The Harel Lab
Experimental biology of vertebrate aging and age-related diseases
Itamar Harel
About Us
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.
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?
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
Adi Gottesman
oronadi1[at]walla.co.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
Ariel Velan
ariel.velan[at]mail.huji.ac.il
Ariel Velan, MSc
Research interests: Aging; Quantitative genetics; Population Genetics; Osmoregulation.
Education: BSc, Tel Aviv University; MSc, Hebrew University, Faculty of Agriculture
Hometown: Tel Aviv, Israel
Favorite saying: "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man"
Favorite activities outside the lab: Cooking, Cycling, Boxing, Reading
Dream baymate: Norm McDonald
Birthday: June 22
PhD Candidate
Uri Goshtchevsky
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
Summer Student
Shaina Tolkin
Shaina Tolkin
Research interests: Molecular and genetic influence on behaviour, aging, epigenetics, neurobiology.
Education: current - BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Hometown: Modiin, Israel
Favorite saying: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”
Favorite activities outside the lab: Reading, swimming in the ocean, dancing, traveling.
Dream baymate: Brené Brown
Birthday: November 14th
Summer Student
Nadav Bruchiel
Nadav Bruchiel
Research interests: Aging, Regenerative medicine, Biochmistry & Biophysics.
Education: Current - BSc, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; AAS Software Engineering - MAMRAM, IDF.
Hometown: Jerusalem, Israel
Favorite saying: "Time is the fire in which we burn".
Favorite activities outside the lab: Poker, Sci-Fi, Metal Music & Coding.
Dream baymate: Lieutenant Commander Data
Birthday: June 3rd
Animal model
