ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2024-2026
AWARDS 2025-26
1st Place, Best Applicable Research Poster Competition
Recipient: Shadi Tawil
Awarded by: SharedImpact Conference (Yissum | The Hebrew University Tech Transfer Company)
Recognition: For outstanding applicable research in cell-based biomanufacturing.
Harper Fellowship
Recipient: Raghad Zaghal
Awarded by: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Recognition: Awarded as part of the Neubauer Fellowship, recognizing exceptional academic and research potential.
Hebrew University Dean of Students’ Award
Recipient: Adi Gershon
Awarded by: Hebrew University of Jerusalem Dean of Students Office
Recognition: In recognition of volunteer work
ILSSE Student Exchange Grant
Recipient: Shirly Kats Galay
Awarded by: Israel Lower Saxony Scholar Exchange
Recognition: Student exchange grant supporting a research exchange at the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen, Germany.
IMRIC Travel Scholarship
Recipient: Alia Qasem
Awarded by: The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Recognition: Conference travel scholarship.
Lilly Maayan Award for Outstanding Social Involvement
Recipients: Amanda Tissawak and Shirly Kats Galay
Awarded by: Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Recognition: In recognition of their joint volunteer work through the STEP program.
Negev Doctoral Fellowship
Recipient: Diaa Abu Khadra
Awarded by: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Recognition: Awarded in recognition of publishing a first-author paper in a Q1-ranked journal.
Travel Grant
Recipient: Shadi Tawil
Awarded by: Diversity and Inclusion Unit, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Recognition: Travel grant to attend a conference in the Netherlands.
PUBLICATIONS 2026:
Amanda
Independent Nuclear and Organellar Mechanisms Determine Apicoplast Fate in Malaria Parasites. Shahar, M., Qasem, A., Shamay, E., Tissawak, A., Maron, Y., & Florentin, A. Journal of Cell Biology 225(2) (2026): e202504052.
PRESENTATIONS 2026
Adi
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Disrupts Placental Splicing. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Multi-Tool Intron Retention Analysis in Autism Uncovers Shared Splicing Dysregulation. February 2026. Israeli Meeting for Autism Research, Be’er Sheva, Israel.
Ahd
Using Brain Organoid-Based Models to Study the Mechanisms Involved in Parkinson’s Disease. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Alia
Revealing Cryptic Functions of the Apicoplast Genome in Malaria Parasites. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Amanda
A Chaperonin Complex Regulates Organelle Proteostasis in Malaria Parasites. February 2026. 11th FISEB/ILANIT Conference, Eilat, Israel
Hadas
Studying the Role of FTO During Brain Development Using iPSC-Derived Brain Organoids. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Hila
A Novel Small RNA Modulates Antibiotic Susceptibility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Omer
Elucidating the Role of p53 Loss and/or PIK3CA H1047R Overexpression in Replication Stress and Genomic Instability. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Randa
A Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen Reveals an Interferon-Dependent Antiviral Role of the Hippo Signaling Pathway. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Shadi
From Bovine Stem Cells to Embryo Models: A Preliminary Journey. February 2026. 2nd Meeting on Early Embryogenesis and Epigenetics, Berlin, Germany.
Shirly
Regulation of Metabolic Flow in the Apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
Tal
Investigating the Apicoplast Genome of Malaria Parasites: Developing a Novel Approach for Extranuclear Genetic Editing. February 2026. 11th ILANIT Conference of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology, Eilat, Israel.
PUBLICATIONS 2025
Adi
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Alters Placental Pre-messenger Ribonucleic Acid Splicing via SRSF10. Adi Gershon et al. Diabetes (2025). doi: 10.2337/db25-0333.
Alia
Independent Nuclear and Organellar Mechanisms Determine Apicoplast Fate in Malaria Parasites. Michal Shahar et al. Journal of Cell Biology (2025).
Aya
Identification of RNA binding proteins that mediate a quality control mechanism of splicing. Maram Arafat, Valer Gotea, M. I. Umar, Aya Muharram, Eyal Kamhi, Reuven Agami, J. Sperling, Markus Hafner, L. Elnitski, R. Sperling. bioRxiv (2025) doi:10.1101/2025.07.20.665773
Diaa
New insights on the organic fouling mechanism of ultrafiltration membranes using hybrid QCM-D–LSPR. Diaa AbuKhadra, Yoram Oren, Moshe Herzberg. Journal of Membrane Science (2025) doi: 10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124044.
Keren
Nuclear roles of spliceosome-associated microRNAs in neuronal cancer cells. Shelly Mahlab-Aviv, Keren Or Swissa, Maram Arafat, Keren Zohar, Ayelet Rachel Peretz, Michal Linial, Ruth Sperling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2025) 26(17):8349. doi: 10.3390/ijms26178349.
Manar
Founder homozygous nonsense CREB3 variant and variable-onset retinal degeneration. M Salameh, et al JAMA Ophthalmol (2025) 143(8):692-701. 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2025.2187.
Nina
RetiGene, a Comprehensive Gene Atlas for Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs). Nina Schneider et al. The American Journal of Human Genetics (2025). PMID: 40961941.
PRESENTATIONS 2025
Adar
Partial Reprograming of Bovine Satellite Cells. September 2025. Israel Agriculture Science Conference, Jerusalem, Israel.
Partial Reprograming of Bovine Satellite Cells. November 2025. International Scientific Conference on Cultivated Meat (ISCCM11), Maastricht, Netherlands.
Partial Reprograming of Bovine Satellite Cells. November 2025. ELLS Agriculture Student Conference.
Ahd
Immunocompetent Human Midbrain Organoids to Study Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease. January 2025. Israel Society for Neuroscience (ISFN), Eilat, Israel.
Arielle
Subsidizing Control: Governing Cattle Grazing, Rewilding, and Trespassing in Annexed Borderlands. February 2025. Israeli Sociology Conference.
Diaa
Biofouling Mechanisms of Ultrafiltration Membranes: Generalizing Physical and Microbial Effects. Tennessee, 2025. North American Membrane Society Conference
Hosniyah
The Different Functions of RTEL1 Variants in Telomere Maintenance. 2025. Annual Meeting of the Genetics Society of Israel, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Noa
HHS patient cells carrying RTEL1 bi-allelic mutations exhibit accelerated telomere shortening and cytoplasmic localization of nuclear factors. February 2025.
Annual Meeting of the Genetics Society, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Raghad
Elucidating RNA-RNA Interaction Networks of Pseudomonas aeruginosa During Interbacterial Interactions. October 2025. Arturo Falaschi Conference: Cell-cell Communication in Bacteria: New Insights and Future Trends, Trieste, Italy.
Reem
The Molecular Basis of Chromosomal Instability at Early Stages of Cancer Development. October 2025. The Second Neubauer STEM Symposium 2025, Technion University, Haifa, Israel.
Shadi
- Roundtable with Columbia University Delegation. My experience as a Palestinian researcher and how STEP supports my academic and personal journey. May 29, 2025
- Meeting with LEAD Fellows (AFHU Leadership Program): Engaged with young Jewish-American professionals to discuss academia’s role in connection and leadership.
- Meeting with Dutch Ambassador, Her Excellency Mariet Schuurman: Spoke about being an Arab student at HUJI and highlighted STEP as a model for meaningful coexistence.
Shirly
Regulation of Metabolic Flow in the Apicoplast. August 27, 2025. PhDs & PostDocs Forum, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Regulation of Metabolic Flow in the Apicoplast. September 8, 2025. MMG Departmental Retreat, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
PUBLICATIONS 2024
Amanda
A chaperonin complex regulates organelle proteostasis in malaria parasites. Amanda Tissawak, et al and Anat Florentin. bioRxiv (2024) doi: 10.1101/2024.11.13.623364.
Manar
Genetic Analysis of 252 Index Cases with Inherited Retinal Diseases Using a Panel of 351 Retinal Genes. … M Salameh et al… Genes (Basel), 2024 Jul 16;15(7):926
Nina
A pipeline for identifying guide RNA sequences that promote RNA editing of nonsense mutations that cause inherited retinal diseases. Schneider, N., et al, S. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids (2024) Jan, 35(1). doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102130
Sara & Diala
Protocol for mapping physiological dsbs using in-suspension break labeling in situ and sequencing.” …Oster, S., Shatleh, D…Aqeilan, R. I. STAR Protocols (2024) June, 5(2), 103059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103059
PRESENTATIONS 2024
Amanda
Regulation of proteostasis in the apicoplast of malaria parasite. 2024. Molecular Parasitology Meeting hosted by the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.
Diaa
LSPR-QCMD Study of UF Membrane Fouling Mechanisms. 2024. EuroMembrane Conference, Czech Republic.
Diala
Studying DNA double strand breaks patterns in cancer cells under replication stress at the different stages of the cell cycle. July, 2024. Cancer Genome Structure and Dynamics Conference, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
Hoson and Noa
Telomere function and evolution in health and disease. 2024, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), Rome, Italy.
SCOPUS Magazine, Vol. 69, 2024-2025. Featured in article, “A STEP in the Right Direction”.
Manar
A founder homozygous nonsense mutation in CREB3 causes a variable retinal dystrophy in three North-African Jewish families. July, 2024. Oral presentation. The Israeli Society for Eye and Vision Research (ISVER) Israel.
A homozygous nonsense variant in CREB3 causes a variable retinal dystrophy in four families. May, 2024. Oral presentation. Israeli Inherited Retinal Dystrophy Consortium (IIRDC), Israel.
An intronic REEP6 variant affecting the splicing of a retina-specific exon causes autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in Palestinian patients. May, 2024.
Poster presentation. The Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology (ARVO) Seattle, WA, USA.
Nina
The Interplay between ADAR-based RNA Editing and Splicing-related Variants in ABCA4. The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (ARVO) Nina Schneider…, Dror Sharon. May, 2024. The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (ARVO).. Seattle, WA, USA. Poster.
ADAR-based RNA editing and splice-region variants in ABCA4. Israeli Society for Vision and Eye Research Conference (ISVER). Nina Schneider…Dror Sharon. Israeli Society for Vision and Eye Research (ISVER) meeting. Tel Aviv, Israel.