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The Lab For neurobiology of social behavior

Prof. Shlomo Wanger

Head of laboratory

Dr. Shai Netser

Lab manager

Renad Jabarin

Ph.D. student

Rishika Tiwari

Ph.D. student

Shanah Rachel John

Ph.D. student

Shelly Pal

Ph.D. student

Mohapatra Alok Nath

Ph.D. student

Yizhaq Goussha

Ph.D. student

Using machine learning and deep learning tools to model and predict rodent vocal communications and behavioral patterns

Paritosh Jaiswal

Ph.D. student

I am originally from India. After obtaining a master's degree from Banaras Hindu University in Molecular and Human Genetics in my home country, I decided to challenge myself in a completely new research environment. Hence I decided to move to Israel. I am currently doing my Ph.D. under the joined guidance of Prof' Shlomo Wagner and Dr. Liza Barki-Harrington trying to answer the question of how acute social isolation causes social memory loss using rat as a model system. In my spare time, I enjoy doing sports and I try to travel whenever I have the chance.

Adele Phalip

Ph.D. Student

Natalia Kopachev

Lab technician

Konstantinos Lygdas

Post-Doctoral fellow

I am a neurobiologist with a wide span of interests, some of which I have investigated in two different vertebrate models, zebrafish and mice. I had the opportunity to study sensory processing, sensorimotor adaptation, synaptic plasticity and simple learning using zebrafish in France and United Kingdom (German Sumbre and Anton Nikolaev labs). I transitioned to mammalian systems neuroscience while doing my first postdoc in Budapest, Hungary in the lab of Balazs Hangya. There I studied previously uncharacterized modulatory basal forebrain neurons using optrode electrophysiological recordings and behavioral measurements in the mouse during associative learning. I joined the Wagner lab at the University of Haifa fascinated by the idea of studying neuromodulatory circuits during various forms of social interactions. I aim to establish in vivo imaging (miniscope) and electro-physiological (optrode) recordings during social behaviors in order to get insights into real time computations of modulatory neurons contributing to social cognition.

David Peles

Ph.D. Student (Joint with Prof. Shani Stern)

My research is focused on finding potential food supplements that may ameliorate the neurologic symptoms of 7q11.23 Duplication Syndrome (Dup7) which is associated with Autism and social anxiety. I use both mouse models and patient-induced neurons which are derived from iPSCs.

Sarah Sheihk

M.Sc. Student

Bayan Hijazi

M.Sc. student

Having completed my degree in Biotechnology & Medical Science at the Tel-Hai Academic College. I am now advancing my academic pursuits with a master’s degree in Neurobiology. I chose this field out of a deep fascination for understanding the complexities of the brain and its role in social behavior and disorders, and its underlying genetic basis. Utilizing innovative techniques for neuronal cells immunolabeling in my project, we aim to identify and observe active cells in the brain. This approach allows us to map the complex neural networks that underlie social behaviors, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of social behavior and autism. By identifying these patterns of activation, we hope to shed light on the cellular basis of social behavior and offer new avenues for therapeutic strategies.

Alumni

Dr. Shani Heskel – Post-Doctoral fellow

Dr. Michal Sheleg – Post-Doctoral fellow

Dr. Hala Harony – Post-Doctoral fellow

Dr. Hadar Shachar-Gold – Ph.D. student

Dr. Guy Shpak – Ph.D. student

Dr. Lilach Porat-Kuperstein – Ph.D. student

Dr. Rotem Gur – Ph.D. student

Dr. Alex Tendler – Ph.D. student

Shimrat Mamrut – M.Sc. student

Sharon Rustami – M.Sc. student

Dana Iron – M.Sc. student

Maya Kay – M.Sc. student

Noa Zor – M.Sc. student

Noam Leser – M.Sc. student

Mayan Levy – M.Sc. student

Tal Madjar – M.Sc. student

Linoy Frankiensztajn – M.Sc. student

Wael Dagash – M.Sc.

Diana Shehtman – M.Sc.

Danit Levenda – M.Sc.