Faculty News

Meet Omri Cohen, 33, a third-year student at Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine and President of the Medical Student Association of the Galilee. Born and raised in Petach Tikvah, the former lawyer and Israeli Navy Command and Operation Officer is enrolled in the Faculty’s three-year MD study track for Israelis who completed three years of pre-clinical medical studies abroad. Glad to be back in Israel after attending medical school in Italy, Omri is engaged in clinical work at Safed’s Ziv Medical Center – one of six area hospitals affiliated with the Azrieli Faculty.

One of 600 students at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Omri was the BIU rep on the Israeli delegation to the General Assembly of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, held in Taiwan last August. “We were vastly outnumbered by the many delegations from Arab countries and there was also a vocal Palestinian group, but I think we had a very positive effect and it may have curbed attempts to boycott Israel,” relays Omri. “We introduced ourselves as having served in the IDF and had discussions with activists from various nations, including Iran and Iraq, who initially seemed hesitant to talk to us. We were even invited to Morocco by one of the delegates.”

Why I chose to study this area:
After initially earning a double bachelor’s degree in law and government at IDC Herzliya and interning at a legal firm specializing in the area of medical negligence, I decided that my true passion is medicine. I began my medical studies in Italy and then, after three years, applied to Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine. This is a wonderful program and the only one in Israel that enables Israeli students who began their medical studies abroad to return home. We don’t feel like the odd ones out. I like the idea of studying in the Galilee and the national and Zionist vision of improving medicine in the periphery of Israel and, specifically, in the Galilee.

What I enjoy most at BIU’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine:
Because we are a small faculty of medicine and are engaged in intensive study, we feel like we’re part of a family, of a cohesive community. We are close to the Faculty’s academic and clinical staff. Everything is very open and we know each other on a first-name basis. I also like the quality of medical training. This academic year, we have already done three rotations in surgery and one in family medicine, and I have also worked on research projects for our dissertation concerning mental fatigue of medical students during their long, arduous training, and changes in cardiac muscle in people who have started a running regimen. And, of course, here in Safed, I just love the view of the Sea of Galilee and Mt Hermon.

Future Plans:
Next year, I will be doing a one-year internship at an Israeli hospital before officially getting my MD title. After that, I definitely plan to specialize in a surgical field. I like working with my hands. All of the surgical clerkships are very long – usually about six years – and it’s a serious commitment. There are so many possibilities. I would like to stay in Israel in the long-run but I might consider accepting a fellowship to the US for the latter part of my surgical training.

My favorite corner on campus:
The small grassy area outside of the main building where one can relax – but I rarely have time to sit. With my very busy schedule, I’m constantly on the move from the hospital to the Faculty, where I study and teach, and mentor outstanding high school students from the periphery who hope to pursue a medical career. I also teach anatomy and physiology at Tel-Hai College, which is about an hour away from our own faculty.

What I will take with me from my Bar-Ilan University studies:
A sense of humility and a commitment to improving healthcare in the Galilee. Because the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine is situated in the periphery, we are exposed to different communities than what we would generally see elsewhere in Israel. Here there’s a mix of Moslem, Druze, Christian and Jewish populations. We need to remember that we don’t have all the knowledge and we must be able to look patients in the eyes without feeling superior or acting in a patronizing manner, but to be there for them. After spending three years in Safed, I am so much more aware of the need to upgrade the quality of medical care for the diverse populations in Israel’s north.

January 1, 2020, Kinneret Academic College

The sixth annual Galilium conference took place on January 1, 2020, this year at the Kinneret Academic College. Forty two high school students from the Galilee presented 34 final science projects at six parallel sessions. The projects are considered five full "bagrut" topic matriculation points. Twelve third year "medical cadet" students presented their projects, to an impressed audience of participants and judges. Of six projects chosen as exemplary, three were of the cadets:

• Lior Cohen and Aviv Ben David, supervised by Dr. Vyacheslav Gurevich of the Faculty of Medicine
• Avtihael Hayb, supervised by Hatem Mahmood of the Galilee Research Institute

Of four honorable mention projects, two were of the cadets:

• Siran Saad, supervised by Dr. Baruh Polis
• Aviv Rafter, supervised by Dr. Dorit Avni of the Galilee Research Institute

Much thanks is extended to Dr. Shira Perez and Dr. Gal Levy Cohen of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine for their active and dedicated involvement in this important community outreach initiative.

To learn more about Galilium, click here.

The Faculty is proud to announce that the neonatal departments at its affiliate hospitals were again ranked "excellent" on 2019 Ministry of Health inspections - Ziv Medical Center in Safed, the Galilee Medical Center in Naharia, the French Hospital in Nazareth, the EMMS Hospital (Scottish) in Nazareth, and the Holy Family Hospital (Italian) in Nazareth. We are proud that our students learn at such impressive departments and are given the opportunity to see first hand the true meaning of excellence.

Also ranking among the top - in prevention of infectious diseases - are the French Hospital, EMMS, and the Baruch Padeh Medical Center in Poria (Tiberias).

Hard work pays off!

At the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine we lead by example and are following the recommendations of the Israeli Ministry of Health.
As of 1 January 2020, the campus will be smoke free - no smoking allowed on the premises, or within 10 meters of the entrance. לבריאות! To your health!

Every year since 2013, Prof. David Karasik and Dr. Nomy Dickman have been offering a course to train students to mentor their fellow classmates, primarily in pre-clinical courses, especially Anatomy. The course includes content on anatomy, along with general and specific didactics in anatomy, ethics, and leadership. The students learn about leadership, especially as it relates to the field of medicine.

This year, a panel on leadership, headed by Dr. Barbara Schuster, Founding Campus Dean of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, was added to the curriculum. Participants in the panel included professionals from various stages in their careers, including many ex-mentors who themselves now hold leadership positions. The course is run by the anatomy course coordinators, students, and guest lecturers. Those who have completed the course and are teaching Anatomy as well as Brain and Soul have scored very high on the Faculty's student teaching surveys.

We all took a break to light candles and eat sufganiyot (jelly donuts)! 

Dozens of high and middle school biology teachers from the Galilee and the North of Israel came to the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine on December 16, 2019 for the second annual biology teachers hishtalmut (in-house professional training). Dr. Ronit Ilouz opened the gathering with a lecture and Dr. Irit Sadeh the Ministry of Education supervisor spoke. An anatomy workshop also took place. The Faculty is proud of its involvement in local educational initiatives.

Above: Dr. Ronit Ilouz

The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine hosted the Esther and Haim Carasso Microbiome Israel Workshop to an over-subscribed, standing-room-only audience. Opening the day, Dr. Shai Bel thanked the participants for coming to Safed. Bel tied in parallels between the large yeshiva constituent in the city, and the university – its dedication to learning, the necessity for family cooperation, and jokingly even mentioning the lack of remuneration for the long hours put into the studying.

Dean Karl Skorecki then welcomed the crowd, warmly thanking the Carasso family for their generosity. He shared that Carasso and microbiome are the two most frequently heard words at the Faculty – Carasso as the main Faculty auditorium is named the Carasso Auditorium. He admitted that in the past he had been skeptical of microbiome research but as of taking on the role of Dean one year ago, and being exposed to the Faculty labs, he has become a convert. The Carasso family members were then presented with tokens gifts, accompanied by applause of appreciation.

The first session, sponsored by Ilex Biotech, opened with a presentation by Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute. He gave a brief overview of the Personalized Nutrition Project that is making international headlines. According to his research, an “algorithm diet” may be more successful at reducing the incidence of diabetes than traditionally accepted guidelines.

Yoram Louzoun of BIU’s mathematics department took to the podium next, introducing the audience to the possible role of microbiomes in allergies. By looking at one’s microbiome will we be able to identify allergies? Perhaps even cure them? How long will it take?

Ravid Straussman of the Weizmann Institute then brought in some historical background related to microbiome tumor research and stressed the necessity of being especially careful when carrying out studies and arriving at conclusions. He looked at breast cancer and also at smoking behavior. Hopefully one day bacteria will be a useful tool in fighting cancers.

Naama Geva Zatorsky of the Technion discussed mining the gut microbiome, looking at healthy microbiome and the immune system. And, is microbiome behavior static, or does its function change?

Yehudit Bergman of the Hebrew University, a specialist in epigenetics, mentioned how the intestine is a wonderful place to study environmental challenges. She suggests a very strong link between microbiome, inflammation, and epigenetics.

After the lunch break and poster session, Itzick Mizrahi of Ben Gurion University opened up the first afternoon session, sponsored by Rhenium. His presentation included an evolutionary explanation of the development of microbes up through vertebrates. Studying fish as well as ruminants (cows), Mizrahi, among other ideas, tied in global methane levels to the topic at hand.

Yael Haberman of Sheba Medical Center then discussed the recent increase in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggesting that genetics cannot account for such a drastic change, for the “epidemic,” but rather, industrialization and westernization. Why do some people respond to medication, while others do not? Where do antibiotics fit in, considering recent microbiome research?

Noam Shental, a computational neuroscientist at the Open University sets as one of his research goals, profiling bacteria in tumor microenvironments.

And Evan Elliot of the Faculty brought up another area – the interaction between genetics and microbiome in autism. It is known that ASD is often accompanied by gastrointestinal issues, and there has been anecdotal evidence pointing to ASD symptoms and antibiotics. This frontier is also being explored.

After a brief coffee break, the second afternoon session opened with a clinical talk by Ilan Youngster of Assaf Harofeh hospital discussing fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). He cited encouraging cure rates, mentioning Clostridium difficile and even GvHD (graft versus host disease), a side effect of some aggressive cancer treatments.

Iris Dotan of Beilinson Hospital then gave some insights on IBD, especially with regard to the Israeli population – immigrants, and year of immigration. She stressed that this is exclusively a human disease, and mentioned the risk of causing antibiotic resistance and the possibility of treating some illnesses such as pouchitis (inflammation) via diet.

Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute discussed the microbiome-gut-brain axis, having studied ALS in mice and humans. He, like other researchers at the workshop were careful to point out the difference between causation and correlation.

The final presenter was Omry Koren of the Faculty. He has spent much of his time studying microbiome changes during pregnancy, finding that bacteria react to hormones. He tied in diabetes, newborn antibiotic exposure, and sex differences. Koren signed off the most eye-opening conference stressing, “Humanity is a passing episode in the life of bacteria.”

For more information, feel free to contact the Faculty.

Pictured left to right: Arik Carasso, Omry Koren, Eran Carasso

The Azriel Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University held a multidisciplinary conference in the Esther & Haim Carasso Auditorium in honor of UNESCO’s World Bioethics Day. Organized in cooperation with the Zefat Academic College and the Ziv Medical Center, the conference’s topic was “New Eugenics and Genetic Editing.”

The conference, co-convened by Prof. Tamar Gidron of Zefat Academic College and Dr. Miriam Bentwich of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, commenced with a short introduction by Dr. Bentwich. In her opening remarks, Dr. Bentwich reflected on a similar conference held recently at Harvard University, and urged the participants to remember that at the end of the day, New Eugenics is not merely a theoretical topic, but rather a subject that has practical and moral ramification for human beings. The conference proceeded with greetings by the Dean, Prof. Karl Skorecki; Dr. Anan Abbasi, deputy director of Ziv Medical Center; Prof. Aharon Kellerman, president of the Zefat Academic College; and Prof. Tzipora Falik-Zaccai, vice dean of medical research at the Faculty. Special guest lecturer Prof. Amnon Carmi who chairs the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics at Haifa University's International Center for Health, Law and Ethics gave the closing remarks, emphasizing the theme of cultural diversity in general and specifically in the context of eugenics, while praising all presenters for raising so many important questions.

The conference presentations opened with world-renowned Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, a member of the ethics committee of the Israeli Ministry of Health, raising a wide range of questions while quoting universally relevant Judaic sources. He offered the following guidelines: take small steps, consult with specialists in a broad range of disciplines, and be open for changing views in the future.

The first session was moderated by Prof. Falik-Zaccai. A short historical explanation of “old” as opposed to “new” eugenics was presented, stressing that at the heart of the difference is the decision maker – eliminating the “feeble minded” of the turn of the 20^th century and Nazi Germany was a governmental decision; attempting to prevent horrific birth defects today is an individual decision.

Recurring themes throughout the day revolved around who decides when to intervene, and how, and how is prevention different than healing, on the private as well as public mass level. The UNESCO theme of accepting and embracing diversity, also hovered throughout – is a disability-free society in our best interests, and what is more important, individual rights (e.g. to choose the sex of a baby) or the public good?

Genetic testing played a major role in the sessions. Should health funds cover the costs? Should parents even be offered the option, considering the limitations? How much should be divulged, and how? Are parents even capable of being sufficiently informed of the findings? Is a gene indicating increased risk of disease considered the same as being born with a full-blown disease – and what if the disease is late-onset in adulthood? What happens when we find something we weren’t looking for? Will an adult be able to sue the doctor who did not inform his/her parent while pregnant that there may be an increased risk for disease, claiming he/she should have never been born in the first place?

As Israel is known for its strong support for fertility treatments, the theme of “over-medicalization of pregnancy” was especially relevant. One of the presenters went so far as to suggest that babies undergo quality assurance (QA) even before they leave the factory! The dangers of stress from potential “toxic knowledge” were detailed, for the parents and ultimately the child.

The second session, moderated by Prof. Tamar Gidron of Zefat Academic College’s law school, brought doctors and lawyers together on the same podium – not always seeing eye to eye. Legal issues of innovative genetic testing measures were discussed, as was the financial incentive for large companies. For example, who prepares consent forms? Are they even necessary for all tests? Do the lawmakers understand the technologies well enough? In addition, Dr. Bentwich presented a philosophical argumentation emphasizing the idea that state-of-the-art genetic editing complicates and further stresses the need to cope with this new technology as part of the New Eugenics moral challenge.

All would agree that the future is here: we are experiencing science fiction…only it is no longer fiction! A scary thought was presented – Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Hawkin, and Robin Williams suffered from dyslexia, Marfan syndrome, ALS, and depression respectively. If society succeeds in perfecting genetic testing, we may reach a day when they would not have been born at all. Food for thought.

The conference schedule (in Hebrew) can be seen here https://medicine.biu.ac.il/en/node/2734. For more information, feel free to contact the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University.

Pictured from left to right Dr. Miriam Bentwich, Dr. Anan Abassi, Prof. Tamar Gidron, Prof. Karl Skorecki, Prof. Aharon Kellerman and Prof. Amnon Carmi

On Thursday December 5, 2019 Prof. Weinberg delivered a special faculty seminar entitled Mechanisms of Malignant Progression. He emphasized the “epigenetic” contribution to cancer pathogenesis and progression for which genomic analysis of cancer alone is not sufficient.

Prof. Weinberg is widely considered one of the world's leading cancer researchers. He discovered the first oncogene and the first tumor suppressor gene. During his visit he met with Faculty investigators, toured the labs and offices, and offered very kind words about the Faculty. 

At the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University's Third Annual Conference for Autism, the diverse background of participants was as well rounded as the topics covered.  Parents, therapists, academics, and students from as far south as Beersheva traveled to the Faculty's home in the Galilee city of Safed to learn about the latest developments in autism research and treatment. Particular focus was placed on the experience of parents and other family members when faced with a child diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Dr. Julia Carmel and Dr. Evan Elliott, the organizers of the conference that was made possible thanks to the support of Teva, the Ziv Medical Center, and AIMS-2-TRIALS, ensured that a wide variety of voices was heard. Common themes centered around the role of the family, early diagnosis and creative intervention. Dr. Elliott opened the first session and Dr. Yael Marantz of Teva added that she hopes to “strengthen the connection with the community…as there needs to be a strong connection between the parents and the researchers…ASD is part of the family.” Dr. Yael Gal, a developmental psychologist from the Golan pointed out that finding support systems in the North for siblings of those with ASD is difficult but said that many siblings actually become therapists themselves. The conference aimed to increase awareness, share ideas, and connect the participants from all over the country.

Indeed, several presenters, especially Tal Sadeh-Kon and Dr. Ronit Argaman, mentioned how excited they were to come speak in the North, as the bulk of their professional work takes place in the center of the country. Dr. Argaman very elegantly discussed a topic not often broached – sexuality and special needs. Ms. Sadeh-Kon, a nutritionist, raised interesting points about nutritional and eating issues commonly found among special needs and ASD children, as well as challenges with which most parents and families can identify. On a lighter note, Ilan Fromkin and Dr. Carmel demonstrated hands-on how helpful dogs can be when it comes to helping the autistic child, as well as family. Participants were offered the opportunity to train Louie the dog on stage!

Prof. Karl Skorecki, Dean of the Faculty, opened the second day stressing that “interdisciplinary work is crucial in this field, it’s the only way to develop – and we see this here.” He shared his interpretation of the book of Jonah, pointing out that some of the prophet’s behaviors may have seemed inappropriate, but the outcome of the story shows the importance of seeing the entire individual, the soul and not just the actions. Prof. Ditza Zachor, a well-known leader in the field and prolific researcher as well as physician, shared many relevant and practical research findings with participants. She noted that she holds professionals in the North of Israel with the highest regards and sees conferences such as this one as crucial for increasing awareness and cooperation.

Caroline Barmatz, Director of Hydrotherapy at Sheba Medical Center, showed videos of how successful water therapy can beand pointed out that there are dozens of hydrotherapy pools all over the country. “Israel is in fact a leader in hydrotherapy,” she said.

Research on probable predictors and causes of ASD was highlighted by Prof. Yoram Bonneh and Dr. Niva Shefer-Kaufman (as well as other presenters) in a manner understandable to the entire audience. Capping off two days filled with valuable information, Dr. Shefer-Kaufman shared her personal journey, as mother to a boy with severe autism. Her son was ultimately able to share his thoughts – very deep and insightful indeed – with the assistance of a keyboard. Her research and personal experience shed light and share hope for the families of autistic children struggling with communication. She shared videos of her family’s personal success story, inspirational to all.

On exhibit was artwork by two autistic youth; professional books as well as relevant educational materials and games were displayed for on-site purchase.

For more information, see facebook.com/asdnet.il.

The president of BIU, Prof. Arie Zaban, invited several most-cited researchers, including the Faculty's Dr. Omry Koren (back row, fourth from left), to a celebratory toast in his office. Also pictured from BIU are the dean of the faculty, deputy president, VP research, rector, general manager, and others.

Summer 2019 conferment of degrees at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine.

Meet our Faculty: Dr. Michael Blank

Dr. Meital Gal-Tanamy: Infectious Enthusiasm