Faculty News

  • cadet ceremony

    New Medical Cadet Cohort Ceremony Takes Place Via Zoom

    תאריך

    On the evening of December 30, 2020, some 70 students, parents, teachers, researchers, and dignitaries convened via Zoom to launch the fifth Medical Cadets program, made possible thanks to cooperation between the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, the Ministry of Education, and the Eastern Galilee Municipality Cluster (represented by Galilium).

    Thirty-eight highly precocious, serious and dedicated high school students from the Galilee were chosen for this most prestigious three-year program of lectures, seminars, excursions, and ultimately, preparation of a final research paper under the supervision of an Azrieli Faculty of Medicine researcher. The program counts towards the Bagrut matriculation and is highly regarded.

    The Zoom launch opened with welcoming remarks from the Mayor of Safed, Mr. Shuki Ohana. Also sharing their blessings were Mr. Menachem Adler of the Ministry of Education, Ms. Carmit Shahar, Ms. Almog Meshal (coordinator), and Dr. Yiftah Barsheshet (program pedagogic director who greeted the participants in the name of the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki).

    Dr. Barsheshet gave an intriguing brief presentation on Corona virus research being done at the Faculty (in particular, the research of Dr. Meital Gal Tanamy and Dr. Moshe Dessau), and a 12th grade student, Ms. Hadar Amarusi, shared her research with the attentive audience.

    This year, as every year, we will be welcoming a heterogeneous group of students, from the following cities and towns:

    Safed, Kiryat Shemona, Sajur, Hatzor HaGlilit, Maghar, Beit Jann, Ayelet Hashahar, Horfish, Pekiin

    We wish the students success and look forward to reading their research papers.

    cadet sponsors

     

     

  • Samer Srouji

    Prof. Samer Srouji Appointed IADR Officer

    תאריך

    Congratulations to Prof. Samer Srouji, Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial, Oral Medicine Institute and Head of Bone Regeneration Lab at the Galilee Medical Center affiliate hospital - and Azrieli Faculty member - on his appointment as International Association for Dental Research officer (treasurer).

    The IADR, an international organization with local branches, is considered a leader in dental research.

    This is the first time that the local chapter will include a Bar-Ilan U. officer. Officers work directly with the global organization regarding matters such as local and international conferences. All Israeli universities have IADR members, and nationally there are 4 officers.

    IADR holds an annual dental research conference in Israel and Israel participates in the European as well as international conferences on clinical as well as general research.

    Prof. Karl Skorecki, Dean of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, personally congratulated Prof. Srouji: "I was informed about this achievement also from other colleagues in Israel. You bring to this position vision as well as accomplishments. This gives a good name to Bar-Ilan University."

     

  • Encyclopedia of Virology

    Prof. Michael Edelstein Publishes Chapter in Encyclopedia of Virology, 4th Edition

    תאריך

    Prof. Michael Edelstein has published a chapter in the definitive virology textbook, Encyclopedia of Virology 4th edition - "Epidemiology of Human and Animal Viral Diseases." Published by Elsevier, the encyclopedia includes 5 volumes and 3500 pages. Hardcopies will be available in March 2021 (this chapter in the link above).

     

  • Horizon 2020 logo

    Prof. Michael Edelstein Awarded Prestigious EU Grant

    תאריך

    The “Reducing Inequalities in Vaccine Uptake in the European Region - Engaging Underserved communities” (RIVER EU) project is a collaborative project between fourteen academic and public health organizations in ten countries in the EU and Israel.

    The 5 year project, with a 3.3 million euro budget from Horizon 2020, the European Union’s Framework Program for Research and Innovation, aims to reduce health systems barriers to vaccination among ethnic, religious or cultural minorities across Europe, specifically focusing on MMR and HPV vaccination in selected underserved communities. Prof. Michael Edelstein will serve as the project’s deputy principal investigator as well as lead for the work package focusing on collecting evidence on health system barriers and enablers among low (underserved communities) and high (positive deviants) uptake communities and on interventions that improve access to vaccination services among underserved communities.

    Prof. Edelstein: "There are many institutions involved. It is a very exciting project that will have a positive impact on some of the most vulnerable populations in Europe and beyond, and I am proud that Bar-Ilan U. will make a significant contribution to it. It is also a great opportunity for Bar-Ilan U. and its faculty to create strong academic links with many excellent universities across Europe."

    To see Bar-Ilan spokesperson's office announcement, click here.

  • muskuloskeleton conference

    Azrieli Faculty of Medicine Hosts Multidisciplinary International Workshop

    תאריך

    In early December 2020, the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine conducted an international workshop entitled Mathematics of the MusculoSkeleton: Post-Genome Analysis for Bone Biology.

    The workshop included online presentations, discussions and innovative approaches, opportunities, and challenges addressed by Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and deep machine learning from experts in the field of musculoskeletal (MSK) disease, including osteoporosis, and sarcopenia.

    The workshop brought together mathematicians, statisticians, and Big Data experts with clinically oriented researchers and skeletal biologists to discuss foundations and applications of experimental models in the MSK health and diseases. It was organized in order to provide a blueprint for MSK research with an aim of translating discoveries from human studies into new therapies for patients with MSK diseases. 

    Among the distinguished speakers were Prof. Fernando Rivadeneira, Netherlands; Prof. Jon Tobias, UK; Prof. Bjorn Busse, Germany; Prof. Ralph Müller, Switzerland; Prof. Gustavo Duque, Australia; Prof. Christoph Winkler, Singapore; and Prof. Ching-Lung Cheung, Hong Kong. Participants from the US included Prof. Matthew Harris, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University, and Prof. Ron Kwon. Israeli speakers included Prof. Gregory Livshits and Prof. Yankel Gabet from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University; Prof. Yuval Dor, Hebrew University; and Prof. Elazar Zelzer, Weizmann Institute of Science. Trainees, advanced scientists, and students from additional countries, such as Norway and Italy also took part in the workshop.  

    The workshop was organized by Dr. Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern and Prof. David Karasik. Dr. Gideon Baum (manager of the Frenkel-Morgenstern lab) and Dan Hinenzon (IT manager) assisted in organizing and running the workshop virtually online.  

  • Eastern Galilee Cluster

    Government Grant Awarded to Advance Public Health Initiatives for the Elderly in the Eastern Galilee

    תאריך

    We are excited to announce that the Eastern Galilee cluster with the Faculty's leadership and support, was selected as one of seven municipal clusters to be awarded a government grant. This endeavor will implement a regional community social prescription platform that includes volunteer-based services, food security linking farm to table, and educational and recreational activities to advance the health and wellness of the region’s elderly residents. A regional health coordinator to advance the health initiatives in the region will be hired. The cluster will be awarded a 2.1 NIS budget to implement the program over two years.

    Upon hearing the news, Prof. Karl Skorecki, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, said, "This is excecllent news and a tribute to you [Dr. Sivan Spitzer-Shohat] and to the supporting agencies."

    The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine joined forces to advance a unique academia-community-municipal network that includes 18 municipalities of the eastern Galilee cluster, Ziv and Poriya hospitals, HMOs, local NGOs and Tel-Hai and Zefat Academic colleges.

     

     

  • Omry Koren

    Prof. Omry Koren Wins Prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Grant

    תאריך

    Warmest congratulations to Prof. Omry Koren upon receipt of a prestigious grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Karl Skorecki, praised Koren, saying, “This is a great and well-deserved achievement, which will lead to many more discoveries and breakthroughs by Prof. Koren’s group.”

    Bar-Ilan University press release can be read here. Jerusalem Post online article can be read here.

     

  • Corona Course

    Perfect Timing! Mini-course on Covid-19

    תאריך

    With impeccable timing, a day before the first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccinations landed in Israel, a mini course took place on December 8, 2020 as part of the Infection and Inflammation course given to second year students.

    The students were offered the following lectures:

    • The disease as caused by the coronavirus, by Dr. Hiba Abuzayyad of the Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poriya (infectious diseases)
    • Patient care and treatment, by Dr. Moshe Matan of the Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poriya (corona)
    • Public health in light of the coronavirus, by Dr. Rami Grifat of the Ziv Medical Center (public health)
    • Vaccinations against the coronavirus, by Dr. Ofer Cohen of the Israel Institute for Biological Research in Nes Ziona
    • Coronavirus in children, by Prof. Shalom Ben Shimol of the Soroka Medical Center (pediatric infectious diseases)

    At the end of the day, a panel discussion was held with students who are in their clinical years of study. They shared their experiences regarding their clinical rotations during the corona pandemic, including insights from those who had themselves fallen ill. 

     

  • when the end is just the beginning

    When the End Is Just the Beginning Webinar Series a Success

    תאריך

    Many thanks to Prof. Michael Edelstein, the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine's newest recruit, for arranging an excellent international Webinar series on the Covid-19 vaccine challenge this past November. The series proved to be most timely, interesting, and educational.

    Prof. Edelstein, an infectious disease and vaccine epidemiology expert, comes to us from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. His areas of expertise at Azrieli are public health and epidemiology.

  • PhD Graduation Invitation

    Congratulations to Our 17 PhD Recipients - Zoom Graduation Last Night (Nov. 25, 2020)

    תאריך

    Congratulations to the new Doctors of Philosophy from the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. Hard work pays off!

    Nehora Amar, PhD
    Pooja Anil Shah*, PhD
    Efrat Avigad Laron, PhD
    Moti Ben Shabat, PhD
    Netta Blondheim Shraga, PhD
    Shani Carmi, PhD 
    Sivan Eliyahu, PhD
    Shiri Elmedvi Baran, PhD
    Natasa Ilic*, PhD
    Felix Kaplan, PhD 
    Nava Kesner, PhD
    Nikola Lukicz*, PhD
    Dhanoop Manikoth*, PhD
    Etedal Morad Khaldy, PhD
    Hadas Sibony Benyamini, PhD
    Shams Twafra, PhD
    Michal Werbner, PhD

    * International students

    Special thanks and appreciation to their advisors.

    The Faculty offers doctoral degrees in the biomedical and health sciences.

    For pictures, go here.

    PhD graduation zoom

     

  • diastology

    Prof. Shemy Carasso Publishes Chapter in Diastology 2nd Edition: Clinical Approach to Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

    תאריך

    Congratulations to Prof. Shemy Carasso, MD, FESC, FASE, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Head, Non-invasive Cardiac Imaging Unit Cardiovascular Division B Padeh Medical Center, Poriya, on publication of his chapter in Diastology 2nd edition. The title of the chapter (25) is "Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy." The book is available in ClinicalKey.

     

  • Diwali Celebration

    International Students from India Celebrate the Festival of Diwali

    תאריך

    Last week (the week of November 15, 2020) international students from India, from both Bar-Ilan U campuses, Safed and Ramat Gan, celebrated the Diwali Festival together. This Hindi festival celebrates light while banishing darkness. It is customary to decorate with flowers and lights. The campus celebration was of course limited in scope, in keeping with the Coronavirus guidelines, but the light and bright atmosphere was felt, both literally and figuratively. Joyous music could be heard, and students joined in a fun Kahoot! game.

    A representative from the Indian Embassy came to BIU to greet the students, and the Safed campus joined in via Zoom.

    Students also received boxes of Indian candies, a gift from the Indian Embassy.

     

    Diwali

  • Omry Koren

    Omry Koren Identified as "Highly Cited Researcher" by Web of Science

    תאריך

    Each year, Clarivate™ identifies the world’s most influential researchers ─ the select few who have been most frequently cited by their peers over the last decade. In 2020, fewer than 6,200, or about 0.1%, of the world's researchers, in 21 research fields and across multiple fields, have earned this exclusive distinction.

    Prof. Omry Koren of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine has been chosen now for the third consecutive year among this elite group recognized for his exceptional research influence, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in the Web of Science™.

    Special congratulations from Prof. Karl Skorecki the Dean: "This is terrific. A sustained record of citation means huge scientific impact of your research."

  • Blum book

    Prof. Arnon Blum Publishes Chapter in Grossman and Baim, Textbook of Interventional Cardiology, 9th edition

    תאריך

    Congratulations to Prof. Arnon Blum (Baruch Padeh Medical Center, Poriya)  upon the publication of his chapter (ch. 38) "Cardiac Cell-Based Therapy: Methods of Application and Delivery Systems" in Grossman and Baim's, Textbook of Interventional Cardiology, 9th edition

  • health conference

    Prof. Karl Skorecki and Dr. Meital Gal-Tanamy Speak at Reshet13 Health Conference Live

    תאריך

    The Dean of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine and researcher Dr. Meital Gal-Tanamy were panelists at the live Reshet13 (TV) Health Conference, held on TV and the Web, on Thursday November 5, 2020 from 12-3 PM. The focus was, of course, Covid-19. The conference (in Hebrew) can be viewed here.