Author: Hilary

TAU Researchers Fold Glass into Microscopic 3D Optical Devices

Written by Hilary on 9 September 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

With a new method called photonic origami, researchers can bend ultra-thin glass sheets into complex, ultra-smooth structures directly on a chip — a step toward new optical devices for data processing, sensing, and experimental physics.

Researchers explain that traditional 3D printers produce rough structures that lack the smoothness and optical uniformity required for high-performance optics. To overcome this limitation, the TAU team devised a laser-induced technique inspired by nature — similar to how a pinecone’s scales bend outward to release seeds. By triggering precise bends in ultra-thin glass sheets, the method creates highly transparent, ultra-smooth 3D microphotonic devices suitable for a wide range of applications.

“Existing 3D printers produce rough 3D structures that aren’t optically uniform and thus can’t be used for high-performance optics,” said research team leader Prof. Tal Carmon from the School of Electrical Engineering, Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, at Tel Aviv University in Israel. “Mimicking the way a pinecone’s scales bend outward to release seeds, our laser-induced technique triggers precise bending in ultra-thin glass sheets and can be used to create highly transparent, ultra-smooth 3D microphotonic devices for a variety of applications.”

In Optica, Optica Publishing Group’s journal for high-impact research, the researchers reported that the new laser-induced folding method can create 3-mm-long structures just 0.5 microns thick — about 1/200th the width of a human hair — setting a record length-to-thickness ratio of 3D structures. They also created helix shapes as well as concave and convex mirrors with surfaces so smooth — less than a nanometer of variation — that light reflects off them without distortion.

“Similar to how large 3D printers can fabricate almost any household item, photonic origami could enable a variety of tiny optical devices,” said Carmon. “For example, it can be used to generate micro-zoom lenses that could replace the five separate cameras used in most smartphones or to fabricate microphotonic components that use light instead of electricity — helping drive the shift toward faster, more efficient alternatives to traditional electronics in our computers.”

Structures made with photonic origami

Folded by accident

The new method was discovered by chance when Carmon asked graduate student Manya Malhotra to pinpoint where an invisible laser was hitting the glass by increasing the power until the spot glowed. Instead of glowing, the glass folded — revealing a simple and unexpected way to achieve glass folding. Malhotra then became the pioneering expert in photonic origami.

The glass folds because, as one side is heated with a laser, the glass liquifies and surface tension becomes stronger than gravity. As the surface tension increases, the glass is pulled into a fold precisely where the laser hits.

To apply this discovery, lab engineer Ronen Ben Daniel fabricated a thin layer of silica glass on a silicon chip and then shaped it into the required two-dimensional form. Before bending the glass, the researchers used etching to undercut the silicon beneath the glass sheet while leaving a small support region to hold it in place. Using CO2 laser pulses, they showed that thin glass sheets on a silicon chip could be folded in less than a millisecond, with a speed of 2 m/s and acceleration exceeding 2000 m/s2.

“It was exciting to see the folding silica under the microscope,” said Carmon. “The level of control we had over 3D microphotonic architecture came as a pleasant surprise — especially given that it was achieved with a simple setup involving just a single laser beam focused on the desired fold.”

Folding glass bar

Creating microscopic structures

Using the new photonic origami approach, the researchers were able to bend sheets of glass up to 10 microns thick into shapes ranging from a 90-degree knee to helices. They were able to do this with fine control, down to 0.1 microradians.

They also used the new approach to create an extremely lightweight and precise table structure containing a concave cavity mirror, a type of mirror that focuses light. This structure was inspired by a theoretical paper by P.K. Lam from the Australian National University that proposed exploring potential deviations from Newtonian gravity at very small scales using optically levitated cavity mirrors that might be possible to fabricate using photonic origami.

To make the tiny table light enough, the researchers began with a glass sheet just 1/20 the thickness of a human hair (5 microns). They patterned the sheet much like a child’s foldable paper table toy and used their photonic origami technique to fold it into a 3D table after fabricating a concave mirror at the base of the table.

According to the researchers, this ultra-light, compact table could, in principle, be optically levitated and used to explore possible deviations from Newtonian gravity. These types of experiments could provide insights into astronomical mysteries associated with dark matter —the only area in physics where experimental observations consistently defy current theoretical predictions.

“High-performance, 3D microphotonics had not been previously demonstrated,” said Carmon. “This new technique brings silica photonics — using glass to guide and control light — into the third dimension, opening up entirely new possibilities for high-performance, integrated optical devices.”

About Optica

Optica is an open-access journal dedicated to the rapid dissemination of high-impact peer-reviewed research across the entire spectrum of optics and photonics. Published monthly by Optica Publishing Group, the Journal provides a forum for pioneering research to be swiftly accessed by the international community, whether that research is theoretical or experimental, fundamental or applied. Optica maintains a distinguished editorial board of more than 60 associate editors from around the world and is overseen by Editor-in-Chief Prem Kumar, Northwestern University, USA. For more information, visit Optica.

About Optica Publishing Group

Optica Publishing Group is a division of the society, Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide. It publishes the largest collection of peer-reviewed and most-cited content in optics and photonics, including 18 prestigious journals, the society’s flagship member magazine, and papers and videos from more than 835 conferences. With over 400,000 journal articles, conference papers and videos to search, discover and access, our publications portfolio represents the full range of research in the field from around the globe.

Israeli Breakthrough: First Human Trial of Engineered Spinal Cord

Written by Hilary on 19 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

TAU researchers begin to prepare for the world’s first spinal cord implant in humans — a new development that brings fresh hope to paralyzed patients.

What if we could restore the ability to walk to people paralyzed by injury or illness?
This vision is now moving closer to reality. Three years ago, Tel Aviv University researchers succeeded in engineering a human spinal cord in the lab for the first time. Since then, progress has been rapid, with animal trials showing unprecedented success. Now, for the first time, the technology is set to be tested in human patients.

Prof. Tal Dvir, of TAU’s Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, head of the Nanotechnology Center, and Chief Scientist of the biotech company Matricelf, explains:
“The spinal cord is made up of nerve cells that transmit electrical signals from the brain to every part of the body. When the spinal cord is torn due to trauma — from a car accident, a fall, or a battlefield injury — this chain is broken. Think of it like an electrical cable that’s been cut: if the two parts don’t touch, the electrical signal can’t pass. The cable won’t carry electricity, and in the same way, the person can’t transmit the signal beyond the site of the injury.”

This is one of the few injuries in the human body with no natural ability to regenerate. “Neurons are cells that do not divide and do not renew themselves. They are not like skin cells, which can repair themselves after injury. They are more similar to heart cells: once damage occurs, the body cannot restore them,” notes Prof. Dvir.

Engineering a Personalized Implant

To overcome this challenge, the TAU researchers developed a fully personalized process. Blood cells are taken from the patient and reprogrammed through genetic engineering to behave like embryonic stem cells, capable of becoming any type of cell in the body.

Meanwhile, fat tissue from the same patient is used to extract substances such as collagen and sugars. These are used to produce a unique hydrogel. “The beauty of this gel is that it’s also personalized, just like the cells. We take the cells that we’ve reprogrammed into embryonic-like stem cells, place them inside the gel, and mimic the embryonic development of the spinal cord,” says Prof. Dvir.

The result is a complete three-dimensional implant. “At the end of the process, we don’t just turn the cells into motor neurons — because cells alone won’t help us — but into three-dimensional tissue: neuronal networks of the spinal cord. After about a month, we obtain a 3D implant with many neurons that transmit electrical signals. These 3D tissues are then implanted into the damaged area.”

Visualization of the next stage of the research – human spinal cord implants for treating paralysis (Photo: Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology)

From Animals to Human Patients

The researchers first tested the implant in lab animals. “We showed that we can treat animals with chronic injuries. Not animals that were injured just recently, but those we allowed enough time to pass — like a person more than a year after an injury. More than 80% of the animals regained full walking ability,” Prof. Dvir explains.

Encouraged by these results, the team submitted the findings to Israel’s Ministry of Health. “About six months ago we received preliminary approval to begin compassionate-use trials with eight patients. We decided, of course, that the first patient would be Israeli. This is undoubtedly a matter of national pride. The technology was developed here in Israel, at Tel Aviv University and at Matricelf, and from the very beginning it was clear to us that the first-ever surgery would be performed in Israel, with an Israeli patient.” he says.

Looking Ahead

The first implant in a human patient is expected within about a year. For the initial trials, the team will focus on patients whose paralysis is relatively recent — within about a year of injury. “Once we prove that the treatment works — everything is open, and we’ll be able to treat any injury,” says Prof. Dvir.

Behind the initiative are key figures from both academia and industry. Prof. Dvir founded Matricelf in 2019 together with Dr. Alon Sinai, based on the revolutionary organ engineering technology developed at TAU under a licensing agreement through Ramot, the University’s technology transfer company. The company’s CEO is Gil Hakim, while the scientific development is led by Dr. Tamar Harel-Adar and her team.

“They managed to get us to the stage of regulatory approvals so quickly — and that’s amazing,” says Prof. Dvir.

Gil Hakim, CEO of Matricelf , concludes: “This milestone marks the shift from pioneering research to patient treatment. For the first time, we are translating years of successful preclinical work into a procedure for people living with paralysis. Our approach, using each patient’s own cells to engineer a new spinal cord, eliminates key safety risks and positions Matricelf at the forefront of regenerative medicine. If successful, this therapy has the potential to define a new standard of care in spinal cord repair, addressing a multi-billion-dollar market with no effective solutions today. This first procedure is more than a scientific breakthrough, it is a value-inflection point for Matricelf and a step toward transforming an area of medicine long considered untreatable. We are proud that Israel is leading this global effort and are fully committed to bringing this innovation to patients worldwide.”

Earliest Evidence of Neanderthal–Homo sapiens Interbreeding Found in Israel

Written by Hilary on 18 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

A TAU-led international study reveals the world’s oldest human fossil showing traits of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens — a five-year-old child who lived 140,000 years ago in Mount Carmel’s Skhul Cave.

An international study led by researchers from Tel Aviv University and the French National Centre for Scientific Research provides the first scientific evidence that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had biological and social relations, and even interbred for the first time, in the Land of Israel. The research team identified combination of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens traits in the skeleton of a five-year-old child discovered about 90 years ago in the Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel. The fossil, estimated to be about 140,000 years old, is the earliest human fossil in the world to display features of both groups, which until recently were considered two separate species.

A Window into Human Evolution

The study was led by Prof. Israel Hershkovitz of the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University and Anne Dambricourt-Malassé of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The findings of this historic discovery were published in the journal l’Anthropologie.

“Genetic studies over the past decade have shown that these two groups exchanged genes,” explains Prof. Hershkovitz. “Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, part of our genome—2 to 6 percent—is of Neanderthal origin. But these gene exchanges took place much later, between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago. Here, we are dealing with a human fossil that is 140,000 years old. In our study, we show that the child’s skull, which in its overall shape resembles that of Homo sapiens—especially in the curvature of the skull vault—has an intracranial blood supply system, a lower jaw, and an inner ear structure typical of Neanderthals.”

The skull of Skhul I child showing cranial curvature typical of Homo sapiens

Rewriting the Timeline

For years, Neanderthals were thought to be a group that evolved in Europe, migrating to the Land of Israel only about 70,000 years ago, following the advance of European glaciers. In a groundbreaking 2021 study published in the prestigious journal Science, Prof. Hershkovitz and his colleagues showed that early Neanderthals lived in the Land of Israel as early as 400,000 years ago. This human type, which Prof. Hershkovitz called “Nesher Ramla Homo” (after the archaeological site near the Nesher Ramla factory where it was found), encountered Homo sapiens groups that began leaving Africa about 200,000 years ago—and, according to the current study’s findings, interbred with them. The child from the Skhul Cave is the earliest fossil evidence in the world of the social and biological ties forged between these two populations over thousands of years. The local Neanderthals eventually disappeared when they were absorbed into the Homo sapiens population, much like the later European Neanderthals.

The lower jaw of Skhul I child showing features characteristics of Neanderthals

Advanced Analysis Confirms Hybrid Traits

The researchers reached these conclusions after conducting a series of advanced tests on the fossil. First, they scanned the skull and jaw using micro-CT technology at the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute at Tel Aviv University, creating an accurate three-dimensional model from the scans. This enabled them to perform a complex morphological analysis of the anatomical structures (including non-visible structures such as the inner ear) and compare them to various hominid populations. To study the structure of the blood vessels surrounding the brain, they also created an accurate 3D reconstruction of the inside of the skull.

“The fossil we studied is the earliest known physical evidence of mating between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens,” says Prof. Hershkovitz. “In 1998, a skeleton of a child was discovered in Portugal that showed traits of both of these human groups. But that skeleton, nicknamed the ‘Lapedo Valley Child,’ dates back to 28,000 years ago—more than 100,000 years after the Skhul child. Traditionally, anthropologists have attributed the fossils discovered in the Skhul Cave, along with fossils from the Qafzeh Cave near Nazareth, to an early group of Homo sapiens. The current study reveals that at least some of the fossils from the Skhul Cave are the result of continuous genetic infiltration from the local—and older—Neanderthal population into the Homo sapiens population.”

Prof. Israel Hershkovitz

Seeing Is Believing?

Written by Hilary on 14 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

A TAU-led study finds that seeing an image more than once, real or AI-generated, makes us more likely to believe it’s real.

The study— published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, a prestigious scientific journal of the American Psychological Association (APA) — was led by Guy Grinfeld, a doctoral student at the School of Psychological Sciences, Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with researchers from Germany, Belgium, and Spain.

The researchers found that repeated images are more likely to be believed as representing a real person, location, or event than images seen for the first time — even when those images were entirely AI-generated. “The study is based on a well-known psychological phenomenon called the ‘mere exposure effect,’ which suggests that information that we encounter repeatedly is perceived as more credible,” Grinfeld explains. “In our research, we sought to examine whether this effect also applies in the visual domain — specifically with images created using artificial intelligence algorithms.

This is the first study to demonstrate the mere exposure effect for images; until now, it had only been demonstrated for text. The findings raise concerns about the spread of false visual information on social media and its influence on public perception. As we like to summarize it, if until now the proverb went, ‘A lie told often enough becomes the truth,’ our study shows that ‘An image seen often enough becomes reality.’”

Inside the Experiment

In the experiment, participants were shown a series of images, both real photographs and AI-generated visuals. Later, they saw some of the same images again along with images they had not seen before, and were asked to judge whether each depicted a real object or event. The result was clear: images that participants had seen before were rated as more credible than new images — regardless of whether they were real or fake.

Surprisingly, the repetition effect was even stronger among the skeptical participants—those who generally rated images as less credible. This suggests that people who tend to be cautious might rely more heavily on repetition as an indicator of truth.

A Challenge in the AI Era

“In the era of social networks and digital media, we are constantly and involuntarily exposed to visual information,” says Grinfeld. “Whereas in the past, it was easy to lie with words, today, AI tools make it just as easy to ‘lie’ with images. Our new study reveals a troubling mechanism: people attribute higher credibility to visual information that is repeated, regardless of its veracity. This creates a dangerous combination: repeated exposure to false information can make it seem credible, simply through repetition.

“The findings raise profound questions about how we process information, especially in an age of visual overload in social and news media. They also highlight the central challenge of our time: preserving truth and critical thinking in a world of dynamic, easily manipulated, and hard-to-discern visual content.”

Guy Grinfeld, lead researcher of the study

From Israel’s Social Margins to the Top

Written by Hilary on 13 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

For students from Israel’s periphery—disadvantaged communities and cities which are often far from the country’s geographic center—academic education at a leading university can be difficult to access. For 20 years, Tel Aviv University’s Periphery Program for Outstanding Students has helped those with fewer resources be accepted into its ranks. Many periphery students, once at TAU, go on to become high achievers who continue to successful careers both in and out of academia.

The Periphery Program is generously supported by numerous donors and funds from around the world, including: the Galperin Family; Kadima Scholarships supported by the Kadar Family; Ruth and Amos Wilnai, the Drs. Garry and Kathy Fields-Rayant Scholarship Fund in honor of Dr. Anita Friedman; Prof. Stephen Quake; and The Charles, Evelyn and Sandra Dolansky Foundation through Executive Director Jeff Katz.

WATCH: Shimron, a recent graduate of the Periphery Program, is now a lawyer at a top Israeli law firm.

A Boost to Begin

The Periphery Program admits about 60 students per year through its special admissions track, designed for underprivileged applicants who excelled within their local educational setting. Each student receives a scholarship for the entirety of their undergraduate studies to support their tuition and living costs.

“The scholarship really helps me. I live alone and completely provide for myself: food, transportation, clothes, a social life—the support makes this much easier, I don’t have to fit so many work hours into my already-intense study schedule,” says Hila, 24. Hila, who made aliyah on her own in high school from Russia, is in her final year of a communications BA at TAU’s Coller School of Management.

“I worked very hard in high school, both to be academically successful and to assimilate into my Israeli surroundings as well as to learn Hebrew. Receiving the letter of eligibility from the Periphery Program showed me that my hard work paid off.”

Hila discovered a passion for marketing during her TAU studies, made possible by the Periphery Program. (Photo: Rafael Ben-Menashe)

After serving as a lone soldier in the army, Hila enrolled in Tel Aviv University through the Program. In her first year, she and her fellow Periphery students were provided with workshops, lectures and group activities which helped them navigate the University and manage their time in a new environment. Academic services continue to be available throughout their degrees, as does counseling from Program staff.

A TAU-Led Nationwide Mission

Today, most universities in Israel have similar programs for periphery students, but none would exist without the efforts of Tel Aviv University’s own President Prof. Ariel Porat. While serving as dean of the Buchmann Faculty of Law, Prof. Porat noticed that the academic entrance exam created a much higher barrier for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Originally, his goal was to help top high school graduates access higher education based on their grades relative to their classmates, rather than their standardized test scores.

The program was so successful that it soon expanded to the rest of the University and the package of services grew. It was later picked up by the Israeli Department of Education, who are able to anonymously identify the most promising students at periphery high schools and inform them of their eligibility to apply for the Program.

Tal, a Periphery Program participant, loves his geophysics studies as well as his fellow students and professors. (Photo: Rafael Ben-Menashe)

“As a kid, studying in Tel Aviv was my dream,” says Tal, 24, a Geophysics (Exact Sciences), third-year student from Bat Yam. “When I got the letter from the Department of Education, I was so happy about the opportunity.”

He loves his professors and fellow students, and feels very much a part of the scientific community as well as part of the University. “The Program has helped me get out of my academic comfort zone and see and meet people from across campus. It has allowed me to focus on my demanding studies without need to work on the side. I also feel much more confident knowing there’s someone I can reach out to when I need some extra help.”

Fostering Success during Wartime

At the Gaza war has worn on, it has affected students in many different ways; many students had to serve as reserve soldiers, others are struggling with trauma and still others had their homes damaged by missiles. Throughout this time, the Periphery Program has done everything it can to be available and accommodating to its participants.

“I feel that I’m supported from every direction at TAU,” says Yakir, 25. “When I was in reserve duty as a Krav Maga instructor for a combat unit, I received financial help. And when I need academic or any other support, there is always someone for me to turn to.” Yakir is from Or Akiva in Israel’s north, a region which was ravaged by rocket fire and is still struggling to recover.

Though his parents never graduated high school, both Yakir and his sister are now studying to become engineers. “The fact that the Program allowed me to start my studies based on my high school performance helped me start sooner and relieved my admissions anxiety; the tuition aid allows me to really focus without getting bogged down by financial worries,” he says. “This was a golden opportunity for which I’m deeply grateful. I would have found a way to do a degree without it, but it would have been an uphill battle.”

Each student is optimistic about the future. Hila has already found work in her field at an international marketing agency, and is very excited to go full-time there when she graduates. Tal hopes to continue in academia to an MA in Environmental Studies, and eventually to go into a career in environmental protection.

Breakthrough at TAU: Blocking One Protein Could Prevent Food Allergy Disease

Written by Hilary on 11 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

TAU researchers found that blocking the protein TSLP may prevent a painful, food allergy–driven disease on the rise worldwide

A new study from the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University may mark a breakthrough in the treatment of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) — a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus caused by food allergies. EoE leads to difficulty swallowing, chest and abdominal pain, and even growth delays in children. Its prevalence has been steadily increasing over the past decade in Israel and the Western world.

In this study, researchers identified the protein TSLP as a trigger for the disease’s development, and found that neutralizing it may significantly ease symptoms.

The study, led by Prof. Ariel Munitz and doctoral student Anish Dsilva from the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Chen Varol of Ichilov Hospital, Prof. Marc Rothenberg of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. It was supported by grants from the Israel Science Foundation, the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, and the Azrieli Foundation Canada–Israel. The article was published in Allergy, the leading journal in clinical immunology.

Understanding the Disease

Prof. Munitz explains: “Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or EoE, is a type of food allergy. It is a chronic inflammation of the esophagus caused by an abnormal immune response to food — mainly milk, eggs, wheat, nuts, fish, and more. The disease is characterized by an accumulation of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that is not typically present in a healthy esophagus. EoE is often associated with other allergic conditions such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. It causes difficulty swallowing, food getting stuck in the esophagus, chest and abdominal pain, and growth delays in children. Current treatments require restrictive diets, and in severe cases, patients rely on essential amino acid formulas. Over the past decade, there has been a concerning rise in the prevalence of EoE worldwide, including in Israel. We are studying the disease in depth to understand the involvement of various immune system components in its progression. These components may serve as targets for future treatment for this disease, and for other allergic disorders as well.”

A previous study from Prof. Munitz’s lab, also published in Allergy, presented an experimental model that closely mimics the course and symptoms of EoE in humans. As a direct continuation of that study, the researchers now focused on a specific aspect of the disease, aiming to understand the role of epithelial cells. Prof. Munitz elaborates: “Epithelial cells form a protective outer layer that prevents foreign bodies from entering organs, including the digestive and respiratory systems. In allergic conditions, epithelial cells release various substances in response to encountering an allergen, and these substances trigger the chain of events that initiate the inflammatory process we experience as an allergy attack.”

TSLP: The Central Player

The researchers found that epithelial cells in the esophagus of the EoE experimental model secreted high levels of two proteins: IL-33 and TSLP. They also discovered that the esophageal tissue contained immune cells with receptors for both proteins, indicating that these are active proteins capable of initiating the disease.

They then examined whether each protein had a distinct role or acted together. Using genetic engineering, they created models lacking one of the proteins.

The results were clear: removing IL-33 did not change the disease course, but removing TSLP led to a dramatic improvement — in some cases preventing the disease entirely. Similarly, neutralizing TSLP with an antibody caused a significant reduction in symptoms. Sequencing and bioinformatic analyses confirmed that TSLP acts as a master regulator of EoE, making it a promising therapeutic target.

Prof. Munitz concludes: “In this study, we found that the TSLP protein is a central player in EoE — a disease that causes significant suffering and is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. We know that pharmaceutical companies are currently developing a variety of antibodies targeting disease-causing proteins, under the broad category of biological therapies, including antibodies against TSLP. We believe these antibodies could serve as an effective treatment for EoE.”

TAU Revisits 100-Year Mystery of Inherited Traits

Written by Hilary on 10 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

An international team led by TAU’s Prof. Oded Rechavi is recreating century-old experiments to explore how traits can be inherited beyond genetics.

In 1902, three prominent Jewish biologists established the Biologische Versuchsanstalt (BVA) in what was then Austro-Hungarian Vienna. Now, an international team led by Tel Aviv University’s Prof. Oded Rechavi has been awarded a $1.2 million grant by the prestigious Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) to continue their work . HFSP is known for its highly competitive selection process, approving only 4% of proposals submitted each year, and indeed the team’s project is truly exceptional, both scientifically and historically.

“We propose a unique study, combining history and cutting-edge biology, focused on the BVA – one of the most groundbreaking institutes of the early 20th century,” says Prof. Rechavi, of the School of Biochemistry, Neurobiology, and Biophysics at the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University. The institute was notable for conducting long-term experiments in live animals, a new concept in biological study of those days, and its founders, led by Hans Leo Przibram, emphasized the importance of biology as an empirical and quantitative science on the one hand, and of studying animals in habitats as natural as possible on the other. Przibram led and supported very long experiments in hundreds of species of animals, many of which were never used in research later on or even successfully raised in captivity. The BVA was also innovative with the implementation of advanced methods for climate control, allowing researchers to carefully study the influence of the environment on biology.

Breathing New Life into a Controversial Idea

“The BVA gained notoriety through Paul Kammerer, who claimed that environmental factors influenced inheritance and was later accused of fraud. However, other respected researchers at the BVA also studied the inheritance of acquired traits—without disproof. Tragically, the scandal and the Nazi persecution of the institute’s Jewish members led to its collapse. As modern genetics emerged, the entire concept of acquired trait inheritance was set aside —until recent discoveries in epigenetics brought it back into scientific discourse,” adds Prof. Rechavi.

For nearly a century, the idea of inheriting acquired traits was considered scientific heresy. But in the past 15 years, research in epigenetic inheritance has breathed new life into this controversial topic. Prof. Rechavi identified a molecular mechanism enabling the transgenerational inheritance of acquired traits in the highly useful model organism, the C. elegans nematode, via small RNA molecules. Now, the next challenge is to demonstrate that similar mechanisms exist across other species – potentially reshaping our understanding of evolution. And this is where the BVA’s historical work becomes newly relevant.

Recreating Landmark Experiments

“The papers published by BVA researchers made headlines but were largely ignored because, for a long time, few believed in non-genetic inheritance,” Prof. Rechavi explains. “The question is: can we replicate their experiments using modern tools and knowledge? For example, one of BVA director Hans Przibram’s most promising studies involved growing rats to in warm climate over generations to observe whether the environment can affect their offspring body and tail size. We plan to recreate this experiment as one of our first steps. Today’s improved temperature control systems and the ability to account for genetic variation could allow our team to isolate true epigenetic effects from purely genetic one, potentially validating theories that were ahead of their time more than a century ago.”

International partners

Starting this December, Prof. Oded Rechavi will lead the historical research and assessment of the rich scientific legacy of the BVA, with the support of Prof. Gerd Müller, an expert in the study of the relationship between evolution and development and the editor of a recently published book about the BVA, studying the Viennese sociocultural context at the time of the BVA’s founding.

Prof. Katharina Gapp, an expert in the study of environmentally induced traits, their epigenetic underpinnings and inheritance in rodents, will lead the reproduction of Przibram’s 1925 rat experiments in rodents of genetically identical backgrounds housed in standardized and temperature-controlled cages and complement these observations with molecular studies on small RNA and the mechanistic underpinnings, aided by the expertise in the Rechavi lab.

Prof. Miguel Vences, an expert in the study of amphibian phylogeny and systematics and patterns and processes of species formation, will lead the reproduction of the salamander experiments conducted in the BVA with the goal of identifying if any of these studies indeed succeeded in demonstrating the inheritance of such environmentally triggered changes.

According to Kammerer, his “experimentum crucis” describing acquired traits inheritance was with a sea squirt (ascidian) called Ciona intestinalis, allegedly demonstrating a transgenerational effect of siphon elongation following amputations. Unfortunately, Kammerer never published his study design, and multiple attempts to reproduce it failed to identify transgenerational effects. Prof. Yasunori Sasakura, a world leader in the study of ascidians as models for developmental genetics and evolution, who was the first to make knockout strains of Ciona intestinalis, will lead the search for molecular mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance in the model organism. C. intestinalis is an organism with large phenotypical diversity in different environmental conditions. Identification of such epigenetic inheritance mechanisms in the ascidian could provide an indication to the validity of the experiments conducted at the BVA without reproducing them precisely.

Kidney in a Dish: TAU and Sheba’s Six-Month Breakthrough

Written by Hilary on 10 August 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

A lab-grown kidney model is giving researchers a rare view into human development, birth defects, and potential new therapies.

For the first time researchers from both Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have grown human kidney organoids ,a synthetic 3D organ culture, from tissue stem cells in the laboratory mirroring human fetal kidney development.

The kidney grew and developed over months, allowing researchers to see the development of the organ in real time, isolate genes that lead to birth defects, develop new treatments in the field of regenerative medicine, and test the toxicity of drugs during pregnancy on fetal kidneys.

The current model has matured and stayed stable for over half a year. Previous kidney organoids mimicking development broke down within four weeks. This allows long-term research and medical testing on kidney models.

It is also the purest kidney organoid ever developed, with no cross contamination from stem cell development. Previous models using pluripotent stem cells would develop other cellular structures due to the unstable nature of the stem cells. The new organoid only expresses kidney cells, allowing for clear cause-and-effect experiments.

Behind the Breakthrough

The groundbreaking study was led by Prof. Benjamin Dekel, Director of the Sagol Center for Regenerative Medicine at Tel Aviv University and Director of the Pediatric Nephrology Unit and the Stem Cell Research Institute at the Safra Children’s Hospital at Sheba Medical Center. Also participating in the study were doctoral student Dr. Michael Namestannikov, a graduate of the Physician-Researcher track at the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University, and Dr. Osnat Cohen-Sontag, a research associate at Sheba Medical Center, as part of Prof. Dekel’s research group. The study was published in the prestigious medical publication The EMBO Journal.

“Life begins with pluripotent stem cells, which can differentiate into any cell in the body,” explains Prof. Dekel. “In the past, they were able to grow organoids – 3D organ-like cultures – by producing such general stem cells and sorting them into kidneys, but after about a month the kidney in culture died, and the process had to be started again. About a decade ago, my research group was able to isolate for the first time the human kidney tissue stem cells that are responsible for the growth of the developing organ. Now we have succeeded for the first time in growing a human kidney in the form of an organoid from the specific stem cells of the kidney, and this in parallel with the maturation process in the uterus that occurs until the 34th week of pregnancy.”

Human fetal kidney cells

Opening Doors to Future Therapies

Researchers grow organoids in laboratory conditions to study organs in ways that are not possible in humans, but organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells often contain unwanted cells unrelated to the organ being studied that contaminate experiment data. Prof. Dekel’s organoid grew from kidney tissue stem cells in a “clean” manner, since these stem cells differentiate exclusively into kidney tissue. These cells developed into different types of kidney cells, and over half a year formed different tissues of the kidney, such as blood filter cells and kidney and urinary ducts, a process known as tubulogenesis.

“Growing the fetal kidney structures can shed new light on biological processes in general, and in particular on processes that lead to kidney diseases,” says Prof. Dekel. “And indeed, when we selectively blocked a certain signaling pathways [in the organoid], we saw how it lead to a birth defect. We are actually seeing live how a developmental problem leads to kidney diseases that are seen in the clinic, which will enable the development of innovative treatments.”

The implications that go far beyond research. “The fact that we can grow kidney tissue stem cells outside the body over time opens the door to regenerative medicine, that is, transplanting kidney tissue grown in the laboratory – inside the body or alternatively harnessing signals the organoid secrets for repair and rejuvenation of a damaged kidney ,” said Prof. Dekel. “We now have an essentially inexhaustible source of different kidney cells, and a better understanding of their different roles in kidney development and function.”

Breakthroughs like this represent Israel’s unique place in the world, says Prof. Dror Harats, Chairman of the Sheba Research Authority. “In recent years, we have witnessed attempts to distance Israel from international centers of influence, and scientific successes of this kind are a reminder that our contribution to medical and scientific research is significant and unquestionable.”

Rare Genetic Disease Decoded by TAU’s All-Women Research Team

Written by Hilary on 31 July 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

A new model developed at TAU following a family’s request is helping researchers study a rare brain disorder known to affect only 40 people worldwide.

When the parents of an 8-year-old Israeli boy reached out to Tel Aviv University, a research team at the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences stepped up. Their mission: to find answers for a devastating genetic condition with no known cure. The result is a breakthrough mouse model that mimics the disease with striking accuracy — and may pave the way for life-saving treatments.

The study was led by Prof. Moran Rubinstein and Prof. Karen Avraham, Dean of the Faculty. Other participants included students Mor Yam, Julan Nasir, Daniel Gelber, Shir Kavin, Roni Gal, Mor Ovadia, Mor Bordinik-Cohen, and Eden Peled — all from the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University or the Sagol School of Neuroscience — as well as Dr. Moran Heusman-Kedem and Prof. Aviva Fattal-Valevski from the Pediatric Neurology Institute at Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, and Prof. Christopher McKinnon and Prof. Wayne Frankel from Columbia University in the United States.

Prof. Avraham explains: “We were approached by the parents of an Israeli child named Adam, now 8 years old, who is one of approximately 40 people worldwide suffering from an extremely rare genetic disease. It’s a mutation in a gene called GRIN2D, which causes developmental epilepsy, severe delays in motor and cognitive development, and sometimes even premature death.”

Eden Maimon Benet, Adam’s mother, adds: “At Tel Aviv University, we met a remarkable all-women team that took on the mission: to find a cure for our son. I believe the fact that they got to know Adam and our family personally only deepened their dedication and commitment. When Adam was two years old, we embarked on this long journey together — and today, we can already see real light at the end of the tunnel.”

How Do You Study a Disease No One Understands?

In the first stage, the researchers aimed to better understand the disease’s characteristics. To do so, they created a mouse model with a mutation similar to that found in human patients. However, due to the severity of the disease, most of the mice did not survive their first weeks of life — before any meaningful research observations could be made. This led the team to conclude that while the model mimics the human disease, it poses a major challenge: too few mice could be generated for scientific study.

To overcome this, they used genetic engineering tools to create a strain of mice that carry the mutation but do not develop symptoms. These serve as carriers, with half of the offspring born healthy and the other half born with the disease. The affected mice exhibited symptoms similar to those seen in children with the disease. Most lived only a few weeks, and only a few survived up to three months. The researchers observed their behaviour and development at four key stages: at two weeks old (infancy), three weeks (when mice transition to solid food — roughly equivalent to a one-year-old child), four weeks (roughly age six in children), and five weeks (the onset of sexual maturity).

“Because the disease is so rare, we don’t yet fully understand how it progresses with age,” Prof. Rubinstein says. “The mouse model helped us characterize symptoms at various stages. The tests we conducted revealed interesting findings: neurological symptoms — including epilepsy, hyperactivity, and severe motor impairments — appeared as early as infancy. Cognitive impairments, on the other hand, showed up later and worsened gradually. In addition, their lifespan was short — most of the affected mice did not survive to sexual maturity.”

What Happens in the Brain?

In a follow-up experiment, the researchers monitored communication between neurons in the brains of the model mice, focusing on the cerebellum — the brain region responsible for motor control. The tests showed that by just two weeks of age, pathological changes were already present, expressed as reduced neuronal activity. Later in life, activity levels returned to normal; however, the communication between neurons became impaired. Finally, the researchers identified structural changes in the neurons themselves. All these findings help shed light on the mechanism driving the disease.

EEG recordings conducted on the affected mice revealed a unique brain activity pattern that also characterizes the disease in humans. “In most types of epilepsy, seizures are caused by disruptions in brain activity, but between seizures, brain activity is relatively normal,” explains Prof. Rubinstein. “In this disease — in both children and mice — brain activity is consistently disrupted. Moreover, using specific markers we developed, we identified the same abnormal parameters in both mice and humans — a finding that most clearly demonstrates the validity of the model.”

From Testing to Treatment

After confirming that the mouse model accurately mimics the human disease, the researchers began testing the effects of various drugs on the progression of symptoms. They found that ketamine — a drug previously proposed for treating this condition — actually worsened the seizures. In contrast, memantine, another drug currently used for this disease, led to partial improvement in brain function. The same was true for phenytoin, an anti-seizure medication, which also improved some markers of brain activity.

New Hope for Rare Disease Patients

“Modeling the disease using a mouse model is a key tool in making clinical decisions for treating rare diseases,” explains Dr. Heusman-Kedem, who adds: “The model allows us to test the efficacy of known drugs, as well as the safety and effectiveness of innovative treatments — before administering them to patients. For example, the results found in the mouse model helped clarify that memantine may help prevent seizures. Using a mouse model provides critical insights for developing new treatment strategies for rare diseases, where the number of patients is too small to establish broad statistical conclusions. In such cases, animal studies can offer major breakthroughs and support the development of personalized medicine.”

“In this study, we created a mouse model of a rare genetic disease caused by a mutation in the GRIN2D gene,” concludes Prof. Rubinstein. “The model allowed us to better understand how the disease progresses and to test the effectiveness of several existing drugs. We’re now continuing the research and exploring additional therapies — both pharmaceutical and genetic — and we’ve reached promising results, including improvements in cognition and motor function and increased lifespan in the affected mice. We sincerely hope our work brings hope and real progress to families and children battling this rare and devastating disease — and to those affected by other brain conditions with similar mechanisms.”

BOG 2025: Canada Champions Student Success

Written by Hilary on 24 July 2025. Posted in Newsroom.

Tel Aviv University Canada makes a substantial impact at this year’s Board of Governors meeting.

Tel Aviv University welcomed an especially strong delegation from Canada to campus during the 2025 Board of Governors events. Their presence was marked by active participation, major project ceremonies, and the dedication of two significant new scholarship funds—each aimed at strengthening student access and success, and each carrying deep personal meaning and national resonance for Israeli society.

Supporting Israeli Students of Ethiopian Descent: The Baruch Tegegne Fund

A moving plaque unveiling ceremony was held at the Student Success Center in recognition of the Baruch Tegegne Fund, established by TAU Governor Yaffa Tegegne and her husband Benjamin Ahdoot, from Montreal. Named in memory of Yaffa’s late father, Baruch Tegegne z’l, a pioneer of Ethiopian Aliyah and human rights activist, the fund supports more than 20 students of Ethiopian descent pursuing full-time studies at TAU.

A respected Israeli-Canadian human rights lawyer and the first woman of Ethiopian descent to join the TAU Board of Governors, Yaffa delivered a heartfelt speech emphasizing her family’s commitment to building a leadership cohort of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. “We chose TAU because we wanted to create a space for Ethiopian Jews in Tel Aviv, where unfortunately you do not see many Ethiopian faces,” she said. “Our goal in partnership with the university is to ensure that students from this community can access better academic and professional opportunities.”

The fund evolved from a professional relationship between Yaffa Tegegne and TAU Canada, following her discovery of the challenges Ethiopian graduates face in securing employment in Israel. In response, she created an internship program at her husband’s family company, HyperTech, for TAU students of Ethiopian descent in Engineering—offering them not only valuable work experience but a broader connection to the Jewish world.

Today, the Baruch Tegegne Fund provides tuition and tailored academic and social services to address the unique challenges faced by students of Ethiopian descent, furthering their integration and long-term success. Recognizing Yaffa Tegegne’s outstanding advocacy and leadership, TAU was proud to appoint her co-chair of its Equity and Diversity Committee, alongside TAU Vice President Prof. Neta Ziv.

Responding to Crisis with Opportunity: The Turkienicz Israel Education Fund

Eli and Ellen Turkienicz inaugurate the Turkienicz Israel Education Fund at the 2025 BOG. (Photo: Yuval Yosef)

A second plaque unveiling honored the creation of the Turkienicz Israel Education Fund, endowed by Eli and Ellen Turkienicz of Toronto. The fund was established in the wake of the October 7 attacks as a way to create a lasting, consequential response to tragedy. It supports Israeli graduate students from communities surrounding the Gaza border—students who have completed their national service, demonstrated financial need, and are pursuing MBAs or business-related degrees at TAU.

“I was frustrated that I couldn’t do anything about what was happening to Israel,” said Eli Turkienicz, a real estate developer, lawyer, and founder of Pinemount Developments. “My daughter studied at TAU, and I wanted to do something meaningful in response.”

Supporting Israel’s students—its future—is something I’m deeply proud of.

Eli spoke emotionally about the contrast he observed between his experience in Israel and the atmosphere back home in Canada. “Driving to TAU today, I was so proud to see Israeli flags flying from windows and bridges.”

Dean of Students Prof. Drorit Neumann, who joined the unveiling, noted that TAU serves over 30,000 students, many of whom are navigating increasingly complex realities. “The goal is simple; the doing is more complicated. These new funds allow us to provide the kind of targeted support that makes a real difference.”

A Testament to Canadian Commitment

These new funds are a testament to the enduring and evolving connection between Tel Aviv University and its Canadian friends and supporters. Both the Tegegne and Turkienicz families exemplify a deeply personal and values-driven approach to philanthropy—one that links individual experience with a desire to have a national impact on Israeli society.

Author: Hilary