Newsroom – Page 25 – Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University

Prestigious Grant from the European Innovation Council Awarded to Tel Aviv University’s Research Team

Written by AUFTAU on 19 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

The European Innovation Council Pathfinder Challenges program announced a 4.95M Euro funding to an international consortium from six countries. Dr. Iftach Nachman from the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics at The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University leads the Israeli research team. The funding is given to an international consortium for the development of the Supervised Morphogenesis in Gastruloids (SUMO) project.

As part of the SUMO project, the researchers develop embryo like models (called ‘gastruloids’) based on pluripotent stem cells, to mimic cardiac and gastric tissues. With the help of advanced microscopy and machine learning, the consortium aims to make the gastruloids more robust and reproducible. The researchers hope that those models could be implemented in drug scanning and study of mutations in the future, and thus be a viable substitute to the use of lab animals.

Dr. Iftach Nachman: “In recent years the research field of embryonic models is seeing a huge boost. One of the main problems with growing such in-vitro stem-cell based models (and organoids in general) is the great variability between the different samples. We need to learn how to tame and control this variability to realize the promise of those models to the fields of medicine and basic science. This grant will enable us to deepen the scope of the research in this field.”

The SUMO consortium unites researchers from the University Hospital Oslo, Norway (HTH director: Stefan Krauss, coordinator), Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) (Jesse Veenvliet), Imperial College London, UK (HTH PI: Molly Stevens), University of Glasgow, UK (HTH PI: Nikolaj Gadegaard), Tel Aviv University, Israel (Iftach Nachman), Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Germany (Jens von Kries) and University of Oslo (HTH PI: Jan Helge Solbakk).

Prof. Dan Peer Appointed as Member of the Prestigious American National Academy of Engineering

Written by AUFTAU on 19 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

First Satellite Observatory for Quantum Optical Communication in Israel

Written by AUFTAU on 16 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Tel Aviv University establishes the first satellite observatory for quantum optical communication

“It is impossible to launch a cyber-attack and copy the information, because in quantum mechanics there is a principle that prevents copying (…) That’s how it works in theory. In practice, there are quite a few research questions that need to be answered.” Prof. Yaron Oz

Tracking Satellites on the Move

The station includes a satellite observatory dome with a diameter of 4.25 meters, a tracking system, a primary high-speed camera and secondary tracking cameras, laser equipment, single-photon detectors, and a tracking robot that can carry two telescopes simultaneously. At this stage, the robot arm holds a 24-inch telescope, and in the next stage, the observatory will be equipped with another telescope designed for photography in the infrared range, as well as thermal and hyperspectral cameras.

“The ground station is designed for observing satellites, which are small bodies 400-500 kilometers high that move at about 30,000 kilometers an hour,” says Prof. Yaron Oz, head of the Center for Quantum Science and Technology at Tel Aviv University. “The ability to track satellites is a very precise skill. The satellite passes by very quickly, and during this time you must photograph it in the center of the image and in several different ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum to learn details about it. This is the first and only satellite observatory in Israel, and it is among the most advanced in the entire world.”

In addition to regular optical communication, which uses lasers or LEDs of different wavelengths, the new ground station will also enable the conduction of experiments in quantum optical communication. Advanced communications use the quantum properties of individual photons to transmit encrypted information.

“Theoretically speaking, quantum communication is completely encrypted,” explains Prof. Oz. “It is impossible to launch a cyber-attack and copy the information, because in quantum mechanics there is a principle that prevents copying. As soon as a third party tries to intercept a message, they destroy the original signal – for example, by changing the polarization of the photons – and both communicating parties will know that someone tried to listen in on them.”

“That’s how it works in theory. In practice, there are quite a few research questions that need to be answered.”

“For example, what do we do with interference in a signal that is not created because of attempted eavesdropping, but rather, for example, from the weather? Should we use qubits or qudits, photons that have more than two states? And more generally, how much information can be transmitted this way within the limited transmission time in which the satellite passes over the ground station? The list of unanswered questions is long. It must be understood that quantum communication is a completely experimental field. There are protocols from experiments conducted in laboratories, but the only country that has successfully demonstrated such communication is China, which did so already in 2016. The Americans also apparently succeeded in this, but they published nothing about it in scientific journals. Apart from these two superpowers, a few countries like Germany, Singapore, and now Israel are preparing to demonstrate this capability.”

Prof. Yaron Oz

“Ultimately, we would also like to launch our own satellite, which will try to establish quantum communication with the ground station and with a similar satellite in Singapore.” Prof. Yaron Oz

The Goal: A Dedicated “Blue and White” Quantum Satellite

In the first phase of the project, the Tel Aviv University researchers will try to establish optical communication followed by quantum communication between ground stations, between ground stations and drones, and then between ground stations and a satellite of one of their international partners. Within two to three years, the researchers hope to raise the funds to build a dedicated “blue and white” quantum satellite.

“We are employing the ‘tower and stockade’ method,” says Prof. Oz. “In the beginning, we will place a transmitter on the roof of the second building of the School of Physics, in an attempt to produce an immune quantum key with a rate of hundreds to thousands of bits per second, with the aim of learning and improving the positioning, switching and synchronization capabilities of the light sources and the single-photon detectors. Later, we would like to reduce the size of the transmission system and integrate it into an airborne system, initially with drones, and establish a network of quantum communications. Ultimately, we would also like to launch our own satellite, which will try to establish quantum communication with the ground station and with a similar satellite in Singapore.”

Prof. Ady Arie of The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Haim Suchowski and Prof. Erez Etzion of the Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics & Astronomy, director of the optical ground station Michael Tzukran, and research students Dr. Georgi Gary Rozenman, Yuval Reches and Tomer Nahum are also participating in the groundbreaking project. The project is being funded by the University’s Center for Quantum Science and Technology, led by Prof. Yaron Oz and under the administrative management of Ms. Ronit Ackerman, and by the Israel Space Agency under the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

Does a Food Sharing Economy Benefit the Environment?

Written by AUFTAU on 14 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

According to researchers it depends on how the saved money is spent.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ben Gurion University explored the true benefit of the so-called “digital food sharing economy”: when people advertise and pass on surplus food items to others instead of throwing them away. Is this indeed an environmentally friendly practice that saves resources and significantly reduces harm to the environment? The researchers focused on the effectiveness of food sharing according to three environmental indicators: water depletion, land use, and global warming. They found that a significant proportion of the benefit to the environment is offset when the money saved is then used for purposes that have a negative environmental impact.

“While there is nothing new about sharing food, digitalization has lowered transaction costs substantially, allowing food to be shared not only within social circles of family and friends but also with absolute strangers.” Dr. Tamar Makov

Sharing Food Got Cheaper

The study was led by Tamar Meshulam, under the guidance of Dr. Vered Blass of the Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences at the Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Tamar Makov of Ben-Gurion University, and in collaboration with Dr. David Font-Vivanco, an expert on “rebound effect.” The article won the award for the “Best Article” at the PLATE (Product Lifetimes and the Environment) conference and was published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology.

“Food waste is a critical environmental problem,” explains Tamar Meshulam: “We all throw away food, from the farmer in the field to the consumer at home. In total, about a third of the food produced in the world is lost or wasted. This wasted food is responsible for roughly 10% of GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions, and the land area used to grow food that is then wasted is equal in size to the vast territory of Canada! That’s why it is so important to look for ways to reduce food waste and examine their potential contribution to mitigating climate change.”

According to Dr. Tamar Makov, “Internet platforms for sharing food are gaining popularity all over the world and are seen as a natural solution that can help tackle both food waste and food insecurity at the same time. While there is nothing new about sharing food, digitalization has lowered transaction costs substantially, allowing food to be shared not only within social circles of family and friends but also with absolute strangers.”

“Is it possible that at least some of the money saved is then spent on carbon intensive products and services that negate the benefit of sharing? (…) In this study, we sought to examine this troubling issue in depth.” Dr. Vered Blass

From left to right: Dr. Vered Blass (Tel Aviv University) and Dr. Tamar Makov (Ben-Gurion University)

Where Does the Money Go?

“At the same time, sharing platforms as well as other digitally enabled food waste reduction platforms (e.g., too good to go) can save users a lot of money, which raises the question of what do people typically do with such savings? Considering what people do with the money they save via sharing platforms is critical for evaluating environmental impacts,” notes Makov.

Dr. Vered Blass adds: “Is it possible that at least some of the money saved is then spent on carbon intensive products and services that negate the benefit of sharing?” She offers an example to illustrate: “Let’s say that for one month a young couple lives only on food they obtained for free through a sharing platform, and then they decide to use the money they saved to fly abroad. In such a case, it’s obvious that the plane they will be flying in creates pollution that harms the environment more than all the benefits of sharing. In this study, we sought to examine this troubling issue in depth.”

“As long as our savings are measured in money, and the money is used for additional expenses, the rebound effect will erode our ability to reduce environmental burdens through greater efficiency.” The research team

“Rebound Effect” Detected

The researchers chose to focus on the app OLIO, an international peer-to-peer food-sharing platform, and specifically on its activity in the United Kingdom between the years 2017 and 2019.

Combining models from the fields of industrial ecology, economics, and data science, they measured the benefits of sharing food using three environmental indicators: global warming, the depletion of water sources, and land use. To understand how OLIO users spend their savings they used statistical data published by the UK Office for National Statistics on household spending by consumption purpose to as COICOP (classification of individual consumption according to purpose).

“The location in which the food-sharing took place allowed us to assign each collecting user to their UK income percentile,” shares Meshulam. “We found that about 60% of the app’s users belong to the bottom five deciles, while about 40% of the shares were carried out by the top five deciles. We also found that the second and tenth deciles made up a relatively large number of shares, so we chose to focus on them, along with data on the general population – what they spend their money on, and what the significance of these consumption habits is regarding the savings made possible by sharing.”

The researchers performed a variety of statistical analyses, which yielded fascinating findings. In many cases, there was a considerable gap, or “rebound effect” between the expected environmental benefit and the benefit that was attained.

This rebound effect changed depending on the population and the environmental impact category. Tamar Meshulam cites several examples: For the general population, 68% of the benefit was offset in the global warming category, about 35% was offset in the water depletion category, and about 40% was offset in the land use category. Furthermore, in households that used half of their savings on food, the rebound effect in all categories increased to 80-95%.

The researchers sum up: “The conclusion from our research is that the actual environmental benefits from efficiency improvements often fall short of expectations. This is because the infrastructures supporting human activities are still carbon intensive. As long as our savings are measured in money, and the money is used for additional expenses, the rebound effect will erode our ability to reduce environmental burdens through greater efficiency.”

The researchers also examined what the results would have been if the sharing had been conducted in 2011 (these results are not included in this article). A comparison with the findings of 2019 shows a significant improvement. The explanation for this is that in recent years, Britain has made great efforts to switch to renewable energies, and the impact of this is evident in the decrease of greenhouse gas emissions. The bottom line? The researchers conclude that “as our findings demonstrate, we need to combine a transition to green infrastructure with green consumerism. Each of these individually will not achieve the desired and critical impact needed for humanity and the planet.”

Featured image: Volunteers receive groceries for the elderly in Bat Yam, Israel during the coronavirus before the feast of Pesach (April 7, 2020) (Photo Credit: TAU)

Love Blossoms at Tel Aviv University

Written by AUFTAU on 14 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Two TAU-made couples share their romantic stories.

Romance can be found on Tel Aviv University campus just as it can be found elsewhere in Tel Aviv, but “TAU couples” stand out from the crowd, with their shared love of science and passionate pursuit of the unknown! This Valentine’s Day, we tracked down two of our academic couples and asked them a few questions:

Karen & Matti

Prof. Karen Avraham, Tel Aviv University’s Dean of Medicine, is married to Prof. Matti Mintz, Emeritus at the School of Psychological Sciences at TAU’s Faculty of Social Sciences:

How did you meet?

An MD [Doctor of Medicine] from the Faculty of Medicine saw a poster of mine at a Research Fair. He suggested Matti contact this “famous scientist” who has a model for balance and hearing. Matti arrived in my office about a month later, when I managed to find the time to meet him. He arrived with a motorcycle helmet under his arm and I thought to myself – I didn’t know there were such cool professors at TAU!

What are the perks of being a “TAU couple”?

We have joint publications, joint supervision of graduate students, and can meet during the day for lunch (if I make time for lunch…).

Funny situations arise as well when you’re a TAU couple: One day a colleague from Medicine was in Matti’s office. After an hour, he said to Matti – why do you have a photograph of Prof. Karen Avraham in your office? Needless to know, he didn’t realize we were married.

The most romantic spot on TAU campus?

The path from Medicine to Psychology […].

Moran & Yoni

Dr. Moran Rubinstein from the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry is married to Dr. Yoni Haitin from the Physiology and Pharmacology Department, both at Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medicine.

Yoni and Moran

How did you meet?

We met during our B.Sc studies at TAU (The Multidisciplinary Program for Life Science and Medicine). Next, we started our M.Sc. studies together at The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The Faulty of Medicine, TAU, and proceeded together to the direct Ph.D. program.

What are the perks of being a “TAU couple”?

We have studied and worked together for a long time now. We performed numerous experiments jointly and still like to work together to this day.

The most romantic spot on TAU campus?

In the lab – we recently produced recombinant DNA together in Yoni’s lab for a study performed in my lab.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all, from Tel Aviv University Campus!

Light Pollution is Killing Desert Rodents

Written by AUFTAU on 10 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

New study shows that artificial light at night can be harmful to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health.

A new study from Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology tested the impact of prolonged low-intensity light pollution on two species of desert rodents: the diurnal golden spiny mouse, and the nocturnal common spiny mouse. The findings were highly disturbing: on two different occasions, entire colonies exposed to ALAN (Artificial Light At Night) died within days, and reproduction also decreased significantly compared to control groups. According to the researchers, the results show clearly for the first time that light pollution can be extremely harmful to these species, and suggest they may be harmful to ecosystems, biodiversity, and even human health.

“According to latest studies, about 80% of the world’s human population is exposed to ALAN, and the area affected by light pollution grows annually by 2-6%. In a small and overcrowded state like Israel, very few places remain free of light pollution.” Hagar Vardi-Naim

Humans Changed the Rules

The study was led by Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor, Chief Scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, and PhD student Hagar Vardi-Naim, both from TAU’s School of Zoology and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. The paper was published in Scientific Reports.

“We have been studying these closely related rodent species for years. They both live in Israel’s rocky deserts: the golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus) is diurnal [active during the day], and the common spiny mouse (A. cahirinus) in nocturnal [active during the night],” explains Prof. Kronfeld-Schor. “The two species share the same natural habitat but use it at different times to avoid competition. By comparing closely related species that differ in activity times, we gain new insights into the biological clock and its importance to the health of both animals and humans.”

Hagar Vardi-Naim notes that, “in most species studied to date, including humans, the biological clock is synchronized by light. This mechanism evolved over millions of years in response to the daily and annual cycles of sunlight – day and night and their varying lengths that correspond to the change of seasons. Different species developed activity patterns that correspond to these changes in light intensity and daylength and developed anatomical, physiological and behavioral adaptations suitable for day or night activity and seasonality.”

“However, over the last decades, humans have changed the rules by inventing and extensively using artificial light, which generates light pollution. According to latest studies, about 80% of the world’s human population is exposed to ALAN, and the area affected by light pollution grows annually by 2-6%. In a small and overcrowded state like Israel, very few places remain free of light pollution. In our study, we closely monitored the long-term effects of ALAN on individuals and populations under semi-natural conditions.”

“We had seen no preliminary signs (…) We assume that exposure to ALAN had impaired the animals’ immune response, leaving them with no protection against some unidentified pathogen [organism causing disease to its host].” Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor

Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor

Dramatic Turn of Events

In the study, the researchers placed 96 spiny mice, males and females in equal numbers, in eight spacious outdoor enclosures at TAU’s Zoological Research Garden. The enclosures simulated living conditions in the wild: all animals were exposed to natural environmental conditions, including the natural light/dark cycle, ambient temperatures, humidity, and precipitation. Each enclosure contained shelters, nesting materials and access to sufficient amounts of food. The experimental enclosures were exposed to low-intensity ALAN (like a streetlamp in urban areas) of different wavelengths (colors) for 10 months: two enclosures were exposed to cold white light, two to warm white (yellowish) light, and two to blue light, while two of the enclosures remained dark at night and served as controls. All animals were marked to enable accurate monitoring of changes in behavior and physical condition. The experiment was conducted twice in two successive years.

“The average life expectancy of spiny mice is 4-5 years, and our original plan was to monitor the effects of ALAN on the same colonies, measuring the effects on reproductive output, wellbeing and longevity,” says Prof. Kronfeld-Schor. “But the dramatic results thwarted our plans: on two unrelated occasions, in two different enclosures exposed to white light, all animals died within several days. We had seen no preliminary signs, and autopsies at TAU’s Faculty of Medicine and the Kimron Veterinary Institute in Beit Dagan revealed no abnormal findings in the dead spiny mice. We assume that exposure to ALAN had impaired the animals’ immune response, leaving them with no protection against some unidentified pathogen. No abnormal mortality was recorded in any of the other enclosures, and as far as we are aware, no similar event has ever been documented by researchers before.”

“Our findings show that light pollution, especially cold white and blue light, increases mortality and disrupts reproduction, and thus may be detrimental to the fitness and survival of species in the wild. This adverse effect can have far-reaching consequences at the current wide distribution of light pollution.” Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor

Disrupted Reproduction

Other findings also indicated that exposure to ALAN disrupts the reproductive success of spiny mice: “In the wild both species of spiny mice breed mainly during summer, when temperatures are high, and the newborn pups are most likely to survive,” shares Hagar Vardi-Naim. “Artificial light, however, seemed to confuse the animals. The common spiny mice began to breed year-round but produced a lower number of pups per year. Pups born during winter are not expected to survive in nature, which would further reduce the species’ reproductive success in the wild.”

“The reproduction of golden spiny mice was affected in a different way: colonies exposed to ALAN continued to breed in the summer, but the number of young was reduced by half compared to the control group, which continued to thrive and breed normally. These findings are in accordance with the fact that in seasonal long day breeders the cue for reproduction is day length.”

Additional tests revealed that exposure to ALAN caused physiological and hormonal changes – most significantly in the level of cortisol, an important stress hormone involved in the regulation and operation of many physiological pathways, including the regulation of the immune system. Lab tests indicated that exposure to blue light increased cortisol levels of golden spiny mice, while white light reduced cortisol levels of golden spiny mice males in winter.

“Our findings show that light pollution, especially cold white and blue light, increases mortality and disrupts reproduction, and thus may be detrimental to the fitness and survival of species in the wild. This adverse effect can have far-reaching consequences at the current wide distribution of light pollution. Our clear results are an important step toward understanding the impact of light pollution on biodiversity and will help us promote science-based policies, specifically with regard to the use of artificial light in both built and open areas. In future studies we plan to investigate what caused the extensive deaths in the enclosures exposed to ALAN, focusing on the effect of light pollution exposure on the immune system,” concludes Prof. Kronfeld Schor.

Are You an Entrepreneur at Heart?

Written by AUFTAU on 9 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Three Tel Aviv University Researchers Awarded the ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) grants

Written by AUFTAU on 9 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

The European Research Council (ERC) recently announced the recipients of its 2022 call for Proof of Concept (PoC) grants, and three Tel Aviv University researchers were included on the list. The grants – each worth 150.000 euro – help researchers to bridge the gap between the discoveries stemming from their frontier research and the practical application of the findings, including early phases of their commercialization. The funding is part of the EU’s research and innovation program, Horizon Europe.

“Tel Aviv University sees great importance in the development of applied technologies and their commercialization, and we are very proud of our researchers and happy about their achievements and success. It is exciting to see that Israel in general, and Tel Aviv University in particular, continue to be at the forefront of global science in a variety of fields.” says Prof. Dan Peer, Tel Aviv University’s Vice President for Research and Development and Head of the Laboratory for Nanomedicine.

The three researchers who were awarded ERC Proof of Concept grants for their groundbreaking research were:

Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro | Sackler Faculty of Medicine:

Prof. Satchi-Fainaro is engaged in multidisciplinary research that focuses on the interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment, and discovering new targeting molecules that may interfere with the interaction between the host and the tumor. In her current research, Satchi-Fainaro is developing a targeted modular nanoplatform that can be used as a therapeutic tool and would also help regulate the cells of the immune system during cancer treatment. She won the ERC PoC (ImmuNovation) grant based on her ERC Advanced grant (3DBrainStorm), which deals with the development of cancer nano-vaccines, tested on the unique 3D models she created in her laboratory.

Prof. Raja Giryes | School of Electrical Engineering | The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering:

Prof. Giryes’ research focuses on artificial intelligence and its application in the fields of signal processing, images, and optics. In his current research, Prof. Giryes is developing innovative cameras for polarization and 3D calculation. Based on this technology, a polarized endoscopy method will be developed that incorporates 3D imaging.

Prof. Eilon Shani | School of Plant Sciences and Food Security | The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences:

Prof. Shani researches the fields of molecular genetics in plants as well as the transport mechanisms of signal molecules in plants. In order to deal with the challenge of the genetic overlap of gene families in plants, Prof. Shani’s current research applies genetic editing approaches (CRISPR) with genomic resolution. These biotechnological tools result in revealing the phenotypic variation in the plant, and identifying mechanisms that the plant uses to deal with changes such as lack of water.

Featured image: From left to right: Prof. Raja Giryes, Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro and Prof. Eilon Shani

Researchers Identify A New Genetic Risk Factor for Age-related Eye Disease

Written by AUFTAU on 8 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University identified a new genetic risk factor for the complex eye disease AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), a leading cause for loss of eyesight at an advanced age. For the first time, the researchers identified proteins that play a key role in the development and functioning of the tissue affected by the disease, found their exact sites in the genome, and discovered the connection between variations in these genomic regions and the risk for AMD. The researchers: “The new discovery enhances our understanding of the previously unknown function of genomic regions outside the genes. The method we applied may enable the deciphering of additional genetic mechanisms involved in various complex genetic diseases.”

“Comparative studies have identified whole genomic regions that are probably related to the disease but were unable to pinpoint any specific feature in these regions and define it as a risk factor. Our study addressed this problem.” Prof. Ran Elkon

Decoding Mechanisms of a Complex Disease

The study was led by Prof. Ruth Ashery-Padan and Prof. Ran Elkon and their research teams, Mazal Cohen Gulkar, Naama Mesika, Ahuvit David, and May Eshel, from the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University. The paper was published in PLOS Biology.

Prof. Ashery-Padan explains that “one of the greater challenges in genetic research today is decoding the genetic mechanisms of complex diseases caused by a combination of several different genetic and environmental factors (rather than an identifiable defect in a single gene). Diabetes, bowel diseases, and various mental illnesses are just a few examples. In our study we chose to focus on AMD, which causes degeneration of the central retina – a major cause of loss of vision at an advanced age in developed countries.”

Prof. Elkon adds: “AMD has a significant genetic component. Studies comparing the genomes of people with and without AMD (as well as a range of other complex genetic diseases) have found differences in several genomic regions, probably associated with risk factors for the disease. However, these differences were not detected in any specific gene, but rather in the extensive regions that stretch between the genes, whose functions and modes of operation are still largely unknown. In fact, comparative studies have identified whole genomic regions that are probably related to the disease but were unable to pinpoint any specific feature in these regions and define it as a risk factor. Our study addressed this problem.”

The study focused on the cells of a layer of tissue called retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), which supports photoreceptors in the retina, and is essential for their initial development as well as their survival throughout an individual’s lifetime. According to the researchers, this tissue is affected right from the earliest stages of AMD.

Prof. Ruth Ashery-Padan

“Our findings provide new insight into a previously unsolved issue: the functions and mode of operation of genomic sequences located outside the genes, and how they are involved in complex genetic diseases.” Prof. Ruth Ashery-Padan

Novel Research Methodology

“First, we wanted to understand the genetic mechanism that activates and regulates the specific activity of pigmented epithelium cells,” says Prof. Ashery-Padan. “Through a series of experiments, knocking down different proteins in both a mouse model and human cells, we identified two key proteins, LHX2 and OTX2, which together dictate the expression of many genes unique to this tissue. The proteins act as transcriptional activators – binding to specific regulatory sites in the genome to determine which genes will be expressed in a particular cell.”

The next challenge was mapping the precise locations of the two proteins in the genome. The researchers used the innovative technology ChIP-seq – a DNA sequencing method that identifies binding sites where proteins bind to the DNA.

“We found that the binding sites of the two proteins were quite close to each other,” explains Prof. Elkon. “Moreover, these same sites had previously been identified as related to risk factors for AMD (namely, sequences that showed differences between people with and without AMD). We assume that due to changes in DNA sequences in these genomic regions, transcriptional proteins cannot easily find and bind with their binding sites. This reduces the expression of the nearby gene regulated by the transcriptional proteins, which encodes an ion channel known as important to eye function. The decrease in the gene’s activity affects the entire tissue, increasing the risk for development of AMD.”

Prof. Ashery-Padan sums up the study: “In our study we identified two proteins related to risk factors for the complex genetic eye disease AMD. In addition, for the first time, we were able to map the exact genomic sites of these proteins and found that they operate in a region previously identified as related to risk factors for AMD. Our findings provide new insight into a previously unsolved issue: the functions and mode of operation of genomic sequences located outside the genes, and how they are involved in complex genetic diseases. We believe that our novel research methodology will enable the identification and mapping of many other genetic mechanisms related to AMD and other complex genetic diseases.”

Five Tel Aviv University Researchers Win Prestigious ERC Grants

Written by AUFTAU on 7 February 2023. Posted in Newsroom.

The European Research Council (ERC) recently announced the winners of its 2022 call for research grants for mid-career researchers, and Tel Aviv University won five of these grants. The highly coveted grants enable promising researchers to achieve their research goals, promote fruitful collaborations and build competent research teams.

From Across TAU Campus

“We are very proud of our researchers, and happy about their success. It is exciting to see that Israel in general, and Tel Aviv University in particular, continue to be at the forefront of global science. I am especially happy and excited to see a growing representation of researchers from the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences,” says Prof. Dan Peer, Tel Aviv University’s Vice President for Research and Development and Head of the Laboratory for Nanomedicine.

The following researchers were awarded ERC grants for their groundbreaking research:

Prof. Miri Yemini | School of Education | The Lester and Sally Entin Faculty of Humanities

Prof. Yemini researches the interactions between local and global processes in the education system. She explores how young people from different backgrounds in different countries understand and apply global citizenship.

Prof. Tom Schonberg | The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience

Prof. Schonberg heads the Minerva Center for Human Intelligence in Immersive, Augmented and Mixed Realities and the TAU XR Center. In his laboratory, he investigates mental functions and the neural basis of human decision-making processes. For this purpose, he uses MRI methods, eye movement tracking, various physiological indices, and methods from the computational learning field. He also investigates human decision-making through the construction of virtual reality environments that enable full functionality and are monitored at the highest possible level.

Prof. Limor Landsman | Sackler Faculty of Medicine

Prof. Limor Landsman from the Cell and Developmental Biology Department researches the function of beta cells, cells that regulate insulin production, crucial for blood sugar control and for the prevention of diabetes. Her team studies how beta-cell function and mass are established and maintained in healthy individuals and why they are lost in instances of diabetes. To this end, they research the crosstalk between beta-cells andother cells in their microenvironment.

Dr. Erica Lynn Weiss | Department of Sociology and Anthropology | Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences

Dr. Weiss is a cultural anthropologist who studies how people navigate moral dilemmas they encounter in their daily lives. She also researches liberalism and its alternatives, especially in the contexts of religious and ethnic coexistence. Through her research, Dr. Weiss explores how different groups in the world find ways to overcome differences and bridge the gaps between them.

Prof. Hila Shamir | Faculty of Law

Hila Shamir, a Professor of Law at Tel-Aviv University Faculty of Law, teaches and researches Employment, Labor, Immigration, and Welfare Law with a focus on issues of human trafficking, gender equality, informal work, and the law of global value chains. Prof. Shamir is a second time ERC grant winner. As part of her first ERC grant, she established the research group TraffLab: Labor Perspective to Human Trafficking.

In her current research, Shamir examines efforts to promote workers’ rights in global supply and production chains. Her groundbreaking research looks towards various efforts to strengthen the collective power of workers in different parts of the world, to learn how a collective labor law can be developed to counterbalance to the growing power of corporations in the global economy.

Featured image: Winners of the ERC grant for 2023 (from left to right): Prof. Tom Schonberg, Prof. Limor Landsman, Prof. Miri Yemini, Prof. Hila Shamir and Dr. Erica Weiss

Prestigious Grant from the European Innovation Council Awarded to Tel Aviv University’s Research Team

Prof. Dan Peer Appointed as Member of the Prestigious American National Academy of Engineering

First Satellite Observatory for Quantum Optical Communication in Israel

Does a Food Sharing Economy Benefit the Environment?