pediatrics; Professor of Human Genetics; Interim Chair, Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases
Donna M. Martin, MD, PhD is the Donita B. Sullivan MD Research Professor in Pediatrics, Professor of Human Genetics, and Interim Chair of Pediatrics at PHONE the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the genetic basis of neural 734-647-4859 development and disorders of human development, with an emphasis on genes that influence neuronal stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Her laboratory ADDRESS explores how transcription factors and chromatin remodeling proteins control gene University of Michigan transcription and nucleosome remodeling, thereby influencing key signaling and 8220C MSRB III developmental pathways. Dr. Martin is a member of the American Society for Clinical 1150 W. Medical Ctr. Dr. Investigation, serving as Councilor 2017–2020, and Secretary of the American Society of Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5952 Human Genetics, 2020-2023. EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE martinlab.hg.med.umich.edu MELVIN MCINNIS, MD, FRCPsych University of Michigan – Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression; Professor of Psychiatry
Melvin McInnis is the Thomas B and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression. He is the director of the Heinz C Prechter Bipolar Research PHONE 734-764-6443 Program and associate director of the University of Michigan Depression Center. His psychiatry training was at the Maudsley Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, London. He ADDRESS completed a fellowship in Medical Genetics at Johns Hopkins University and joined the University of Michigan faculty of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1993. He was elected Michigan Medicine Ambulatory Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatry (UK) in 2007. Psychiatry Rachel Upjohn Building Dr. McInnis was recruited to the University of Michigan in 2004 and leads the Heinz 4250 Plymouth Rd C Prechter Bipolar Research Program, a rich resource of clinical and biological data Ann Arbor, MI 48109 on individuals with bipolar disorder as well as healthy controls. An extensive multi- dimensional collaborative research team, involving several schools across UM, is EMAIL focused on mechanisms that incorporates biological, genetic, and clinical data and [email protected] programs designed towards predictive computational modeling integrates acoustic speech data with multimodal data from mobile and clinical observations to test models of outcomes in the illness. YIFAT MERBL, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Leonard and Carol Berall Career Development Chair, Department of Immunology; Faculty of Biology
Standing at the intersection of Biochemistry, Proteomics, and Immunology, Dr. Merbl’s lab studies proteostasis regulation in cancer and immunity. Maintaining protein PHONE homeostasis is a crucial cellular task involving an extensive protein network of more +972-8-934-3335 than 1,000 proteins that are responsible for sensing and responding to cellular stress, +972-50-730-2050 mobile to allow proper function of our proteome. They focus primarily on two aspects of proteostasis control namely, regulatory mechanisms of protein post-translational ADDRESS modifications (PTMs) and degradation in health and disease. Wolfson Building for Biological Research, Room 215 The Merbl lab employs advanced high-throughput immuno-proteomic, proteomics Weizmann Institute of Science and genomic methods, cell biology, biochemistry and in-vivo models to reveal new Rehovot 76100 Israel proteostasis control mechanisms. They combine their expertise to gain novel insight on basic research questions as well as develop cutting-edge technologies to transform EMAIL their ability to analyze the proteomic landscape. Importantly, they aim for translating our [email protected] findings into clinical applications and therapeutic interventions to promote human health. WEBSITE yifatmerbl.com LONA MODY, MD, MSc University of Michigan – Amanda Sanford Hickey Professor of Internal Medicine; Associate Division Chief, Geriatric & Palliative Care Medicine; Director, UM Pepper Center Pilot & Exploratory Studies Core; Associate Director, Clinical and Translational Research, Geriatrics Center
Dr. Mody is Professor with Tenure at the University of Michigan and Associate Director for Clinical Programs at the VA Ann Arbor GRECC. She has an active translational PHONE 734-764-6831 research laboratory to define the clinical and molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resistant pathogens and developing measures to prevent them. Dr. Mody’s work has ADDRESS led to a thriving consortium of long-term care facilities in SE Michigan interested in University of Michigan learning ways to enhance infection prevention in a traditionally resource poor setting. Geriatrics Her research is funded and supported by NIH, the VA and other foundations. Her most 300 North Ingalls recent research projects involve two NIA funded RO1 studies to evaluate transmission Room 914 of emerging resistant organisms in NHs and a multi-component targeted programs to Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2007 curb infections older skilled nursing home patients. She is also involved in an AHRQ EMAIL funded grant to evaluate the usefulness of gown and glove use in nursing homes. She [email protected] is nationally active at several career development and research dissemination activities at the American Geriatrics Society, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the WEBSITE Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Joint Commission. Dr. Mody is fluent in infectionpreventioninaging.org English, Hindi and Gujarati. ARNOLD MONTO, MD University of Michigan – Professor, Epidemiology; Professor, Global Public Health; Thomas Francis, Jr. Collegiate Professor of Public Health
Arnold S. Monto, MD is the Thomas Francis Collegiate Professor of Public Health and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health PHONE in Ann Arbor. The major focus of his work has been the epidemiology, prevention 734-764-5453 and treatment of acute infections in the individual and the community. Respiratory infections, in particular influenza, have been a major interest, with special reference to ADDRESS the evaluation of vaccines in various populations and the assessment of the value of University of Michigan antivirals. He has worked on these issues in tropical as well as temperate regions. He 5146 SPH II led the studies of respiratory infection in Tecumseh, MI, a landmark study of infection in 1415 Washington Heights the community. He has studied various approaches to influenza vaccine use, particularly Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029 to control transmission of the virus in the community. EMAIL Dr. Monto is involved in assessing the efficacy of various types of influenza vaccine in [email protected] prophylaxis and antivirals in prophylaxis and therapy of influenza, including implications of resistance. He now heads an observational study of effectiveness of influenza vaccines in various settings, including households. His recent activities have included evaluation of face masks and hand hygiene in the control of influenza transmission and determination of efficacy of the traditional inactivated and live attenuated influenza vaccines. He has been a member of the National Allergy and Infectious Diseases Advisory Council of the US National Institutes of Health and is currently a member of the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) of the FDA. He was past president of the American Epidemiological Society, the 2009 recipient of the Alexander Fleming Award of the Infectious Diseases Society of America for lifetime achievement and the 2012 recipient of the Charles Merieux award of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. He was a member of the Emergency Committee making recommendations to the World Health Organization during the last influenza pandemic. SAM NASON, BS University of Michigan – PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering
Samuel R. Nason received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA, and the M.S. degree in biomedical engineering from ADDRESS Iniversity of Michigan the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on low- B10-A170 NCRC power technologies for neural interfaces, with a more specific application towards 2800 Plymouth Road dexterous finger and hand neuroprostheses. Ann Arbor MI 48109-2800
EMAIL [email protected] MICAL PAUL, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Director, Infectious Diseases Institute, Rambam Health Care Center; Associate Professor
Mical Paul is Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute at Rambam Health Care Center and Associate Professor at The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, PHONE Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. Her research is clinical and focuses on the 04-777-2991 management of infections in the hospital, multidrug-resistant bacteria, endemic infections and computerized decision support. She is an editor with Clinical Microbiology ADDRESS and Infection and the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group and member of several Ombudsman World Health Organization and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Rambam Health Care Campus Diseases guideline development groups. PO Box 9602 Haifa 3109601
EMAIL [email protected] ELIOR PELES, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Hanna Hertz Professorial Chair for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroscience, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology
Myelin is an insulating membrane sheath produces by specialized glial cells; Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central PHONE +972-8-934-4561 nervous system (CNS). It enables fast and efficient nerve conduction, and provides +972-52-434-8481 mobile essential trophic support to maintain axonal integrity and survival. Destruction of myelin leads to several neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and is also associated ADDRESS with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Peles’s lab combines molecular, Wolfson Building for Biological biochemical and advanced light and electron microscopy techniques to study the various Research, Room 114 aspects of myelinating glial cells and the mechanisms that enable them to form one of Weizmann Institute of Science the most complex structures found in nature. Rehovot 76100 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/mcb/Peles MIKI RAHAT, DSc Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology; Faculty of Medicine Carmel Medical Center – Director, Research Laboratories; Head, Immunology Lab
I investigate macrophage activation and function, and their interactions with other cell types (especially epithelial/tumor cells) in the changing microenvironment (e.g., ischemia/ PHONE hypoxia). I study the mechanisms that allow macrophages to promote angiogenesis and +972-4-8250404 invasiveness/metastasis in malignant and autoimmune diseases. In particular, I focus on the role of EMMPRIN/CD147 in angiogenesis and metastasis, its effects on MMPs ADDRESS and VEGF, and its regulation by microRNA and microenvironmental cues. I have recently 7 Michal St. developed two new targeted-therapy approach that passively or actively activate the Haifa, 3436212, Israel immune system against EMMPRIN, and now I study their efficacy in cancer models. Additionally, I try to identify the pro-angiogenic role of EMMPRIN in autoimmune diseases EMAIL [email protected] (e.g., RA, PsA, and T2DM), and use its expression, together with other pro-angiogenic factors, to develop a unique biomarker profile to assist in the evaluation of the dynamic WEBSITE inflammatory/angiogenic status of patients in cancer and autoimmune diseases. rahat-lab.net.technion.ac.il ORLY REINER, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Bernstein-Mason Professorial Chair of Neurochemistry, Department of Molecular Genetics; Faculty of Biochemistry
Dr. Reiner’s lab studies the process of embryonic brain development, and what goes awry during disease conditions. In the developing brain, there is a relative change in PHONE +972-8-934-4927 the type of neuronal stem cells that are born; and neurons born in one position have to +972-54-640-1110 mobile reach their final destination by active cell migration. These highly dynamic processes are regulated via the concerted action of multiple gene ADDRESS Arnold R. Meyer Building, products; and aberrant regulations may result in devastating consequences. Much of Room 319 their work is focused on one severe form of brain malformation, known as lissencephaly Weizmann Institute of Science (or "smooth brain"). Over the years they found that genes associated with this disease, Rehovot 7610001 Israel among others, affect a variety of polarity decisions. Through interdisciplinary approaches, combining molecular, biochemical, in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro studies with mouse and EMAIL human brain organoid models, they examine a wide range of human developmental [email protected] brain malformations (e.g. microcephaly and lissencephaly) and diseases (e.g. epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia). WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/molgen/Reiner OREN ROM, PhD, RD University of Michigan Medical School – Research Fellow, Internal Medicine
Dr. Rom received his Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and his training in Clinical Nutrition at Rambam Health Care Campus, Israel. PHONE After being awarded the Michigan-Israel Fellowship, he continued his research program 734-647-5742 at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center. Supported by the American Heart Association, Dr. Rom’s research focuses on elucidating metabolic and molecular ADDRESS mechanisms of cardiometabolic diseases to identify novel therapeutic targets. He is University of Michigan particularity interested in understanding the complex interactions between amino acid Internal Medicine – Cardiology and lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver 356S NCAC disease (NAFLD). Currently, he is working on new potential therapies for atherosclerosis Ann Arbor MI 48109-2800 and NAFLD identified using a combined approach applying metabolomics, EMAIL transcriptomics and genome-wide association studies. [email protected] NOGA RON-HAREL, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Principal Investigator; Faculty of Biology
Noga Ron-Harel is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Biology at the Technion, Israel. She established her research group in 2018 to study immunometabolism and PHONE +972-77-8871349 aging. Research in the Ron-Harel lab aims at defining new mechanisms by which cellular metabolism regulates adaptive immunity, with the goal to discover new metabolic ADDRESS nodes that can be targeted to both alleviate immune deficiency (i.e aging) and attenuate Emerson, room 821 exacerbated immunity (i.e. autoimmunity). Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Technion City Haifa 3200003 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE ronharel.net.technion.ac.il ZIV SHULMAN, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Department of Immunology; Faculty of Biology
Long lasting protection from harmful pathogens depends on collaboration of multiple types of immune cells each with a unique function. These cells interact with each PHONE other in small confined niches in lymphoid organs and exchange molecular signals +972-8-934-2484 required for differentiation into cells with the capacity to eliminate invading pathogens. mobile +972-50-510-9768 Protective antibodies evolve in lymphoid organs in sites known as germinal centers. Dr. Shulman’s lab examines how interactions between immune cells promote antibody ADDRESS affinity maturation and differentiation of B cells into long lived memory and antibody Wolfson Building for Biological forming cells. Research, Room 437 Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 7610001 Israel
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/immunology/ Shulman SHAI SHEN-ORR, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Associate Professor, Department of Immunology; Rapport Faculty of Medicine
Systems Biologist Shai Shen-Orr is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion—where he directs the laboratory of Systems Immunology and Precision PHONE +972-4-829-5210 Medicine. Shai develops novel analyticsfor studyingthe immune system—tools which +972-54-771-8307 mobile he appliesto study the drivers of immune variation and to further Precision Medicine. Shai’s research foundedCytoReason, a company building molecular tissue models by AIto ADDRESS advance drug developmentin pharma. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology 1 Efron St., Haifa 32000, Israel P.O.B. 9649, Bat-Galim
EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE shenorrlab.technion.ac.il DAVID H. SHERMAN, PhD University of Michigan – Hans W. Vahlteich Professor
David Sherman studies the natural chemical compounds made by microorganisms in order to harness the tremendous capabilities of microorganisms to create complex ADDRESS molecules with the potential for use as new therapeutic treatments. His research explores University of Michigan the fundamental aspects of combinatorial biosynthesis while pursuing drug discovery Life Sciences Institute opportunities for infectious diseases and cancer. 210 Washtenaw Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109 A large number of today's drugs are based on natural products which have been discovered from terrestrial and marine microbes. Sherman is performing molecular EMAIL genetic analysis of natural products biosynthesis in marine cyanobacteria, actinomycetes [email protected] and myxobacteria. He uses a diverse set of tools, including molecular genetic, biochemical and bioorganic chemical studies. WEBSITE lsi.umich.edu/facultyresearch/ The unique chemistry that constructs complex terrestrial and marine natural products labs/sherman is derived from a virtually limitless source of novel enzymes (catalysts) responsible for creating a diverse set of biologically active small molecules. As new classes of marine natural products are explored, it will be possible to use the versatile tools of genetic engineering to over-express, purify and characterize fully the unique chemical catalysts that have evolved in the terrestrial and marine environments.
Sherman’s work exploits the huge potential of microorganisms to create novel organic molecules by deliberate in vivo and in vitro engineering of the genetic pathways of natural product biosynthesis, perhaps resulting in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and high value biomaterials. It is possible that the single most important new source of the needed metabolic diversity for the creation of new pathways will be provided by natural product biosynthetic genes derived from marine microorganisms. Sherman’s lab is aggressively pursuing novel metabolic pathways from micro- and macro-organisms, including those from sponge symbionts and other invertebrates. MAX SHTEIN, PhD University of Michigan – Professor, Materials Science and Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Center for Entrepreneurship
Prof. Shtein earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley (1998) and Ph.D. in Chemi-cal Engineering, while co-advised by Prof. Benziger in ChE and Prof. Forrest in EE at Princeton (Summer 2004), where he developed key aspects of Organic Vapor Phase Deposition and invented Organic Vapor Jet Printing. He joined the Materials Science and Engineering department at the Univ. of Michigan in Fall 2004, where he now serves as PHONE Professor, with appointments in Chemical Engineering, Applied Physics, Macromolecular 734-764-4312 Science and Engineering, Art & Design, and as faculty co-director for the Undergraduate Program in Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineer-ing. ADDRESS University of MIchigan Prof. Shtein’s lab at the University of Michigan specializes in organic thin films and North Campus Research nanostructures for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, as well as energy Complex, 2800 Plymouth Road, conversion. His work has been recognized through the Presidential Early Career Award Building 28, Room 3051W Ann Arbor, MI 48105 for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the MSE Department Achievement Award, College of Engineering-wide Vulcans Prize for Excel-lence in Education, the Newport EMAIL Award for Excellence and Leadership in Photonics and Optoelec-tronics, the Materials [email protected] Research Society (MRS) graduate student Gold Medal Award, and others. He co- founded Arborlight, LLC (www.arborlight.com – a multiple award-winning lighting WEBSITE tech-nology company), Sublime, LLC (a pharmaceutical technology company), and co- shteinlab.engin.umich.edu authored the book “Scalable Innovation: A Guide for Inventors, Entrepreneurs, and IP Professionals.” (Taylor & Francis, ISBN-10: 1466590971) NOAM STERN-GINOSSAR, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Skirball Career Development Chair in New Scientists, Department of Molecular Genetics; Faculty of Biochemistry
Dr. Stern-Ginossar’s lab studies viruses and the creative strategies they use to maneuver their host cells. The lab is interested in deciphering the roles different viral elements are PHONE playing during infection, as well as how viruses interface with and commandeer cellular +972-8-934-2105 pathways to control gene expression. They study these complex interactions using mainly cytomegalovirus (CMV), a herpesvirus that infects the majority of the world's ADDRESS population, leading to severe diseases in newborns and immunocompromised adults. Arthur and Rochelle Belfer They anticipate their studies will uncover new aspects of virus-host interactions, as well Building for Biomedical as reveal new cell biology principles. Research, Room 327 Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 7610001 Israel
EMAIL noam.stern-ginossar@ weizmann.ac.il
WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/molgen/ginossar AMOS TANAY, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Dr. Tanay builds mathematical models for the epigenetic changes in cells—mechanisms that affect the availability and function of the cell’s DNA without changing the sequence PHONE +972-8-934-3579 itself. Similar to tiny computers, cells regulate their activity by running “software” +972-54-431-4070 mobile encoded into their DNA that controls the “hardware”—the components of the cell itself. In order for such software to work correctly and distinguish among different cell types, ADDRESS cells employ several mechanisms that serve as their memory. Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Building for Mathematics and Dr. Tanay and his group develop single cell genomics techniques to characterize the Computer Sciences, Room 004 molecular activity and epigenetics of cells within tissues. They then apply mathematical Weizmann Institute of Science methods to understand how individual cells determine and maintain their proper Rehovot Israel 76100 role within the context of billions of other cells in the body. Methods for profiling and modeling tissues at single cell resolution are particularly important in cancer, since EMAIL tumors develop due to individual cells that rewrite their memory and suppress the [email protected] tissue's normal control mechanisms.
WEBSITE He has received a number of prestigious scholarships and awards, including the 2013 compgenomics.weizmann.ac.il/ Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Award for Innovative Investigation, the 2012 Krill Award tanay for Excellence in Scientific Research, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) young investigator award (2010), the Morris L. Levinson Prize in Mathematics (2010), and the Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellowship (2006). In 2015, he became a member of the EMBO.
Dr. Tanay is married and has four children. He is also a keen jazz piano player. ELDAD TZAHOR, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – Head of Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Faculty of Biology
Prof. Eldad Tzahor received a BSc in biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1991), and a PhD in molecular biology (1999) at the Weizmann Institute of Science PHONE (Rehovot, Israel). After postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA), +972-8-934-3715 he joined the staff of the Weizmann Institute in 2003. Prof. Tzahor studies novel mechanisms for cardiac regeneration following injury in mammals, a major challenge ADDRESS in current biomedical research. The lab develops novel approaches in cardiac biology to Wolfson Building for Biological stimulate heart regeneration and repair. Prof. Tzahor is considered a world leader in the Research, Room 608 field of cardiac regeneration. His research in the field of regenerative medicine could Weizmann Institute of Science potentially lead to treatments for heart disease in adult patient. He is the recipient of Rehovot 7610001 Israel a number of prestigious grants and awards, including two European Research Council EMAIL (ERC) grants, Foundation LeDucq, Horizon 2020 Regenerative Medicine and the [email protected] Levinson Prize in Biology. WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/mcb/tzahor HERMAN WOLOSKER, MD, PhD Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – Professor, Nano Biotechnology & Nanomedicine; Faculty, Medicine
Research in our laboratory focuses on understanding the roles of unconventional neurotransmitters, like the D-amino acids in the central nervous system. We are particularly PHONE +972-4-829-5386 interested in the regulation of N-Methyl- D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) by D-serine, a D-enantiomer previously thought to be restricted to bacteria or lower invertebrates. D-Serine ADDRESS is now appreciated as the main physiologic ligand at the co-agonist site of NMDARs Russell Berrie Nanotechnology and mediates several NMDAR-dependent processes, including synaptic plasticity and Institute neurodegeneration. Over the past few years, we elucidated the mechanisms of D-serine Technion – Israel Institute of synthesis by the enzyme serine racemase and discovered novel pathways regulating Technology D-serine production and release that play a role in synaptic plasticity and neurodevelopment. Sara & Moshe Zisapel More recently, our laboratory characterized a new astrocyte-neuron metabolic crosstalk we Nanoelectronics center Haifa 32000, Israel coined the serine shuttle, whereby astrocytes export L-serine for the neuronal production of D-serine. We demonstrated that the serine shuttle is essential for synaptic plasticity and EMAIL neurodevelopment by pharmacological and genetic inactivation of several of its components, [email protected] including novel D-serine transporters we recently identified. Mutations in the serine shuttle components cause severe neurodevelopmental impairments in humans as well, highlighting WEBSITE an essential role of this pathway in brain function and neurodevelopment. rbni.technion.ac.il/node/469 Representative Papers
Sason, H, Billard, J.M., Smith, G.P., Safory, H., Neame, S., Kaplan, E., Rosenberg, D., Zubedat, S., Foltyn, V.N., Christoffersen, C.T., Bundgaard, C., Thomsen, C., Avital, A., Christensen, K.V., and Wolosker, H. (2017) Asc-1 transporter regulation of synaptic activity via the tonic release of D-serine in the forebrain. Cerebral Cortex 27: 1573-1587.
Kaplan, E, Zubedat, S., Radzishevsky, I., Valenta, A.C., Rechnitz, O., Sason, H., Sajrawi, C., Bodner, O., Konno, K., Esaki, K., Derdikman, D. , Yoshikawa, Watanabe, M., Kennedy, R.T., Billard, J.M., Avital, A., Wolosker, H (2018) The ASCT1 (Slc1a4) Transporter is a Physiologic Regulator of Brain D-Serine and Neurodevelopment. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 115(38):9628-9633.
Neame, S., Safory, H., Radzishevsky, I., Touitou, A., Marchesani, F., Marchetti, M., Kellner, S., Berlin, S., Foltyn, V.N., Billard, J.M., Wolosker H. (2019) The NMDA receptor activation by D-serine and glycine is controlled by an astrocytic Phgdh-dependent serine shuttle. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 116 (41) 20736-20742. ADA YONATH, PhD Weizmann Institute of Science – The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Professor of Structural Biology; Director, The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly; Department of Structural Biology; Faculty of Chemistry
Ada Yonath is focusing on protein biosynthesis and antibiotics hampering it. She is a member of Weizmann Inst (WIS) faculty and the Director of Kimmelman Center for PHONE Biomolecular-Structures. She received her M SC from the Hebrew University and her +972-8-934-3028 PhD from WIS. She was a postdoc at Carnegie Mellon and MIT, and in the seventies she established the first structural-biology laboratory in Israel. During 1986-2004 she headed ADDRESS Max-Planck-Research-Unit for Ribosome Structure in Hamburg in parallel to her activities Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman at WIS. Among others, she is a member of US-National (NAS); Israel; German; Korean; Building, Room 612 Italian; the Pontificia Accademia-delle-Scienze (Vatican), Korean and more. She holds Weizmann Institute of Science honorary doctorates from Oslo, NYU, Mount-Sinai, Oxford, Cambridge, Hamburg, Berlin- Rehovot 76100 Israel Technical, Patras, De-La-Salle, Xiamen, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Mendel, Westlake, Lodz and EMAIL almost all Israeli universities. Her awards include Israel Prize, the Louisa-Gross-Horwitz; [email protected] Wolf; Harvey; Linus-Pauling Gold Medal; UNESCO/L’Oreal; Albert-Einstein Award for Excellence; and the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. WEBSITE weizmann.ac.il/sb/faculty_ pages/Yonath/home.html
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