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Twelve TAU Researchers among Top 50 in their Fields

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“A cause for real national pride,” says Research VP of the Stanford University study.

A new study from Stanford University places 12 TAU faculty members among the world’s top 50 researchers in their respective fields.

The study identified the top 2% researchers in various disciplines worldwide. The list includes 160,000 researchers from 149 countries in 22 scientific disciplines and 176 subdisciplines. Among these, 333 TAU faculty members are ranked among the top 2% researchers in their respective disciplines (based on publications, citations, and impact). Moreover, 155 of them are included in the top 1%, and 74 in the top 0.5%.

TAU’s Vice President for Research, Prof. Dan Peer, ranked among the top 0.4% in the world in nanotechnology: “This is a cause for real national pride. TAU is known for its academic excellence and recognized as a leading interdisciplinary university. It is a great honor for us that 333 of our researchers rank among the top 2% of the world’s best researchers.”

Prof. Itzhak Gilboa from the School of Economics is 6th in the world in Theoretical Economics, and his colleague Prof. Emeritus David Schmeidler from the School of Mathematics is 12th in the world in the same discipline. Prof. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield from the Faculty of Medicine is ranked 12th in the world in the field of Geriatrics. Three faculty members from the Faculty of Engineering also rank high in their fields of research: Prof. Emilia Fridman (26), Prof. Emeritus Gedeon Dagan (29) and Prof. Boris Malomed (29).

Prof. Emeritus Micha Sharir from the School of Computer Science is ranked 35th and Prof. Arie Levant from the School of Mathematics is ranked 36th. Four faculty members from the Faculty of Humanities are also included in this exceptional group:  Prof. Emeritus Rachel Giora from the Department of Linguistics (ranked 40th in the world), Prof. Prof. Israel Finkelstein from the Department of Archaeology (44), Prof. Emeritus Benjamin Isaac from the Department of Classics (45), and Prof. Emeritus Elana Shohamy from the School of Education (47).

Researchers from TAU have developed a technology that enables photographing moving objects

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The new development will enable taking photos of race cars, runners, birds in flight, and dunking basketballs into hoops.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed a computational photography process based on an optical element that encodes motion information and a corresponding digital image processing algorithm, enabling clear, sharp photography of moving objects without motion blur, i.e. avoiding the movement being “smeared” over the picture.

This integrated processing method was developed by PhD student Shay Elmalem from the School of Electrical Engineering in the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, under the joint guidance of Prof. Emanuel Marom and Dr. Raja Giryes. The results of the study have been published in the prestigious Optica Journal (by OSA Publishing).

The term ‘long exposure’ always refers to the velocity of the photographed object”, explains Shay Elmalem. “If you photograph a racing car, even an exposure of a tenth of a second could be too long, and if you’re photographing a person walking, long exposure could be a second or longer. According to the conventional camera design approach, the lens is designed to produce the best possible image, i.e., the most similar to what the human eye sees, and thereafter digital image processing algorithms are applied to remove the optical distortions. However, as anyone with a camera in their phone knows, this isn’t always effective; hence, it is still very difficult to photograph moving objects”.

Through integrated design of the optical components and image post-processing algorithms, Elmalem and his colleagues have encoded motion information cues in the raw optical image; these cues are in turn decoded by the image processing algorithm which utilizes them for motion deblurring.. The cues have been encoded using two optical components integrated in a conventional lens: a clear phase plate developed by the researchers, and a commercial electronic focusing lens. The phase plate contains a micro-optical structure designed to introduce a color-focus dependency, whereas the focusing lens is synchronized in order to make a gradual focus change during the image exposure. As a result, moving objects are colored with various colors as they move. Encoding the colors enables the algorithm to decode the direction and velocity of the object’s movement, which enables it to correct the motion blur and restore the image sharpness.

“In every split second of exposure, our lens generates a bit different image”, Elmalem explains; “thus, the blur of a moving object will not be uniform, but rather change gradually with its movement. In order to understand where and how fast the object in the image is going, we use color. Thus, for example, a white ball suddenly thrown into the frame will be colored with different colors over the course of its movement, like passing light through a prism. According to these colors, our algorithm knows where the ball has been thrown from and at what velocity. It will thus know how to correct the blur. With a regular camera we’d see a white wake that would compromise the sharpness of the whole picture, whereas with our camera the final image will be a clear focused white ball.”

According to Elmalem, the computational image technique they developed can enhance any camera – and at minimum cost. “The potential is very broad: from basic uses like smartphone cameras to research, medical and industrial uses such as for production line controllers, microscopes and telescopes. They all suffer from the same smearing problem, and we offer a systemic solution to it.”

Ramot, the Technology Transfer Company of Tel-Aviv University has filed several patent applications covering this breakthrough technology, which is generating great interest among industry players. 

Prof. Marom passed away during the study, and the paper has been published in his memory. The late Prof. Marom was among the founders of the Faculty of Engineering at Tel Aviv University, served as its Dean in 1980-1983 and Vice President of Tel Aviv University in 1992-1997. After his retirement, Prof. Marom continued dealing in active research and advising graduate students, until his very last day.

Hollywood Legend Martin Scorsese Meets with TAU Students, Donors

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“Film school was a major turning point in my life; I’ve been wanting to talk to TAU students for a long time”

More than 1,700 participants from Tel Aviv University’s Steve Tisch School of Film and Television – students, governors and friends from around the world – took part in a webinar with one of the major figures in Hollywood’s film industry, Martin Scorsese.

Scorsese told the participants that he spent an “extraordinary” time in Tel Aviv back in 1983, and that he wishes he could be there in person. “I’ve been in my room since March 13”, the acclaimed director joked, adding: “I’ve been wanting to talk to Tel Aviv University students for a long time. Steve Tisch and I go back to 1971”.

Scorsese went on to talk about his days as a young film student in NYU. “Film school was a major turning point in my life. The professors spoke with such passion, that I realized that was where I belonged. When one of the students asked Scorsese about improvisation in his films, he told the story of the famous “are you talking to me?” monologue in “Taxi Driver”.

When asked about Israeli cinema, Scorsese pointed out filmmakers Eran Riklis and Amos Gitai, and called Samuel Maoz’s 2017 film “Foxtrot” – “incredible”.

The webinar is part of an ongoing series of monthly live interviews with major players in the world of film and television – including dignitaries such as Robert De Niro and Michael Douglas.

The online meeting was hosted by Prof. Eran Neuman, Dean of the Yolanda and David Katz Faculty of the Arts, and attended by Prof. Raz Yosef, Head of the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television. Dr. Dan Chyutin, a researcher at TAU’s Steve Tisch School, and Yona Rozenkier, screenwriter, director and the School’s alumnus, acted as moderators.

Martin Scorsese is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He studied at New York University, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in English literature in 1964, and a Master’s degree in fine arts in film from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1966. Scorsese is one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential directors in film history. He is  known for such films as “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Raging Bull” (1980), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), and “The Irishman” (2019 ). Scorsese is the winner of multiple awards, both national and international, including one Oscar, 167 prizes and 278 nominations. In 2007 he was presented with the Kennedy Center Honor at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for his influence in American culture.

About the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television

Founded in 1972, the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television offers unique and diverse opportunities for developing proficiency in film and television production, as well as for studying film history, theory, and criticism. The Hollywood Reporter ranked the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television among the top 15 international film schools. Many of Israel’s most prominent filmmakers, scholars and critics are among its graduates; student films produced in the school are regularly screened and win awards in prestigious international festivals.

Featured image: Martin Scorsese

TAU Study Proves that Light Can Kill Coronavirus

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Groundbreaking research finds UV-LED diodes efficiently and cheaply disinfect social spaces.

A revolution in disinfection? Researchers from Tel Aviv University have proven that the coronavirus can be killed efficiently, quickly and cheaply using ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs). This is the first study in the world conducted on the disinfection efficiency of a virus from the family of coronaviruses using UV-LED irradiation at different wavelengths or frequencies. The study was led by Prof. Hadas Mamane, Head of the Environmental Engineering Program at the School of Mechnical Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and was conducted in collaboration with Prof. Yoram Gerchman of Oranim College, Dr. Michal Mandelboim, the Director of the National Center for Influenza and Respiratory Viruses at Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, and Nehemya Friedman from Tel Hashomer. The article was published in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology.

In the study, the researchers tested the optimal wavelength for killing the coronavirus, and found that a length of 285 nanometers was almost as efficient in disinfecting the virus as a wavelength of 265 nanometers, requiring less than half a minute to destroy more than 99.9% of the coronaviruses. This result is significant because the cost of 285 nm LED bulbs is much lower than that of 265 nm bulbs, and the former are also more readily available. Eventually, as the science develops, the industry will be able to make the necessary adjustments and install the bulbs in robotic systems, or air conditioning, vacuum, and water systems, and thereby be able to efficiently disinfect large surfaces and spaces. Prof. Mamane believes that the technology will be available for use in the near future.

“The entire world is currently looking for effective solutions to disinfect the coronavirus,” says Prof. Mamane. “The problem is that in order to disinfect a bus, train, sports hall or plane by chemical spraying, you need physical manpower, and in order for the spraying to be effective, you have to give the chemical time to act on the surface. We know, for example, that medical staff do not have time to manually disinfect, say, computer keyboards and other surfaces in hospitals – and the result is infection and quarantine. The disinfection systems based on LED bulbs, however, can be installed in the ventilation system and air conditioner, for example, and sterilize the air sucked in and then emitted into the room.”

“We discovered that it is quite simple to kill the coronavirus using LED bulbs that radiate ultraviolet light,” explains Prof. Mamane. “But no less important, we killed the viruses using cheaper and more readily available LED bulbs, which consume little energy and do not contain mercury like regular bulbs. Our research has commercial and societal implications, given the possibility of using such LED bulbs in all areas of our lives, safely and quickly. Of course, as always when it comes to ultraviolet radiation, it is important to make it clear to people that it is dangerous to try to use this method to disinfect surfaces inside homes. You need to know how to design these systems and how to work with them so that you are not directly exposed to the light.”

Ultraviolet radiation is a common method of killing bacteria and viruses, and most of us are familiar with such disinfecting bulbs from their use in water purifiers, such as Tami4. UV radiation mainly damages nucleic acids. Last year, a team of researchers led by Prof. Mamane and Prof. Gerchman patented a combination of different UV frequencies that cause dual-system damage to the genetic load and proteins of bacteria and viruses, from which they cannot recover-which is a key factor that is ignored.“ In the future, we will want to test our unique combination of integrated damage mechanisms and more ideas we recently developed on combined efficient direct and indirect damage to bacteria and viruses on different surfaces, air and water.”

Featured image: Prof. Hadas Mamane

COVID-19 Takes TAU’s Legal Clinics into High Gear

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Clinic staff share experiences of protecting those most affected by pandemic

Dr. Yuval Livnat, Adv. Anat Ben Dor and Adv. Irina Rozina

The Refugee Rights Clinic

“The coronavirus crisis forced the Clinic to shift to remote work. However, this style of working is not ideal for asylum-seekers, and significant challenges arose. Intake interviews with new clients are complex; they touch on sensitive issues and may require translation services. The absence of face-to-face interviews makes it hard to build trusting relationships, and the completion and transfer of required forms and documentation is difficult; protecting personal privacy and information is problematic when communication takes place over the telephone or on Zoom. During this period, the refugee and asylum-seeker community faces a major economic crisis. Israeli citizens are supported by a social safety net. Asylum-seekers are not eligible for this support and have legitimate fears that they will be unable to pay rent and feed their children. In light of this harsh reality, April’s Supreme Court ruling cancelling the “Deposit Law” (authorizing the expropriation of 20% of an asylum seeker’s monthly earnings) provided some relief. This decision came three years after the Clinic filed the Supreme Court petition arguing that the deposit violated the workers’ legal rights, in cooperation with Kav LaOved. The Supreme Court ordered that funds be returned. The Clinic’s students, along with volunteers from Kav LaOved, helped asylum-seekers to complete the required forms and open bank accounts, so their deposits could be returned.”

Adv. Liad Strolov and Adv. Yael Havassy

The Clinic for the Rights of Holocaust Survivors and the Elderly

“The coronavirus crisis has significantly impacted our clinic. Firstly, the way we work with clients and students changed entirely after we transitioned to online rather than in-person meetings. This is particularly challenging for older clients that are unfamiliar with Zoom and other technologies. In addition, since the elderly population faces the greatest risk from the coronavirus, many are suffering from side issues caused by the crisis such as intense loneliness; inaccessibility to caregiver services; threats of eviction from nursing facilities due to an increased demand for space to care for COVID-19 patients; restrictions on movement in public housing facilities; and of course, restrictions barring them from returning to work under the current emergency regulations.”

Adv. Irit Ulman and Adv. Idit Zimmerman

The Workers’ Rights Clinic

“At the onset of the pandemic, it was clear that regulations regarding labor law and social security would be greatly affected. Israel opted to deal with the widespread closure of workplaces by increasing and extending unemployment benefits. As the number of unemployed Israelis continued to rise, those of us working in the field were occupied with unprecedented challenges to labor law resulting from the crisis. From the outset, the Clinic collaborated with various organizations to ensure that workers’ rights were protected. In early April, the government passed emergency regulations eliminating the legal requirement for employers to obtain a permit prior to sending female employees under protection (e.g. during pregnancy, maternity leave, etc.) on furlough. We submitted an urgent petition to the Supreme Court on behalf of a group of organizations, demanding that the regulations be repealed; the petition argued that the process by which the regulations were passed were flawed, and that the regulations caused disproportionate harm to women. Following the petition’s submission, and prior to a hearing at the Supreme Court, the regulations were annulled.

The crisis also created increased challenges for foreign caregivers working with the elderly, due to severe movement limitations. Since there is an increased risk to the elderly, family members often placed severe restrictions on the movements of in-home caregivers. Although their fears may have been warranted, severe restrictions could result in infringements on human rights and workers’ rights (e.g. freedom of movement, loss of days off, etc.). The Clinic, in cooperation with the Clinic for the Rights of Holocaust Survivors and the Elderly, appealed to policy-makers to ensure that the rights of caregivers and the elderly people they support were protected.”

Dr. Eran Tzin and Adv. Amnon Keren

The Clinic for Environmental Justice and the Protection of Animal Rights

“At the beginning of the crisis, the Clinic offered support for animal welfare organizations and activists struggling with challenges arising from the imposed lockdown; the Clinic helped to map crucial issues, formulate strategies, and provided legal advice and representation, as needed. A key aspect of the Clinic’s activities was ensuring ongoing routine care of animals in various facilities (e.g. sanctuaries, shelters, etc.) since severe restrictions on activity and movement limited the possibility of providing them with food and vital veterinary care. The Clinic appealed to the Ministry of Health and other relevant parties, requesting that those caring for animals be exempted from emergency regulations, including in areas heavily affected by the virus. Furthermore, we requested that measures preventing harm to animals be an integral part of any national plan to deal with the crisis. Our efforts, in combination with public pressure, were successful and led to the requested policy changes. The Clinic also succeeded in canceling fines given to individuals while caring for animals, despite their compliance with emergency regulations. These are concerned and caring citizens who volunteered and used their own funds to care for animals, even though they faced financial difficulties due to the crisis.”

Featured image: Human Rights Clinic students and attorneys, Hicham Chabaita and Debby Tal Sadeh.

Lack of Teacher Support during Pandemic Causes Acute Emotional Harm

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TAU study provides insights into preventing burnout among educators.

A new Tel Aviv University study led by Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari, Head of the Department of Health Promotion at TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine study examined the psychological resilience of teachers before and during the coronavirus pandemic. The researchers monitored two groups of teachers in central Israel through the greater part of a single schoolyear. The first group received professional support (via the IBSR method), which included workshops and tools for promoting personal health, relieving stress and strengthening mental resilience, while the control group continued to work “as usual“ in class and then in online sessions, without this support.

The study took place from November 2019 to May 2020, with participants teaching first in the classroom and then, starting with Israel’s first lockdown in March 2020, exclusively online.  In a questionnaire handed out before the beginning of the first study, teachers reported high levels of burnout as a result of large classes, schedule overload and lack of satisfactory resources.

The research team’s findings indicate significant gaps: On one hand, teachers in the group that received psychological support reported a significant rise in mental resilience and satisfaction with their lives in general, which continued after the onset of the pandemic. During the pandemic, they reported a better ability to cope and an improvement in their emotional welfare, including more positive emotions, a stronger sense of connection to their work and purpose, and greater drive and ambition. They also reported enhanced ability to relate to and listen to their students and to maximize their professional capabilities in class.

On the other hand, the control group, which did not receive support, reported that feelings of frustration and burnout, exhaustion and low self-fulfillment intensified, both during the academic year and the pandemic, when online teaching was required. The teachers in this group reported feeling “total exhaustion” at the end of the day, and sometimes also frustration and a lack of motivation to start a new workday.

The study was conducted by: Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari, research student Tsafnat Zadok from the Department of Health Promotion, Dr. Ronit Jakobovich, Etti Dvash and Keren Zafrani. The workshops were led by Keren Zafrani, a professional teacher and IBSR expert.

Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari: “The pandemic posed new challenges that naturally generated feelings of stress and anxiety among teachers. In addition to the quick transition to online teaching, teachers had to cope with uncertainty and constantly changing regulations, as well as personal fear of contracting the virus.

Our study clearly shows that when mental resilience is prioritized and tools for overcoming their stress and anxiety are provided, a rise in motivation and emotional welfare is observed. Accordingly, we observed that when teachers did not receive the required guidance and mental skills, their negative feelings, which were also reported in normal times, grew and intensified. This was especially acute during the pandemic – reaching levels of extreme exhaustion and a lack of motivation to start the workday.”

Dr. Lev-Ari adds: “Many studies have shown that teachers’ burnout is a covert cause of heart disease and sleep disorders, and also has a negative impact on the immune system. Burnout is also the reason why many teachers leave the profession after just a few years of teaching. I hope that following the significant improvement exhibited in this study, the education system will implement intervention programs based on the model described above or similar models. This is especially critical during the pandemic, when teachers face new pressures that intensify feelings of stress, anxiety and frustration.”

Parents show love less during COVID-19: TAU Study

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Stress, crowded homes cause parents to “forget” to express love, at a time when children are in great need of parental affection.

A new study from Tel Aviv University found that during Israel’s first lockdown parents reported a significant decline in expressions of love for their young children (aged 3-5), compared to normal times. In addition, even though all members of the family were at home together, parents reported a significant decrease in parental leadership, and in setting rules and boundaries for their children.

The study, led by Prof. Dorit Aram, Head of the Early Childhood Research Laboratory at TAU’s Constantiner School of Education, examined parents’ behavior toward toddlers in Israel during the first lockdown (March-April 2020), and compared it to their behavior in regular times. The study surveyed 522 parents who filled out questionnaires. The parental behavior test was based on the Parenting Pentagon Model, consisting of five principles: partnership between caretakers, humane leadership, expressing unconditional love, promoting independence and imposing rules.

Loving behavior of parents toward their children is defined as: Loving behaviors include physical expressions of love (hugs, kisses, etc.), verbal expressions of love, encouragement, patience and sensitivity, expressions of empathy, and time spent together. The researchers found a significant difference between normal times and the pandemic.

The researchers note that during the pandemic parents spent more time with their children compared to regular times. Possibly, they had less of a need to show their love verbally and physically, because they paid more attention to their children on a daily basis. In addition, the researchers believe that the stress experienced by the parents, the crowded homes and the many hours spent together may have caused parents to “forget” the need to express love for their children, at a time when the children were in great need of loving behavior from their parents.

“This finding is somewhat surprising and even disappointing,” says Prof. Aram. “At times of crisis and stress, young children need their parents more than ever. They need a hug and words of affection, and yet parents did not express their love as often, and parental leadership, discipline and rule-setting were weakened. I hope that parents will learn from our study…and strive to exhibit more beneficial parenting practices under stressful conditions.”

The research examined several behaviors:

Parental leadership: Behaviors exhibiting leadership demonstrate parents’ place as leaders of the family and role models for their children. This behavior is characterized by assuming responsibility, setting goals related to raising the child, planning parental behavior (organizing the family in response to the new situation, preparing for changes, etc.) The study found that the implementation of this important principle was lower compared to normal times. The researchers claim that the pandemic has weakened parental control, and assume that in the chaos surrounding it, parents lost some of their efficacy in making decisions and setting goals for the family.

Partnership between caretakers: Partnership behaviors include a division of labor between parents, mutual support, the ability to resolve conflicts with mutual respect, presenting a common front to the child, presence in meaningful events in the child’s life, and agreement about how the child should be brought up. It might have been expected that with both parents at home, the level of cooperation would be higher than usual. The study, however, found no difference between the implementation of this principle in regular times and during the pandemic.

Promotion of independence: This behavior includes encouraging the child to become independent and to perform tasks suitable to age and abilities, while providing assistance when necessary. The study found that parents did not use time spent together to present challenges that could further their children’s independence, and continued to behave “normally” in this respect. The researchers emphasize that Israeli parents tend to be protective in normal times as well.

Rule-setting: For optimal family dynamics, the parent must create for the child a structured framework of rules, and implement it with persistence and authority. The parents who participated in the study reported a lower level of implementation of this principle. The researchers assume that this was caused by the lack of routine, timetables and activities outside the home.

An Underwater Journey Following the Vanishing of Sponge Species from the Shallow Water of the Israeli Coast

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The researchers believe that the sharp rise in water temperatures may lead to the death and disappearance.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University embarked on an underwater journey to solve a mystery: Why did sponges of the Agelas oroides species, which used to be common in the shallow waters along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, disappear? Today, this species can be found in Israel mainly in deep sponge grounds – rich habitats that exist at a depth of 100 meters. The researchers assess that the main reason for the disappearance of the sponges was the rise in seawater temperatures during the summer months, which in the past 60 years have risen by about three degrees.

The study was led by Prof. Micha Ilan and PhD student Tal Idan, in collaboration with Dr. Liron Goren and Dr. Sigal Shefer, all from the School of Zoology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. The article was published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Biology.

Tal Idan explains: “Sponges are marine animals of great importance to the ecosystem, and also to humans. They feed by filtering particles or obtain substances dissolved in the seawater and making them available to other animals, and are used as a habitat for many other organisms. Also, the sponges contain a wide variety of natural materials – chemicals that are used as a basis for the development of medicines. In our study, we focused on the Agelas oroides species – a common Mediterranean sponge that grew throughout the Mediterranean Sea, from a depth of less than a meter to 150 meters deep, but which has not been observed in Israel’s shallow waters for over 50 years.”

During the study, the researchers used a research vessel and an underwater robot belonging to the NGO “EcoOcean,” and with their help located particularly rich rocky habitats on the seabed at a depth of about 100 meters, approximately 16 kilometers west of Israeli shores. The most dominant animals in these habitats are sponges, which is why the habitats are called “sponge gardens.” The researchers collected 20 specimens of the Agelas oroides sponge, 14 of which were transferred to shallow waters at a depth of 10 meters, at a site where the sponge was commonly found in the 1960s. The remaining six specimens were returned to the sponge gardens from which they were taken, and used as a control group.

underwater robot. Photo: Tal Idan

The findings of the study showed that when the water temperature ranged from 18 to 26 degrees (in the months of March to May), the sponges grew and flourished: they pumped and filtered water, the action by which they feed, and their volume increased. However, as the water temperature continued to rise, the sponges’ condition deteriorated. At a temperature of 28 degrees, most of them stopped pumping water, and during the month of July, when the water temperature exceeded 29 degrees, within a short period of time all of the sponges that had been transferred to the shallow water died. At the same time, the sponges in the control group continued to enjoy a relatively stable and low temperature (between 17 and 20 degrees) which allowed them to continue to grow and thrive.

Thus, the researchers hypothesize that the decisive factor that led to the disappearance of the sponges from the shallow area was prolonged exposure to high seawater temperature. According to them, “In the past, the temperature would also reach 28.5 degrees in the summer, but only for a short period of about two weeks – so the sponges, even if damaged, managed to recover. Today, seawater temperatures rise above 29 degrees for three months, which likely causes multi-system damage in sponges, which leaves them no chance of recovering and surviving.”

Prof. Ilan: “From 1960 until today, the water temperature on the Israeli Mediterranean coast has risen by three degrees, which may greatly affect marine organisms, including sponges. Our great concern is that the changes taking place on our shores are a harbinger of what may take place in the future throughout the Mediterranean. Our findings suggest that continued climate change and the warming of seawater could fatally harm sponges and marine life in general.”

The researchers add that in recent years, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, they have been conducting extensive surveys in a number of sponge gardens along the coast, with the clear aim of protecting these unique habitats and changing their status so that they are recognized as particularly vulnerable. Three of the research sites have now been made part of the Nature and Parks Authority’s Marine Nature Reserves Program, in the hopes that they will eventually receive official recognition as marine nature reserves.

Featured image: Tal Idan

New Discovery: Development of the Inner Ear in Embryos is Similar to Crystal Formation

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This discovery could contribute to the development of treatments for hearing loss based on regeneration of hair cells in the ear.

An interdisciplinary study headed by Prof. David Sprinzak, a researcher from the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University, showed for the first time that physical forces are involved in the development of the inner ear in mammalian embryos.

Prof. Sprinzak: “We identified a new developmental mechanism that is driven by mechanical forces: the organization of hair cells in the inner ear resembles the way atoms are organized into a crystal. This is a revolutionary finding that changes fundamental perceptions in the field of developmental biology.”

The study was performed by Roie Cohen and Liat Amir-Zilberstein of Prof. Sprinzak’s laboratory; Prof. Karen Avraham and Shahar Taiber of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine; and other researchers from the Faculty of Exact Sciences and from the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University. Researchers from Switzerland, and Japan also participated in the study. The paper describing the work was published in the prestigious journal, Nature Communications, in October 2020.

Prof. Sprinzak explains: “The mammalian ear has three parts: the outer, middle, and the inner ear. Within the inner ear, there is a spiral structure, the cochlea, which contains sensory cells called hair cells. Hearing occurs when sound waves entering the inner ear cause the tiny hairs located on the hair cells to vibrate. These vibrations are then converted into electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain.

The hair cells in the cochlea are arranged in a highly organized pattern, where the hair cells and a second cell type called supporting cells form an alternating checkerboard-like pattern. This organization is important since different regions along the cochlea respond to different sound frequencies. Such a remarkably organized cellular system is rather uncommon in nature – in fact, the inner ear is one of the most organized tissues in the mammalian body. In this work, we investigated the mechanism that causes the hair cells to arrange in such a pattern during embryonic development. To do so, we conducted an interdisciplinary study that involved two innovative approaches: a new imaging technology and computational simulations of the process.”

 

In order to track the development of hair cells in the embryo, the researchers studied mouse embryos at different developmental stages. They found that early on, the cells in the tissue are disordered and undifferentiated; namely, their type and position was not determined yet. As development progresses, the cells differentiate into hair cells and supporting cells. Then, they gradually rearrange into the organized checkboard-like pattern.

Prof. Sprinzak: “Until now, most researchers in the field focused on the process of cell differentiation, which is controlled by intercellular communication. We hypothesized that this was not enough to explain the observed behavior, and we decided to examine how cells rearrange to form an ordered pattern after differentiation.” In order to do so, the researchers developed a new imaging technology that is based on three-dimensional time lapse imaging of the inner ear using a specialized microscopy setup. This approach allowed generating time-lapse videos of the development of the tissue and to track the morphological processes occurring over several days.

Prof. Sprinzak: “This is the first time that the process has been observed continuously and at high resolution. We observed that the initially disordered hair cells and supporting cells actively move until they gradually arrange into an ordered array. Neighboring cells, known as Hensen cells, move in one direction, exerting shear forces on the hair cells – forces that act in parallel to the layer of cells. These forces squeeze the hair cells together, causing them to arrange in a compact and organized pattern.”

In the next stage, the researchers used computer simulations to model the patterning process. The model showed that two main mechanical forces acted on the hair cells during the patterning process: shear forces, which caused squeezing and movement of the hair cells within the tissue, and repulsion forces between the hair cells, which keep the hair cells from getting too close to one another. Prof. Sprinzak: “We were surprised to discover that the patterning process of the hair cells in the cochlea highly resembled a well-known physical process – the patterning of atoms during the formation of a crystal. Just as atoms form a highly ordered crystal when external forces are exerted on them, so the hair cells and the supporting cells rearrange into a highly ordered pattern in response to mechanical forces acting on them. This is a completely new way of thinking in the field of developmental biology. The insights obtained from our study shed light on new research directions relevant for many other developmental processes in other organs.”

Prof. Lawrence Lustig, the Howard Smith Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology at Columbia University and New York Presbyterian Hospital who was not involved in the research, added that the study’s findings could also have significant medical implications. “All the hair cells in our inner ear are created at an embryonic stage and do not regenerate during one’s lifetime. Death of hair cells in the inner ear at any stage of life leads to permanent hearing loss. In recent years, a lot of effort have been made by the scientific community to develop therapeutic approaches to hearing loss based on regeneration of hair cells – a process where formation of new hair cells is induced by genetic therapy or small signaling molecules. This study makes an important contribution to understanding the process of hair cell regeneration and is a critical step towards this goal.”

Featured Image: Prof. David Sprinzak

The future generation of the Startup Nation

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Students from Tel Aviv University win a gold medal at iGEM – the World Championship in Synthetic Biology

An unprecedented achievement for the TAU team at iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition) – the world championship in synthetic biology. The 50%-female team won first place in the Best Software Development category, and second place in the Foundational Advance category (a prize given for proposed solutions for fundamental problems in synthetic biology). Moreover, in the competition’s overall ranking, the TAU team ranked higher than teams from some of the world’s top universities, including Stanford, MIT, Harvard and Cornell.

Students from 256 leading universities around the world participated in the competition. Each team formed an original idea and implemented it like a startup venture. Normally, the competition takes place anually in Boston, but this year, due to the pandemic, it was conducted online. The TAU team, led by Prof. Tamir Tuller, Head of the Laboratory of Computational, Systems and Synthetic Biology, The Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, included 12 outstanding students from the Faculties of Engineering, Medicine, Life Sciences and Exact Sciences: Karin Sionov (Captain), Niv Amitay, Hadar Ben Shoshan, Noa Kraicer, Bar Glickstein, Itamar Menuhin, Matan Arbel, Doron Naky, Omer Edgar, Itai Katzir, David Kenigsberger and Einav Saadia.

Genetic engineering is based on the insertion of genes from one organism into another organism. The challenge in this process is the instability of these genes, which are often quickly ‘erased’ from the genome. In the iGEM competition, the TAU team developed an innovative technology that improves genome stability and ensures long-term preservation of the inserted synthetic genes. Since most of the world’s biotech and pharma companies use this type of genetic engineering, the new technology can contribute to a range of areas, such as drug development, the food and agriculture industry and green energy.

The technology, based on tools from various disciplines, including engineering, computer science and molecular biology, comprises software for designing genetically stable DNA sequences, alongside novel techniques for measuring genome stability. Highly impressed with the new technology, the judges awarded it a gold medal, as well as prizes and high ranking in several categories.

Team Captain Karin Sionov, who holds a BSc in Biomedical Engineering from TAU’s Faculty of Engineering: “It was a great honor for me to head a team of outstanding students who were extremely proud to represent Tel Aviv University and the State of Israel. Winning was our reward for a whole year of hard, challenging work. We came to the competition with great motivation and gave everything we had. I am glad that we defeated some of the world’s leading universities.”

Prof. Tamir Tuller: “This is a very impressive achievement, which proves that TAU leads and excels in synthetic biology – not only in Israel but internationally as well. One proof of the immensity of the achievement comes from a Swiss company that has expressed an interest in our technology, already forwarding a contribution to advance the idea, and intending to support us on our way to commercialization.”

Karin Sionov the team captain

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