The Harel Lab
Experimental biology of vertebrate aging and age-related diseases
Itamar Harel
The team
Why study aging?
We are all aging!
Aging is the primary risk factor for many human pathologies, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Yet, understanding how organisms age remains one of the biggest challenges in biology.
Our Approach
How can we do it?
In the past 25 years, experiments in short-lived model systems (yeast, worms, and flies) have revolutionized the way we perceive aging – revealing that the aging rate itself can be manipulated by genetic and environmental interventions. However, the lack of short-lived vertebrate models for genetic studies has significantly limited our understanding of vertebrate aging, including the role of vertebrate-specific genes (e.g. IL8 and APOE), organs (e.g. bones and blood), and physiological processes (e.g. adaptive immunity).
To this end, we have developed a comprehensive genetic platform for rapid exploration of aging and disease in the shortest-lived vertebrate model, the African turquoise killifish, including a sequenced genome, CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing, and mutant fish for many aging- and disease-relates genes.
(Check out our gallery of the killifish's natural habitat)
What are we interested in?
Taking advantage of this exciting platform, we are trying to answer fundamental questions in biology, such as 1) what is the molecular basis behind the outstanding diversity of lifespan between different animals (which can reach 500-fold difference among vertebrates); and 2) what separates disease from healthy aging? To explore these questions, we are developing a variety of disease models, as well as using cutting edge approaches (including single-cell technology, mass spectrometry, and genome-editing).
Ultimately, our research holds great promise for tackling one of the most fascinating questions in biology – how and why do we age?
Our Story
Selected publications
Efficient genome engineering approaches for the short-lived African turquoise killifish
Harel I, Valenzano DR, Brunet A., Nature Protoc. 11 (2016)
The African turquoise killifish: a model for exploring vertebrate aging and diseases in the fast lane
Harel I, Brunet A., Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol (2015)
The African Turquoise Killifish Genome Provides Insights into Evolution and Genetic Architecture of Lifespan
Valenzano, D. R., Benayoun, B. A., Singh, P. P., Zhang, E., Etter, P. D., Hu, C. K., Clement-Ziza, M., Willemsen, D., Cui, R., Harel, I., Machado, B., E.Yee, M., C.Sharp, S. C., Bustamante, C. D., Beyer, A.Johnson, E. A., Brunet, A. Cell (2015)
A platform for rapid exploration of aging and diseases in a naturally short-lived vertebrate.
Harel I, Benayoun BA, Machado B, Singh P, Hu CK, Pech MF, Valenzano DR, Zhang E, Sharp SC, Artandi SE, Brunet A., Cell 160 (2015)
Where to find us
We are located at the Department of Genetics at the Institute of Life Sciences, surrounded by the beautiful Givat Ram campus at the the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
Meet the Team
We are looking for highly motivated master/graduate students and postdocs.
PI
Dr. Itamar Harel
itamarh[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Itamar Harel, PhD
Research interests: Aging, disease, and development; quantitative genetics; molecular mechanisms driving homeostasis; Vertebrate-specific traits.
Education: BSc, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; PhD, Weizmann Institute of Science; Postdoctoral, Stanford
Hometown: Beit Elazari, Israel
Favorite saying: "its just the universe, resisting, the closer you get to revealing its secrets"
Favorite activities outside the lab: Hiking, Running, Painting, and Cooking
Dream baymate: David Attenborough
Birthday: October 6th
Lab Manager
Dr. Adi Gottesman
adi.oron[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Adi Gottesman, PhD
Research interests: microbiology; disease; Aging; molecular Genetics.
Education: BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; MSc and PhD: Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Hometown: Jerusalem, Israel
Favorite saying: "Be happy. It’s one way of being wise."
Favorite activities outside the lab: travelling, Reading, baking and going to the cinema
Dream baymate: Barbara McClintock
Birthday: June 22
Killifish Facility Manager
Ashayma Abu-Tair
ashayma.abu-tair[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Ashayma Abu-Tair, MSc
Research interests: Molecular Biology and Microbiology.
Education:BSc, Al-Quds University. MSc, Bir Ziet University
Hometown: Jerusalem, Israel
Favorite saying: "“The world is full of nice people. If you can't find one, be one.” Nishan Panwar"
Favorite activities outside the lab: Cooking, walking, camping, and anything makes my life more enjoyable and happier
Dream baymate: Malcolm X
PhD Student
Marva Bergman
bmarva[at]gmail.com
Marva Bergman, MD
Research interests: Fertility and Reprosuctive system
Education: Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School
Hometown: Jerusalem
Favorite saying: The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall
Favorite activities outside the lab: Running, sleeping and eating.
Dream baymate: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Birthday: April 30th
PhD Student
Uri Goshtchevsky
uri.goshtchevsk[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Uri Goshtchevsky, MSc
Research interests: Temporal, organism-level, regulation of cellular maintenance mechanisms.
Education: BSc, Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel; MSc, Ben-Gurion University in the Negev
Hometown: Rehovot, Israel
Favorite saying: “The person who thinks he can and the person who thinks he can’t are both right”
Favorite activities outside the lab: Hiking, Gaming, Coding, Cooking & Baking, and reading.
Dream baymate: Wayne Brady
Birthday: July 28th
MSc Student
Eitan Moses
eitan.moses[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Eitan Moses
Research interests: Aging, neural & physiological regulation and the relationship between them, and neurobiology.
Education: BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Hometown: Alon Shevut, Israel
Favorite saying: “Anything my dad says”
Favorite activities outside the lab: History podcasts, speculative fiction reading and writing, playing with the kids, Trivia.
Dream baymate: The greek goddess Hesychia
Birthday: July 12th (Tammuz 11th)
Postdoctoral fellow
Mathias Diehl
Mathias.Diehl[at]outlook.de
Mathias Diehl, PhD
Research interests: Cell biology, ageing and aging-related diseases, cellular senescence, parasites.
Education: BSc and MSc Philipps-University Marburg, Dr. rer. nat. at Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Hometown: Mörfelden (close to Frankfurt, Germany)
Favorite saying: “What is applies to wizards also holds true for scientists.
Favorite activities outside the lab: Guitar, archery, gaming, virtual reality, reading
Dream baymate: Rick Sanchez
Birthday: September 24th
PhD candidate
Tommer Argaman
tommerarg[at]gmail.com
Tommer Argaman, MSc
Research interests: Aging, cellular senescence, DNA damage, cancer, cognition.
Education: BSc and MA, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva
Hometown: Lehavim, Israel
Favorite saying: “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for”
Favorite activities outside the lab: Playing guitar and keys, juggling, pilates
Dream baymate: Chandler Muriel Bing
Birthday: January 11th
MSc Student
Itai Rozenberg
itai.rozenberg[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Itai Rozenberg
Research interests: Aging, rejuvenating and cell death
Education: BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Hometown: Modiin, Israel
Favorite saying: “In the end, everything always work out”
Favorite activities outside the lab: Cooking and eating, traveling and arguing with friends
Dream baymate: Dan Carlin
Birthday: September 12
MSc Student
Tehila Atlan
tehila.atlan[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Tehila Atlan
Research interests: Aging, Brain, Cellular senescence, Microbiome, Genetics.
Education: BSc, Jerusalem College of Technology
Hometown: Beit El, Israel
Favorite saying: A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there
Favorite activities outside the lab: swinging, running, reading and diving
Dream baymate: David Eagleman
Birthday: September 19th
Summer student
Omer Cooper
omer.cooper[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Omer Cooper
Research interests: Aging, Developmental biology, Genetics, Neurocognitive processes.
Education: Current - BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Hometown: Rehovot, Israel
Favorite saying: a wise person has the capacity to choose the best means to attain a goal
Favorite activities outside the lab: Running, Reading, Meeting friends, Playing card games, Hiking and tracking
Dream baymate: Dr. Perry Cox
Birthday: April 25th
Animal model
