Month: January 2025

The Technion community is profoundly shaken, mourning the devastating loss of lives; infants, children, seniors, women, and men, as well as entire families who were senselessly murdered in a recent act of terror targeting peaceful communities.

We also honor the valiant members of the security forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their homes and loved ones.

The overwhelming sorrow and concern for the abducted, imprisoned, and missing weighs heavily on our hearts.

Our thoughts are steadfastly with our friends who have suffered unimaginable loss, as well as the families of those who have been abducted or injured. With heavy hearts, we extend our deepest condolences to them, and to the whole of Israel.

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Yoram Bar-Sinai z”l

Aged 75, from Kibbutz Be’eri

Graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning

 

 

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Captain (res.) Amit Chayut z”l

Aged 29, from Haifa

Amit completed his studies at the Taub Faculty of Computer Science this year

 

 

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Master Sergeant (res.) Shmuel (Sammy) Harari z”l

Aged 35, from Safed

Graduate with a master’s degree in real estate studies (MRE)

 

 

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Master Sergeant (res.) Dov Moshe Kogan z”l

Aged 32, from Nov

Graduate student and TA at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

 

 

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Assistant Professor Eilam Yalon, faculty member in the Andrew and Erna Viterbi

Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, on the death of his niece, Lin Dafni z”l

 

 

 

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Galit Weizman, administrative staff member in the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry,

on the death of her cousin’s son, Sergeant Shalev Dagan z”l

 

 

 

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Nir Ekstein, student in the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering,

on the death of his brother, Matan Ekstein z”l

 

 

 

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Prof. Emeritus Joseph Itzkovich, faculty member in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, on the death of his grandson, Sergeant First Class Adi Eldor z”l

 

 

 

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Guy Gavriel, student in the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering

on the death of her cousin, Sergeant first class Adar Gavriel z"l

 

 

 

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Noi Glass, student in the Faculty of Aeronautics and Space Engineering

on the death of her cousin, Sergeant Yam Glass z"l

 

 

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Yuval Golan, student in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering,

on the death of her cousin, Major Sagi Golan z”l

 

 

 

 

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Yonina Novik, student in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

On the death of her cousin, Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l

 

 

 

 

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Brothers, Bar Goren, student in the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, and Assif Goren, student in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering,

on the death of their parents, Avner and Maya Goren z”l

 

 

 

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Stav Azulai, a student in the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, on the death of her cousin, Staff sergeant Oz Yeshaia Gruber z”l

 

 

 

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Yonathan Haion, administrative staff member in the Development and Maintenance Division, on the death of his brother, Warrant Officer Sebastian Haion z”l

 

 

 

 

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Michal Keren, teaching coordinator in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of her cousin, Gaya Halifa z”l

 

 

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Merav Berkovich, graduate student in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning,

on the death of her father, Avraham Shraga Hasid z”l

 

 

 

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Omer Itach, student in the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning

on the death of his brother, Captain Harel Itach z”l

 

 

 

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Razan Kat, student in the Faculty of Biomedical Enginering

on the death of her mother, Safaa Kat Awad z”l

 

 

 

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Assistant Professor Raz Palty, faculty member in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of his father-in-law, Avraham (Rami) Katzir z”l

 

 

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Assistant Professor Raz Palty, faculty member in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of his brother-in-law, Elad Katzir z”l

 

 

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Yotam Keren, student in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of his grandmother, Hannah Kritzman z”l

 

 

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Rafi Nave, lecturer in the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences,

on the death of his son-in-law, Colonel Roi Levy z”l

 

 

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Naomi Maori, Technion retiree, on the death of her son, Major (res.) Dan Maori z”l

 

 

 

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Dr. Tamar Katz Peled, teaching fellow in the Department of Humanities and Arts,

on the death of her son-in-law, Sergeant First Class Gilad Molcho z”l

 

 

 

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Maya Nimri, student in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of her cousin, Captain Eden Nimri z”l

 

 

 

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Amiram Enkave, administrative staff member in the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology,

on the death of his cousin, Eden Liz Ohion z”l

 

 

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Assistant Professor Ben Engelhard, faculty member in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine,

on the death of his brother-in-law Sergeant First Class (res.) Yaacov Ozeri z”l

 

 

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Elad Tzur, student in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, 

on the death of his brother-in-law Major Shay Uriel Pizm z"l

 

 

 

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Tamar Itzhaki, student in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering,

on the death of his uncle, Major (res.) Uri Shimon Russo z”l

 

 

 

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Dvir Schwartz, graduate student in the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering,

on the death of his brother, Sergeant Segev Schwartz z”l

 

 

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Eyal Shachar, student in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, on the death of his brother, Amir Shachar z”l

 

 

 

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Prof. Yemima Ben-Menahem, visiting professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts,

on the death of her grandson, Staff Sergeant Aner Elyakim Shapiro z”l

 

 

 

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Associate Prof. Ayelet Shavit, faculty member in the Department of Humanities and Arts,

on the death of her son, Staff Sergeant Tal Shavit z”l

 

 

 

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Professor Daniel Shushan of the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning,

on the death of his nephew, Elisaf Shushan z”l

 

 

 

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Dr. Aliza Malek, lecturer in the Faculty of Mathematics and the Center for Promotion of Learning and Teaching,

on the death of her nephew, Eitan Refael Snir z”l

 

 

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Stav Alfasi, student in the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering,

on the death of her cousin, Ophir Tzarfati z”l

 

 

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Eyal Waldman, Technion honorary doctorate recipient, and Ella Waldman,

on the death of their daughter, Danielle Waldman z”l

 

 

 

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Noam Zyser, graduate student in the Grand Technion Energy program,

on the death of her brother, Major Ilay Zyser z”l

 

 

 

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May their memory be a blessing.

The Technion family offers its heartfelt sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones.

If there is an error on this page, or if you would like to share additional information with us, please contact Irit Gertzwolf at evpdg.officehead@technion.ac.il

Last month, a festive reception for new faculty members was held at the David and Janet Polak Visitors Center at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Among those in attendance were President Prof. Uri Sivan, Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. Naama Brenner, Technion management, faculty deans, and the new faculty members.

 

 

President Sivan greeted the young researchers, saying:
“I was supposed to retire last October, but here I am welcoming you, the new faculty members, as President of the Technion. Your arrival here is symbolic, even poetic – one generation passes, and another arrives, and thus this extraordinary institution continues to evolve. The Technion is a true miracle. It opened its doors exactly 100 years ago with a class of 17 students, including one woman. Over the past century, it has grown into a globally leading technological institution, now home to 15,000 students, about 48% of whom are women. You have joined the Technion family, and I wish you much success. We are all links in a long chain that began at the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1901 and whose continuation is limitless.”

Most of the new faculty members were born in Israel, with many being Technion alumni. Others hail from the USA, Russia, Italy, and Greece. These researchers cover a wide range of disciplines, including the development of green technologies for energy production from waste, mapping brain mechanisms controlling vision, resolving data transfer bottlenecks, quantum optics, light-matter interaction, intersections of number theory and probability, innovative microscopy methods, sequential decision-making under uncertainty, infectious diseases and prevention, maternal-fetal medicine, surgery and trauma, sports medicine, preoperative anxiety, and brain tumors and their treatment.

 

 

Prof. Naama Brenner, vice president for academic affairs, added:
“From the moment you become faculty members, you become leaders for others – students at all levels – and your behavior serves as a model for them. Be critical, don’t fear asking questions, even unpopular scientific ones, and don’t hesitate to express your views. It’s important to us that you become true leaders, leaders of value.”

 

 

The new faculty members include: Prof. Vassilis Theofilis, Dr. Ameer Marzok, and Dr. Maxim Freydin (Aerospace Engineering); Dr. Avner Wallach, Dr. Gali Inbal Shainer, and Dr. Maya Maor-Nof (Biology); Dr. Avinoam Bar-Zion (Biomedical Engineering); Dr. Dvir Harris, and Dr. Ofer Neufeld (Chemistry); Dr. Tatyana Bloch, Dr. Huaquan Ying, and Dr. Roy Posmanik (Civil and Environmental Engineering); Dr. Omri Ben-Eliezer (Computer Science); Associate Prof. Ariel Cohen, and Prof. Avinoam Zadok (Electrical and Computer Engineering); Dr. Ofir Gorodetsky, and Dr. Itay Glazer (Mathematics); Dr. Andy Thawko (Mechanical Engineering); and Dr. Gilad Barshad, and Dr. Stefano Recanatesi (Medicine).

As humans, we often focus on viruses and bacteria because of their role in causing various, sometimes severe, diseases. However, an equally fascinating but lesser-known phenomenon is the ongoing battle between bacteria and bacteriophages—viruses that specifically target and infect bacteria.

This struggle, which takes place in oceans, drives the co-evolution of these two populations. In some oceanic regions, viral infections are a major cause of bacterial mortality. Without the resistance mechanisms that bacteria have developed over time, bacterial populations might have been wiped out over evolutionary time.

A new study, published in Nature Microbiology by researchers from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, reveals a previously unknown mode of resistance. The study was led by Prof. Debbie Lindell, former Ph.D. student Dr. Sofia Zborovsky (currently a postdoctoral fellow in the UK), and Ph.D. student Ran Tahan.

 

 

Prof. Lindell’s research group has been exploring this field for years and has already made dramatic discoveries about bacteriophage-bacteria interactions in marine environments. Their new study uncovers a passive defense mechanism based on an exceptionally low level of molecules involved in translation of genetic material, the process that leads to protein formation.

 

 

The research focuses on the marine bacterium Synechococcus and its interaction with the bacteriophage Syn9. Synechococcus, a cyanobacterium, is a primary producer that generates food from inorganic substances and produces oxygen through photosynthesis. These bacteria are crucial for atmospheric oxygen production and are at the base of the oceanic food chain.

Without defense mechanisms, Synechococcus would likely have become extinct because of the threats it faces from bacteriophages like Syn9. The Technion researchers’ study describes an evolutionary scenario where protection arises from a reduced level of tRNA (transfer RNA), a molecule critical for gene translation.

“Studies on resistance often focus on genes providing active defense against infection,” explained Prof. Lindell. “However, not all defenses stem from active mechanisms; some, like the one we discovered, arise from ‘passive resistance.’ Our findings show that normal tRNA level reduce bacterial resistance to the virus, while low levels increase such resistance. This is a passive mode of resistance where the loss of a certain intracellular function leads to resistance against viral infection.”

 

 

Prof. Lindell added that this mechanism does not prevent the phage from entering the bacterial cell but halts the formation of new viruses, allowing the bacteria to survive. “The fact that certain Synechococcus strains possess multiple defense mechanisms, and that no virus can infect them, suggests that marine bacteria have evolved several layers of protection, some passive, enabling them to withstand a wide range of marine viruses. We believe this passive defense layer evolved gradually due to selective pressure, where bacteria with reduced tRNA levels survived better and passed on their traits to subsequent generations.”

This phenomenon of passive resistance, the researchers suggest, is likely more widespread than previously thought and not limited to Synechococcus-Syn9 interactions.

The study was supported by the Simons Foundation.

For the full article: click here

The panel focused on the stories of the Technion’s heroes – students and faculty members who have shown military and civilian bravery since October 7, balancing the challenges of academic life, reserve duty, and family life. “I am honored to be here to host this panel of heroes,” Guri Alfi said in his opening remarks. “This moves me deeply. It has been a very difficult year, and I feel that we have rediscovered our country and its people during this period.”

 

 

The panel featured Dr. Hemi Rotenberg, a faculty member in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, and students Bar Goren (Biotechnology and Food Engineering), Omri Natanson (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Naomi Silverstein (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Stav Aviram (Computer Science), Guy Finkelstein (Medicine), Alex Gerber (Aerospace Engineering), and Nimrod Sideman (Aerospace Engineering).

 

The panel was one of the first events held by the Technion’s new Resilience Center – a unit that consolidates all aspects related to campus resilience. The Center is led by Ayelet Freiman, overseen by Senior Executive Vice President, Prof. Oded Rabinovitch, and supported by Dean of Students, Prof. Ayelet Fishman. The Rothschild Foundation’s generous support enabled the Center’s launch and the resilience pilot program it operates.

 

 

In his remarks to open the panel, Technion President, Prof. Uri Sivan said that “There is a direct link between a community’s resilience and the closeness of its members. We have learned this through all the crises we’ve faced over the past five years. The bond within the Technion community is extraordinary. This unique spirit has always been nurtured since the Technion was founded 100 years ago.”

 

Nimrod Sideman, who was about to finish his master’s degree in the United States, knew on October 7 that he had to immediately return to Israel and enlist. Naomi Silverstein stayed home with her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter while her husband served in the reserves for a total of 175 days. Stav Aviram and Guy Finkelstein, a couple, shared a volunteer project they initiated after the war began – purchasing portable chargers for reservists and later baking cookies to raise money to continue their project. Alex Gerber, who came to the panel in uniform straight from reserve duty, shared that in the weeks before October 7, he was helping his sister, who had been diagnosed with cancer. Just as he returned to his studies, the war broke out, and he was deployed to the South, where he was injured in Gaza. He decided to return to duty two weeks later because his comrades were still fighting. He emphasized that as a student of aerospace engineering – a field that significantly contributed to Israel’s security this past year – his studies carry a clear meaning for him today.

 

 

Bar Goren, a student from Kibbutz Nir Oz, spoke of the immense devastation in his community, which was evacuated to Eilat, and his life since. On the night of October 7, his parents were declared missing. They were later identified as hostages and ultimately found murdered. He said one of the most important things in his life now is the Nir Oz community, where he remains active while studying at the Technion. “I discovered that helping others helps me; it strengthens me. We must remember that what matters most is the people around us.”

 

Omri Natanson shared how, during his reserve service in Operation Iron Swords, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Speaking before the large audience, which included his younger sister who donated bone marrow to him, and three of his oncologists, he said, “In oncology, you learn that you don’t get a prize for suffering, so there’s no point in suffering when you can ask for help. Asking for help is part of effectively managing your resources.” He added, “This year reminded us that some events have no justification, and there’s no point in asking why they happened to us. What’s left is to take colors and paint meaning into life – not necessarily the traumatic event itself, but what comes after. It may sound a bit artificial, but it’s something that can keep us going.”