Members
The interdisciplinary center brings together researchers from chemistry, physics, life sciences, engineering and medicine.
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.
Chemistry
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Dr. Roey Amir
School of Chemistry
Core member
Office: Shenkar Chemistry 305
Tel: +972-3-640-8435
Email: amirroey@tau.ac.il
Webpage: http://chemistry.tau.ac.il/roeyamir/
Our group focuses on the design, synthesis and characterization of functional polymers for applications ranging from biomedicine to material science. We are specifically interested in the design and synthesis of complex macromolecular building blocks that can self-assemble into functional nano-scale particles and arrays with controllable shapes, sizes and internal architectures.
Prof. Haim Diamant
School of Chemistry
Core member
Office: Ornstein 404A
Tel: +972-3-640-6967
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.
Prof. Yuval Ebenstien
School of Chemistry
Core member
Office: Ornstein 312
Tel: +972-3-640-8901
Email: uv@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: ebenstein.blogspot.co.il
We are trying to characterize sources of variation between genomes.
We use chemistry, biology, physics and computation to tag, detect and analyze genetic and epigenetic patterns along individual genomic DNA molecules
Dr. Shlomi Reuveni
School of Chemistry
Core member
Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
Email: shlomireuveni@hotmail.com
Web: http://shlomireuveni.weebly.com/
The group of Dr. Reuveni is broadly interested in complex systems that are governed by statistical laws and random events. It conducts research at the interface of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Probability and Statistics; and aims to cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries in attempt to mathematically describe, explain, predict, and understand natural phenomena.
Dr. Yael Roichman
We are interested in studying the underlying physical processes that govern the mechanics, self-organization, dynamics, and statistics of complex fluids out of thermal equilibrium. Our belief is that by studying in detail many such driven systems we will be able to observe emergent shared characteristics, paving the way for a theoretical description.
We use holographic optical tweezers to manipulate and drive microscopic objects, a variety of optical microscopy techniques to image these objects, and image analysis to study their motion and morphology.
Prof. Michael Urbakh
School of Chemistry
Core member
Office: Ornstein 208
Tel: +972-3-640-8324
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.
Physics
Prof. David Andelman
School of Physics and Astronomy
Core member
Office: Shenkar Physics 420
Tel: +972-3-640-7239
Email: andelman@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~andelman
We specialize in studying soft matter and biological systems in collaboration with several experimental teams worldwide. In particular, we explore the properties of self-assembling polymers, and the ways to manipulate them at patterned surfaces and in thin film geometries in relation with nano-lithography. In another line of research we explore bio- and soft matter systems where charges play an important role. We investigate ionic liquids at charge interfaces and membranes, and the response of ionic solutions and charged macromolecules to external electric field
Prof. Roy Beck
School of Physics and Astronomy
Core member
Office: Shenkar Physics 418
Tel: +972-3-640-8477
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.
Dr. Yoav Lahini
School of Physics and Astronomy
Core member
Office: Shenkar Physics 414
Tel: +972-3-640-8428
Email: lahini [at] tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: https://en-exact-sciences.tau.ac.il/profile/lahini
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Experimental soft matter physics
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Far-From-Equilibrium dynamics of complex and disordered systems
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Mechanical Metamaterials
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Nanoscopy of physical and biophysical processes, nanofluidics
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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
Core member
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.
Dr. Avigdor Eldar Peer
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”
Prof. Yael Hanein
School of Electrical Engineering
Office: Wolfson Elec. Eng. 229
Tel: +972-3-640-7698
Email: yaelha@tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: nano.tau.ac.il/hanein
Exploration towards better neuron-electrode interfaces including: Understaning the neuron-electrode interface, mechanisms affecting neuronal stimulation, neuronal adhesion to surfaces and how surface topography affects adhesion.
Prof. Natan Shaked
Dept. of Biomedical Engineering
Office: Multidisciplinary 410
Tel: +972-3-640-7100
Email: nshaked@tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.eng.tau.ac.il/~omni
We develop novel biomedical microscopy, nanoscopy and interferometry optical systems for imaging of biological cells. For example, we can image live cells' thickness prifiles with sub-nanometric accuracy, in ambient conditions, and without using contrast agents.
Prof. Dov Lichtenberg
Dept. of Physiology & Pharmacology
Office: Sackler School of Medicine, 505
Tel: +972-3-640-7305
Email: physidov@post.tau.ac.il
Prof. Rafi Korenstein
Dept. of Physiology & Pharmacology
Office: Sackler School of Medicine, 614
Tel: +972-3-640-6042
Email: korens@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www2.tau.ac.il/Person/medicine/researcher.asp?id=afelkfdkj
Dr. David Sprinzak
Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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
Engineering
Dr. Uri Nevo
Dept. of Biomedical Engineering
Office: Interdisciplinary 411
Tel: +972-3-640-7542
Email: nevouri@tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.eng.tau.ac.il/~nevouri
We search for simple biophysical and mathematical laws that define the behavior of cells, and specifically of neurons. Our primary biophysical goal is to understand and measure the relation between cellular events and water displacement. We wish to employ this knowledge for the development of MRI techniques for characterization of cellular microstructures and cellular events.
Our hypothesis is that beyond diffusion, a significant component of water displacement in cells is the micro-streaming of the cytoplasmic fluid due to active cellular mechanisms.
We combine the use of MRI, fluorescent microscopy and theoretical biophysical modeling. All these allow quantification of water displacement in tissues, and specifically in the brain.
We develop methods in Diffusion Weighted NMR and in microscopy to quantify water displacement and to discriminate between diffusion and the active mechanisms of micro-streaming within cells. We use reference measurements to relate these mechanisms of water displacement to cellular events. We develop another method to characterize and quantify tissue microstructure as a porous medium.
In a separate study we test the use of an inhomogeneous, low-field NMR scanner for characterization of tissues in order to facilitate the future use of such devices for biomedical diagnosis and research.
Prof. Yair Shokef
School of Mechanical Engineering
​Core member
Office: Wolfson Mech. Eng. 334
Tel: +972-3-640-8393
Email: shokef@tau.ac.il
Webpage: shokef.tau.ac.il
Our current research 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. Nathan Dascal
Dept. of Physiology & Pharmacology
Office: Sackler (Medicine) 505
Tel: +972-3-640-5743
Email: dascaln@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: medicine.mytau.org/dascal
We are studying the quantitative aspects of signal transduction in living cells, in particular in receptor-G protein-ion channel cascades. Our methods include counting molecules in plasma membrane, understanding their interactions using biochemical and biophysical (FRET and other methods) approaches, heterologous expression of proteins of the cascade and electrophysiological study of their function, construction of kinetics models describing the whole cascade as well as various aspects of the cascade and the gating properties of ion channels, and production and testing of predictions of the models by experiment.
Prof. Michael Kozlov
Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology
Core member
Office: Sackler (Medicine) 624
Tel: +972-3-640-7863
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.
Prof. Eli Eisneberg
School of Physics and Astronomy
Core member
Office: Shenkar Physics 407
Tel: +972-3-640-7723
Email: elieis@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: http://www.tau.ac.il/~elieis/
Prof. Yacov Kantor
School of Physics and Astronomy
Core member
Office: Shenkar Physics 422
Tel: +972-3-640-9121
Email: kantor@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.tau.ac.il/~kantor
I am interested in statics and dynamics of entropy-dominated strongly fluctuating systems, such as polymers and membranes.
I study the the influence of geometric restrictions on the behavior of such systems. In particular, I study interaction between polymers and surfaces, behavior of polyampholytes, knots in polymers, translocation of polymers through membranes.
Dr. Ayelet Lesman
School of Mechanical Engineering
Core member
Office: Wolfson Mech. Eng. 331
Tel: +972-3-640-8233
Email: ayeletlesman@tauex.tau.ac.il
Webpage: www.lesmanlab.com
Our research is at the interface between the world of mechanics and the world of biology. In particular, we investigate how mechanical forces influence biological functions such as cell division and motion, organization to form tissues, differentiation of stem cells and communication between cells. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of the interaction of cells with nonlinear elastic environments that mimics conditions of tissues in the body.
Prof. Gil Markovich
School of Chemistry
Office: Multidisciplinary 207
Tel: +972-3-640-6985
Email: gilmar@post.tau.ac.il
Webpage: chemistry.tau.ac.il/markovich
Nanoscale chirality, soft-templates for growing inorganic nanostructures, thin molecular films