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Entomology and the Nematology and Chemistry units
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| PINES GUR |
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Team:Tamir Partosh (lab manage) and Dan Alon (PhD student |
| CRISPR-Cas-based biosensors for the detection of pests and pathogens |
We are using the CRISPR-cas12a system as a detection tool. We are looking for talented and curious people to help us expand the scope of our work, optimize our protocols, and develop new ones.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in biology or chemistry |
| Scientific experience |
| Experience in molecular biology lab work, experience in entomology is a plus |
| Skills |
| General molecular biology, protein expression and purification, Python programming a plus |
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| Insect genome editing |
We use genome editing of insects both for learning about plant-insect interactions and for biocontrol purposes. Our lab is equipped with all the necessary equipment to introduce genomic modifications and we are looking for postdocs to help us expand to new species and genes, and to develop and improve existing editing protocols.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in biology |
| Scientific experience |
| Insect genome editing, molecular biology, entomology |
| Skills |
| Good understanding of CRISPR biology, bioinformatics and python coding is a plus, but not required |
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| The interaction between hormones and viruses in bees |
Honey bees are suffering from several diseases caused by viral infections. Viruses are obligate parasites and must utilize their host cells to replicate. Hormones control the body and cells’ physiology and gene expression. Therefore we hypothesis that changes in the hormonal state will have an effect on viral activity in the bees body. We will test this hypothesis at the behavioral, physiological and molecular level.
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| Education requirements |
| A Ph.D in biology, knowledge in virology and entomology. |
| Scientific experience |
| Molecular Biology, Entomology |
| Skills |
| An advantage to a researcher with experience in bee biology and virology. |
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| Mite secreted 'effector' molecules in plants |
Mites' feeding can induce various symptoms in the host plant; from rusting to dwarfing and other deformations. In the case of the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus, damage to the plant can last long after the mites are eradicated. We wish to study the nature of the molecules egested by broad mites into the plant meristems during feeding in the hopes of isolating those causing the symptoms seen on the plants. No knowledge is available for these molecules, but previous studies in mites and insects have shown these molecules may be hormones, sRNAs, proteins or peptides.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD level. |
| Scientific experience |
| - Experience in molecular lab work or bioinformatics work is a must. - Proven experience with summarizing and presenting research results; in seminars, presentations and publications. |
| Skills |
| - Experience in RNA and sRNA extraction and sequencing or proteomic work (specifically mass spectrometry) is needed. - Experience working with insects and/or mites will be most welcomed but isn't necessary. |
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| GANAIM MURAD |
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Team:Murad Ghanim (PI), Svetlana Kontsedalov (Research engineer), Galina Lebedev (Research engineer), Sapna Mishra (Postdoc), Ola Jassar (PhD student), Udvashika Puri (MSc student) |
| Unveiling molecular interactions between psyllids and bacteria of the genus Liberibacter |
Identification of genes, proteins and signaling pathways involved in the transmission of Liberibacter solanacearum by the carrot psyllid Bactericera trigonica, using molecular biology, microscopy, genomic and postgenomic tools.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in biological, agricultural sciences or related fields |
| Scientific experience |
| Molecular biology and preferably genomic and bioinformatic tools. |
| Skills |
| Ability to work with a group, help when needed and work independently |
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| GANAIM MURAD |
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Team:Murad Ghanim (PI), Svetlana Kontsedalov (Research engineer), Galina Lebedev (Research engineer), Sapna Mishra (Postdoc), Ola Jassar (PhD student), Udvashika Puri (MSc student) |
| Interactions between whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses and poleroviruses |
We identified the first polerovirus transmitted by whiteflies. our aim is to unravel interactions between this virus and the whitefly, and the effect on plants, and if there are shared molecular events between the transmission of begomoviruses and poleroviruses by whiteflies.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in biological or agricultural sciences, or related fields. |
| Scientific experience |
| Molecular biology and preferably genomic and bioinformatic tools. |
| Skills |
| Ability to work with a group, help when needed and work independently |
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| Breeding honey bees for Varroa and virus resistance |
The parasitic mite Varroa destructor (Varroa) and multiple viruses it vectors that are considered as major drivers of honey bee colony losses in the last decade. Breeding for hygienic behavior is viewed as a sustainable way to reduce the impact of Varroa on honey bee health. However, concern has recently been raised that hygienic behavior may facilitate the horizontal transmission of viruses in honey bee colonies. The objective of our project is to further characterize innate defense mechanisms in honey bees to reveal their responses to viral challenges.
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| Education requirements |
| Phd in Biology or Entomology |
| Scientific experience |
| experience in Behavioral observations, techniques in Chemical ecology Molecular biology techniques |
| Skills |
| Apiculture RCR, GC |
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| Studying the broad climate change effect on plant parasitic nematodes distribution and life cycle using traditional and molecular approached |
Through this research the student will aimed to explore the climate change effect on nematode embryonic development. We will characterize three different Meloidogyne incognita populations and explore the time which take for each to hatch and complete life cycle at different temperatures. Theses populations will be further studied by using transcriptomic analysis and genes required for the fitness to increased temperature will be further charachterized by silencing through host derived RNAi. Overall this study will provide the student with traditional nematology knowledge, molecular genetics, advanced phylogenetics and omics techniques.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD |
| Scientific experience |
| Molecular genetics and nematology, Plant science, bioinformatics |
| Skills |
| Knowing basic technique in nematology, microscopic and technology skills along side basic molecular knowledge will be preferred |
Plant Pathology and Weed Research
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| Studying native and artificial nano vesicles in host pathogen interactions |
The project will focus on studying the role of bacterial extracellular vesicles during plant infection including virulence, bacterial physiology and host plant immune response. The information gained from these studies will be used to synthesize artificial nano lipid to be used for pathogen mitigation, and host immune priming in agricultural in crops.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD |
| Scientific experience |
| Microbiology, bacterial genetics, plant immunity, plant-bacteria interactions |
| Skills |
| Molecular biology, biochemistry, fluent speaking, reading and writing in English |
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| Use of fungal endophytes for increasing cucurbit plant performance by conferring abiotic and biotic stress tolerance |
The research will focus on endophtyic microorganisms isolated from stress-tolerant local, wild cucurbits. Generate abiotic and biotic tolerant melon crop plants, colonized by the isolated endophytes to increase cope with extreme environmental conditions and manage soilborne fungal pathogens affecting the crop. Greenhouse and field experience. Determine mechanism of host resistance and gene expression.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD |
| Scientific experience |
| Methods related to fungal identification, morphology and molecular methods; general molecular biology techniques such as gene cloning, gene sequencing, gene expression, qRT-PCR. Bioinformatics and gene phylogeny construction. |
| Skills |
| Hands-on experience with molecular identification and characterization of fungi. Published experience proving the ability to submit sequences to GenBank and compare, identify and analyze results. Greenhouse and field trials with biocontrol agents |
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| AI for mapping weeds |
Weeds represent a major threat to global food security, reducing crop yields more than any other pests. In this work, we will develop an AI-based classifier for accurate detection of weeds of crop fields to produce a scalable weed mapper
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in agriculture, geography, ecology or related fields |
| Scientific experience |
| Working with satellite images |
| Skills |
| AI, programing (R, Python etc), Remote sensing |
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| Characterizing the role of protease effectors of Clavibacter bacteria on virulence and determining host specificity on Solanaceous crops |
Clavibacter sp. has destructive effects on the agricultural production of tomato, potato, and pepper. Clavibacter relies on secreted protease effectors to facilitate disease in their respective hosts but the biological functions and the plant targets of these effectors are unknown. Our team recently identified that in addition to their role in pathogenicity, specific protease effectors are recognized as avirulence proteins in certain crops and restrict the host range of these bacteria. The aim of the project is to identify the plant targets of Clavibacter protease effectors that facilitate their virulent and avirulent interactions. In addition, we wish to decipher the function of these proteases by monitoring host and non-host responses to Clavibacter protease mutants.
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| Education requirements |
| PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, plant sciences or biotechnology |
| Scientific experience |
| The candidate should be experienced with standard molecular biology techniques such as cloning, protein purification, western blot, genetic manipulation of bacteria. RNA purification and qPCR. Previous experience with plant pathogenic bacteria or plant molecular biology is preferable. |
| Skills |
| Familiarity with standard molecular biology and microbiology techniques |
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| MENT DANA |
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Team:Dr. Dana Ment and Dr. Aviv Dombrovsky |
| Pathogen identification, monitoring and prevention in Black Soldier Fly populations |
Black Soldier Fly is an emerging source of food and feed. In the dense populations of its cultivation pathogen outbreaks may put at risk its production. This study aims at identifying viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens in the fly life cycle.
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| Education requirements |
| Ph.D. |
| Scientific experience |
| Microbiology, entomology, Virology, entomopathogens |
| Skills |
| Microbiology techniques, insect bioassay, molecular biology, PCR diagnosis, bioinformatics |
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| Updated on: 17/05/22 11:59 |
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