At the heart of this initiative is strong academic leadership, including the University of Haifa and Prof. Ronit Endevelt, a leading expert in public health nutrition, who contributes to advancing international partnerships and shaping impactful research and policy. Another big part of the INHUB community is Bruce Rosen and Shani Rosen from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem & “Insights”.

Explore INHUB

The post Connecting Israeli nutrition to the world appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

A new study conducted at the University of Haifa and published in the prestigious journal Science Advances has found that the origin of the kidney in vertebrates may be different from what has long been accepted. The study provides new evidence for a scientific idea first proposed in 1888 but never adopted as a central concept in the field. According to the study, the first cells from which the kidney develops do not originate solely from the embryonic tissue previously thought to be its source, but rather from an embryonic region that is also the area where the muscles, tendons, vertebral column, and other parts of the axial skeleton develop. “This finding is not merely a minor correction to the evolutionary developmental model of the kidney. It changes the way we examine connections between body systems during the earliest stages of embryonic development, suggesting that processes that seemed to be separate may be more deeply linked than we thought, with foundations that lie deep in evolution,” said Dr. Ram Reshef of the University of Haifa, who led the study.

To understand the significance of the study’s main finding, we must return to a very early stage of embryonic development, long before the kidney takes on its familiar form. In vertebrates, the kidney develops in stages: first, the pronephric kidney appears in the anterior region of the embryo, at the boundary between the head and neck, while subsequent stages of the renal system develop until the mature kidney forms in mammals, birds and reptiles. For decades, the prevailing explanation was that the process begins in a narrow strip of embryonic tissue known as the intermediate mesoderm, which is also the source of the reproductive organs. In the current study, Dr. Reshef, doctoral student Pascal Schmidt, and researchers in his Lab at the department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology at the University of Haifa, together with a team of researchers from the Technion, two CNRS teams of the Sorbonne University in France, and the University of Genoa in Italy, sought to determine the embryonic and evolutionary origin of the pronephric kidney, identify the molecular mechanisms that regulate its development, and test whether the prevailing view accurately describes the beginning of the process.

In the present study, the researchers used a comparative approach to examine embryos of three animals representing key points in the vertebrate evolutionary tree. The first was the amphioxus, a small marine animal closely related to vertebrates but lacking an axial skeleton, providing a glimpse into a particularly early stage in the evolution of vertebrate body structure. The second was the European river lamprey, a jawless fish lacking paired fins that represents one of the most ancient groups of vertebrates. The third was the small-spotted catshark, a cartilaginous fish with jaws that exemplifies another early stage in vertebrate evolution. The researchers tracked the expression of early molecular markers of kidney development, including the genes Pax2 and Lim1, and examined exactly where they appeared in embryos of the studied species. In addition to their observations, the researchers conducted an intervention experiment in which they blocked the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway, one of the key regulatory mechanisms in embryonic development, to determine whether this pathway, which is involved in the development of the vertebral column and axial skeleton, also affects the initiation of kidney development. The combination of evolutionary comparisons across several early species, molecular labeling, and advanced imaging enabled the researchers to track the process not only according to tissue morphology but also according to the molecular identity of the cells.

The study’s findings show that in shark embryos and European river lamprey embryos, the first cells from which the pronephric kidney develops are located within the somite, an embryonic sphere unit repeated along the length of the embryo and serving as the source of several major tissues, including muscles, the skin of the back, tendons, and parts of the skeleton. The researchers identified this region as the nephrotome, the technical scientific term for the region from which the kidney develops. According to the researchers, the finding suggests that the somite is not only associated with the development of the locomotor and skeletal systems, but also contains a region from which kidney cells begin to develop. In amphioxus, a marine animal closely related to vertebrates but not itself a vertebrate, it is already known that an excretory organ develops from such an embryonic unit as well, evidence that strengthens the possibility that this is a very ancient evolutionary source. Another finding concerns the regulatory mechanism of the process: blocking the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway, known to regulate the development of the vertebrae, also impaired pronephric kidney development in the shark and lamprey, but not in amphioxus, which lacks vertebrae. This finding points to a developmental connection between vertebrae and the pronephric kidney. It therefore appears that during evolution not only did the cellular origins of kidney development change, but so too did the regulatory mechanisms directing the process. “The importance of this finding is that it changes the questions we ask about the way the body is built,” said Dr. Reshef. “If the beginning of kidney development is linked to a region that also gives rise to components of the skeletal system, this may eventually help us better understand conditions in which defects of the kidney and bones appear together. This is not a promise of a medical treatment, but rather a deeper understanding of the relationships between body systems during the earliest stages of embryonic development.”

According to the researchers, one of the most interesting aspects of the study is its historical dimension. As early as 1888, Johannes Rückert, a German researcher specializing in embryonic development, believed that the origin of the kidney in sharks lay within the somite. “Now, using molecular tools and advanced imaging, the new study provides evidence that Rückert had already identified an important process that the technology of his time could not prove,” the researchers said.

The post the Origin of the Kidney in Vertebrates May Be Different Than Previously Thought appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

A new exhibition staged by the University of Haifa opened this past weekend in the Silk Road Virtual Museum, an international initiative that brings together dozens of exhibitions and heritage sites along the historical Silk Roads of Central Asia. This is the first time that an Israeli exhibition has participated in the international platform.

The exhibition presents rare findings dating back over a thousand years, including dyed cotton fabrics, felt and silk textiles. The items were preserved in exceptional conditions at the Nahal Omer site in the Arava region of southern Israel, along the ancient Spice Route. The findings reflect the commercial and cultural ties and the flow of merchandise and ideas between our region and India, China, Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, and Central Asia.

The exhibition was curated by Prof. Guy Bar-oz, Prof. Gideon Avni, and research student Nofar Shamir-Shafir of the Department of Cultural Heritage in the School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa.

Items on virtual display include decorated cotton fabrics from India and Bukhara in Central Asia; felt strips made from Bactrian camel wool from the deserts of Central Asia; and silk fragments originating in China. Thanks to the arid climate in the Arava, the fabrics were preserved in exceptional condition and are regarded as rarities in the archaeological world.

The researchers explain that the findings strengthen the recognition that the Negev and Arava regions of Israel formed part of an important trade route within the ancient Silk Road network that connected Eastern Asia, Central Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean. The exhibition reflects growing international academic recognition of the importance of the Israeli silk road as one component of the ancient network of trade routes that crossed the Arava and the Negev.

“In addition to its archaeological importance, the exhibition also offers a contemporary perspective on regional contacts and intercultural exchange. It emphasizes that over a thousand years ago, extensive trade and exchanges of knowledge took place between the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia. This reminds us that even in ancient times, the region was already part of a broad international network of cultural and economic ties,” Prof. Bar-Oz commented.

To view the exhibition (free of charge), visit

The post An Exhibition from Israel at the International Silk Road Virtual Museum Presents Findings from China, India, and Central Asia Unearthed in Israel’s Arava Region appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

A study conducted at the University of Haifa, in collaboration with Rambam Health Care Campus, and published in the journal Disease Models & Mechanisms, explains how a single change in the RET gene can lead to two completely different diseases: a congenital defect in the digestive system that appears at birth, and a particular type of cancer (MEN2A) that develops later in life, usually at the thyroid. Because these are two biologically opposing conditions, it has not been clear until now how they can arise from the same mutation. “Our study provides an explanation that connects two medical conditions that seemed paradoxically opposite to each other, and shows how they are caused by the same biological process. This understanding reinforces the realization that genetic diseases are not fixed processes, but rather can evolve over the course of life depending on how the protein functions within cells,” explained Dr. Anna Fassler Bakhman from the University of Haifa, who led the study as part of her doctoral work.

In the study, the researchers focused on the RET gene, which encodes a central protein within cells that is involved in regulating growth, differentiation, and survival of cells in various tissues in the body. This protein is active, among other places, in the enteric nervous system and in the thyroid gland. Mutations in this gene have long been known to be associated with two completely different diseases: one is Hirschsprung’s disease, characterized by a congenital defect in the digestive system in which nerve cells are absent in the intestine, thereby impairing its normal function; the other is hereditary thyroid cancer of the MEN2A type. In the current study, Dr. Fassler Bakhman, Prof. Mickey Kosloff from the Department of Human Biology at the University of Haifa, Dr. Michal Cohen from Rambam Health Care Campus, and Prof. Rachel Kolodny from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Haifa, sought to examine how it is possible that certain mutations in the same gene lead to both phenomena – impairment (loss) of protein function and protein overactivation (gain of function), and to identify the biological mechanism that explains the connection between the conditions.

To decipher the mechanisms leading to the two diseases, the researchers built an extensive database including 77 different sites in the RET protein in which disease-associated mutations have been identified. This is the most comprehensive dataset collected to date for this protein and these diseases. The researchers analyzed the three-dimensional structure of the protein and examined how each genetic change affects its stability and its interactions with other proteins. As a central part of the study, the researchers used artificial intelligence-based methods to simulate with high precision the 3D structure of the protein and the way it forms connections with additional copies of itself. The combination of structural analysis and computational tools enabled the researchers to identify clear patterns and understand how different mutations lead either to loss of function, or to overactivation of the protein, or both.

A previous study conducted in Prof. Kosloff’s laboratory, published about a month ago in the journal BBA Advances, used similar computational tools to understand how a mutation in the GNAO1 gene causes a rare congenital neurological disease. In that study, too, the researchers found that the mutation caused loss of function of the protein. However, the molecular mechanism was completely different, since the mutation caused a loss of the ability of a molecular switch to activate processes within the brain. Nevertheless, the innovative approaches used by the researchers were parallel, and the results of both studies may help physicians understand how these genetic diseases can be treated.

The results of the current study indicate that in most cases of Hirschsprung’s disease, where nerve cells are absent in the intestine, the mutations impair the stability of the RET protein and therefore it cannot function properly. In these situations, the protein does not maintain its proper structure and fails to carry out its role in the development of the enteric nervous system. In contrast, in most cases of MEN2A-type cancers, the mutation leads to a specific amino acid that cannot form its usual connections within the RET protein. This amino acid, known as an “orphan cysteine”, can lead to two RET proteins to connect to each other abnormally, thereby causing RET self-activation without external regulation. The researchers found that in those mutations that cause both diseases together, the two conditions occur simultaneously: both impairment of protein stability and the formation of an “orphan cysteine” that leads to overactivation and cancer. “In other words, the same genetic change does not act similarly in different ages, but rather acts differently over the course of life, depending on the biological context”, the researchers explain. “In early stages it impairs the normal development of tissues, whereas in later stages it activates growth mechanisms in an uncontrolled manner. This understanding indicates that we need to work on more precise treatments tailored to both the type of mutation and the stage of life at which the disease manifests,” the researchers concluded.

The post A Single RET Gene Mutation Causes a Congenital Defect and Thyroid Cancer appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

A new study from the University of Haifa published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE has uncovered a fascinating historical insight. Even during periods of military conflicts and changes in the borders established between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram during Iron Age II, from the tenth to eighth century BCE, the daily lives of shepherds and farmers in the region continued almost uninterrupted. The research was conducted at the site of Tel Hazor located in the Hula Valley, which served as a direct meeting point between the two kingdoms and reveals that the political borders were not perceived as an impassable barrier, but rather remained permeable and flexible. “Our findings show that the movement of herds was not restricted even during periods of high military tension. The data challenge previous assumptions about ancient borders and show that they were permeable and local in nature, allowing ordinary people to continue their daily routines,” said Prof. Cheryl Makarewicz, from the University of Haifa, one of the scholars who conducted the research.

During the tenth to eighth centuries BCE, society in the southern Levant underwent major political and social changes. Territorial kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus, were established and fought each other for regional control, building governing institutions and fortifying borders. Many studies have examined the political organization, cultic activities, and conflicts between ruling elites in this period, but the direct impact of the confrontations and borderlines on people’s daily lives remained unknown. In the current study, Prof. Cheryl Makarewicz, Dr. Shlomit Bechar, and Prof. Nimrod Marom, from the School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures at the University of Haifa, and doctoral candidate Sarah Martini from Yale University, sought to examine whether the borderlines between the kingdoms restricted the movement of shepherds and access to pasturelands, which were the economic basis for the existence of rural communities and support for the government.

To assess how borders and conflicts influenced herding patterns, the scholars used advanced analytical methods that allow for the identification of grazing patterns and seasonal animal movements. They collected and analyzed teeth from herds, mainly sheep and goats, found in the Hebrew University excavations at Tel Hazor in the Hula Valley, an area that served as a flashpoint of friction between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram. By analyzing stable isotopes in the teeth of goats and sheep, including measurements of strontium, oxygen, and carbon, the scholars were able to reconstruct the locations where the herds grazed throughout the year. The method allowed them to identify whether the animals were restricted to pasturelands near the settlement or also migrated to more distant areas, such as the Golan Heights, and thereby understand the permeability of political borders and their impact on the daily lives of rural communities.

The results of the study indicate that the movement of shepherds and their herds was not restricted, even during periods of military tension between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram. The data showed that the animals grazed both in the fields and pasturelands close to Tel Hazor and in more distant areas, including the Golan Heights region, which at the time was a flashpoint between the kingdoms. According to the findings, the pasturelands remained open and accessible, and economic life in the border areas continued almost without interruption. “The surprising result is that despite the wars and struggles between the elites, the shepherds and farmers in the field managed to continue migrating with their herds and maintain almost normal daily lives. This indicates local agreements, connections between communities, and collaborations that are not always evident in historical sources, but that allowed ordinary people to make a living even as the political border changed around them,” concluded Dr. Bechar, who also directs an excavation at Hazar.

The researchers believe that the study’s findings provide a new perspective on how ancient borders actually functioned, and may also shed light on how borders function in rural areas today.

The post Borders of the Kingdom of Israel and Aram Allowed Free Movement for Shepherds appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

A study conducted at the University of Haifa and published in the journal Nature Communications has found that a central mechanism in communication between cells operates differently from what has previously been assumed. The finding may explain why treatments for serious diseases, including some types of cancer, have so far not achieved significant results. The study focuses on the Notch receptor, a central protein in communication between cells that has previously been linked to various diseases, including several types of cancer. Contrary to the assumption that Notch functions only as a receptor for signals from other cells, the researchers showed that the receptor is also capable of functioning as a signal that activates receptor on neighboring cells and even signals them to engulf living cells. This is a fundamental change in the scientific perception of Notch activity. “The new mechanism we identified may explain why treatments that focus only on activity within the cell have so far failed to yield significant results, since the Notch receptor also acts as a signal to neighboring cells and affects neighboring cells,” said Prof. Hila Toledano from the University of Haifa, one of the authors of the study.

Intercellular communication is a central biological process that enables cells to exchange information and coordinate complex activity in tissues and organs. In this process, cells “transmit” molecular signals that are received by other cells through designated receptors located on the cell membrane surface. When such a signal binds to a receptor, it causes a change in the activity of the receiving cell and thereby affects its function, its state, and even its fate. This mechanism is essential for the precise regulation of processes such as embryonic development, cell differentiation, and maintenance of proper balance in tissues. One of the central receptors in this communication is the Notch receptor, which was first identified over a century ago in the fruit fly. Disruptions in this pathway in humans have been linked to a wide variety of diseases, including types of cancer, Alagille syndrome, and CADASIL. Against this background, doctoral students Heba Abo Romi and Neven Serhan, research students in the laboratory of Prof. Hila Toledano from the Department of Human Biology at the University of Haifa, sought to examine whether the Notch receptor functions solely as a receptor that receives signals from other cells, or whether it plays an additional role in cell communication.

The researchers used a fruit fly research model, which allows cellular processes to be tracked with a high degree of precision. They combined advanced methods of live imaging, fluorescent staining for identifying live and dead cells, and genetic manipulations that made it possible to increase or decrease the expression levels of the Notch receptor in cells. They also compared different versions of the protein, including ones lacking the internal part responsible for classical signaling, and examined how these changes affect cell behavior.

The study results show that the Notch receptor does not function only as a receptor of signals, but also as a signal that activates neighboring cells. It emerges that Notch binds directly to a receptor called Draper in adjacent cells, thereby activating a process in which these cells engulf living cells, in a process known as “phagoptosis”. Surprisingly, the process does not depend on the internal signaling activity of Notch, but occurs even when this part of the protein is inactive. This shows that its activity as a signal to neighboring cells does not depend on the known signaling mechanism of Notch. The study also found that increasing Notch levels in cells led to a significant increase in cell death, whereas reducing it diminished the process; without the Draper receptor, the process does not occur at all. These findings point to a fundamental change in understanding the direction of cell signaling. “The findings suggest a paradigm shift in intercellular communication and in the interpretation of diseases associated with Notch. If this mechanism also exists in diseases caused by mutations in Notch, it is possible that treatments focusing only on its activity within the cell are not effective, and the direction of signaling and the receptors involved in the disease should be reexamined,” the researchers concluded.

The post Cell Communication Mechanism May Explain Why Some Cancer Treatments Fail to Yield Significant Results appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

At the heart of the conversation is an ossuary—a stone burial box from the Second Temple period traditionally used for gathering bones after an initial burial. This particular artifact bears an engraved inscription with the name ‘Johanna’ (Yohana).

During the interview, Amir delves into the historical context of this rare discovery and the profound meaning behind its inscription. He illustrates how a single archaeological find can spark a broader discussion about daily life in Jerusalem during the Second Temple era.

Through collaborations like this, the Hecht Museum continues to seamlessly bridge living culture, academic research, and digital accessibility, expanding the circles of discourse surrounding its remarkable collection and ongoing activities.

You are invited to explore and follow our numerous activities on the museum’s website and across our social media channels.

Watch the full interview here:

The post The Hecht Museum Featured in a New Interview appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

Following 21 months of relentless attacks on northern Israel, the University of Haifa has launched the “Home Again” campaign, a $60 million initiative to restore and revitalize the north through science, innovation, and data-driven research rooted in community priorities and focused on real-world outcomes.

What will it take to make this Home Again?

A Long Road to Recovery

Just one day after the devastating attacks of October 7 sent shockwaves through Israeli society, the tremors of violence rippled northward as Hezbollah rockets shattered the tranquility of the northern region. Suddenly, young families, seniors, farmers, and business owners became refugees in their own country. Now, as a fragile ceasefire offers a measure of hope, these communities are determined to return and rebuild. But the road home is daunting: shuttered businesses, widespread trauma, a weakened educational system, vulnerable seniors reluctant to move back, unresolved compensation disputes, and once-thriving farmlands and natural habitats now lie scorched and polluted.

Data Driven.
Community Rooted.

In response, the University of Haifa launched the Home Again campaign — a bold effort to help northern communities recover and rebuild. Drawing on deep regional roots and a legacy of public impact, University scholars are turning research into action: restoring lives, healing landscapes, and rebuilding systems with science, compassion, and community at the center. Each initiative is a building block for long-term renewal — strengthening the whole, one life at a time.

For more information on the Home Again campaign,

Download Brochure

Please contact

Mr. Gideon Herscher | +972-4-824058 | gherscher@univ.haifa.ac.il

Vice President for Transformational Philanthropy and Global Resource Development

The post Following Devastation in Northern Israel, University of Haifa Launches $60 Million ‘Home Again’ Campaign for Regional Recovery appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

Ecosystem Services is a leading journal in the field, ranked Q1 in Ecology (13/200) and Q1 in Environmental Sciences (55/376) — a testament to its global impact and scientific excellence.

We wish Prof. Ghermandi great success in this influential role shaping the future of ecosystem services research.

Learn more about the journal:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecosystem-services

The post Congratulations to Prof. Andrea Ghermandi! appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.

For more information and to order the book, visit:
Creativity and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at Times of War, Exile and Trauma – Routledge

The post New Book by Dr. Roni Alfandary Explores Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Times of Crisis appeared first on אוניברסיטת חיפה.