Prof. Roy Beck
School of Physics and Astronomy
Office: Shenkar Physics 418
Tel: 8477
Email: roy@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www6.tau.ac.il/beck
Our research focus is self-assembled structures within the nervous system, which includes the Myelin sheaths, Myelin basic protein, and neuronal intermediate filaments. In those systems alteration in subunit compositions (proteins and/or lipids) has devastative effects commonly expressed in neurodegenerative diseases. A common denominator between those scientific efforts is non-specific interactions and forces that drive order and disorder. In particular, the proteins involve in those supramolecular complexation have large intrinsically disordered domains that lack secondary structure, thus, behaving as a multifaceted polymer.
We couple theoretical and experimental efforts inspired from soft-condensed matter and polymer physics in order to gain physical insights into those complexes where oder and disorder play a key role. This research holds huge potential both for fundamental understating of biological functionality as well as in future biomimetic applications.
Prof. Yair Shokef
School of Mechanical Engineering
Office: Wolfson Mech. Eng. 334
Tel: 8393
Email: shokef@tau.ac.il
Webpage: shokef.tau.ac.il
Current research in the group covers two main directions in the non-equilibrium statistical mechanics of soft matter systems: 1) Stuck Matter: Geometric frustration, jamming, and slow dynamics in granular matter, colloids, foam, glass-forming liquids and mechanical metamaterials, and 2) Live Matter: Nonlinear elasticity and active fluctuations in biological systems.
Prof. Haim Diamant
School of Chemistry
Office: Ornstein 404A
Tel: 6967
Email: hdiamant@tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~hdiamant
Our group attempts to understand the structure and dynamic response of soft materials and complex fluids using analytical models. Recent projects include instabilities in fluid-supported thin sheets, response of actin networks, dynamics of membrane inclusions, correlations in confined colloid suspensions, and osmotic swelling of vesicles.
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Prof. Roy Beck
School of Physics and Astronomy
Office: Shenkar Physics 418
Tel: 8477
Email: roy@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www6.tau.ac.il/beck
Our research focus is self-assembled structures within the nervous system, which includes the Myelin sheaths, Myelin basic protein, and neuronal intermediate filaments. In those systems alteration in subunit compositions (proteins and/or lipids) has devastative effects commonly expressed in neurodegenerative diseases. A common denominator between those scientific efforts is non-specific interactions and forces that drive order and disorder. In particular, the proteins involve in those supramolecular complexation have large intrinsically disordered domains that lack secondary structure, thus, behaving as a multifaceted polymer.
We couple theoretical and experimental efforts inspired from soft-condensed matter and polymer physics in order to gain physical insights into those complexes where oder and disorder play a key role. This research holds huge potential both for fundamental understating of biological functionality as well as in future biomimetic applications.
Prof. Haim Diamant
School of Chemistry
Office: Ornstein 404A
Tel: 6967
Email: hdiamant@tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~hdiamant
Our group attempts to understand the structure and dynamic response of soft materials and complex fluids using analytical models. Recent projects include instabilities in fluid-supported thin sheets, response of actin networks, dynamics of membrane inclusions, correlations in confined colloid suspensions, and osmotic swelling of vesicles.
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Prof. Michael Urbakh
School of Chemistry
Office: Ornstein 208
Tel: 8324
Email: urbakh@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~urbakh1
The group of Michael Urbakh focuses on theoretical studies of single molecule mechanical unbinding and unfolding of biological molecules, and on friction and molecular transport in nano systems. A number of significant developments that have emerged from this group include novel mechanisms of unbinding of bio-molecules, direct reconstruction of energy landscape from the force measurements, understanding mechanisms of protein diffusion in membranes, and force-induced manipulation of enzymatic activity. Furthermore, new approaches to the construction of nano-scale engines that move either translationally or rotationally and can perform useful functions have been developed.
Dr. Yasmine Meroz
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Office:
Tel:
Email: jazz@tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.merozlab.com
Our research focuses on stochastic processes in complex systems, ranging from protein dynamics and transport processes, to granular media and dynamics of tectonic plates. Particularly, we aim at understanding the role of stochasticity in behavioural responses of organisms to external stimuli, e.g. decision-making, adaptation, learning and collective behavior. We adopt plants as a model system; multicellular organisms stripped of neurophysiology, exhibiting a variety of growth-diriven responses to multiple stimuli. Our lab combines experimental and theoretical efforts, adopting tools from statistical physics and applied math.
Prof. Michael Kozlov
Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology
Office: Sackler (Medicine) 624
Tel: 7863
Email: michk@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: medicine.mytau.org/kozlov
We work in the field of Cell Mechano-biology which encompasses mechanics and dynamics of cell membranes and cytoskeleton. To describe and analyze the intracellular mechanical processes we use the tools of soft-matter physics and thermodynamics.
Life Sciences
Dr. Yasmine Meroz
Dept. of Molecular Biology & Ecology of Plants
Core member
Office: Brittania 516
Tel:
Email: jazz@tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.merozlab.com
Our lab focuses on stochastic dynamics in complex systems, ranging from protein dynamics and granular media, to transport processes and plant behaviour. Particularly, we aim to provide an understanding of the role of stochasticity in behavioural responses of organisms to external stimuli, e.g. decision-making, adaptation, learning and collective behavior. We adopt plants as a model system; multicellular organisms exhibiting a variety of growth-diriven responses to multiple stimuli. Our lab combines experimental and theoretical efforts, adopting tools from statistical physics and applied math.
Prof. Nir Ben-Tal
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Office: Sherman 631
Tel: +972-3-640-6709
Email: NirB@tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: ashtoret.tau.ac.il
The development of methods for predicting structure, function and dynamics of membrane proteins, and their application to selected proteins.
The detection of amino acid changes that are responsible to the emergence of influenza strains with new phenotypes.
Prof. Tal Dvir
Dept. of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
Office: Green 116
Tel: +972-3-640-6514
Email: tdvir@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.dvirlab.tau.ac.il
Our lab develops smart bio micro and nano technologies for engineering complex tissues. Our work focuses on engineering cardiac patches for treating patients after heart attack, and on development of cyborg tissues integrating micro and nanoelectronics with living organs for controlling their performances.
Prof. Avigdor Eldar
School of molecular cell biology and biotechnology
Dept. department of cell research
Office: Green 134
Tel: +972-3-640-7492
Email: avigdor@gmail.com
Webpage: www6.tau.ac.il/eldar
We study mechanisms of interactions and signaling within bacterial communities. Specifically, we explore the interplay between physical and ecological community parameters and the way these impact the molecular design and evolutionary fate of bacterial cell-cell signaling mechanisms. We combine quantitative modeling at the physical, systems and ecological levels with bioinformatics and various experimental approaches that allow us to analyze interactions at the single cell and community levels.
Prof. Ehud Gazit
School of molecular cell biology and biotechnology
Dept. department of cell research
Office: Green - Biotechnology, 102
Tel: +972-3-640-9030
Email: ehudg@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: http://gazit-lab.tau.ac.il/home
Prof. Yoav Henis
Dept. of Neurobiology
Office: Sherman 704
Tel: +972-3-640-9053
Email: henis@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/lifesci/departments/ neuro/members/henis/henis.html
Our research focuses on cancer biophysics. We combine biophysical and molecular biology approaches to study the dynamics, organization and interactions of membrane receptors (e.g., TGF-beta receptors) and signaling oncoproteins (Ras, Src) at the plasma membrane of living cells. We focus on cancer-related proteins. Our emphasis is on interactions of receptors and membrane-associated signaling proteins that regulate cell proliferation and cancer.
Prof. Dan Peer
Dep. of Cell Research & Immunology
Office: Britannia-Porter, 226
Tel: +972-3-640-7925
Email: peer@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: https://www3.tau.ac.il/danpeer/
Our lab is studying how to manipulate cells’ functions in order to generate novel strategies to treat inflammatory diseases and cancers. We are combining multidisciplinary approaches including immunology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, protein engineering, material sciences, nanotechnology and computational techniques for drug discovery and potentially for therapeutics. In addition, we are developing nanomedicines by designing highly selective targeting moieties and novel nanocarriers, with an ultimate goal to translate some of our findings into clinical settings.
Dr. Gali Prag
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Office: Sherman - Life Sciences, 612
Tel: +972-3-640-9828
Email: prag@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: http://www.praglab.org/
Understanding Protein Sign Language
Healthy body functions depend on the normal and fluent communication between protein molecules, enabling regulation and coordination. Inside each cell, protein molecules serve as both workers and supervisors and interact by using a special sign language. Key words in this sign language is based on a small protein called Ubiquitin (Ub). The 2004 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for breakthrough research on the Ubiquitin system, acknowledging its essential role in cell function.
My laboratory is taking the Ubiquitin research to the next level of discovery, focusing on the mechanisms by which cells interpret this unique sign signal at the atomic level. A complete understanding of these signs will facilitate the design of molecules that bind and inhibit (or promote) protein actions.
Ultimately, our research will make it possible to understand how cells’ signals are involved in inducing and preventing disease. This knowledge will facilitate the development of “structural based drug design”
Dr. David Sprinzak
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Core member
Office: Sherman 508
Tel: +972-3-640-5218
Email: davidsp@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~davidsp/index.html
We are interested in elucidating the biophysics of intercellular signaling and how scuh signaling is involved in developmental patterning processes. We use a variety of imaging techniques including live confocal imaging, TIRF and super-resolution imaging to elucidate signaling dynamics at the single cell and subcellular levels. We also develop mathematical modeling to understand basic design principles of developmental patterning processes