Roohi Chaudhary
Roohi Chaudhary
Course: Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology and Cancer Research
Year of Joining TAU: October 2018
About: I am a highly motivated and idea-driven research scholar currently in the first year of my Ph.D. at Schmunis School of Bio-Medicine and Cancer research under the guidance of Prof. Yoav Henis and Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich. After finishing the dual degree BTech-MS program at the prestigious institute of TAU with a Summa cum Laude (with highest honors) which has given me an opportunity to enhance my technical skills, knowledge, and research experience in the field of Neurosciences. I have also excelled in my Bachelor’s from TIET where I was decorated with the Director’s Gold Medal given for academic achievement. The field of Cancer Biology has always been very fascinating for me. My interest in it was validated when I started my research project in Cancer biophysics and was exposed to the curriculum at TAU so much so that I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in the same field.
Research arena: The project that I worked on for my masters focused on “Inhibin” which has been characterized as one of the most prominent biomarkers for Ovarian cancers. Diagnostically, inhibin can also be used for prenatal screening of Down’s syndrome and as a biochemical marker for the assessment of pregnancy-associated conditions like ectopic pregnancy. Multiple cancer types such as ovarian, adrenal, stomach, and pancreatic cancers can be demarcated by elevated levels of inhibin in humans. However, my work highlighted the role of inhibin as a potent and selective tumor suppressor/inducer in a context-dependent fashion and indicated the requirement of inhibin-regulated angiogenesis for metastasis. Thereby, my results emphasize the use of inhibin as a predictor of poor patient survival in multiple cancer types and indicate that it may be exploited as a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapies used in combination with chemotherapy to increase progression-free survival in ovarian cancer patients.
Achievements:
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2020 Summa cum Laude for excellence in academics (TAU).
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2021 Valedictorian at the Annual MSc Convocation (TAU).
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2021 Research paper in the pipeline at a reputed journal.
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2019 Director’s Special Gold Medal for outstanding performance in academics (TIET).
My Story: One of the most peculiar feelings about summarising my time at TAU has been that it does feel like the past three years have been an absolute blur but also a period of such exciting and overwhelming change in my life. One minute I was struggling with my suitcase down in my room at TAU dorms as the late summer sun shined through my windows, the next it was the early October of my second year walking dead tired to the dorms from the library as the rain tried to pacify all the anxiousness I felt as the deadline of my dissertation loomed closer. And even before I realize it, I will be on the stage of the Smolarz auditorium at TAU graduating with a Summa cum Laude, shaking hands with the President, booming with excitement, silently praying that I hope I will not embarrass myself by tripping over my graduation gown right in front of everyone.
I still very distinctly remember when Prof. Sanjay Saxena and Prof. Moushumi Ghosh (Department of Biotechnology, TIET) were envisioning this program. The program was still in a very preliminary test-tube stage as my batch was the first of the chosen lab mice on which this joint endeavor was supposed to be conducted. I recall visiting the website of TAU for the first time and it said something along the lines of “seeking future leaders who will address the world’s most complex challenges with creative solutions” which is not an easy task. I thought to myself if I have what it takes, courage and the determination to take this up? I was not sure about the answer but one thing I knew as a fact was that I will not know if I did not try. I took a giant leap out of my comfort zone and was quite amazed at all the things I was capable of. I was beyond ecstatic to be the pioneer of this venture and it was the sincere efforts of Prof. Ajay Batish and Prof. Vinay Kumar which made TAU a possibility for me and others.
I have felt that my three years of experience at TAU, it gave me the perfect balance between international exposure yet a very homely atmosphere. I hope that I embark upon my research and be mindful of the considerable trust and support that the founders/visionaries of this joint program have showered upon me. I hope that this privilege will humble and motivate me throughout my Ph.D. and beyond. Perhaps, I can’t put it in better words, a big shout out to everyone at Thapar and TAU to turn this program into a reality.
Email: roohic96@gmail.com
Contact: +972-587682185
Tel Baruch beach
Study session at the School of Engineering
Jerusalem City
Namal Tel Aviv
On campus
Prof. Yoav Henis research group
Prajwal Prakash
Prajwal Prakash
Course: MSc. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Year of Joining TAU: October 2018
About: I'm currently pursuing my master's under Prof. Arie Ruzin in the department of Physical Electronics and Engineering. I'm working on the up-and-coming technology of Memristive Devices and their Fabrication and Electrical characterization. In the future Memristors could hold the key to a new era in electronics, being both smaller and simpler in form than transistors, low-energy, and with the ability to retain data by ‘remembering’ the amount of charge that has passed through them – potentially resulting in computers that switch on and off instantly and never forget.
Research Area: My research interest was always aligned towards integrated circuits and future memory devices. Memristors are outstanding candidates for future analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits. Further advances in device technology and architecture developments may lead to the large-scale implementation of memristor-based neuromorphic computing systems.
Hobbies: Playing Chess and Table Tennis, Running, Graphic Designing, and Cooking.
My Story: I wanted to explore more into the field of electronics after my Bachelors . In that regard, higher studies were the obvious choice. Fortunately, by the end of my 3rd year, I got to know about the TAU-TIET joint venture program. I applied to the program and got selected. The University has produced leading scientists and experts in the past and in present working at its best and that’s why holding an outstanding world ranking. Additionally, the study at Tel Aviv University provides a great grounding in which we further experience divergent cultures and exchange knowledge.
Email :Prajwalprakash.2204@gmail.com
contact : +918195914719
Nanotechnology lab
Fabricating Chip
Memristive Device
Holy Celebrations
Diwali Celebrations
B'day Celebrations with TIET professors
Palak Singhal
Palak Singhal
Course: Master’s in Life Science
Year of Joining TAU: October' 2019
Research Area: My first lab rotation was with Professor Gerardo Lederkremer who is an expert in the field of cell biology and immunology. My research work in his lab was based on testing possible PERK activators for Huntington’s Disease and justification of the mechanism of action using western blot technique.
My second lab rotation and the professor with whom I’ll be finishing my masters is Professor Ehud Gazit who is an expert in the field of biotechnology, molecular biology and nanotechnology. I’ve been working on establishing an in-vivo yeast and C.elegans model for a genetic disease called Maple Syrup Urine Disease(MSUD) and studying potential drug targets by applying high throughput and genome-wide screening methods in yeast models in collaboration with the Blavatnik Centre of Drug Discovery.
My Story: I am currently a second-year MSc. student in Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University. To start with, I would like to thank the TIET-TAU collaboration program for giving me such a great opportunity for doing a master's at Tel Aviv University. My experiences at Tel Aviv University thus far have been amazing. TLV has been very welcoming and has given me an opportunity to meet people from various backgrounds. Through the TIET-TAU collaboration program, I got an opportunity to work with two great professors during my 2 lab rotations in the first year of my masters. Lastly, I would like to say that life at TAU has been a great experience that I plan to make the most of. Looking forward to more experiences and learning ahead.
Birthday Celebrations
Lab experimentation
Lab Work
Rahat Behl
Course: Master’s in Life Science
Year of Joining TAU: October' 2019
Research Area: My first lab rotation was with Professor Gerardo Lederkremer who is an expert in the field of cell biology and immunology. My research work in his lab was based on testing possible PERK activators for Huntington’s Disease and justification of the mechanism of action using the western blot technique.
My second lab rotation and the professor with whom I’ll be finishing my masters is Professor Ehud Gazit who is an expert in the field of biotechnology, molecular biology, and nanotechnology. I’ve been working on establishing an in-vivo yeast and C.elegans model for a genetic disease called Maple Syrup Urine Disease(MSUD) and studying potential drug targets by applying high throughput and genome-wide screening methods in yeast models in collaboration with the Blavatnik Centre of Drug Discovery.
My Story: I am currently a second-year MSc. student in Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University. To start with, I would like to thank the TIET-TAU collaboration program for giving me such a great opportunity for doing a master's at Tel Aviv University. My experiences at Tel Aviv University thus far have been amazing. TLV has been very welcoming and has given me an opportunity to meet people from various backgrounds. Through the TIET-TAU collaboration program, I got an opportunity to work with two great professors during my 2 lab rotations in the first year of my masters. Lastly, I would like to say that life at TAU has been a great experience that I plan to make the most of. Looking forward to more experiences and learning ahead.
Rahat Behl
Anshika Katyal
Anshika Katyal
Course: Master’s in Life Science
Year of Joining TAU: October 2019
Research Area: I am currently working in the laboratory of Antibody Engineering, under the supervision of Prof. Itai Benhar (The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research), on a project called ASSET. It is a collaborative project with Prof. Dan Peer (Department of Cell Research and Immunology). ASSET is an acronym for Anchored Secondary ScFv Enabling Targeting. The project involved the production of an anti-human ScFv phage display library. The library production was followed by biopanning and production as Reverse ASSET. The ScFv is anchored on the lipid-nanoparticles(LNP) via a recombinant protein and we aim to use this modular platform for targeted therapy against various human diseases. Here is a link that will help you understand things better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMAzazArU3olist=TLGG_RxGcLHRk18yODA0 MjAyMQ
Project: My first rotation was with Dr. Omri Wurtzel (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology). The project involved studying the effects of ATM inhibitors in Planaria. ATM, ataxia-telangiectasia mutated, is a protein kinase that is recruited and activated by double-strand breaks in DNA. It phosphorylates several indispensable proteins that initiate activation of the DNA damage checkpoint, leading to cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, or apoptosis.
Hobbies: Exploring the city & baking
My Story: I have always been keen to learn the science behind things. When I was at TIET, the practical part of the courses was the time that I used to look forward to the most, not that the theoretical part wasn’t interesting. This perpetual curiosity bolstered my desire to take up research as my line of work and hence for my Master’s I enrolled in the 3+2 Thapar-TAU joint venture program. This is a great opportunity provided to us by Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology and Tel Aviv University. The program is amazing as you get to choose from a wide range of disciplines in Life Sciences. By being a part of two very diverse labs I have gained insight into so many different techniques and have become a master of some. Each day you learn something new and nothing is more exciting than expanding your horizons, with the exception of getting a free dessert (the case in our lab every week).
Contact: anshikakatyal14@gmail.com ,
Life in Tel Aviv
Lab members (2020)
Protein production & purification
New Year Celebrations
New Year Celebrations
New Year Celebrations
Bhavya Sharma
Bhavya Sharma
Course: MSc. Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Year of Joining TAU: October 2019
About: I'm currently pursuing my master's under Prof. Yossi Rosenwaks in the department of Physical Electronics and Engineering. At the lab, I study various environmental sensors that are based on nano-channels.
Research Area: My research areas are aligned towards microelectronics and nanotechnology. As sensors have become an important part of modern society. Electrostatically-formed nanowire (EFN) sensors, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based multi-gate sensing technology where the nanowire is electrostatically defined, post-fabrication by appropriate biasing of the junction and the back gates, has proven to be a promising platform for sensitive detection of various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and its suitability for mass production.
My research is based on surface-modified EFN and AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT) for various gas sensing applications and the understanding of underlying sensing mechanisms.
Hobbies: Cooking, Reading Novels.
My Story: Pursuing higher education from International University and living a life abroad was always been my dream. Fortunately, my dream came true. By the end of 3rd year, I got to know about the TAU-TIET joint venture program. The most exciting thing was I can enroll in a Master's program after 3rd year of Bachelor's. I applied to the program and got selected. Now I am learning and experiencing new things not only in my work field but also in life
Contact: Bhavyasharma1770@gmail.com
Office
Gas Sensing
Trip to Mount Hermon
Farwell party of a colleague
Birthday Celebration
Sea of Galilee
Shreya Sachdeva
Shreya Sachdeva
Course: M.Sc. Biotechnology
Year of Joining TAU: October 2020
Academics: I am currently pursuing my Master's in Biotechnology from Tel Aviv University, Israel.
My first lab rotation was in Rubinstein Lab, under Dr. Rotem Rubinstein in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Research Area: My project was focused on protein interactions at cell surface levels that underlie important biological phenomena in the nervous and immune systems. I work on Protocadherins, the cell surface proteins which play an important role in Neuronal self-avoidance for efficient and extensive neural circuit formation.
My Second Lab rotation is in Gazit Lab, under Prof. Ehud Gazit, Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department.
Research Area: My current research involves the work on different virus-like Influenza, HMPV, and Coronavirus and the effect of different chemical compounds on them in Human and Monkey cell lines.
Hobbies: Doodling, Cycling, Cooking
My Story: "Today is an opportunity to get better, do not waste it!"
I have always experimented with my life through my choices, some were in favor some were not! I never stepped back in taking chances, even if I had to stand out of the crowd. Pursuing a Master's from an International University was always my goal, and when this opportunity of Master's came via a collaborative program, my decision to join this program was immediate. The program not only makes me self-reliant but gives me an opportunity to work under at least two different laboratories, which was a golden chance for me. I applied and got selected; though traveling alone in pandemic and quarantine is a big task, but what came after is worth every bit. I just arrived a few months back, i am still learning something new every day, gaining experience, and getting to know this beautiful city and life here.
Contact: +91-9781333440
Lab Work
Gas Sensing
