Alumni:
Lidor David, MSc
While in our lab, Lidor was interested in the possibility that components of the DNA damage response mechanisms also play roles in the maintenance of proteostasis. She found such links that unravel a new level of integration of cellular stress response mechanisms.
Noa Roitenberg, PhD
How neurons regulate proteostasis in remote tissues was the main focus of Noa's work in our lab. She discovered that in the worm the Insulin/IGF signaling cascade positively regulates the expression of cav-1, a gene that codes the protein caveolin-1. Caveolin-1 is critically needed for the formation of neuronal caveolae that probably serve as a signaling center. Accordingly, knocking down the expression of cav-1 extends lifespan and protect model worms from proteotoxicity. We proudly published this work at EMBO Reports in 2018. Noa is now a researcher in a biotech company.
Danielle Grushko, PhD
SKN-1 is a pivotal transcription factor that regulates lifespan, proteostasis and stress resistance. Danielle characterized the temporal requirements for SKN-1 and found that it is foremost important during late development and early adulthood as a regulator of lifespan and proteostasis. This work has been published in PloS One in 2021.
Amir Levine, PhD
The LINC complex is known to regulate gene expression as a result of mechanical stimuli. Amir found that this complex is also a regulator of proteostasis as is regulates the expression of various genes that their products are involved in protein degradation, upon exposure to proteotoxicity. His innovative work was published in Aging Cell in 2019.
Ieshita Pan, PhD
Deposition in aggresomes is one strategy to recycle misfolded PrP species, however this is not the only mechanism that is activated by cells upon exposure to CsA. Ieshita found that secretion of PrP species is induced upon the inhibition of cyclophilins by CsA. This work, which is accepted for publication at the FASEB journal, suggests that secretion of vesicles may be involved in the spreading of misfolded PrP molecules.
Tatyana (Taly) Dubnikov, PhD
Taly tested where PrP molecules that eventually deposited in the aggresome are originated from. She found that PrP must pass through the endoplasmic reticulum to reach the aggresome. This work, which was published at the Journal of Cell Science (2016), defined the aggresome as an ER-associated quality control compartment.
Lorna Moll, PhD
What roles are played by post-translational modifications in the regulation of aging was Lorna's main focus. She found that SUMOylation links the aging-regulating mechanisms downstream of the Insulin/IGF signaling cascade and the germ cells. This work was published at eLife in 2018. In addition, Lorna have made critical contributions to our assessment of the drug NT219 (FASEB Journal 2016).
Filipa Carvalhal Marques, PhD
Filipa was a joint student of HUJI and the University of Coimbra (Portugal). She was interested in the differential responses of the proteostasis network to dissimilar challenges. Now Filipa is a post-doctoral fellow at the Weizmann Institute.
Lital David
Lital helped our research as a great technician. She is now a student at Tommer Ravid's lab (HUJI).
Yuli Volovik, PhD
Yuli's work was focused on exploring the functional roles the neuronal gene nhl-1 in the regulation and stress resistance and proteostasis. She discovered that while the knockdown of nhl-1 renders the worm heat-sensitive, it protects from proteotoxicity in the muscle. Yuli's work was published in Cell Reports in December 2014.
Tziona Ben-Gedalya, PhD
During her years as a postdoc in the lab, Tziona focused on studying the cell biology of protein aggregation. She discovered that PrP aggresomes are dynamic quality control compartments (JCS 2011) and that certain cases of familial Alzheimer's disease and of prion disoredrs share the same mechanism (The EMBO Journal, 2015). Tziona is a researcher at Ariel university.
Oswa Watad
Oswa helped our research by being an excellent technical assistant. Now she works as a pharmacist.
Tayir El-Ami, MD
Tayir was interested in the potential of IGF-1 inhibitors to protect worms and mammals from proteotoxicity. She discovered that NT219, a highly efficient IGF-1 signaling inhibitor, mitigates proteotoxicity of A-beta and polyQ. Her work was published in Aging Cell (2014).
Michal Bejerano-Sagie, PhD
Michal who was our lab manager for four years, moved to the USA in August of 2014. She was involved in several projects and had an invaluable contribution to the lab.
Moria Maman, MSc
Moria completed her MSc in the lab in January of 2013 with distinction. Her thesis was focused on the roles of gtr-1 in stress response and proteotoxicity. Her work was published at the Journal of Neuroscience in April 2013. Moria is now emplyed by a biotech company.
Naama Sheffer, MSc
While in the lab Naama worked on the link between the Insulin/IGF signaling cascade and the RNaseP complex in C. elegans. She graduated in October 2013.
Ludmila Golodetzki, MSc
Mila worked on memebrane rafts and their influence on the aging process of the nematode C. elegans. She completed her studies and graduated with distinction in September 2013.
Nitai Harari, MD
Ehud Dahan, BSc
