Menahem (Hemi) Rotenberg, PhD- PI
Shiri Karni Ashkenazi, PhD- Lab Manager
Shiri completed her BA (2002) in molecular biochemistry, MA (2004) in biology, and Ph.D (2010) in Technion’s faculty of medicine. Shiri has established and managed several labs at the Technion’s faculty of medicine in the cancer department. Few of her projects included characterizing mechanisms underlying chemotherapy-induced vascular toxicity, radiation-induced gonadal toxicity, and the effect of in-utero exposure to chemotherapy on the placenta and fetal sequel. |
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Shirley-Liat Yitzhak-David, PhD student
Shirley received her BSc (2018) in Materials Engineering and Biology, and MSc (2022) in Biomedical Engineering, both from the Technion. In her MSc, under the supervision of Prof. Daphne Weihs, she studied the effects of mechanical and biochemical cues from the tumor microenvironment on macrophages functionality and morphology. In her PhD, she will focus on developing Si-based materials for non-genetic optical modulation at the cellular and organ levels. |
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Piotr Kucia, PhD student
Piotr obtained his BEng in Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham (class of 2018) and consecutively studied for Master’s degrees in Nanomaterials (Imperial College) and Biochemical Engineering (University College London). his current interests focus on developing novel experimental tools for basic life sciences research. In particular, he is developing a new soft bioelectrode with the goal of elucidating the mechanism by which electrical stimulation enhances the regeneration of damaged peripheral nerves. In his second project, he is designing a magnetic scaffold that would allow us to investigate the influence of controlled substrate deformation on neuronal growth. His non-academic interests include herpetology and obscure experimental movies. | ![]() |
Tania Assaf- PhD Student
Tania received her BSc (2021) in Biomedical Engineering from the Technion and started her MSc at the same year. Her study focuses on identifying the mechanism underlying optically induced intracellular calcium transients in Oligodendrocytes in vitro to demonstrate the role of local calcium transients in myelination. | ![]() |
Layan Habib- PhD Student
Layan obtained her BSc (2018) in Biotechnology and Food Engineering, and MSc (2021) in Biotechnology, department of nanoscience & nanotechnology, both from the Technion. |
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Nitzan Dabush- PhD Student
Nitzan obtained her BSc in Chemical Engineering from Ariel University in 2015, and her MSc in Chemical Engineering from the Technion in 2018. During her MSc, under the supervision of Prof. Rafael Semiat in the Desalination and Membrane Technology Lab, she studied the removal of water contaminants and developed continuous systems for water purification. Following her MSc, she worked as a researcher in the cannabis industry for four years. For her PhD, she will focus on developing a new type of living electrode using conductive living cells. | ![]() |
Alexander Borodetsky- PhD Student
Alex obtained his BSc in Biotechnology Engineering from ORT Braude College (2018) and MSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Tel Aviv University (2024). During his undergraduate studies, he worked with Dr. Iris Weitz, focusing on metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications in collaboration with Prof. Haim Azari from the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion. His master’s thesis research investigated the atomistic-scale kinking mechanism of cleaved silicon surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) under the supervision of Prof. Ilan Goldfarb and Prof. Dov Sherman. His PhD focuses on developing a silicon-based artificial axon model that mimics the action potential dynamics of real axons in the central nervous system. This platform provides a novel in vitro environment for studying demyelination and remyelination processes and offers a foundation for preclinical testing of therapies targeting myelin-related conditions. In addition to his academic pursuits, Alex volunteers with the National Student Rescue and Relief Team. | ![]() |
Noa Cohen – MSc Student
Noa completed her BScs (2023) in Biomedical Engineering and Biology with a focus on Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University and started her MSc the same year at the Technion. Her study will focus on developing new nanomaterial-based technologies for magneto-electric and magneto-mechanical stimulation of cells. Specifically, synthesis and characterization of magnetically responsive scaffolds for nerve regeneration. | ![]() |
Dana Nir – MSc Student
Dana completed her BSc in Biomedical Engineering at the Technion in 2024 and began her MSc studies the same year. Her research, in collaboration with Yosi Shamay’s lab, focuses on enhancing the penetration of drugs and nanoparticles into solid cancer tumors by leveraging the electroporation effect, utilizing the advantages of optoelectronic modulation as a non-invasive and biocompatible approach. | ![]() |
Alumni
Luba Akselrod – MSc Student
Luba studied how neuronal bioelectrical activity affects myelin formation, retraction, and elongation. | ![]() |
Nadi Hathot- MSc Student
Nadi developed a new nanomaterial-based technologies for intracellular bioelectrical stimulation of Neuroglia cells in 3D Constructs
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Assaf Eltzur- MSc Student
Assaf developed a new magnetic scaffold for magneto-electric and magneto-mechanical stimulation of cells for nerve regeneration. | ![]() |