Meet the Speakers
Leading Israeli and international experts will share diverse perspectives across BRCA biology, prevention, early detection, translational research, and clinical care, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
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Initiative LeadershipMeet the leaders of the TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative, driving its scientific vision and fostering collaboration across Tel Aviv University, affiliated medical centers, and the international BRCA research community.
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Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, PhD |
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Director, Tel Aviv University's Cancer Biology Research Center Head, Gray School of Medical Sciences Head, Cancer Research and Nanomedicine Laboratory. |
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Dr. Yehudit Cohen, PhD |
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Chair, Gray Research Initiative for BRCA-Related Malignancies. |
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Keynote SpeakersWe are delighted to welcome three distinguished international experts whose research has made major contributions to the understanding and advancement of BRCA-associated malignancies.
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Prof. Joan Brugge, PhD |
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Director, Ludwig Center at Harvard Medical School
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
"Searching for the Earliest Precursors of Breast Cancer"
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Prof. Brugge is a world-renowned cancer biologist whose research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression.
She has made major contributions to understanding oncogenic signaling, tumor microenvironments, and early events in breast cancer development.
She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Prof. Ronny Drapkin, MD PhD |
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Franklin Payne Professor of Pathology in Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania; Director, Penn Ovarian Cancer Research Center; Director, Gynecologic Cancer Research Program, Basser Center for BRCA
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
"BRCA-Associated Ovarian Cancer: From the Fallopian Tube to Cancer Interception"
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Prof. Drapkin is a leading authority on the origins and early evolution of BRCA-associated ovarian cancer.
His research established the fallopian tube secretory epithelium as the primary origin site of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and focuses on cancer interception and precancer detection.
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Prof. Roger Greenberg, MD PhD |
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J. Samuel Staub Professor, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Director, Penn Center for Genome Integrity; Basic Science Director, Basser Center for BRCA
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
"Targeting Homologous Recombination Deficiency in BRCA Mutant Cancers"
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Prof. Greenberg is an internationally recognized expert in genome integrity and BRCA biology.
His laboratory investigates DNA repair mechanisms, vulnerabilities of homologous recombination-deficient cancers, and DNA damage–induced immune responses.
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Invited SpeakersThe program features leading Israeli researchers and clinicians whose work spans diverse aspects of BRCA biology, prevention, early detection, translational research, and clinical care.
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Dr. Merav Cohen, PhD |
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Assistant Professor, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences,
Invited Speaker
"Immune-controlled Signaling Niche Predisposes Breast Cancer Onset" |
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Dr. Cohen studies developmental and cancer immunology, focusing on immune regulation in tumor initiation and progression.
Her research integrates systems immunology, immunogenomics, and translational approaches to uncover mechanisms shaping cancer development.
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Prof. Talia Golan, MD |
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Head, Sheba Pancreatic Cancer Program, Sheba Medical Center;
Invited Speaker
"BRCA-Associated Pancreatic Cancer: Translating Genomic Insights into Clinical Practice" |
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Prof. Golan is an internationally recognized physician-scientist specializing in pancreatic cancer and precision oncology.
She led the landmark POLO trial establishing maintenance olaparib as the first biomarker-driven targeted therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer.
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Dr. Dana Ishay-Ronen, MD PhD |
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Senior Oncologist and Group Leader, Sheba Medical Center;
Invited Speaker
"Enhanced Plasticity in Heterozygous BRCA1 Normal Mammary Epithelium Drives Tumorigenic Trajectories" |
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Dr. Ishay-Ronen's research focuses on cancer cell plasticity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and translational oncology.
Her laboratory investigates early precancer events in BRCA1 pathogenic variant carriers using patient-derived organoids, spatial transcriptomics, and computational approaches.
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Prof. Keren Levanon, MD PhD |
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Head, Gynecologic Malignancies Service, Rabin Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Tel Aviv University
Invited Speaker
"The Challenge of Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer" |
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Prof. Levanon is a physician-scientist specializing in ovarian cancer and gynecologic malignancies.
Her research focuses on cancer cell-of-origin, early detection strategies, and translational approaches for improving outcomes in ovarian cancer.
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Prof. Asaf Madi, PhD |
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Chair, Department of Cancer Biology and Immunology, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University;
Invited Speaker
"Spatial Inference of Pathway Activation from Breast Cancer H&E Images"
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Prof. Madi's research combines computational biology and experimental immunology to investigate immune-cell regulation and tumor microenvironment dynamics.
His laboratory applies single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and advanced genomic technologies to uncover cancer-associated immune mechanisms.
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Prof. Adit Ben-Baruch, PhD |
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Professor of Cancer Immunology, Tel Aviv University; Head, Life Sciences and Medicine Fields, Israel Science Foundation
Invited Speaker
TBD |
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Prof. Ben-Baruch is a leading cancer immunologist investigating how inflammatory and immune tumor microenvironments drive breast cancer metastasis and inform subtype-specific therapeutic strategies.
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Dr. Yael Raz, MD PhD |
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Senior Gynecologic Oncologist, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center; Director, Multidisciplinary BRCA Carriers' Clinic
Invited Speaker
"Counseling in the Gray: Navigating the BRCA Journey When Evidence Is Still Evolving"
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Dr. Raz specializes in hereditary ovarian cancer, prevention, and early detection.
Her work integrates clinical data, biobanking, and molecular approaches to advance personalized strategies for individuals at high genetic risk.
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Prof. Ilan Tsarfaty, PhD |
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Head, Breast Cancer Precision Medicine Laboratory, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Invited Speaker
"Rethinking BRCA1-Induced Metastasis: Invasive Cell Motility and the Role of Novel Modifier Genes - Multi-omics Analysis"
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Prof. Tsarfaty investigates mechanisms of tumor progression using advanced models integrating systems biology, AI, CRISPR-based approaches, imaging, and multi-omics analysis.
His research aims to advance precision medicine approaches for breast cancer.
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Prof. Rinat Yerushalmi, MD |
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Breast Cancer Unit, Rabin Medical Center
Invited Speaker
"The Evolving Impact of BRCA Mutations on Therapeutic Strategies"
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Dr. Yerushalmi is a breast cancer specialist whose clinical and research interests focus on hereditary breast cancer, BRCA-associated malignancies, and personalized therapeutic approaches.
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AwardeesThe Awardees Session showcases innovative research supported by the TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative, highlighting emerging discoveries and new directions in BRCA-associated malignancies.
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Dr. Yael Bar, MD PhD |
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Senior Breast Medical Oncologist; Head, Breast Cancer in Young Women Program, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"Biomarkers for Neoadjuvant Treatment De-Escalation in BRCA-Related TNBC"
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Dr. Bar focuses on breast cancer, translational oncology, and novel therapeutic strategies for triple-negative breast cancer.
Her research investigates adaptive treatment approaches, antibody-drug conjugates, and biomarkers for personalized therapy.
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Prof. Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu, PhD |
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Professor of Neuroscience and Neuroimmunology, Tel Aviv University
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"Molecular Characterization of BRCA-Mutated Ovarian Cancer in the Perioperative Context"
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Prof. Ben-Eliyahu is a leading researcher in cancer psycho-neuro-immunology and perioperative interventions in cancer.
His work explores how physiological and psychological factors around surgery influence immune function and cancer recurrence.
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Prof. Gili Bisker, PhD |
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Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University; Director, Marian Gertner Institute for Medical Nanosystems
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"Optical Nanosensors for Real-Time Detection of Enzyme Biomarkers"
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Prof. Bisker heads the Nanosensors and Biophysics Laboratory, developing innovative technologies for biomedical sensing.
Her research combines nanotechnology, molecular engineering, and biological systems to enable real-time disease monitoring.
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Prof. Uri Ben-David, PhD |
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Professor of Cancer Genetics, Tel Aviv University
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"BRCA-Driven PDAC: Innovative Models to Study Resistance Mechanisms and Novel Treatment Combinations"
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Prof. Ben-David's research focuses on cancer genetics, chromosomal instability, and aneuploidy.
His laboratory combines genomic and functional approaches to uncover mechanisms of cancer evolution and identify opportunities for personalized treatment.
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Prof. Ran Elkon, PhD |
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Associate Professor, Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences,
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"Discovery of Novel Genetic Modifiers of Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1 Carriers"
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Prof. Elkon develops computational and AI-based approaches to understand genetic risk and disease mechanisms.
His laboratory focuses on personalized medicine and next-generation risk models for BRCA1/2 carriers and the general population.
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Dr. Yasmin Leshem, MD PhD |
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Medical Oncologist and Head, Lab for Anti-Tumor Immunity,
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
"BRCA-Dependent Responses to TOP1-Based ADC and Immune Sensitization in Breast Cancer"
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Dr. Leshem is a physician-scientist specializing in breast cancer and immunotherapy.
Her research investigates how BRCA loss influences therapeutic responses and anti-tumor immunity, including responses to antibody-drug conjugates.
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Prof. Ephrat Levy-Lahad, MD |
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Director, Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center
TAU-CBRC-Gray BRCA Research Initiative Awardee
TBD
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Prof. Levy-Lahad is an internationally recognized expert in medical genetics and hereditary cancer.
Her work has made major contributions to the understanding of inherited cancer predisposition and clinical implementation of genetic medicine.
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