Prof. Orly Avni
CV
Prof. Orly Avni is the Dean of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University in the Galilee. A dedicated scientist, educator, and leader, she has devoted her career to understanding how the immune system functions in health and disease, with the ultimate goal of improving human lives. Through groundbreaking research, medical education, and community engagement, she works to bridge scientific discovery with real-world impact, particularly for underserved populations in northern Israel and beyond.
Academic & Research Background
Prof. Avni holds a BSc in Biology, an MSc in Immunology, and a PhD from the Hebrew University, where she studied immune cell function under the mentorship of Prof. Eitan Yefenof and Prof. Michal Baniyash. She continued her research at Harvard Medical School in the lab of Prof. Anjana Rao, where she uncovered key epigenetic mechanisms controlling immune responses. Her pioneering work on histone modifications and chromatin accessibility in differentiating lymphocytes was published in Immunity and Nature Immunology.
In 2003, Prof. Avni established her own lab at the Technion’s Faculty of Medicine, focusing on the balance between commitment and plasticity in T-helper cell differentiation. Her discoveries on the dual function of Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins reshaped our understanding of immune memory and regulation.
Since joining the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in 2012, she has expanded her research to explore how the immune system interacts with the microbiota and organs, including the brain and heart, in health and disease. Her recent studies have revealed how epigenetic machinery utilizes intranuclear actin-skeleton dynamics to remodel chromatin—a breakthrough in understanding immune cell differentiation.
Bridging Research & Patient Care
Prof. Avni believes that scientific progress should serve humanity. Her research has critical implications for autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, mental health, and cardiovascular disorders—conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. By investigating how stress and environmental factors shape immune responses, she seeks to develop strategies to improve resilience and prevent disease.
Her work on social stress and immunity uncovered that stress-responsive microbiota can induce autoimmunity and potentially increase the risk for inflammatory diseases and depression. These findings have opened new pathways for understanding the gut-brain-immune axis and its role in disease prevention.
Additionally, her research on Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite affecting millions in developing countries, has revealed how parasite-derived extracellular vesicles suppress immune responses. This work not only advances scientific knowledge but also contributes to developing new therapeutic strategies for neglected tropical diseases.
Philanthropy, Health Equity & Global Impact
Fighting Health Inequality
As a leader in academic medicine in northern Israel, Prof. Avni is deeply committed to improving healthcare access, particularly in underserved communities. She actively promotes initiatives that strengthen medical education, expand healthcare services, and train the next generation of physicians and scientists.
A passionate mentor, she is dedicated to empowering young scientists to pursue impactful careers in biomedical research and medicine. Her collaborations with hospitals and medical centers ensure that scientific discoveries translate into actionable medical solutions, improving patient outcomes and addressing healthcare disparities.
Global Health & Philanthropic Collaboration
Prof. Avni’s research extends to global health challenges, particularly in infectious diseases and inflammatory disorders. Her groundbreaking work on a novel cardio-cutaneous syndrome caused by a PPP1R13L mutation has significant implications for understanding inflammatory heart disease. In collaboration with geneticists and clinicians, she is working to identify at-risk populations and develop strategies for early diagnosis and intervention.
She also collaborates with international researchers, healthcare organizations, and philanthropic initiatives to develop innovative therapies that benefit patients worldwide, with a particular focus on diseases affecting low-resource populations. By partnering with global health advocates and funding bodies, she works to ensure that medical advances reach those most in need.
A Vision for the Future
Through her leadership, Prof. Avni continues to champion science as a force for good, ensuring that cutting-edge research leads to tangible benefits for individuals and communities worldwide. By bridging fundamental discoveries with medical applications and advocating for equitable healthcare, she is shaping a future where scientific innovation contributes to a healthier, more just, and more compassionate world.
Academic Degrees:
1986-1989, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel - Biology, B.Sc
1990-1992, The Hebrew University, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel - Immunology, M.Sc
1993-1998, The Hebrew University, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel - Immunology, Ph.D
Doctoral Thesis: Identification and characterization of a novel protein associated with macrophage Complement Receptor 3
Supervisor: Prof. Eitan Yefenof and Prof. Michal Baniyash
Post doctorate research: Gene regulation in the immune system
Supervisor: Prof. Anjana Rao, Harvard Medical School
Positions Held:
1998-2003, Harvard Medical School, Gene regulation in the immune system, Post-doctoral fellow
2003-2011, Technion, Faculty of Medicine, Gene regulation in the immune system, PI, Senior Lecturer
2012-2022, BIU, Faculty of Medicine, Gene regulation in the immune system, PI, Senior Lecturer
2022- BIU, Faculty of Medicine, Gene regulation in the immune system, PI, Associate professor
Research
Regulation of gene expression in the immune system in health and disease
The immune system distinguishes between self and non-self but also between different types of non-self such as viruses and worms. T helper (Th) cells (CD4+) have a fundamental role in that challenge; following their first interaction with a pathogen, Th cells can differentiate into regulatory or effector lineages that differentially express cytokine genes. The effector lineages Th1, Th2, and Th17 are characterized by the expression of the signature cytokines Interferon g (IFNg), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), and Interleukin-17 (IL-17), respectively. IFNg exerts protective functions in microbial infections and is observed clinically in cases of autoimmune diseases. IL-4 is strongly apparent in parasitic infections, and is associated with allergic reactions. IL-17 plays a role in eradication of extracellular pathogens, but inappropriate responses can lead to autoimmunity
Following differentiation, Th cells may enter a resting state, in which they do not express cytokines; nonetheless, they ‘remember’ their transcriptional program and express the appropriate set of cytokines in response to subsequent antigen stimulation. However, this process is more flexible than previously appreciated and under specific circumstances, Th cells can gain the expression of the opposing cytokines or even re-differentiate toward other Th lineages. This plasticity probably assists the immune system to cope with new immunological challenges
Since immunological diseases such as autoimmunity and allergy are associated with aberrant expression of cytokines in Th cells, elucidation of the epigenetic regulation of these genes can facilitate the development of novel therapies. We study the epigenetic regulation of differentiated murine and human Th cells, especially as regard to the function of the polycomb group proteins. Disregulation of the immune function is associated with many other human diseases, and we are also interested in some aspects of the connections between the immune system and the brain
Publications
Selected list of Publications
Agarwal S*, Avni O*, Rao A. Cell-type-restricted binding of the transcription factor NFAT to a distal IL-4 enhancer in vivo. Immunity. 2000;12:643-652.
*Equal contribution.
Avni O, Rao A. T cell differentiation: a mechanistic view. Curr Opin Immunol. 2000;12:654-659.
Rao A, Avni O. Molecular aspects of T-cell differentiation. Br Med Bull. 2000;56:969-984.
Avni O, Lee D, Macian F, Szabo SJ, Glimcher LH, Rao A. T(H) cell differentiation is accompanied by dynamic changes in histone acetylation of cytokine genes. Nat Immunol. 2002;3:643-651.
Lee DU, Avni O, Chen L, Rao A. A distal enhancer in the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) locus revealed by genome sequence comparison. J Biol Chem. 2004;279:4802-4810.
Jacob E, Hod-Dvorai R, Schif-Zuck S, Avni O. Unconventional association of the polycomb group proteins with cytokine genes in differentiated T helper cells. J Biol Chem. 2008;283:13471-13481.
Scheinman E, Avni O. Transcriptional regulation of Gata3 in T helper cells by the integrated activities of transcription factors downstream of the interleukin-4 receptor and T cell receptor. J Biol Chem 2009;284:3037-3048.
Jacob E, Hod-Dvorai R, Ben-Mordechai O.L, Boyko Y, Avni O. Dual function of polycomb group proteins in T helper (CD4+) cells. Journal of Molecular Signaling. 2011; 6:5.
Hod-Dvorai R, Jacob E, Boyko Y, and Avni O. The binding activity of Mel-18 at the Il17a promoter is regulated by the integrated signals of the TCR and polarizing cytokines. Eur. J. Immunol. 2011;41:2424-2435.
Shamriz O, Mizrahi H, Werbner M, Shoenfled Y, Avni O,* and Koren O*. Microbiota at the crossroads of autoimmunity. Autoimmun Rev 2016; 15(9).
*Corresponding authors.
T. C. Falik-Zaccai*, Y. Barsheshet, H. Mandel, M. Segev, A. Lorber, S. Gelberg, L. Kalfon, S. Ben Haroush, A. Shalata, L.Gelernter-Yaniv, S. Chaim, D. Raviv Shay, M. Khayat, M. Werbner, I. Levia, Y. Shovala, G. Talc, S. Shalevd, E. Reuveni, E. Avitan-Hershi, E. Vlodavsky, L. Appl-Sarid, D. Goldsher, R. Bergman, Z. Segal, O. Bitterman-Deutsch, and O. Avni*. Sequence variation in PPP1R13L results in a novel form of cardio-cutaneous syndrome. EMBO Mol Med. 2017 9(3):319-336.
*Corresponding authors.
Avni, O*. and Koren, O*. Molecular (Me)micry? Cell Host Microbe. 2018. 23, 576-578.
*Corresponding authors.
H. Neuman, P. Forsythe, A. Uzan, O. Avni* and O. Koren*. Antibiotics in early life: dysbiosis and the damage done. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2018. 1:42(4): 489-499.
*Corresponding authors.
Nuriel-Ohayon M, Neuman H, Ziv O, Belogolovski A, Barsheshet Y, Bloch N, Uzan A, Lahav R, Peretz A, Frishman S, Hod M, Hadar E, Louzoun Y, Avni O, Koren O. Progesterone increases Bifidobacterium relative abundance during late pregnancy.
Cell Rep. 2019 Apr 16;27(3):730-736.
Werbner M, Barsheshet Y, Werbner N, Zigdon M, Averbuch I, Ziv O, Brant B, Elliott E, Gelberg S, Titelbaum M, Koren O, Avni O. Social stress-responsive microbiota induces stimulation of self-reactive effector T helper cells. mSystems. 2019 May 14;4(4).
Meningher T, Barsheshet Y, Ofir-Birin Y, Gold D, Brant B, Dekel E, Sidi Y, Schwartz E*, Regev-Rudzki N*, Avni O*, and Avni D*. Schistosomal extracellular vesicle-enclosed miRNAs modulate host T helper (CD4+) cell differentiation. EMBO Rep. 2020 Jan 7;21(1)
*Corresponding authors.
Dror Avni* and Orly Avni*. Extracellular vesicles: Schistosomal long-range precise weapon to manipulate the immune response. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol March 11:1 2021.
*Corresponding authors.
Moran Titelbaum, Boris Brant, Daniel Baumel, Alina Burstein-Willensky, Shira Perez, Yiftah Barsheshet, and Orly Avni. Ezh2 harnesses the intranuclear actin cytoskeleton to remodel chromatin in differentiating Th cells. iScience 2021. 9;24(10):103093.
Last Updated Date : 16/02/2025
