Hebrew University

Come explore the big questions at the Open Day of the Safra Center for Brain Sciences🧠
Learn about cutting-edge research in neuroscience, meet leading researchers, and discover interdisciplinary work that drives scientific breakthroughs💡

Feb 22, 15:00
Register! 👇
docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLS...

How AI Could Be Limiting Our Perspective—and What Regulators Can Do to As artificial intelligence technologies become ever more integrated into daily life, a growing body of research is beginning to uncover a subtle yet profound challenge posed by generative AI

Are AI tools quietly narrowing our worldviews?
A new study by Prof. Michal Shur-Ofry warns that systems like ChatGPT often favor mainstream answers—limiting cultural diversity & critical thinking. She proposes a new principle for AI regulation: multiplicity.

Read here: scienmag.com/how-ai-could...

Health Rounds: Flu drug with compound found in chocolate tops Tamiflu in early study An experimental flu-fighting drug combination that includes a compound found in chocolate is more effective than the current most commonly used influenza treatment, researchers reported in PNAS.

A new drug combo featuring Theobromine (yes, from chocolate!) has outperformed Tamiflu in fighting flu—including drug-resistant strains. Developed by Prof. Isaiah Arkin, the treatment could change how we fight viral infections.

Read more: www.reuters.com/business/hea...

3D video method accurately estimates tomato leaf area without costly sensors A team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a low-cost, non-invasive method to estimate total leaf area in dwarf tomato plants using 3D reconstruction from standard video footage. The...

A new study by PhD student Dmitrii Usenko & Dr. David Helman shows how 3D models from simple videos can accurately estimate leaf area in tomato plants—bringing powerful plant monitoring to any farm, anywhere.

Read here: phys.org/news/2025-07...

Israeli researchers find way to boost cancer-fighting | The Jerusalem Post This strategy is part of a growing trend in immunotherapy that focuses not just on guiding immune responses, but on upgrading the cells themselves — enhancing their efficiency from within.

What powers a stronger immune response to cancer? A new study by PhD student Omri Yosef & Prof. Michael Berger shows that blocking a single protein, Ant2, can rewire T cells’ energy systems—boosting their ability to hunt down and destroy tumors.

Read here: www.jpost.com/health-and-w...

New Genetic Forensics Method Helps Solve Complex Wildlife Crime Cases The work demonstrates how combining advanced genetic tools with local databases can assist conservation authorities in solving even the most complex environmental crimes involving multiple species, bo...

Wildlife crime is a major threat to biodiversity. #HUJI's Dr. Gila Kahila Bar-Gal has developed advanced DNA forensics to help crack tough cases—from poisoned vultures to poached gazelles—and bring environmental criminals to justice.

Read here: tinyurl.com/ykkbe2xy

Emotional Pain Brain Circuit Drives Cocaine Relapse - Neuroscience News A new study reveals that a brain circuit driving negative emotions during cocaine withdrawal plays a key role in relapse.

Why do so many people relapse after quitting cocaine? A new study by #HUJI's Liran Levi & Prof. Yonatan M. Kupchik reveals a hyperactive “anti-reward” brain circuit that drives emotional pain during withdrawal—and may hold the key to better addiction treatments.

Read here: shrtlink.ai/eEU1

Two Elkouby lab students received the Hebrew University @hebrewuniversity.bsky.social Faculty of Medicine Prizes for Outstanding MSc Thesis today.

Congratulations Amal Shawahny and Adam Ahmad for this well deserved recognition, we are super proud of you!
🎉🐟

ELSC invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in neuroscience.
We're looking for exceptional early-career scientists to lead innovative, interdisciplinary, and impactful research.
Apply Now:
ttp.huji.ac.il
elsc.huji.ac.il/opportunitie...

People Prefer Human Empathy, Even When AI Says the Same Thing - Neuroscience News A new study shows that people rate empathic responses as more supportive and emotionally satisfying when they believe they come from a human—even if the same response is AI-generated.

Even when AI gets it exactly right, people still prefer empathy they believe came from a human.
A new study led by #HUJI Prof. @anatperry.bsky.social, in collaboration with @harvard.edu and @utaustin.bsky.social, shows the human touch still matters.

Read more: neurosciencenews.com/ai-human-emp...

Drones and genetics team up for drought-smart wheat A new study led by researchers at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at Hebrew University and the Volcani Institute changes the way scientists uncover the secrets of wheat resilience. By...

A new study by Roy Sadeh, Dr. Ittai Herrmann & Prof. Zvi Peleg from @HujiAgri, in collaboration with @VolcaniInst, uses drone-based thermal & hyperspectral imaging to identify genetic markers for drought-tolerant wheat.
Read more: phys.org/news/2025-05...

Prof. Tamir Sheafer Elected President of the Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced today (Monday) that Prof. Tamir Sheafer has been elected as its next president. The decision was approved by the University's Executive Committee and Board...

Link to the full statement on our website:
en.huji.ac.il/news/prof-ta...

Prof. Tamir Sheafer Elected President of the Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced today (Monday) that Prof. Tamir Sheafer has been elected as its next president. The decision was approved by the University's Executive Committee and Board...

Continuing... “Having worked with him extensively in his role as rector, I am confident that he will bring a creative vision and excellent managerial skills to his new role, and will be a worthy successor to our outgoing leader, Asher Cohen.”

Dan Schlessinger, Chair of the Board of Governors:
“I am delighted that Professor Sheafer will be taking on the role of president. His long-term commitment to the University is unsurpassed.”

Big news from Hebrew University!
Congratulations to Prof. Tamir Sheafer on his appointment as our next President, beginning October 2025.

He will succeed Prof. Asher Cohen, who led the university for the past 8 years.

Photo Credit: Vered Farkarsh

Confronting the myths of Hitler and the Holocaust - opinion Joachim A. Lang’s groundbreaking approach merges two cinematic genres –Holocaust films and depictions of Nazi Germany – previously kept separate.

🕯 This Int. Holocaust Memorial Day, we reflect on the power of storytelling to confront myths of Hitler and the Holocaust. Dr. Yael Ben-Moshe explores Joachim A. Lang’s innovative merging of Holocaust films and depictions of Nazi Germany in her op-ed.

For the full article: jpost.com/opinion/arti...

Congratulations to Prof. Elad Gross from the Department of Chemistry, Prof. Dani Ben-Zvi from the Faculty of Medicine, and Prof. Ami Citri from the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences on winning the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants of the European Union.

How can you raise twins when one is more robust than the other? Despite the joys, the stress of diapering, feeding, bathing, paying for their expenses, coping with lack of sleep, and even playing with more than one baby at a time can be overwhelming.

👶A study by Prof. Ariel Knafo-Noam & Dr. Yonat Rum from #HUJI, Dr. Hila Segal & Adi Barkan (Academic College of Tel-Aviv–Jaffa) uncovers how developmental gaps influence dominance roles in twins—highlighting parental perceptions' impact.

For the full article: jpost.com/health-and-w...

The Balbiani body: Cracking the secret of embryonic beginnings Researchers have uncovered how egg cells prepare for the creation of life. Their work reveals the secrets of the Balbiani body (Bb), a remarkable structure that organizes essential molecules to guide ...

🧬 Life begins with precision! New study led by #HUJI Prof. Yaniv Elkouby sheds light on how the Balbiani body organizes key molecules for embryonic development. Using zebrafish models, they’ve unlocked secrets with implications for health & science.

For the full article: phys.org/news/2025-01...

Scientist Reveals How Stress Triggers Depression Through Inflammation In a groundbreaking Genomic Press Interview, Professor Raz Yirmiya discusses his innovative research at the intersection of inflammation and depression. Revealing new connections between stress and br...

What’s the link between stress, brain inflammation, and depression? 🧠 Prof. Raz Yirmiya shares groundbreaking insights in a Genomic Press interview, pointing to personalized therapies as the future of depression treatment.

Learn more: scitechdaily.com/scientist-re...

Who’s spotting UFOs?🛸 New research by Dr. Ohad Raveh (Hebrew U) and Dr. Nathan Goldstein (Bar Ilan Uni) finds that UFO sightings are more common in wealthy areas—and rise during economic downturns.

Learn more: www.israel21c.org/why-do-rich-...

Unlocking proteostasis: A new frontier in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Scientists have uncovered a powerful ally in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases: a nucleolar complex that plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular health through protein homeostasis (pro...

Can we slow down Alzheimer’s? 🧠 New research led by Prof. Ehud Cohen and Huadong Zhu from #HUJI reveals how suppressing TGF-β signaling boosts the body’s natural defenses against toxic proteins. A step closer to therapies for healthy aging.

Learn more: medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01...

Photo Credit: Karina Bialo In the photo: Left to right: Evyatar Cohen, Tamir Herzberg, Danil Bialo

👏 Huge congratulations to Hebrew University students Evyatar Cohen & Tamir Herzberg for taking home the Figgie Award for Excellence in Design! Their game Breaking News has wowed players and judges alike with its unique concept & alt.ctrl creativity. 🎮

Photo Credit: Karina Bialo

Framework tracks 'learning curve' of AI to decode complex genomic data Researchers have introduced Annotatability—a powerful new framework to address a major challenge in biological research by examining how artificial neural networks learn to label genomic data. Genomic...

Introducing Annotatability: A new AI-powered framework by #HUJI researchers, led by Jonathan Karin, Reshef Mintz, Dr.
Barak Raveh & Dr. Mor Nitzan, to tackle ambiguities in genomic data and improve single-cell analysis

For the full article: phys.org/news/2025-01...

Small milk fat globules promote good bacteria, study reveals A study reveals that the structure of milk fat globules, rather than their chemical composition, plays a key role in their interactions with bacteria. Small globules promote the growth of beneficial b...

How do milk fat globules impact gut health? New study by Prof. Nurit Argov-Argaman from
@HUJIAgri
, reveals how their structure influences interactions with bacteria, promoting health and protecting against pathogens.

For the full article: www.the-microbiologist.com/news/small-m...