Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Genetic Research / 29.04.2026

[caption id="attachment_73528" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Yuval Malka, PhDFaculty of Medicine Hebrew University and Founder & CEO of Modular Therapeutics BV Dr. Yuval Malka, PhD[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with Dr. Yuval Malka, PhD Faculty of Medicine Hebrew University and Founder & CEO of Modular Therapeutics BV and Dr. William Faller PhD University of Bristol discussing their new study on RNA dicing — a fundamental mechanism that generates multiple functional protein outputs from a single mRNA molecule — and its implications for cancer biology and therapeutics.

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: This study is a follow-up to previous work published in recent years (Malka et al., Nature Communications 2017; Malka et al., Molecular Cell 2022), in which we discovered that the mRNA of thousands of genes can be further processed into smaller fragments that translate into shorter proteins. On one hand, this finding helps bridge the gap between our understanding of the transcriptome - traditionally limited to ~20,000 genes and the proteome, which contains hundreds of thousands to potentially millions of distinct protein and peptide isoforms. On the other hand, those earlier studies did not provide sufficient biological insight into this extensive and robust process. The current study represents the third part of this trilogy, introducing a new concept in RNA biology termed "RNA dicing." We show that RNA dicing in eukaryotic systems enables the production of multiple functional protein outputs from a single mRNA molecule. How does this work? Most proteins consist of several domains, each with a distinct function, for example, mediating protein–protein interactions, determining subcellular localization, or carrying catalytic activity. We demonstrate that RNA dicing selectively removes portions of the mRNA template, resulting in the translation of shorter proteins lacking specific domains. This leads to substantial changes in protein function, localization, and interaction partners. In simple terms, RNA dicing mediates modular gene expression.
ADHD, Author Interviews, Neurology, Pediatrics / 15.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71800" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Ornella Dakwar-KawarHebrew University with Prof. Mor Nahum and Prof. Itai Berger Hebrew University  Dr. Dakwar-Kawar, PhD[/caption] Dr. Ornella Dakwar-Kawar Hebrew University with Prof. Mor Nahum and Prof. Itai Berger Hebrew University  in collaboration with Prof. Jyoti Mishra from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Prof. Roi Cohen Kadosh from the University of Surre, Dr. Pragathi Priyadharsini and Ashwin Amal from ITT Karpur, India and InnoSphere Ltd MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Children with ADHD often exhibit aberrant neural activity, specifically imbalances in excitation and inhibition levels alongside dysfunction in brain networks like the frontoparietal network. While our previous research showed that Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation or tRNS improves clinical symptoms, the specific neural modulation effects during cognitive tasks remained unclear. This study investigated these mechanisms by analyzing the aperiodic exponent, a marker of excitation inhibition balance, during an inhibitory control task to compare children with ADHD to healthy controls and assess changes following tRNS combined with cognitive training. 
Author Interviews, Basic Science / 06.10.2025

Self Assembly of Subset of Amino Acids May Have Led to First Life

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_70825" align="alignleft" width="150"]Dr. Moran Frenkel-Pinter Dr. Frenkel-Pinter[/caption] Dr. Moran Frenkel-Pinter Ph.D. Senior Lecturer (assistant professor) Institute of Chemistry Hebrew University of Jerusalem Member of the NASA Center for the Origins of Life MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What is unique about the 20 amino acids found in living organisms? Response: One of the most fascinating mysteries in the field of origins of life concerns the driving force that led to the selection of today’s 20 universal L-alpha amino acids in biology. Out of hundreds and possibly thousands of amino acids that were present on the prebiotic Earth, only a small subset was selected for biology. An essential aspect of life's emergence involves the formation of compartments, which offer encapsulation for target molecules and provide protection from degradation in water. We postulated that primordial peptide assembly could be one of the driving forces that led to the chemical selection of alpha amino acids in life today. To test this hypothesis, we generated depsipeptides, oligomers composed of ester bonds and peptide bonds that form readily under mild drying conditions, as model prebiotic peptides. However, it was unknown whether depsipeptides form assemblies in an aqueous environment similarly to peptides and proteins. To test the hypothesis that depsipeptides with alpha backbones will form assemblies more readily than beta backbones, we synthesized depsipeptides using a matrix of alpha- and beta- hydroxy acids and alpha-, beta-, and gamma- amino acids. Our results demonstrate assembly formation in depsipeptide systems containing hydrophobic hydroxy acids and indicate that depsipeptides containing alpha hydroxy acid backbones are significantly more stable than beta analogs. Overall, our results offer an assembly-driven mode of selection for the alpha backbone in present-day biology.
Author Interviews, Infections / 24.08.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_70374" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Neta Shlezinger Ph.D.Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Hebrew University Dr. Neta Shlezinger | Credit: Zuckerman Faculty Scholar Zuckerman Institute[/caption] Dr. Neta Shlezinger Ph.D. Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Hebrew University with  Dr. Marina Campos Rocha Ph.D., Dr. Vanda Lerer, PhD., and student John Adeoye MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings? Response:  Fungal pathogens pose a growing threat to global health, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. Today, we appreciate that fungi kill more people each year than malaria and tuberculosis combined. Aspergillus fumigatus stands out as a leading cause of invasive fungal infections, responsible for approximately 65% of all invasive mold infections in humans. These infections carry mortality rates that can exceed 50%, even with standard care. Treatment options remain limited: only a handful of antifungal drug classes are clinically available, and resistance is increasingly reported to all of them. As a result, the search for novel therapeutic strategies is now focused on fungal-specific virulence factors — targets that are essential for fungal survival and pathogenicity in the host but are absent in humans. Meanwhile, research in recent years has revealed that many fungi harbor viruses. These mycoviruses are surprisingly prevalent, but their impact on fungal physiology and, crucially, on fungal pathogenicity in humans has remained largely unexplored. Our study set out to fill this gap by examining a double-stranded RNA virus, Aspergillus fumigatus polymycovirus 1 (AfuPmV-1M), that naturally infects A. fumigatus. We found that this virus isn’t just a silent passenger — it’s wired into key fungal stress response pathways, helping the fungus survive heat stress, evade oxidative damage, and persist in the lung environment. In other words, it acts like a backseat driver — quietly steering the fungus toward enhanced survival and virulence. When we “cured” the fungus of its virus, it produced fewer spores, made less melanin, became more vulnerable to stress, and caused milder infections in mice. Seeing this, we explored a therapeutic twist: fight the virus to clear the fungus. We treated infected mice with antiviral compounds during fungal infection and observed reduced mycovirus levels and improved survival. Together, these results suggest that mycoviruses can be overlooked drivers of fungal disease — and targeting them may represent a novel, host-sparing therapeutic strategy.
Addiction, addiction-treatment, Author Interviews / 27.07.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_70015" align="alignleft" width="152"]Prof. Yonatan M. Kupchik PhD andLiran Levi, PhD student Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University Prof. Kupchik[/caption] Prof. Yonatan M. Kupchik PhD and [caption id="attachment_70017" align="alignleft" width="138"]Liran Levi L. Levi[/caption] Liran Levi, PhD student Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Motivated behavior is driven by a group of brain regions called collectively the reward system. This neural system is at the heart of every decision we make about our actions - it integrates information about the world and decides whether to perform a behavior or not based on the predicted reward/benefit. The key molecule in this process is dopamine - whenever we perform a behavior that provides a reward dopamine is released in the reward system and reinforces this behavior. Drugs of abuse exploit this system - they cause abnormally high levels of dopamine, and thus force the reward system to seek drugs constantly, even after prolonged withdrawal. From a neurobiological perspective, that is how we view substance dependence - the reward system drives people to seek for the reward.
Author Interviews, Pain Research, Pharmacology / 09.06.2025

[caption id="attachment_68966" align="alignleft" width="200"]Prof. Alexander Binshtok PhDCecile and Seymour Alpert Professor in Pain Research Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine and Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC)  Dr. Binshtok[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Prof. Alexander Binshtok PhD Cecile and Seymour Alpert Professor in Pain Research Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine and Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is one of the world’s most commonly used pain relievers and fever reducers, yet for decades, its precise biological mechanism has remained something of a mystery. Traditionally, scientists believed its analgesic effect stemmed from central nervous system activity—specifically through the action of its metabolite, AM404, on cannabinoid and TRPV1 receptors in the brain.
Author Interviews, Genetic Research, OBGYNE / 25.04.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_67888" align="alignleft" width="200"]Prof. Hermona Soreq The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science at the Hebrew University Prof. Hermona Soreq[/caption] Prof. Hermona Soreq Professor of Molecular Neuroscience The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences Department of Biological Chemistry The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram Jerusalem Israel and [caption id="attachment_68187" align="alignleft" width="125"]Shani Vaknine, Ph.D. candidateBrain and Behavioral Sciences The Hebrew University Shani Vaknine[/caption] Shani Vaknine, Ph.D. candidate Brain and Behavioral Sciences The Hebrew University     MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We’ve long known that maternal stress during pregnancy can affect her baby’s development, but the molecular mechanisms behind this remained unclear. In our study, we explored how psychosocial stress experienced by the mother in late pregnancy influences tiny molecular fragments in the newborn’s blood. These fragments, called transfer RNA fragments or tRFs, were considered for many years to be disposable, but have recently been shown to have important biological functions.
Author Interviews, Biomarkers, Parkinson's / 08.04.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_67888" align="alignleft" width="200"]Prof. Hermona SoreqThe Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science at the Hebrew University Hermona Soreq, lab, students, collaboration[/caption] Prof. Hermona Soreq The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science at the Hebrew University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are tRFs and how do they impact neurodegeneration?

Response:   tRFs: The molecular SOS of early life stress

If you remember your high school biology classes, you might remember that tRNAs are molecules that help assemble proteins based on encoding amino acids. In recent years, scientists discovered that when these molecules break down it’s not merely cellular garbage – it can be gold. Specifically, tRNAs can be sliced into short pieces, called tRNA fragments (or tRFs), which act like little regulators, switching translation on and off in ways we’re still trying to understand. Think of a tRNA as a Swiss army knife. It has structure, function, and folds on itself. But under certain conditions - like stress - it's chopped up into smaller pieces, each with a distinct signal. These fragments aren't random junk; they’re more like emergency messages, scattered through the bloodstream, reflecting the body’s internal state. That idea - of tRFs as biological SOS signals - led us to wonder: could these fragments tell us what the fetus experiences in utero? Could they show us, in molecular form, the impact of maternal psychosocial stress?
Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Herpes Viruses / 08.01.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_65850" align="alignleft" width="150"]Dr. Or Shemesh PhDThe Harvey M. Krueger Family Center for Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology School of Pharmacy - Institute for Drug Research The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Dr. Or Shemesh[/caption] Dr. Or Shemesh PhD The Harvey M. Krueger Family Center for Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology School of Pharmacy - Institute for Drug Research The Hebrew University of Jerusalem MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Our study investigated the connection between herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathologies. We explored how HSV-1 proteins are present in the brains of individuals with AD and examined their interactions with tau, a key protein in AD pathology. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response:  The main finding is that tau, traditionally seen as detrimental, might initially act as a protective response to HSV-1 by reducing neuronal death through an antiviral innate immunity pathway called cGAS-STING . Over time, this (initially beneficial) antiviral response of tau can manifest as the well established tau toxicity in Alzheimer's disease.
AI and HealthCare, Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Genetic Research / 06.11.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_64635" align="alignleft" width="150"]Prof. Dina Schneidman-Duhovny PhDAcademic researcher Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Schneidman[/caption] Prof. Dina Schneidman-Duhovny PhD Academic researcher Hebrew University of Jerusalem MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: The study analyzed genetic data of 12 families (~ 40 patients) with high incidence of breast cancer cases. Most families originate from ethnic groups that are poorly represented in public resources. All participants were tested negative to all known breast cancer predisposing genes. We developed a novel approach to study genetic variants utilizing state-of-the-art deep learning models tailored for analysis of familial data. The study highlighted 80 high-risk genes (out of > 1200 genes) and narrowed down on a group of 8 genes circulating in 7 out of 12 families in the study. These genes are involved in a cellular organelle called the peroxisome and play a role in fatty acids metabolism. We show that  these genes significantly affect breast cancer survival and use 3-dimensional protein structural analysis to illustrate the effect of some of the variants on protein structure. These provide strong evidence of the peroxisome involvement in breast cancer predisposition and pathogenicity, and provide potential targets for patient screening and targeted therapies.
Infections / 28.10.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_64176" align="alignleft" width="150"]dr_asaf_levy Dr. Levy[/caption] Dr. Asaf Levy Senior Lecturer, Assistant Professor Plant Pathology and Microbiology The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment Hebrew University of Jerusalem MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Bacteria encode many compounds used to target neighboring microbes or cause disease in hosts, including humans. Classic antibiotics (small molecules) are one well-studied group of antimicrobials encoded by bacteria. A less-studied group consists of short protein toxins. These proteins are produced by bacteria and injected into target cells to kill them. In this study, we focused on a group of protein toxins called polymorphic toxins, which carry a short toxin domain at their end, which we termed “PTs” (an acronym for polymorphic toxins) and are roughly 100 amino acid long. We developed a new algorithm to scan 107,000 bacterial genomes and discover novel PTs encoded by these bacteria. We then experimentally confirmed 9 new PT families that can kill bacteria and pathogenic fungi, including human pathogens, such as Candida auris and Aspergillus fumigatus. We saw that two of the toxins kill cells by degrading their DNA.
Author Interviews, Nature, Nutrition, Orthopedics, Pediatrics / 20.04.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57196" align="alignleft" width="200"]Efrat Monsonego Ornan, Ph.D  Head of School of Nutritional Sciences Institute of Biochemistry and Nutrition  The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture,  Food and Environment  The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Monsonego Ornan[/caption] Efrat Monsonego Ornan, Ph.D  Head of School of Nutritional Sciences Institute of Biochemistry and Nutrition The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment The Hebrew University of Jerusalem MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Food supplies in recent decades have been dominated by heavily processed, ready-to-eat products. Essentially, 75% of all world food sales are of processed foods. Over the past 30 years, children’s ultra-processed food intake has increased markedly, with 50% of the children in the US consuming these foods. Only in the US does UPF comprise 58% of energy intake, of which 90% is derived from added sugars. This reflects children’s excessive consumption of food and drink that are high in fat and refined sugars but do not provide appropriate levels of the proteins, vitamins and minerals required for growth. The negative health outcomes of excessive consumption of Ultra-processed food are well known, include obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and considered as the current world epidemic; the fact that children, during their postnatal development period (birth to adolescent), are the target of the Ultra-processed food industry is very disturbing in terms of public health. Bone development and growth are the characteristic phenomena of the childhood period. Yet, in spite of the huge importance of nutrition to bone development, the impact of Ultra-processed food consumption on skeleton development during childhood has never been studied directly, and this was the purpose of our study. To this end, we used young rats which are an excellent pre-clinical model for growth and fed them with either the recommended diet for their age or  a diet comprised of a typical Ultra-processed meal (a roll, hamburger, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup and French fries) and a caloric soft drink.