Faculty News

We are proud and delighted to announce the three exceptional recipients of Bar-Ilan University’s Outstanding Lecturer Award for 2025. These remarkable educators set a high standard in teaching, research, and student mentorship—shaping the next generation of physicians and researchers!

Meet the Award Winners:

Dr. Shai Bel (center)
Dr. Bel, a leading researcher in inflammatory bowel diseases, seamlessly integrates groundbreaking research with excellence in teaching. He leads challenging courses on the immune system, making complex topics accessible and engaging. His lectures stand out for their interactive presentations, active discussions, and deep investment in student learning. As the head of the MD/PhD program, he nurtures a new generation of physician-scientists, fostering scientific innovation and guiding students with dedication and belief in their potential.

Dr. Gassan Moady (right)
Dr. Moady, Head of the cardiology clinical division at the Faculty of Medicine, is a senior lecturer and clinical instructor in cardiology. He is highly respected by both students and faculty members.
For the past seven years, he has mentored students with dedication in hospital settings, providing practical clinical knowledge alongside essential values of patient-centered care. His outstanding teaching is reflected in top student evaluations and his contributions to both preclinical and clinical training programs.

🏆 Nadav Toledano (left)
Nadav, an anatomy lecturer and physiotherapist, is revolutionizing the way anatomy is taught at the Faculty. He implements innovative learning techniques, including pre-recorded lectures and interactive practice sessions. Student feedback highlights his inspiring teaching, personalized approach, and outstanding pedagogical support. His dedication to creating engaging content and developing advanced teaching programs makes him a vital asset to the Faculty.

The selection of these outstanding lecturers was based on years of student evaluations, faculty recommendations, and the rankings of the university’s selection committee.

The award ceremony will take place on Monday, June 16, 2025, in the presence of the university president and rector.

Excellence in teaching is a core value of our faculty, and we deeply appreciate the dedication of our lecturers who tirelessly invest in quality education, inspiration, and unwavering support for our students!

On March 12, 2025, the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine inaugurated a new research center, headed by Prof. Itay Onn, Prof. Tzipora Falik-Zaccai, and Dr. Kobi Maman. The center aims to foster collaborations between Faculty researchers and physicians in affiliated hospitals, integrating clinical knowledge with research.

Approximately 50 researchers and physicians attended the launch conference, with many presenting their research profiles in the fields of genetics and oncology. Following the lectures, networking sessions were held to generate ideas for future collaborations.

What’s Next?

• Hosting leading researchers from Israel and abroad
• Research grants
• Conferences to present research findings

This is the third center in the faculty’s Galilee Research Network, which unites nine dedicated research centers to advance medicine and healthcare in the Galilee. Our existing centers include the Women’s Health Research Center and the Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Center.

The Faculty of Medicine is currently hosting a "traveling exhibition" of the Israel Society for Microscopy, showcasing a stunning selection of microscopy images captured by researchers in Israel. The exhibition features 40 original works from various fields, including life sciences and materials science, offering a unique glimpse into the microscopic worlds of cells, organisms, materials, and molecular structures.

Displayed at the entrance to the research buildings, the exhibition invites visitors to experience the beauty and complexity of the micro-world as never seen before.

Galilium is a regional partnership established to promote science and technology education in the Eastern Galilee cluster as a tool for reducing gaps and fostering social mobility.

Galilium leads a wide range of programs, including the Medical Cadets program, which operates in collaboration with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. This program is one of Galilium’s flagship excellence initiatives.

As part of the program, students write a final research paper worth five matriculation units under the guidance of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, hospitals in the Eastern Galilee region, and the MIGAL Research Institute.

This year, program students once again participated in Galilium’s Science and Technology Research Paper Conference, which has been held annually for the past 11 years. This year, the conference was hosted at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Safed.

The conference featured 25 students who submitted their science research papers to the Ministry of Education and presented their work in five parallel sessions.

A heartfelt thank you to the Faculty of Medicine for hosting the event and to all the researchers for guiding and mentoring the students!

Last night, 30 medical students proudly received their white coats, marking the beginning of their clinical studies in hospitals.

In a heartfelt and celebratory ceremony at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, 30 students were presented their white coats, symbolizing their transition from theoretical studies to hands-on clinical training.

This event signifies a pivotal milestone as they move from classroom-based learning at the Faculty to practical, patient-centered education in affiliated hospitals across northern Israel and community health centers in the Galilee.

During the ceremony, each student received a white coat and a personalized name tag from the Dean, while the physicians who guided them in their training placed the coats on them in a symbolic gesture.

These 30 students, graduates of the Faculty’s three-year track program, now join 98 graduates of the four-year track who received their white coats last July.

These students left everything behind and returned home from countries where they had begun their medical studies—including Georgia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, Croatia, Russia, and Jordan.

Prof. Orly Avni, Dean of the Faculty, addressed the students:
"Dear students, we have reached the moment for which we have gathered today—the point where the educational focus shifts from the faculty to hospitals and community medicine. This is the most significant stage in your medical education: the moment when patients begin to see you as part of the medical team. I cannot overstate the immense responsibility that comes with donning your white coats. In an era of artificial intelligence, where a single click grants access to the sum of human knowledge, your true strength lies in your ability to extend a wise, compassionate, and empathetic hand."

Prof. Meital Gal-Tanamy from the Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, a pioneering researcher in virology and vaccines, has been selected to participate in a prestigious training program organized by BIRAD, the commercialization company of Bar-Ilan University, in collaboration with the Arieli Group investment firm.

The training, conducted as part of a "Bootcamp" for researchers developed in partnership with industry, provides essential tools for presenting scientific research and innovations to business stakeholders, investors, and funding bodies. Prof. Gal-Tanamy was invited to join the program due to the groundbreaking vaccine developed in her lab, which holds significant medical potential.

As part of the program, alongside eight other researchers from Bar-Ilan University, she received close mentorship in preparing a scientific pitch for the industry, participated in one-on-one meetings with representatives from the pharma and biotech sectors, and presented her research at a key event attended by investors and industry leaders.

Her participation in the program highlights the importance of bridging academic research with commercial development, marking the path of innovation at the Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee—from the laboratory to the medical market.

The establishment of the biobank at the Tzafon Medical Center, in collaboration with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, is made possible thanks to a grant of 1.5 million shekels from the Israel Innovation Authority.

This week, the Tzafon Medical Center received notification that it has won a 1.5-million-shekel grant from the Israel Innovation Authority to establish The Tzafon Data and Bio-Bank in partnership with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. This will not only be the first biobank in northern Israel but also a unique facility that will incorporate bacterial samples in addition to biological specimens.

The project is part of the Academia, Innovation, and Research (AIR) infrastructure at Tzafon Medical Center (Poriya) and will be physically located within the Biomedical Research Institute affiliated with BIU’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. A biological sample repository is an essential and innovative tool that facilitates a wide range of research opportunities and strengthens the connection between industry and the medical field. Furthermore, biobanks play a crucial role in the commercial development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, particularly in the era of personalized medicine.

The grant is led by Prof. Avi Peretz, Head of the AIR (Academia, Innovation, and Research) Division at Tzafon Medical Center; Dr. Hagar Tadmor, who will manage the sample repository; and Dr. Maya Azrad, who will oversee the bacterial collection. Prof. Peretz explains:

"The establishment of this biobank will be a significant leap forward for research infrastructure in northern Israel. It is expected to serve both academia and industry in medical and para-medical fields. The unique sample repository will provide a foundation for conducting complex studies and industrial developments, including research on bacterial resistance to antibiotics, bacterial strain classification using molecular methods, identification and measurement of bacterial virulence factors such as toxin production, host-pathogen interactions, and more."

In recent decades, with advancements in scientific understanding of medicine, the recognition of the importance and potential of such repositories has grown, leading to the establishment of biobanks worldwide. In Israel, only a limited number of data and biological sample repositories exist, most of which are located in central Israel. These repositories serve academic institutions and industrial companies across the country, placing the medical and academic research ecosystem in northern Israel at a disadvantage. An analysis of the Israeli market reveals that while several academic centers and industrial companies operate in northern Israel, they currently rely on acquiring samples from distant repositories. The establishment of a data and biological sample biobank in northern Israel will address a critical gap that currently lacks a solution.

"This is a highly prestigious grant that enables the medical center to establish an advanced repository, providing a foundation for researchers in Israel and abroad. The establishment of this infrastructure will also strengthen northern Israel, the biotech industry, and biomedical research, serving as a catalyst for attracting further research projects to our region," adds Prof. Avi Peretz.

Dr. Noam Yehudai:

"Thanks to the establishment of the biobank and the collaboration between AIR, Bar-Ilan University, and the Israel Innovation Authority, we will now have the infrastructure to conduct complex studies. This will allow us to provide the most precise and personalized treatment for each patient in the future. The biobank will serve as a growth engine for northern Israel, both academically and in attracting entrepreneurs, startups, and biotech companies while fostering collaborations and future data-driven research."

Photo:
Seated: Dr. Hagar Tadmor
Center: Prof. Avi Peretz
Left: Dr. Maya Azrad
Photo credit: Tzafon Medical Center

Unprecedented Achievement: Dr. Sivan Spitzer from the Faculty of Medicine and Her Partners Win a €22 Million Grant!

Dr. Sivan Spitzer has achieved an extraordinary milestone, securing Bar-Ilan University's first-ever prestigious EU-IHI grant from the European Union. The grant, worth €22 million (equivalent to 80 million NIS), is aimed at developing an innovative platform to improve medication adherence among patients with cardio-metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

CAREPATH brings together researchers from six European countries, in collaboration with leading pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk and Pfizer, along with patient organizations. Its mission is to design and implement an advanced platform to enhance medication adherence through personalized digital and analog tools.

Why Is This Important?
Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension affect millions of people worldwide. However, one of the biggest challenges is ensuring consistent medication adherence. CAREPATH aims to bridge this gap, improve treatment outcomes, and provide patients with culturally and personally tailored tools.

Dr. Spitzer: "The vision of CAREPATH is to integrate scientific research, technological innovation, and international collaboration to enhance the quality of life for millions of people worldwide."

Prof. Keren Agay-Shay is a leading researcher at the Faculty of Medicine, specializing in environmental epidemiology with a focus on the relationship between health and the environment.

She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD from the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa, where she studied congenital anomalies and air pollution in Israel. Her postdoctoral work was conducted in Barcelona at the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) at the ISGlobal Institute and later in Israel as part of the "Mimshak" program at Tel Aviv University and the Ministry of Health.

Prof. Agay-Shay’s interdisciplinary research primarily explores the health impacts of harmful environmental conditions such as air pollution and extreme temperature events, as well as the benefits of conditions like green spaces and vertical greenery systems. Additionally, she investigates temporal and spatial patterns of disease, enabling the identification of environmental hazards and hotspots of health inequality.

In groundbreaking research funded by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), she revealed a link between exposure to extreme temperatures during pregnancy and an increased risk of low birth weight in newborns, highlighting the health implications of climate change in Israel and globally. Another study explored the connection between green residential environments early in pregnancy and chronic cortisol levels, finding evidence of positive effects on women's health.

In a large-scale study involving around one million residents, Prof. Agay-Shay identified an association between living in greener areas in Tel Aviv and a lower risk of cancer, as well as elevated morbidity rates in the Haifa Bay area that could not be attributed solely to socio-demographic factors. This research provides critical insights for environmental and public health policy.
Prof. Agay-Shay’s prolific career includes the publication of dozens of studies and academic articles. She serves as a model for academic engagement that bridges the gap between scholarly work and practical impact, ensuring her research is deeply connected to real-world challenges.

On December 8, 2024, Moti Sonnenfeld (pictured to left) visited the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Safed. Moti Sonnenfeld is the founder of the Danielle Sonnenfeld Foundation, named after his daughter Danieli, who was tragically killed in a car accident some 10 years ago. Danieli Sonnenfeld had devoted two years to National Service, the first of which took place at the oncology department of the Schneider Children's Hospital in Petah Tikva. After an uplifting meeting with the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Orly Avni, a ceremony was held to award 10 scholarships to medical students. The ceremony was led by the Administrative Head of the Faculty, Noam David Reshelbach. During the ceremony, the donor became acquainted with the students, and they learned about him and his important work, which spans dozens of philanthropic projects. Each student received a certificate and a generous scholarship.

Approximately 523 million people worldwide suffered from some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and around 19 million deaths were attributed to these diseases (as of 2020), accounting for about 32% of all deaths globally.

Congratulations to Dr. Nir Qvit from the Faculty of Medicine for winning a prestigious research grant from the Israel Innovation Authority. The grant aims to develop an innovative treatment for heart diseases. Dr. Qvit, a renowned expert in the development of compounds that selectively inhibit biological processes, received the grant as part of the 2024 health and medicine call for proposals.

Dr. Qvit’s research identified a novel mechanism affecting mitochondrial division, which supplies energy for normal heart activity and under stress conditions. This discovery opens new directions for developing unique therapies designed to improve heart function and prevent further deterioration in patients’ conditions.

The project proposed by Dr. Qvit, in collaboration with Prof. Arie Lev Gruzman Bar-Ilan from the Department of Chemistry, focuses on developing a peptide-based therapy to protect heart tissue following myocardial injury. The research suggests an innovative approach to preventing damage to heart tissue.

The goal of the research is to provide a treatment that could serve as an effective tool for preventing and rehabilitating heart damage, ultimately reducing mortality from severe cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Qvit’s research proposal was selected from dozens of submissions and earned him a grant of over one million shekels.

Last Friday, the annual conference of the Israeli Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) took place under the theme "Galilee Meeting." Due to the security situation, the event was held at the Tel Aviv University Faculty of Dental Medicine. The conference addressed topics such as tissue engineering, artificial intelligence applications, computational biology in oral microbiome research, head and neck cancer management, and immunology of soft and hard oral tissues.

The conference brought together over 200 researchers, students, and clinicians from across Israel, showcasing innovative and groundbreaking research in dental and craniofacial fields. Professor Orly Avni, Dean of the Bar-Ilan University Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the importance of integrating research excellence in oral, maxillofacial, and craniofacial sciences with the development of novel treatments aimed at improving patient quality of life.

Professor Samer Srouji, President of the IADR Israel Division, Head of the Galilee College of Dental Sciences, and Director of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Galilee Medical Center, described the conference as a resounding success. He praised the achievements of the students who presented their research, noting that two of them will represent Israel at next year’s international IADR conference in Barcelona.

The Galilee College of Dental Sciences, affiliated with Bar-Ilan University, has established itself in recent years as a leading research institution in northern Israel, offering advanced dental specialization programs recognized by the Scientific Council of the Israel Dental Association.

The IADR, a prestigious international organization with over 10,000 researchers worldwide, continues to lead the field of dental research and strengthen scientific collaborations among researchers and clinicians globally.

How do we train excellent doctors to become outstanding teachers?

Our medical students undergo an in-depth process to develop communication skills with patients, conduct medical histories, perform physical examinations, and engage in clinical thinking—all before encountering real patients.

The HILA course (Professional Foundations for the Future Doctor), a required course given to students early on in their academic years, ensures training in a safe and supervised environment. It provides students with a solid foundation to face the challenges of medicine.

To guarantee that students receive the best possible training, the Faculty held a unique retreat this week for HILA course instructors and coordinators. The aim was to strengthen their teaching skills, deepen their knowledge in medical education, and foster teamwork within our leading instructional staff.

A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated team of 35 instructors and coordinators who are part of our commitment to excellence in medical education. Together, we will continue to train the next generation of doctors in the Galilee!

In these challenging times, 13% of our Faculty of Medicine students are currently serving in active reserve duty—a remarkable contribution that exceeds the university-wide average of 9% at Bar-Ilan University

Their unwavering dedication, both to their medical studies and to the defense of our country, is a source of immense pride and inspiration.

In the photos: Yoad, Hila, Nofar, and Chai—our shining examples of resilience and commitment.

Shani Lubovsky (25), originally from the U.S., and Shir Kadosh (27), from Kfar Yona, have been together for six years. They met during their military service - he, a combat soldier, and she, an infantry instructor - and they immediately clicked.

After completing their service, they traveled together, and one thing was clear: they both wanted to study medicine. And they wanted to do it together.

Their journey to fulfilling this dream to become doctors began with an international program in the Czech Republic, where they studied for three years. “Shir hopes to become a surgeon, and I’m still figuring it out,” Shani shares. But after the events of October 7, there was no doubt - they were coming back home. In the midst of it all, Shir was called up for reserve duty, where he continues to serve on and off.

Today, they are students at the Faculty of Medicine in Safed, in the three-year program designed for students who began their medical studies abroad. Just two weeks ago, they moved into their new apartment in Safed. “Moving to Safed was the right choice for us,” says Shani. “The area is stunning, the atmosphere at the Faculty is warm and welcoming, and it’s great to study alongside people who understand the journey we’ve been through.”

And what’s next? This summer, after six years together, they’ll embark on a new adventure - this time, as a married couple.