1. Extraction, isolation, structure elucidation and synthesis of natural bioactive compounds from microalgae, plants and mushrooms for the prevention and treatment of human diseases.
2. Analyses of endogenous molecules, oxidative-stress levels, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metabolomics in blood and serum using GCMS and LCMS as biomarkers for early diagnosis of human diseases such as, cardiac disease.
3. Plant metabolomics for early diagnosis of plant stress and diseases.
Isolation, identification and synthesis of bioactive natural compounds for the prevention and treatment of human diseases, and advanced analytical methods such as, metabolomics for early diagnosis of human and plant diseases.
- Reducing CVD risk by using agents that improve HDL quality. High density lipoprotein HDL has a central role in atherosclerosis inhibition due to its antiatherogenic properties such as, reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, vasodilatory and cytoprotective effects, and endothelial function improvement. In the last several years, there is growing evidence from epidemiological data, animal studies, and clinical trials supports HDL as the next target to reduce residual cardiovascular risk in statin-treated, high-risk patients. However, some findings have called into question the hypothesis that pharmacologic increases in HDL cholesterol levels are necessarily beneficial. our strategy focu on improving HDL functions (HDL “quality”) which are truly reflect and responsible for the actual beneficial effects of HDL rather than on increasing HDL-C levels (HDL-C “quantity”) by using natural agents isolated from micro-algae and other natural plants.
- Production of food additives with health benefits from various kinds of algae, microalgae, plants and mushrooms. In this research we make extracts from different types of algae, microalgae, plants and mushrooms using different types of solvents. we examine the effect of the extracts on macrophage cells, PON1, HDL, LDL, components associated with atherogenases, pain and inflammatory following the isolation, characterization and identification of the active components.
- Identification of blood biomarkers for the early diagnosis of diseases such as, coronary artery disease and diabetic complication. Our aim is to identify novel biomarkers in human blood which can predict coronary plaque status and severity. Blood levels and activities of atherogenic and antiatherogenic components will be measured, including: A) blood biochemistry clinical parameters (Blood count) B) serum metabolomics (using Orbi-Ttrap LC-MS C) , oxidative stress biomarkers such as ox-LDL level, oxysterols, linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LA-13OOH) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), D), Serum PON1 activity, serum HDL activities and sphingosine 1P (S1P) levels. Finally, associations between blood biomarkers and plaque status and coronary disease severity will be evaluated.
- Analysis of plant secondary metabolites such as, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, cannabinoids and others using LCMS and analysis of volatile compounds such as, terpenes using GCMS.
- Studying the effect of biotic and abiotic stress on the production of active secondary metabolites in cannabis plant. Our aim is to investigate the effect of biotic and abiotic stress on the development of active compounds such as, cannabinoids and terpenes in the cannabis plants.
- Studying the effect of covalent and non-covalent modifications on protein properties. The proteins change their physical and biological properties due to these modifications and their covalent and non-covalent chemical interactions with the small molecules in their environment. This property of proteins that developed during the process of evolution increases proteome diversity between 10- and 100-fold. The aim of the project is to choose proteins related to atherosclerosis, such as PON1, CETP, APO-A1 and APO-B, and to examine how their biological and physical properties are affected by cavalent and noncovalent modifications that may take place within the body such as acetylation, methylation, cysteinylation, glutathionylation, oxidation, nitrosylation etc.
Education
1993-1995 B.Sc., Ben-GurionUniversity, Department of Chemistry
1996-2000 Ph.D. (direct Ph.D. program), Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Department ofChemistry
Academic and research positions
2001 Lecturer, Tel-Hai College, Department of Biotechnology
2008 Senior lecturer, Tel-Hai College, Department of Biotechnology
2019 Associate Professor, Tel-Hai College, Department of biotechnology
2001 Associate Researcher, The Oxidative Stress Research Laboratory, Migal – Galilee Research Institute.
2019 Head of the laboratory of natural compounds and analytical chemistry, Migal – Galilee Research Institute.
2019 Scientific manager of the analytical chemistry laboratory, Tel-Hai college.
Membership in professional organizations
2002-present Israel Society for Oxygen and Free Radicals Research
2002-present Israeli Society for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis
Research grants
2004-2007 Israeli Science Foundation – The search for natural substrates of paraoxonase. $65,000 per year. With prof. Jacob vaya.
2004-2005 D-Cure – The effect of PON1 on early advances glycation products. $54,000 per year. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Michael Aviram.
2006 Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist – Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $130,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2007 (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist –Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $150,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2007 (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist –Enhancing the immune response and development of conjugated vaccine administrated through non-injected route. $140,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2008 (tashtiot) Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Chief Scientist – Screening of protein surfaces for decreased antigenicity. $300,000. With prof. Jacob Vaya and prof. Jacob Pitcovski.
2013 Chief Scientist Office of Israel-MAGNET – New artificial NOSE (Na-NOSE) for early detection of Parkinson's disease. 129,250 NIS. With prof. Jacob Vaya, prof. John Finberg and prof. Hossam Hieck.
2014 Chief Scientist Office of Israel-MAGNET – New artificial NOSE (Na-NOSE) for early detection of Parkinson's disease. 150,368 NIS. With prof. Jacob Vaya, prof. John Finberg and prof. Hossam Hieck.
2010-2013 Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Israel – Chicken vaccination at day one. $200,000 per year. With Dr. Elina Aizenshtein.
2015-2016 The Galilee Biomedical Research Administration, Identification of volatile organic biomarkers in blood of patients with schizophrenia, 120,000 NIS for two years. With Dr. Alon Shamir from Mazra Mental Health Center and Prof. Jacob Vaya from Migal.
2015 Chief Scientist Office of Israel-ministry of economy, Development of biologically active substances from micro-algae extracts. 397,000 NIS for one year. With Prof. Jacob Vaya and Emma Kabtinski from migal.
2017 Migal-Galilee Research Institute, Reducing CVD risk by using natural agents that improve HDL quality. 50000 NIS.
2018 Research grant in military medicine, Ministry of Defense, Israel, Does DPPC Characterize the active hydrophobic spots at ovine blood vessels, which are the source of bubbles nucleation on decompression? 100000 NIS.
2019-2020 Israel innovation authority, Reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by using agents. 396000 NIS/year.
2019 Jewish Colonization Association (J. C. A.) in Israel, The extraction, analysis and production of secondary metabolites from cash-crop Halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum under salinity stress growth conditions. 100000 NIS for year.
2020-2024 Ministry of science, Cannabinoids and Terpenes-chemical composition and biology, 400, 000 for 4 years ( 100, 000 each year).