Group
Research Associate and Lab Manager
Dr. Alexei Shir
Alexei is a cancer biologist with over two decades of experience in targeted cancer therapeutics, RNA-based therapies, and molecular pharmacology. He earned his Ph.D. under the mentorship of Prof. Alexander Levitzki at the Hebrew University. Dr. Shir has held key roles in academic and industry settings, including as Scientific Adviser to TargImmune Therapeutics, where he contributes to the clinical development of cancer-targeted immune modulators.
Research Associate
Dr. Einat Shaer-Tamar
Einat earned her Ph.D. in Biology from the Technion, focusing on phage-bacteria coevolution in structured environments. Her research expertise extends from microbial evolution and bacterial motility to advanced imaging. Her professional experience includes leadership roles in pre-clinical R&D, leveraging advanced data analysis to enhance therapeutic modalities.
Ph.D. student
Tal Belity
Tal is a Ph.D. student in the Blacher laboratory at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. She completed her M.Sc. at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, focusing on stress-related psychopathology. Some of her favorite activities include traveling and hiking in nature, sports, and eating chocolate :)
Ph.D. student
Claire Naveh
Claire completed her M.Sc. in the Faculty of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol, focusing on characterising a stem cell differentiated neutrophil system in the context of malaria. She is passionate about providing molecular evidence for how the environment around us influences and impacts host inflammation. She likes any activity in the outdoors and the way to her heart is through her stomach!
M.Sc. student
Neta Mandel
Neta completed her undergraduate studies in Life Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and currently pursuing a Master's degree. She is particularly intrigued by the interplay between the innate immune system and its functions, and the gut microbiota in aging, and how it shapes human health and disease. She enjoys running, traveling, and spending time with friends.
M.Sc. student
Atara Kaplan
Atara completed her B.Sc in Molecular Biology from Ariel University, studying epigenetics-mediated effects in mouse models of bipolar disorder. She is very passionate about integrative and holistic approaches to study the human body and interested in periphery-brain crosstalk. She knows (the TV show) ‘Friends’ by heart, and likes to read, hike, and spend time with her nieces.
M.Sc. student
Aaron Mehl
Aaron is an undergraduate student at the Silverman Institute of Life Sciences of the Hebrew University. He is interested in the complex and unintuitive interactions between the brain and the gut microbiome during dysbiosis. He loves relaxing by getting lost in a good book or spending hours experimenting in the kitchen.
Undergraduate intern
Mark Lerner
Mark is an undergraduate student in the Blacher laboratory at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. He is fascinated by the connections between the gut, immune system, and brain, and is excited to explore these interactions in the context of brain tumors. In his free time, Mark enjoys experimenting with sourdough fermentation and trying to perfect his homemade pickles.
Undergraduate intern
Mahasen Kharaz
Mahasen is an undergraduate in the Hebrew University’s Etgar honors program in Life Sciences, exploring how stroke and aging reshape the gut microbiome. Beyond the lab she can be found swimming laps, losing herself in a good novel, or savoring meals she’s glad someone else cooked.
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