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Author: Raphael

Can Stem Cells Restore Bone Marrow?

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

Doubling adult stem cells for bone marrow and immune system regeneration.

An international research team, led by scientists from Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center, has unveiled an innovative method for activating adult stem cells from human bone marrow, enabling their expansion outside the body for use in bone marrow regeneration and the construction of a new blood and immune system.

The findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature Immunology, represent a breakthrough that could significantly improve transplant success rates for patients who have undergone intensive chemotherapy, suffer from genetic disorders, or require a bone marrow transplant but are unable to source a sufficient number of stem cells from a donor.

The study was led by Dr. Tomer Itkin from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and the Sagol Center for Regenerative Medicine at Tel Aviv University, and the Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer. The research also included contributions from leading medical institutions worldwide, including Weill Cornell Medical College and Hospital in New York, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Mount Sinai Hospital, the University of Toronto Medical Center, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Dr. Tomer Itkin.

Switching On Stem Cells

In the study, which is based on a comprehensive big data analysis of RNA sequencing and epigenetic DNA sequencing, the researchers identified a key protein—the Fli-1 transcription factor—that activates stem cells of the immune and blood system. These stem cells are highly active when sourced from umbilical cord blood but remain in a “dormant” and inactive state when obtained from adult bone marrow donors. Using modified mRNA technology—the same technology used to develop COVID-19 vaccines—the researchers successfully “awakened” the adult stem cells, allowing them to divide in a controlled manner without cancer risk. The activated cells were expanded on endothelial cells, which mimic the blood vessels that support stem cells in the bone marrow environment, demonstrating an enhanced ability to integrate and restore blood production under transplant conditions.

According to Dr. Itkin, “This new method significantly expands the available pool of stem cells for transplantation without relying on rare bone marrow donors. Additionally, the method can be used to treat patients whose stem cells have undergone genetic correction, such as those with thalassemia and hereditary anemia, as well as patients who have undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy and have an insufficient number of stem cells for autologous transplantation“.

The key takeaway from the study is that activating stem cells through molecular programming, rather than arbitrary cell transplantation, substantially improves the success rates of regenerative treatments. The next stage of research involves testing the method in clinical trials to bring this groundbreaking technology into widespread therapeutic use. Furthermore, the researchers plan to apply the same therapeutic approach to regenerate additional tissues, including those without existing adult stem cells, such as the heart.

The Bat’s Walking Cane: How a Tail Becomes a Sensor in the Dark

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

New research highlights a unique evolutionary adaptation: a bat’s tail acting as a reverse walking cane.

A new study from Tel Aviv University reveals that the Greater Mouse-Tailed Bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum) uses its long tail as a natural tactile sensor to navigate backward in dark caves. The researchers discovered that the bat’s long tail functions as a dynamic sensing tool, enabling it to avoid obstacles and orient itself in complex environments while climbing backward—especially when other sensory abilities like vision and echolocation are limited. The study found that when the tail was numbed with a local anesthetic, the bats’ ability to navigate around obstacles while crawling backward and the speed of their movement decreased significantly.

The research was led by Sahar Hajyahia and Mor Taub, students in the laboratory of Prof. Yossi Yovel of Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology in the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Sagol School of Neuroscience. The study was published in the scientific journal iScience.

פרופ' יוסי יובל

Prof. Yossi Yovel.

Professor Yossi Yovel explains: “During the study, the bats crawled up a vertical maze while moving backward as we recorded their movement using an advanced tracking system. The bats used their tails like a blind walking cane, swinging them from side to side to detect obstacles and climb more safely and efficiently. In contrast, when the tail was numbed, the climbing time increased by an average of 10%, and the bats made more lateral movements instead of moving upward, apparently trying to find their way”.

The researchers also noted that the bats demonstrated a remarkable ability to distinguish between different textures using their tails. They were able to differentiate between a fine wooden grid (1 cm intervals) and a sparser grid (1.5 cm), highlighting the tail’s complex ability to serve as an exceptionally sensitive tactile sensor.

Greater Mouse-Tailed Bat (Photo courtesy of Jens Rydell).

Professor Yossi Yovel concludes: “In most bats, the tail is very short and integrated into the wing membrane. In Rhinopoma, however, the tail remains long and free, and to the best of our knowledge, they are the only bats that use it to sense their immediate surroundings. This is another example of how evolution adapts animals’ senses to meet specific needs—in this case, moving backward in dark places around obstacles and other bats. Many bats crawl backward on dark walls and cannot use their frontal senses like vision and sonar to ‘see’ behind them. One can think of the tail as a sort of reverse sensor for the Rhinopoma. This discovery opens the door to further research on tail usage as a sensor in other animal species. Additionally, the findings could inspire the development of new sensory technologies inspired by nature, such as robotic navigation systems for complex environments”.

Why We Really Exercise: First AI Study Reveals True Motivation

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

A first-of-its-kind AI study finds 23.9% exercise for appearance and 18.9% for health.

A new study from Tel Aviv University used AI tools for the first time to discover what motivates people to exercise and which strategies are most effective for maintaining physical fitness.

The researchers used tools of artificial intelligence and machine learning to scan thousands of posts on the Reddit social network. They found that 23.9% of the users who engage in sports do so to improve their appearance, 18.9% exercise to maintain their physical health, and 16.9% exercise to maintain their mental health.

The study was led by a team of researchers from TAU’s School of Public Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences : Dr. Michal Shmueli-Scheuer, Yedidya Silverman, Prof. Israel Halperin, and Prof. Yftach Gepner. The paper was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR).

Why Don’t We Exercise More, Even When We Know It’s Crucial?

Prof. Gepner explains: “Researchers in our field usually rely on cumbersome old-school questionnaires, containing inherent biases, to understand why people engage in sports and what strategies help them adhere to physical activity.  It’s an astonishing phenomenon: science tells us that if we put just over two hours a week into physical activity, we can prevent 30% of diseases, improve our quality of life, and extend our lifespan; and yet, less than a quarter of the population actually does this. Why? What have we failed to see?  While we all wish our loved ones good health on their birthday, a wish for ‘good workouts’ is quite rare… But there is a way to be healthy – by exercising. That’s why it’s crucial to understand what really motivates people to engage in physical activity and what helps them stick with it”.

“Our findings are not based on self-reporting, a representative sample, a questionnaire, or a survey. This is, in plain terms, the real reason why people exercise. And the answer is that people mainly exercise to look good. In questionnaires, people claim they want to be healthy, but in reality, they want six-pack abs. These findings are important because they teach us how to address the public, how to persuade people to get off the couch, promote health, and prevent disease”, he adds.

Beyond the question of motivation, the researchers also sought to identify strategies that induce people to engage in physical activity. According to the Reddit posts, 30% rely on workout habits (e.g. morning/evening, every Saturday morning), 13.9% set goals (such as losing weight or running 5 km), 12.1% enjoy the activity itself, 9.7% enjoy socializing during workouts, 8.9% use media (such as YouTube workout videos), 2.8% use fitness apps, and 2.5% have made a financial commitment to adhere to physical activity.

“The results are quite significant”, explains Prof. Gepner. “One strategy is more successful and therefore more recommended than others—creating exercise habits. If you want to be healthier, you need to develop healthy habits, period. Instead of a morning cigarette, drink two glasses of water and go out for a run. 30% is an empirical statistic that is hard to argue with, so as the Head of the Department of Health Promotion, I can confidently say to the public: develop habits and be healthy”.

Bias, Blame, and Brainpower: What Happens When Minds and Machines Collide

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

Highlights from the LMU-TAU AI-Humanity-Society Workshop

 
From March 17–19, 2025, early-career researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) gathered in Munich for an interdisciplinary workshop on how artificial intelligence is reshaping our understanding of society, culture, and human behavior. Building on the virtual session in November 2024, the in-person event featured perspectives from law, social science, economics, business, psychology, philosophy, and data science.

As AI technologies—from generative models to predictive algorithms—become more and more embedded in daily life, participants discussed timely questions: How do these systems affect human decision-making? What are the legal and ethical implications? And how can we keep innovation grounded in human values?

AI Meets the Human Mind and Personality

One of the workshop’s core themes was the interplay between personality traits and how people engage with AI. Dr. Shir Etgar presented research showing that AI-generated financial advice varies based on gendered cues—such as stereotypically male or female professions—often offering women less risky and more simplified, even patronizing, responses. 

“Gender biases can have tremendous implications. We need a new approach that helps users become more aware and make informed decisions.”—Dr. Shir Etgar, TAU Faculty of Social Sciences

Research on how our personality shapes our perception of AI found that neuroticism is associated with treating AI as a threat, while agreeableness was linked with seeing AI as an opportunity. These traits influence whether people override, avoid, or embrace AI recommendations.

Other contributions examined public attitudes toward AI, its role in policy-related research such as refugee integration and how tailoring AI systems to users’ personality profiles might improve experience.

At the same time, researchers cautioned against over-anthropomorphizing machines, emphasizing the ethical consequences of designing systems that appear ‘too human’. What is important, however, is that AI can surely serve as a tool for real social change.

Questions of Legitimacy and Accountability 

What happens to our right to due process when an algorithm makes the call? On the one hand, AI can definitely help reduce bureaucratic barriers for people in need of legal aid by automating the initial assessment of cases. On the other hand, how can fair treatment be ensured?

“If promises are not made personally but by a computer system used by a human, without the human knowing the content of the given promises, does this break the fundamental human trust?”—Peter Moser, LMU

Building on earlier research presented at the TAU-LMU Workshop in 2022, discussions emphasized that AI systems are unlikely to completely replace humans in the near future. Instead, AI systems and humans are expected to work side by side, which raises new questions of liability and responsibility in decision-making, particularly when errors occur and blame must be assigned. 

When AI Misses the Subtleties

Despite its exponentially growing capabilities, AI still struggles with nuance and consistency. AI-generated predictions of voting behavior during the EU elections revealed significant variability in accuracy across regions and languages—highlighting the risk of reinforcing social inequalities if these systems are not properly validated.

Prompt engineering also remains a major challenge—as anyone who has tried running the same prompt twice knows very well, each attempt will yield a different result, raising concerns about reproducibility and transparency.  

Another limitation is AI’s current difficulty with counterfactual ‘what if’ thinking and reasoning from a first or third-person perspective—fundamental to human and animal cognition. This may constitute another area for future development.

“LLMs can mimic human logic to a point—but they still lack the personal and contextual depth that defines human thought.”—Roy Klein, TAU

A Shared Vision for Interdisciplinary Research

The workshop wrapped up with a forward-looking discussion on future collaboration. Representatives from both LMU and TAU emphasized their shared commitment to bridging the gap between technology and humanity.

“The partnership between LMU and TAU is more than just a collaboration—it’s a convergence of academic strengths that allows us to tackle today’s most pressing questions from multiple angles,” said Dr. Michal Linder Zarankin, from TAU.

“By combining our expertise across disciplines, we’re ensuring that the development of new technologies is guided by a deep understanding of cultural and ethical dimensions.”—Dr. Lior Zalmanson, the Academic Coordinator and a Senior Lecturer at TAU

Participants also gave highly positive feedback on the structure, setup, and substance of the event, praising the relevance and quality of the talks, the diverse yet focused group of participants, and the opportunities for meaningful conversation. 

“In terms of talks and topics and people, it was the BEST workshop I’ve ever been to. People were extremely nice, smart, and motivated to connect and collaborate,” commented one of the participants.

Looking Ahead

As TAU and LMU continue to deepen their cooperation, new funding opportunities will support further research at the intersection of AI, humanities, and the social sciences. 

Participants noted the ongoing challenge of inter- or multi-disciplinary collaboration—especially the lack of a shared language across fields. Events like this collaborative workshop help build essential bridges between different academic fields.

By encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, the AI–Humanity–Society workshop has not only sparked new ideas—it has laid the groundwork for future breakthroughs at the intersection of technology and the human experience.

Closing the Academic Gender Gap in Israel

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

Some 50 outstanding female TAU graduates have gone abroad for post-docs thanks to a fellowship aiming to increase women’s representation in academia

Though great progress has been made for gender equality in recent decades, academia today still struggles with a severe underrepresentation of women in senior positions. Even at Tel Aviv University, where women make up 58% of PhD students—They compose only 33% of senior faculty. To help enable women to continue in academia, the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women is offered to outstanding female TAU graduates to assist them in going abroad for postdoctoral research. Ultimately, many of these brilliant women return to Israel and strengthen the academic landscape through their groundbreaking contributions.

Unique Obstacles

At Tel Aviv University, over 130 talented women complete their doctoral degrees each year. Generally, Israeli researchers who wish to compete for a faculty position at a top Israeli university must go abroad for their postdoctoral research, a requirement which poses particular challenges to women. “Statistics show that the post-doc stage is where the most women fall out of academia,” says Fellowship director Michal Boneh-Mizrahi. “This is true globally, but in Israel women are usually older and already have a family that they must relocate and support, creating further obstacles.”

Aside from social norms that pressure women to prioritize their husbands’ careers, these obstacles are in large part financial. The monetary cost of settling in a new country and fully supporting a family (given that a post-doc’s spouse may not be able to work abroad) is often much higher than any funding given by host institutions which do not take dependents into account. “Funding for women to go abroad to do postdoctoral work should be a high priority,” says TAU Prof. Ines Zucker (Engineering), who received the TAU Fellowship while doing her postdoctoral work on nanomaterials and sustainable water treatment at Yale. “We lose so many talented women from academia because of the financial burden.”   

 

Prof. Zucker with her lab team of student researchers (photo: Rafael Ben-Menashe, TAU).

Providing Support to Advance

Since 2016, Tel Aviv University has enabled 49 outstanding women to conduct postdoctoral research abroad with the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women. The two-year Fellowship is offered to 5 female TAU PhD graduates each year. These researchers span a wide range of fields and have traveled to world-renowned institutions including Harvard, Oxford, MIT, Mt. Sinai Hospital and more.

“My time at Harvard was a life-changing experience, both for my career and my family,” says Fellowship recipient Dr. Yifat Naftali Ben Zion (Law), who recently returned to TAU as faculty. “I got to meet so many important people in my field and learn so much that I couldn’t have anywhere else. But it would not have been possible without the Fellowship, as I needed to bring my husband and three young children with me.” 

Dr. Belaynesh Makonen (Education), another former Fellow, spent two years away from her husband and four children at University of Minnesota. “Thanks to the Fellowship, I was able to take time off from my career to accomplish my academic goals.” Dr. Makonen, who was the youngest person ever to become a school inspector in Israel, conducted post-doc research exploring American Jewish identity. She also found a place in the community herself. “I immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia when I was 15; when I got to America, I felt like I was starting over one more time. The Minnesota Jewish community welcomed me with open arms and made sure I had everything I needed.” The support was especially important after Oct. 7 as two of her sons were called to fight in the Gaza war.  

Dr. Belaynesh Makonen traveled to Washington, DC with an Anti-Defamation League leadership program on fighting antisemitism.

Dr. Makonen also took on the responsibility of acting as an advocate and ambassador for Israel during her time abroad. She participated in an ADL leadership program and spoke out about her own identity. “Since I don’t look how Americans expect Israelis to look, I wanted to use my voice to show the diversity of Israel and help spread tolerance within the University of Minnesota.”

At the Forefront of Israeli Research

In addition to acting as ambassadors outside of Israel, the Presidential Fellowship ensures that these women are able to return to Israel and secure top academic positions where their groundbreaking research can have the most impact. Prof. Zucker and Dr. Naftali Ben Zion are two such women who returned to Tel Aviv University from Ivy League universities.

“I had a great time at Yale,” says Prof. Zucker. “I was exposed to the top science in my field and formed lasting professional partnerships.” Since returning to TAU, her lab has become the first in the world to research microplastics and other byproducts of industry in the environment rather than controlled lab conditions; their methods are now used internationally. Her other projects also continue to focus on removal of pollutants from water in affiliation with the TAU Environmental School and the Jan Koum Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.  

Prof. Naftali Ben Zion researches financial law at Tel Aviv University’s Law Faculty (Photo: Rafael Ben Menashe, TAU).

“I feel very at home here,” says Prof. Zucker, who received all three of her degrees from Tel Aviv University. “I especially appreciate that the schools are set up to encourage collaboration, allowing for incredibly diverse applications of my research.”

“The greatest strength of Israeli universities and TAU specifically is our community,” agrees Prof. Naftali Ben Zion, who researches private law with a specialization in fiduciary law, or the legal framework governing the responsibilities of those entrusted with managing others’ interest. This field of law is relatively unexplored in Israel, and her work has already been cited by the Israeli Supreme Court.

“There’s such a unique amount of support and cooperation here, which creates better academic work. The sharing and mutual development of ideas are the foundation of strong academia.”

What Can Bob Dylan Teach Researchers?

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

TAU postdocs get a crash course in the art of scientific discovery

The Postdoc Researcher Club kicked off at the Lowy International School with a thought-provoking session on the creative process of science, led by Prof. Judith Berman of TAU’s Faculty of Life Sciences and Prof. Itai Yanai, a biochemist at New York University and co-host of the Night Science podcast.

Instead of focusing on technical skills or research methods, Prof. Yanai introduced participants to the concept of night science—an intuitive and exploratory mode of thinking that complements the structured, analytical, and methodical mindset of traditional “day science” of experiments, controls, and precision. Night science is where breakthrough ideas are born, he says. And the magic of science happens in alternating between the two modes— ‘doing’ and ‘thinking.’

Prof. Judith Berman and Prof. Itai Yanai at the Lowy International School

The highly interactive session was divided into three parts on improvisational science, interdisciplinary thinking, and the balance between data and hypothesis—each with a practical exercise for participants to get a taste of new approaches. 

The Power of Discussions 

It’s not every day that a science workshop references Karl Popper, datasets, and Taylor Swift all in one session. But this unique blend of popular culture, scientific references, and philosophy is part of what makes Prof. Yanai’s message stand out: science is not merely about execution, but about imagination, out-of-the-box thinking, and transcending boundaries. Above all, science is about creativity and dialogue.

“You need to have someone that you can talk to. These kinds of discussions are crucial for your future. There is a potential Nature paper in every conversation.”

Prof. Yanai and Prof. Berman urged the participants to delay criticism and judgement when talking to their ‘science buddy’. To get into the right mindset, they suggest replacing the default ‘no, but..’ with ‘yes, and..’ response opener borrowed from improv theater. This simple shift supports dialogue and keeps creative momentum going.

“Conversations with your science buddy are very humble—just two people talking—but it is work,” commented Prof. Yanai inviting workshop participants to try this type of informal discussion.

“There is going to be time to be critical. First, let’s just explore ideas and see where that can take us,” said Prof. Yanai. “You need to suspend disbelief,” added Prof Berman.

“The whole idea of a discussion is to just keep it going. You never know what’s going to happen.”

For many participants, switching to ‘yes, and’ mode didn’t come easy—but everyone agreed that the exercise led to more motivating, inspiring exchanges. “It filled me with hope,” shared one of the international postdocs. “It’s great to meet and talk with other postdocs,” said another participant.

Import-Export Mode in Science

Drawing on musical parallels, Prof. Yanai stressed the value of interdisciplinary connections. Just like Bob Dylan never confined himself to a single musical genre, researchers too should resist the urge to stay boxed into one academic field:

“Just because music has genres does not mean that musicians need to stay in just one genre. Musicians can go and grow… And maybe you haven’t realized it yet, but the same goes for science.”

Prof. Yanai noted that academic fields and subfields are merely one of the ways of clustering knowledge, but true progress will most probably come from importing ideas across fields. He encouraged researchers to form diverse collaborations—even fleeting ones—emphasizing that productive thinking can happen between a postdoc in physics and a researcher in plant ecology, or even over coffee with a curious high schooler. 

Exchanging research project ideas in the yard of the Lowy International School’s Green House.

At the same time, he acknowledged the dilemma: “The more you specialize, the less open you are to new ideas, but the more you explore other fields, the more you lose your credibility.” Once again, finding the right balance is key.

Saw the Gorilla?

One of the workshop’s most memorable moments involved a classic psychological experiment: participants were asked to count basketball passes in a video, causing many to completely miss the person in a gorilla suit walking through the scene.

This segued into a discussion of the ‘gorilla dataset,’ which Prof. Yanai and his collaborator designed to illustrate how hypothesis-driven thinking can narrow our vision. Curiously enough, LLMs are not yet capable of spotting the gorilla either.

“Having a hypothesis can be a liability. It primes you to see what you’re looking for, and you might miss something amazing.”

Exploring limitations to creativity and imagination

In a follow-up exercise modeled after The New Yorker cartoon caption contest, half of the participants were shown a cartoon and asked to come up with their own punchline. The other half saw the same cartoon, but with three sample captions provided. Just like with the gorilla dataset, those who were not ‘primed’ by suggested options were more creative—highlighting how even subtle framing can limit our ability to explore freely.

Science as the Poetry of Reality

Summing up the workshop, Prof. Yanai stressed that night science is poetic, risky, and often hidden from public view. But it’s also what gives science its soul. He encouraged participants to hold onto the sense of wonder that drew them to science in the first place. 

“There are eight things that give us humans awe. Big ideas or epiphanies are one of them and science can give us that.”

Participants of the first meeting of the TAU Postdoc Researcher Club at the Lowy International School

The Postdoc Club at TAU plans to continue with regular meetups, offering a space for international and Israeli postdocs to connect, share ideas, and explore the creative side of science together.

Looking to experience the awe of scientific discovery?

Explore open research opportunities at TAU and make Tel Aviv your scientific home.

New PTEN Research Could Transform Autism and Cancer Studies

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

The study, led by Dr. Tal Laviv in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University, was published in the prestigious journal Nature Methods.

The research team explains that cells in the human body constantly adjust their size and rate of division to adapt to their environment throughout life. This process is crucial for normal development, as cells go through periods of precise growth regulation. When this process is disrupted, it can lead to severe diseases such as cancer and developmental disorders.

In the brain, regulating cellular growth is especially critical during early brain development, which occurs in the first years of life. Many genes are involved in this regulation, but one gene in particular—PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homologue)—plays a central role. Mutations in PTEN are linked to a variety of conditions, including autism, epilepsy, and cancer.

PTEN’s Impact Explained

Dr. Tal Laviv explains: “Many studies have shown that PTEN is essential for regulating cell growth in the brain by providing a stop signal. This means PTEN activity is crucial for maintaining cells at their proper size and state. There is growing evidence that mutations in PTEN, which reduce its activity, contribute to diseases like autism, macrocephaly, cancer, and epilepsy. Despite the critical role PTEN plays in cellular function, scientists have had limited tools to measure its activity. For example, it wasn’t to directly measure PTEN activity in an intact brain, which would greatly help our understanding of its role in health and disease”.

Dr. Laviv and his research team, led by MD-PhD student Tomer Kagan, have developed an innovative tool that directly measures PTEN activity with high sensitivity in various research models, including in the intact brains of mice. This groundbreaking technology, which combines advancements in genetic tools and microscopy, will allow scientists to gain deeper insights into why PTEN is so crucial for normal brain development. It could also improve our understanding of how PTEN-related diseases, such as cancer and autism, develop.

The researchers predict that this new tool will enable the development of personalized therapeutics by monitoring PTEN activity in various biological settings. Additionally, it could help identify diseases at earlier stages, potentially leading to faster and more effective treatments.

A Career Shift Rooted in Environmental Passion

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Combing a background in law with water management and sustainability

 
For Alexa Goldner, a lawyer from Mexico City, environmental issues have always carried particular importance. Having done her thesis on the legal protection of the environment and endangered species in Mexico, she then chose to pursue an MA in Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University to study more technical aspects of environmental protection.

“Tel Aviv University was always my first option. If I was going to study something completely new, I wanted to do it in a place that feels like home: I love the campus—it’s beautiful.”

Crafting a New Path

Goldner focused her coursework mainly on water-related topics, with a seminar on water and wastewater technologies and courses like Transboundary Water Resources Management and the Marine Ecosystems. “I love the ocean—I’m a swimmer and a diver—so learning about marine biology and ecosystems was fascinating,” she says. 

“I haven’t studied biology since school, so I really enjoyed hearing an expert talk about how the ocean works—about the water, the fishes, the corals, etc.”

For her final paper in the Water & Wastewater seminar, Goldner researched how constructed wetlands can be used as a wastewater technology for agricultural irrigation, and for the final paper of the program she focused on constructed wetlands as an educational tool.

A field trip of the marine ecosystems class to look for different organisms in the lower layer of the sand

Another course that piqued Goldner’s interest was Changes in Ways of Perceiving the Environment, which explored how human civilization has evolved in its relationship with nature. 

“The course resonated with my BA thesis on the rights of nature—whether nature itself has rights, which I believe it does.”

Goldner also took an Advertising Earth course on environmental marketing as she had always been interested in it but never had the opportunity to study formally. As part of the course, Goldner and her classmates developed a campaign for an NGO to help bring back monk seals to Israel.

“The NGO even wants to use our advertising campaign, which was a great feeling.”

Register for the program webinar on March 24, 2025, to meet the head of the program. You can also watch class streams on March 25 and March 26 to get a taste of what studying at TAU is like.

A Hands-On Experience in Kenya

During the program, students had an opportunity to attend a seminar with Engineers Without Borders-Israel NGO, which led to a field trip to Kenya to work on a project at Nakuru High School. 

With students of Nakuru High School in Kenya

The project that involves building greenhouses with spirulina pools started two years ago. The school now has a spirulina club, where students learn to cultivate and process spirulina, a superfood that addresses malnutrition in their communities.

During this trip, Goldner worked on the relationship with the kindergarten next to the school, where children aged 0-5 only receive one cup of porridge a day. The spirulina grown by high school students is now being given to these younger children to tackle food insecurity, which is crucial during early-age developmental years. 

While Goldner’s teammate Isamu Goiati taught the kids how to read the data sensors he developed to analyze temperature, pH, and moisture, Goldner led a media club that focused on communicating about the project through posters and presentations. “Since many of the kids in Kenya don’t have access to social media, we focused on visual storytelling within their community,” adds Goldner.

“We also initiated collaborations with the Agricultural Training Center in Kenya to educate local farmers on the benefits of spirulina and other algae-based livestock feed.”

Working in the Field: Life After the MA

What started as a student project, has now turned into a part-time job for Goldner, who has joined Engineers Without Borders-Israel to work on African projects, such as the ongoing spirulina initiative in Kenya, a new project in Ghana for rehabilitation of disabled people, and another in Tanzania for clean water.

Alexa Goldner speaking at the annual conference of Engineers Without Borders Israel

At the same time, she is working as the Business Development Manager of Noga Plus -an Israeli company that focuses on connecting Israeli technologies with investors and consumers from Latin America and Spain. The technologies Goldner works with focus on sustainability—agri-tech, food tech, water and irrigation management, and environmental solutions. 

“I see it as combining my passion for environmental issues with my values, supporting Israel’s economy by bringing international investment into Israeli technologies.”

The flexibility of the program allowed Goldner to tailor her studies to fit her interests in water management, sustainability, and marketing. Despite the challenges of war and hybrid learning at the start of the program, she is now building her new career working on real-world meaningful projects.

Applications for the Environmental Studies MA are now open. Learn more about the program and apply online.

Register for the program webinar on March 24, 2025, to meet the head of the program. You can also watch class streams on March 25 and March 26 to get a taste of what studying at TAU is like.

The Future of Memory: Superlubricity Sparks Breakthroughs

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

The study was led by Dr. Youngki Yeo, Mr. Yoav Sharaby, Dr. Nirmal Roy, and Mr. Noam Raab, all members of the Quantum Layered Matter Group headed by Professor Moshe Ben Shalom’s at the School of School of Physics & Astronomy , Tel Aviv University. The research was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature.

The research team explains that friction is a force that prevents free sliding between surfaces. On one hand, it is essential—for example, it keeps us from slipping in the shower—but on the other, it causes wear and energy loss. In the human body, evolution has developed advanced lubricants for joints, but even they degrade over time (as our knees occasionally remind us).

This issue is particularly critical in the world of computing. Tiny memory components operate at extremely high speeds—millions of cycles per second—and run continuously in computers, artificial intelligence, and advanced medical systems. Any improvement in efficiency, durability, and energy consumption directly translates into major technological advancements.

Interlocking foam structures demonstrating vanishing large friction for desynchronized atomic planes (Photo credit: Adi Hod).

Nature’s Secret: Superlubricity and Frictionless Surfaces

The researchers highlight that nature has found a way to create nearly frictionless surfaces, a phenomenon known as superlubricity. To understand this concept, imagine placing two egg cartons on top of each other: when perfectly aligned, they interlock and resist movement, but when slightly rotated, they slide freely. Similarly, when atomic layers of certain materials are somewhat misaligned, their atoms fail to synchronize, and friction between them nearly disappears.

About 20 years ago, scientists discovered that two rotated layers of graphite exhibit almost immeasurable friction— a breakthrough that paved the way for our development of next-generation memory technologies based on superlubricity.

“In our lab”, explains Professor Moshe Ben Shalom, “we construct layered materials where even the tiniest atomic displacement causes electrons to move between layers. The result: a memory device just two atoms thick—the thinnest possible”.

In the current study, the team developed a novel method for exploiting frictionless sliding to significantly improve memory performance.

Dr. Yeo’s experiment involved combining ultrathin atomic layers of boron and nitrogen, separated by a perforated graphene layer. Within the nano-sized holes (just 100 atoms wide), the boron and nitrogen layers self-align, but between these islands, thanks to the unsynchronized graphene layer, friction disappears!

This phenomenon allows atoms within the aligned islands to slide quickly and efficiently, enabling unprecedentedly efficient data read/write operations while consuming significantly less energy.

Illustration – Superlubricity Applied in Electronic Devices Only Two Atoms Thick (Photo credit: Sayostudio).

Self-Organizing Memory for AI and Beyond

Professor Ben Shalom emphasizes: “Our measurements show that the efficiency of this new memory technology is significantly higher than existing technologies, with zero wear and tear. Beyond this, the new memory arrays reveal an intriguing effect: when the tiny islands are close to one another, atomic motion in one island influences neighboring islands. In other words, the system can self-organize into coupled memory states, a phenomenon that could lead to groundbreaking advancements in computing, including artificial intelligence and neuromorphic architectures (computing that mimics brain function)”.

The research team concludes: “We are developing this technology through SlideTro LTD, a company founded on these discoveries, and in collaboration with Ramot, Tel Aviv University’s technology transfer company. We believe that in the near future, this innovation will enable the development of ultrafast, reliable, and highly durable memory arrays”.

Their future research aims to explore new computational possibilities through mechanical coupling between memory bits, an interaction that was previously impossible. Perhaps superlubricity will drive the next revolution in computing.

This research is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

Should Platforms Control Your Data?

Written by Raphael on . Posted in Student News.

 

 

Prof. Yaron Yehezkel. Photo credit: Israel Hadari, Tel Aviv University.

Prof. Sarit Markovich. Photo credit: Evanston Photographic Studios.

“Our research examined platforms that collect and commercialize user data”, explains Prof. Yehezkel. “For instance, when we search for information on Google, the platform can collect data about us. Similarly, when we listen to music on Spotify, Spotify can gather information about our habits. Platforms can choose to trade this data—for instance, selling it to advertisers who then use it to display targeted ads based on our activity on Google or Spotify. In this study, we asked: Who should have the right to impose the collection and sale of this data on users? Who benefits, who loses, and under what circumstances?”.

Data Privacy: American vs. European Models

Broadly, there are two approaches to this issue. The American model grants platforms full discretion over data collection and usage. When a user signs up for a platform, they agree to its terms, effectively relinquishing control over the data collected about them. Platforms are free to use the data as they see fit, and users who disagree can simply stop using the platform. The European model, in contrast, is embodied by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under GDPR, users, not platforms, retain control over their data. Users can decide how their data is used while still being able to access the platform. This is why European users encounter consent pop-ups when browsing platforms like Google, allowing them to approve or deny various uses of their data. In Israel, the American model is the prevailing approach.

“The question we explored is which approach is better—giving users control over their data or leaving control with the platform”, says Prof. Yehezkel.

He continues: “Our study was mathematical and theoretical, rather than quantitative and empirical. We used game theory to model the behavior of users and platforms through mathematical utility functions that reflect societal benefit and company profit, aiming to identify the market’s equilibrium point”.

In their research, Prof. Yehezkel and Prof. Markovich were the first to demonstrate that data has not only economic value but also social value. “A platform that uses data it collects from me can provide better services to other users,” explains Prof. Yehezkel. For instance, Waze can sell user data to advertisers, but it also uses this data to guide other drivers to less congested routes. Similarly, Spotify can recommend music based on listening habits, age, and other preferences. Data can, therefore, have social value, benefitting society as a whole.

According to the researchers, the key question is identifying scenarios where data provides social value versus cases where its value is purely economic. “Data has a negative side when sold to third parties that infringe on our privacy, but it also has a positive side when used to improve platforms for the benefit of all users”, says Prof. Yehezkel. “Imagine a scenario where I use Waze to find the quickest route to Tel Aviv University but restrict the app from collecting information about my trip. The platform’s efficiency would drop, leading to longer traffic jams for everyone. Our model shows that in cases of low social value, the European approach has a clear advantage. However, in cases of high social value, particularly with less sensitive data, the American all-or-nothing approach offers significant benefits”.

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