Hermona Soreq facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hermona Soreq
|
|
|---|---|
Hermona Soreq, December 2019 (Photographer: Douglas Guthrie)
|
|
| Born |
Hermona Even
April 3, 1947 Tel Aviv, Israel
|
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Alma mater | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Tel-Aviv University Weizmann Institute of Science |
| Known for | Research in microRNAs (miRs) and other non-coding RNA regulators of gene expression focusing on acetylcholine(ACh)-related processes |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular Neuroscience |
| Institutions | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
Hermona Soreq is an Israeli professor who studies the brain and nervous system. She works at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is famous for her research on a special chemical called acetylcholine. This chemical helps our bodies respond to stress and is important for understanding brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Contents
About Hermona Soreq
Hermona Soreq was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel. She studied biochemistry and microbiology at the Hebrew University. She earned her master's degree from Tel-Aviv University. Later, she received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Weizmann Institute in 1976. After that, she did more research in New York from 1977 to 1979.
Her Work in Science
Professor Soreq began her science career at the Weizmann Institute. She became a senior scientist and then an associate professor there. In 1986, she moved to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. There, she started her own laboratory. She became a full professor in 1989 and has led her lab ever since.
She also held important leadership roles. She was the head of the Silberman Institute of Life Sciences. From 2000 to 2002, she was the president of the Israeli Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In 2005, she became the first female Dean of the Hebrew University's Faculty of Science.
Today, Professor Soreq is a leading expert in Molecular Neuroscience. She is a founding member of the Hebrew University’s Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences. Her team studies tiny molecules called MicroRNAs (miRs). These molecules help control how our genes work. She also studies other similar molecules.
Her research combines new technologies with computer science. She uses these tools to understand how miRs work in healthy and sick brains. She focuses on processes related to acetylcholine. Her work helps us understand how the brain controls anxiety and inflammation.
Key Discoveries of the Soreq Group
Professor Soreq and her team have made many important discoveries. Here are some of them:
- Controlling Brain Signals: Her team found that a molecule called miR-132 helps control acetylcholine levels. This affects how the brain sends signals to the body. It can even impact how the liver processes fats.
- Stress Response: They found that some miRs can help reduce epileptic seizures. Other miRs are linked to how people react to stress. For example, changes in certain miRs can affect blood pressure and inflammation.
- Brain Diseases: Her research shows that miRs change in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. These changes are linked to damage in brain cells.
- Stroke and Heart Health: Professor Soreq's team found that changes in certain molecules in the blood can predict how well stroke patients recover. They also found links between miRs and heart disease.
- Understanding Daily Stress: Her team uses advanced computer methods to study how stress affects our bodies. They found links between anxiety and certain miRs. This research helps us understand how our daily lives impact our health.
Professor Soreq has written over 280 scientific articles. She has also written 8 books.
Awards and Special Recognition
Professor Soreq has received many awards for her important work. She has also served on the boards of several universities and research companies.
Some of her awards include:
- 2005: Landau Prize for Biomedical Research
- 2008: Kaye Prize for Innovative Research
- 2009: The Lise Meitner Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Award
- 2013: Advanced ERC Research Award
- 2015: The Rappaport Prize for Bio-Medical Research
- 2017: ILANIT-Katzir Prize for exceptional achievements in Life Sciences
- 2022: The EMET Prize
She has also received honorary doctorates from several universities. These include the University of Erlangen, Germany (2007), Ben-Gurion University, Israel (2007), and the University of Stockholm, Sweden (1996).
