New MicroRNAs as Candidates for Depression Therapy
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex, common, and recurrent mental disorder (1). The current first-line treatment for MDD is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are antidepressant drugs that block serotonin reuptake. Two microRNA (miRNAs) molecules namely miR-30b-5p and miR-101a-3p were found to be downregulated in the raphe nuclei (RN) of mice following chronic […] Read More >
Novel Specific Disease-Modifying PERK Activator for Huntington’s Disease
The need: There is no efficient therapy at present for Huntington’s disease (HD) nor for any other neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. No disease-modifying approaches exist. • Gene therapy-based clinical trials have failed so far, highlighting the need for other approaches. These include the recent interruption of antisense oligonucleotide clinical trials for HD. Background […] Read More >
Immunotherapy for Stroke and Cognition in a Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Animal Model
Cerebrovascular dysfunction is a fundamental part of the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases and rated as one of the most prominent cause for dementia. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) results in intra-parenchymal and subarachnoid bleeding, which is caused by cerebrovascular amyloid deposits and multiple infarcts, and can lead to hemorrhagic stroke and cognitive impairment (Greenberg et […] Read More >
Glioblastoma Regression by Regulating Astrocytes’ Immunometabolic Signaling
Malignant brain tumors are the cause of a disproportionate level of morbidity and mortality among cancer patients, an unfortunate statistic that has remained constant for decades. Despite considerable advances in the molecular characterization of these tumors, targeting the cancer cells has yet to produce significant advances in treatment OUR SOLUTIONAn alternative strategy is to target […] Read More >
Development of Alzheimer Disease therapy based on counteracting the pathological effects of ApoE4
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and is the outcome of progressive brain cells death. Due to the disorder’s heterogeneity and in view of the variety of pathological mechanisms inducing the disease we have undertaken an innovative – science based (Animal model) approach, which is presented here. Our unique approach […] Read More >
Homocysteine fibrillar assemblies display crosstalk with Alzheimer’s disease amyloid polypeptide
High levels of homocysteine (Hcy) are reported as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Correspondingly, inborn hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with an increased predisposition to the development of dementia in later stages of life. Furthermore, despite the apparent association between protein aggregation and AD, attempts to develop a therapy that targets explicitly this process have […] Read More >
Prof. Galit Yovel is the Head of the SCAN@TAU Center SCAN@TAU Center The Strauss Computational Neuroimaging Center George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences https://mri.tau.ac.il/about The center’s services SCAN@TAU center is a new MRI multidisciplinary research center at Tel Aviv University that offers cutting edge MR technologies and innovative, high-resolution imaging methods. The […] Read More >
Lab Description Using the powerful combination of molecular biology, biophysics, biochemistry and electrophysiology. our research aims at elucidating the structural, biophysical and physiological attributes of normal and diseased ion channels in brain and heart and whose mutations in human lead to major neurological and cardiovascular disorders like epilepsy, autism, atrial or ventricular fibrillation. Main […] Read More >
Our main focus is on the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie psychiatric disorders, and in particular addiction We are using rodent models of addiction, anxiety, learning and memory. We focus on behavioral models relevant to different stages of addiction (craving, drug reward, intoxication, sensitization, tolerance, excessive alcohol consumption, withdrawal symptoms, relapse). We are looking […] Read More >
MULTI SENSOR – Multi Modal Recording System for Behavioral Tracking
It is clear today that brain activity of a restrained (or sedated) animal is completely different from that of a freely behaving animal.That is why neuroscientists are seeking to find ways to study animals freely behaving on their natural grounds.TAU’s interdisciplinary research has led to the development of the MULTI SENSOR – Multi Modal Recording […] Read More >
Laboratory of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control and protein misfolding diseases
Lab DescriptionMain areas of interest are in the mechanisms of protein folding and trafficking in the early secretory pathway of mammalian cells and the development of ER stress upon their malfunction, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. Specific research topics are:• Protein misfolding diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases.• ER stress.• Mechanisms of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein folding and quality control.• Sugar chain […] Read More >
Lab of Signal transduction, Neurodegeneration and Autophagy
Research focus ErbB receptors interactions and functions Regulation of Autophagy Neurodegeneration Projects include: The crosstalk between ErbB receprots and nucleolin in cancer development Beclin 1 mediated autophagy Autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases Autophagy in cancer Potential services Laboratory services: To monitor autophagy Signal transduction assays Anti-cancer drugs examination Cell proliferation, death and migration examination Potential […] Read More >
The goal of the lab is to elucidate molecular mechanisms of motor neuron survival and proper function using ALS disease as a model. In our current efforts we are using cutting edge in vitro and in vivo technologies studying molecular mechanisms of: 1. Molecular communication of trophic factors (such as BDNF or GDNF) between […] Read More >
Custom synthesis of organic compounds Industrial Research Services: We offer services for custom synthesis of small organic compounds. Our laboratories in Tel Aviv University have all the basic state-of-the-art instrumentation for synthetic capabilities. The School of Chemistry also has an Analytical Research and Instrumentation Unit, which provides services for organic analyses. The Department of Chemistry […] Read More >
Precision Nanomedicine: Preparation and Characterization of Nanocarriers Made from Natural Biopolymers
The laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine at TAU have capabilities for preparation and characterization of nanocarriers made from natural biopolymers such as lipids (liposomes, micelles) , sugars and proteins. Lab Description • State-of-the-art preparation and process development of lipid based nanoparticles including sythesisi capabilities of lipids. • cell culture facility including the culturing of hybridomas and […] Read More >
Drug Screening Animal Model for Anti-compulsive Activity
We have developed the signal attenuation rat model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This model is based on the theoretical proposition that compulsive behaviors result from a deficit in the feedback, which is associated with the performance of normal goal-directed responses. In our model, the goal-directed behavior is lever-pressing for food. The feedback associated with making […] Read More >
Prof. Attali Bernard
Reaching an understanding in molecular terms of the mechanisms by which changes in membrane potential regulate cellular events is the main concern of our research. We focus our interest on potassium channels because they play crucial roles in many cellular functions such as shaping cardiac and neuronal action potentials, tuning neuronal firing patterns, synaptic integration […] Read More >
Prof. Avraham Karen B.
Genomic Analysis of Hereditary Hearing Loss Our primary interest is the genetic basis of hereditary hearing loss or deafness. Our group is working towards the identification, characterization and regulation of genes associated with hereditary hearing loss. For gene discovery, we focus on the Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Arab populations in the Middle East. Our studies […] Read More >
Prof. Barak Segev
Dr. Barak’s research focuses on the psychobiology and neurobiology of alcoholism and drug addiction. In particular, he is interested in the molecular and neuronal mechanisms that underlie learning and memory processes in alcohol addiction. In addition, Dr. Barak is interested in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, with focus on cognitive impairments in this disorder. See lab […] Read More >
Prof. Eldar- Finkelman Hagit
My overall research is focused on elucidating the molecular and biochemical regulation of the protein kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), and revealing its contribution to pathological disorders. GSK-3 is emerging as a prominent drug discovery target in neurodegenerative disorders including ALS, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease. In a recent work we identified lysosomes as novel […] Read More >
Prof. Frenkel Dan
Research topic: The research in our laboratory is focused on the investigation of glial cell and to clarify their role in neurological diseases. We suggest that targeting glia activation in different pathological scenarios may allow us to define common pathways to further understand the role of glia in neuroprotection . We are using three models: 1) […] Read More >
Prof. Gazit Ehud
The central dogma in the study of protein folding suggests that the thermodynamically-favorable state of proteins under physiological conditions is their folded one. However, there are number of cases in which the favorable states of proteins are rather unfolded, partially folded (e.g., “molten globular”), or misfolded (e.g., nonspecific aggregates or amyloid fibrils). These observations lead […] Read More >
Research Activity The Circadian Clock system All organisms demonstrate a wide variety of behavioral and physiological daily rhythms that are driven by an evolutionary conserved endogenous circadian clock mechanism. Maintenance of circadian rhythms is crucial for the physical and mental wellbeing, and disruption of the rhythms increases susceptibility to diseases and psychiatric disorders. Utilizing the […] Read More >
Prof. Gozes Illana
Our research is characterized by a multi-level approach to the study of brain function, behavior, memory and drug discovery, from molecules to cures. Targeting autism, schizophrenia as well as Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegeneration and utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, our group investigates different aspects of neuronal plasticity and nerve cell protection, at the molecular, cellular […] Read More >
