Lab Members
Dr. Gilad Barshad
Gilad is interested in understanding how genetic variation in non-coding, regulatory regions of the genome is conected to phenotype. His scientific journey began in Dan Mishmar's lab at Ben-Gurion University, where he explored mitochondrial-nuclear co-regulation. He later joined Charles Danko's lab at Cornell University, where he delved into the interplay between transcriptional regulation and 3D genome organization. In October 2024, Gilad joined the Department of Genetics & Developmental Biology at the Technion's Faculty of Medicine.
Outside the lab, Gilad enjoys camping and hiking with his family, swimming, and immersing himself in fiction novels. A fun fact: during his teenage years, Gilad was a competitive swimmer and even earned podium finishes at the Israeli national championship.
Dr. Yara Knany
Yara is a passionate molecular biologist dedicated to uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying human disorders. She completed her Ph.D. at the Technion's Faculty of Medicine in the labs of Zaher Azzam and Zaid Abassi, where she focused on cardiovascular disease, specifically the pathologies associated with myocardial infarction and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Yara has an extensive research experience, seamlessly combining in vivo models with advanced in vitro techniques and a deep understanding of molecular biology. Committed to expanding her knowledge and mentoring the next generation of scientists, she is a central driving force behind our lab's success.
Outside the lab, Yara enjoys playing the violin, which allows her to unwind and express herself creatively. This passion provides a sense of balance and inspiration, harmonizing perfectly with her scientific endeavors.
Maria Panfilova
Ph.D. Student
Maria is a curious PhD student eager to explore the intricate link between transcriptional dynamics and the spatial organization of the genome during cell differentiation. She brings a strong background in wet molecular biology techniques, including extensive experience with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, complemented by skills in computational data analysis.
Prior to her doctoral studies, Maria worked as a research associate at Ufa Federal Research Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, where she conducted independent research on plant transcription factors and developed transgenic plants to enhance anthocyanin production.
Beyond the world of scientific discovery, Maria enjoys videogames and is passionate about bringing history to life through historical reconstruction, exploring the Viking Age and Medieval periods of European history.
Maayan Sherman
M.Sc. Student
Maayan is a master’s student in the the lab, investigating how transcriptional dynamics shape enhancer–promoter communication. She earned her B.Sc. at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, where she conducted research in Prof. Anat Ben-Zvi’s lab on protein interactions involving a nuclear transport receptor under heat-shock conditions.
Outside the lab, Maayan enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, listening to music, and reading novels.
Alexander Konopatov
Ph.D. Student
Alexander is an experienced and capable researcher with a strong background in molecular biology and bioinformatics. Throughout his diverse scientific career, he has investigated the mechanical properties of cellular spheroids at I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, studied non-canonical IRES-dependent translation initiation at the A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, and explored mechanisms of long-range genomic interactions and lifespan variation in Drosophila melanogaster at the Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences.
He is currently focused on understanding how human regulatory variants associated with autoimmunity influence transcriptional regulation and genome organization.
Outside the lab, Alexander is a passionate neural-network enthusiast who keeps a close eye on the latest developments in AI. He is an avid follower of Neuro-sama, a true artificial Twitch streamer. He also enjoys chess, films, and discovering unique indie video games.