Faculty of Biology at Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Are we close to a breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment? In the latest Globes article, exciting developments in the medical field are revealed, including a groundbreaking discovery from the lab of Professor Michael Glickman, Dean of the Faculty of Biology at the Technion. In the lab, they developed a 3D tissue model of human neurons and demonstrated that disrupting the protein control system leads to the formation of amyloid deposits and tau tangles—the two key pathologies of Alzheimer's disease—without the need for a genetic mutation. 'Our lab studies the ubiquitin system, which is responsible for degrading misfolded proteins. The idea that this system might malfunction with age, potentially leading to disease, is not new, but until recently, this connection was not proven. We made a breakthrough by modeling Alzheimer’s in human cells. We developed a 3D tissue of human neurons and showed that when we disrupt the protein control system, the tissue develops both amyloid deposits and tau tangles—typical of the disease. This is the first time anyone has successfully created both pathologies without using a genetic mutation,' explains Professor Glickman. 'In the meantime, I can say that maintaining metabolic health (a healthy lifestyle) could be significant in preventing or delaying the disease,' adds Professor Glickman. Read the full article: Link at the first comment below Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Let’s all congratulate Assistant Prof. Maya Maor Nof for being selected as a Zuckerman Faculty Scholar at the Technion! 👍 The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program is an extremely prestigious and competitive initiative that selects young scientists to establish innovative labs and grow as future leaders in their fields. The selection committee was highly impressed by Maya’s scientific achievements, her career development plans, her academic goals, and her demonstrated leadership abilities. Shana Tovah, and may this year bring continued success and accomplishments. Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Michael Glickman

“Shoot for the moon! Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” (Les Brown). Congratulations to our PhD graduates, you made it! 🎓 🎉 Last week, we held the central ceremony for awarding PhD diplomas to the graduates in 2024. Dear graduates, congratulations on reaching this milestone after years of hard work, intensive research, and perseverance. You are excellent researchers and a true inspiration to us all! 💪 We are confident that with your skills, curiosity, and determination, the sky is the limit! 🚀 We wish you every success in the future and remind you that the Faculty of Biology is always here for you. Keep pushing boundaries and making your dreams a reality! Warm congratulations to each of you: Anwar Bdarneh Amir Argoetti Bella Ben-Oz , PhD Alona (Ilana) Goor Iris Wyrobnik Rawad Hanna Shir Yaish Bar Cohen Omer Nadel Jessy Safieh , Ph.D Layla Saied, Ph.D. Saied Inbar Arman Miriam Fokra Nimrod Krupnik Keren Vidal Shenhav Shemer Michael Glickman Nir Blitz 👩🔬👨🔬 We are incredibly proud of you The Faculty of Biology

לבוגרי הפקולטה ולאוהבי החלב 🐄 ברחבי העולם: חברת ImaginDairy מחפשת חוקר/ת שיצטרפו לצוות פיתוח הזנים בחברה וליצור עתיד של אפשרויות חדשות

"In a time when flight cancellations are frequent (especially in Israel), some cancellations are more disappointing than others. Take, for example, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore, who are currently on an unplanned mission in space. Due to a technical malfunction, they are stranded on the International Space Station and may remain there for an additional eight months, with no certainty about their return date”. Extended stays under conditions of microgravity pose significant physiological challenges. Prof. Shenhav Shemer from the Technion's Faculty of Biology explains the impact of space conditions on muscle mass and strength: 'The cellular processes of muscle mass loss—whether triggered by space travel, cancer, starvation, diabetes, or bedridden patients—are largely similar. The difference lies in the rate at which they occur.' To study what happens to muscles in space, her lab at the Technion acquired a Round Positioning Machine that simulates microgravity by continuously altering the orientation of muscle cells grown on it. The constant rotation minimizes Earth's gravitational effects on the muscle samples within the device. “We discovered that muscle cells begin to atrophy within just 12 hours of exposure to microgravity” she says. “This rapid onset may be a key reason why space missions are typically limited to 100 days”. Her research group is currently developing a nutritional supplement to slow down loss of muscle mass and strength. Link to the full article in the first comment. #SpaceExploration #BiologyInSpace #NASA #Astronauts #Microgravity #ScientificResearch #Technion #Innovation #SpaceHealth #LinkedInScience #FacultyOfBiology #MuscleAtrophy #IsraelScience Globes Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Shenhav Shemer

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The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology invites you to apply for a tenure-track faculty appointment in Biology. We are seeking for applicants who are investigating the fundamentals of all aspects of life science, mainly (but not limited to) the following areas: ·        Biophysics and Structural Biology ·        Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics ·        Cellular and Developmental Biology ·        Physiology and Metabolism ·        Microbiology, Ecology and Evolution ·        Plant Biology 👇 Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and post-doctoral training. They are expected to establish an independent, extramurally funded research program and teach undergraduate and graduate-level courses. The positions will be offered at ranks commensurate with the qualifications of the applicants. Each application should be submitted by email to the address below and must include a single PDF file containing the following sections: ·        Cover letter. ·        CV and a list of publications. ·        Research statement. ·        Teaching statement. ·        A list of 6 referees that can evaluate the applicant’s academic achievements. In addition, 3 recommendation letters (from the above-listed referees) should be sent directly to: Prof. Yoav S. Arava Head of the Search Committee Faculty of Biology biorecruit@technion.ac.il 👉Potential candidates are welcome to send inquiries regarding the application process to Prof. Arava, the head of the recruitment committee at biorecruit@technion.ac.il 👉Formal evaluation of candidates will begin on November 1st, 2024, and continue until the position is filled.

💥👨👩👦👦💪 A Successful Conclusion to the #2 International Summer Research Program! We are proud to wrap up the second cycle of the International Summer Research Program, where we hosted a select group of outstanding undergraduate students from around the world, all from various fields of science. Upon their arrival at the faculty, the students immediately dived into the world of practical research. They integrated into our leading labs, working closely under the guidance of our faculty members: Assis Prof. Shay Stern, Prof. Nabieh Ayoub, Prof. Gadi Schuster, Assoc. Prof. Shenhav Shemer, Assoc. Prof. Arnon Henn and Prof. Michael Glickman, gaining hands-on experience in high-level scientific work. In addition to the personalized guidance from the faculty members, the students received comprehensive professional support and close mentorship from the project director at the faculty, Assoc. Prof. Dedi Meiri ensured that every aspect of the program ran smoothly and enrichingly. And that’s not all… Beyond the lab work, the students participated in the annual research conference of the Faculty of Biology and also enjoyed social and cultural activities, including tours around the country and social gatherings. These experiences enriched their time here and allowed them to form significant and professional connections for the future. At the end of the program, the students presented their research projects to the faculty members and lab teams in well-prepared and comprehensive presentations. This was an excellent opportunity for them to showcase their work and receive professional feedback from leading researchers in the field. We wish all participating students great success in their future endeavors! We believe that this program not only enriched the participants' scientific knowledge but also provided them with valuable insights into the world of academic research and opened new possibilities for their professional futures. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the program: Assoc. Prof. Arnon Henn, the program’s founder, Assoc. Prof. Dedi Meiri, Academic Director of the program, Assoc. Prof. Oded Kleifeld, from the selection stage until the arrival of the students on their first day at the Faculty The supervising faculty members and lab teams, Nir Blitz, Head of Administration, Keren Vidal, Graduate Program Coordinator, Gabi Laufmann, Technion Graduate School, Fleur Grabois, Marketing Coordinator, Gili Mandel, Research Coordinator in the Meiri Lab, Orit Moshe, International Advancement Coordinator And to the entire Faculty of Biology staff who contributed to the project's success! Additionally, we want to thank the International Office team for their extensive work with all parties and students throughout the project! #InternationalResearchProgram #SummerResearch2024 #StudentResearchers #AcademicExcellence #ResearchCommunity #FutureScientists Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Technion International

New Hope for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Patients Researchers from the Technion’s Faculty of Biology have discovered new mechanisms that affect protein synthesis folding and assembly in cells - processes essential for proper function and the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. Most proteins in the body’s cells do not function alone but act together as complexes to achieve concerted functions. When the formation of these complexes is impaired, various diseases can develop, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Technion researchers used innovative methods to "capture" proteins in the cell during their synthesis because proteins are particularly vulnerable at this stage – during translation by the ribosome. Ribosomes in cells were analyzed using ribosome profiling, a method that sequences the mRNA being translated by the ribosomes at single-codon resolution, combined with advanced microscopy and proteomics analysis of the resulting proteins. The researchers also used simulations of the protein folding process and interactions with other proteins to form complexes at the atomic level (molecular dynamics). This led to the discovery of a mechanism that protects proteins from misfolding during their production. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g4CdGPfn Ayala Shiber Johannes V. Hagit Bar Yosef Hila Ben-arie Zilberman Fabian Glaser #alzheimers #AlzheimersResearch #parkinsonsdisease #NeurodegenerativeDisease

🍔 Processed Food – Nothing to Panic About 🍕 Technion Researchers have discovered that adding proteins into processed food can offer significant nutritional and health benefits. New findings related to processed food and the potential nutritional benefits of structured proteins were revealed in a study by scientists from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering at the Technion. The research, presented in the Food Hydrocolloids journal, was led by Prof. Uri Lesmes, doctoral student Gil Refael, and doctoral student Alon Romano in collaboration with Prof. Meytal Landau and doctoral student Yizhaq Engelberg from the Technion Faculty of Biology, and Prof. Omry Koren from the Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gcmiB-mS #ProcessedFood #HealthBenefits #NutritionalScience #ProteinInFoods #FoodHydrocolloids #FoodEngineering #AmyloidProteins #GutHealth #Microbiome #DietaryFibers #SmartFoodProcessing #HumanNutrition #PersonalizedDiet #NationalScienceFoundation #RussellBerrieNanotechnologyInstitute #ProteomicsResearch