Tell us about yourself…
Hi! I’m Goldie, I was born in the United States and I moved here a few years ago to pursue my masters and PhD in microbiology. I am 26 and I love science and what I do here. When I’m not experimenting on bacteria I am outside hiking and running the hills of Jerusalem. You can also find me playing the pianos they’ve set up around the city or drawing with my pencils. 😊
Why have you chosen to study a PhD at this university?
I had an internship here when I was in my first degree and I liked the lab and the research so when they invited me to come for a masters I was happy to!
Tell us about your lab and research project...
I work with oral bacteria specifically cariogenic microorganisms like Streptococcus mutans. The bacteria and fungi that I work with are the ones that cause cavities as well as other dental diseases (periodontitis and endodontitis) in the oral cavity. I grow bacterial biofilms that mimic the plaque on teeth and test primarily endocannabinoids in tandem with drugs and probiotics to see if they have anti bacterial activities and if so how. In short the goal is to treat pathogenic bacteria with more natural compounds.
Looking forward...
My goals are to continue doing research on bacterial biofilms in the body and finding more natural ways to treat them.
Best dish in Jerusalem?
Best dish in Jerusalem is Sabich by Aricha on Agripas. They even have a vegan option with mushrooms which I highly recommend 😋
