Team
Prof. Boaz Barak, Ph.D., MBA
Principle Investigator
Prof. Barak is an Associate Professor in The School of Psychological Sciences and The Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University.
Prof. Barak completed his postdoctoral training under Prof. Guoping Feng at MIT and earned his Ph.D. in synaptic transmission and MBA at Tel Aviv University. He is the recipient of various prestigious international awards and fellowships, among them two different European young investigator awards (ESN, FEBS) and The Alon Fellowship for outstanding young faculty. Prof. Barak was involved in various research projects in University of California, Berkeley, NIH and more, and graduated in Biology with honors from Tel Aviv University.
Prof. Barak is a proud father of Yonatan, Alma and Itai, and is happily married to Mirit.
Lab Members
Dr. Galit Elad-Sfadia
Lab Manager
Dr. Elad-Sfadia did her Ph.D. in Prof. Yoel kloog’s laboratory at Tel Aviv University, researching a novel mechanism controlling Ras signaling selectivity between Erk cascade and the PI3K pathway by the Galectins proteins. She received her B.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Biochemistry with honors from Tel Aviv University. Dr. Elad Sfadia is a mother of Itay, Leia and Yoav, and is happily married to Adi.
Gal Wiener
Ph.D. Student
Gal is studying brain development alterations in Williams syndrome and how a repurposed drug and a genetic treatment can improve myelination in Williams syndrome. Gal is a Ph.D. candidate in direct doctoral program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. Gal received her B.Sc. with honors in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.
Sophie Perlovsky (Shohat)
Ph.D. Student
Sophie is studying physiological properties of calcium dynamics in oligodendrocytes and novel treatments to improve myelination in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sophie is a Ph.D. candidate in direct doctoral program in Neurobiology. Sophie received her B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Tel Aviv University.
Avital Baluk
Ph.D. Student
Avital is studying myelin development in a mouse model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), exploring the mechanisms behind white matter deficits in autism and ways to cure these pharmacologically. Avital is a M.Sc. candidate in the research program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. Avital received her B.Sc. in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.
May Elboim
M.Sc. Student
May is studying myelin dysruption in Williams syndrome, in search to find ways to enhance myelination by translation regulation in the brain. May is a M.Sc. candidate in the research program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. May received her B.Sc. in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.
Shay Alon
M.Sc. Student
Shay is studying neuroimmunological mechanisms in Williams syndrome, with a focus on enhancing postnatal brain development. Shay is a M.Sc. candidate in the research program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. Shay received her B.Sc. in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.
Alumni
Dr. Sari Trangle (Schokoroy)
Former Lab Manager (2017-2021)
Dr. Trangle did her Ph.D. in Prof. Ronit Pinkas-kramarski’s laboratory at Tel Aviv University, researching combinatorial treatments of anti-cancer drugs in several types of cancers in human. During her Ph.D. she won the Iafa Keydar Prize in Cancer Biology and was a three-year recipient of the Buchmann Excellence Scholarship for Ph.D. students. Prior to that, she received her B.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Neurobiology with honors from Tel Aviv University.Dr. Trangle lives happily with her husband Etan and daughter Alma.
Dr. Inbar Fischer
Former Ph.D. Student (2020-2026)
Inbar studied how oligodendrocytes communicate with neurons, how this interaction influences myelination in health and illness, and developed novel therapeutic approaches for neurodevelopmental disorders. Inbar was a Ph.D. student in the direct doctoral program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. She received her B.Sc. from the Double Major Program in Biology and in Psychology ,Tel Aviv University, with honors.
Omri Kimchi-Feldhorn
Former M.Sc. Student (2021-2023)
Omri studied the impact of drugs on a mouse model for autism spectrum disorder, focusing on myelination deficits.
May Rokach
Former M.Sc. Student (2022-2024)
May studied white matter alterations during induced demyelination and spontaneous remyelinating of the CNS. May received her B.Sc. in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.
Dr. Gilad Levy
Former Ph.D. Student (2018-2025)
Gilad studied how transcription regulation may affect myelination in the brain. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Dan Geschwind's lab at UCLA. Gilad received his B.Sc. in Biology and in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, with honors. Gilad received his Ph.D. as part of the direct doctoral program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience.
Naama Harari Uzan
Former M.Sc. Student (2023-2025)
Naama developed a new protocol to enhance how basic researchers understand and approach research related to neuropathological conditions. Naama was an M.Sc. candidate in the research program at The Sagol School of Neuroscience. Naama earned her B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management from Tel Aviv University and has extensive experience working in the high-tech industry.
Life in The Lab
Photos by Shachar Shachar, Tel Aviv University Spokesperson's Office