Bar-Ilan University

19/05/2026

The most prestigious award presented by Israel’s high-tech industry, the Global Industry Leader Award, was awarded to Prof. Alex Fish of the Faculty of Engineering 🥇

The award, presented annually at the ChipEx2026 Executive Forum, is given to exceptional individuals whose vision and leadership have reshaped the semiconductor industry and who serve as a source of inspiration for generations of engineers 👏

According to the judging committee, the award was presented to Prof. Fish “in recognition of his significant contribution to the semiconductor industry, reflected in his groundbreaking research in energy-efficient memory technologies, biomedical circuits, and Cryogenic CMOS technology; for founding and leading the EnICS Labs Institute at Bar-Ilan University as a national hub for hardware innovation; and for his excellence in educating generations of students in the field of VLSI at Bar-Ilan University.”

It was also noted during the award ceremony that Prof. Fish has helped turn advanced technology into real-world impact by co-founding RAAAM Memory Technologies and introducing breakthrough solutions for the world’s smallest high-density embedded memory.

Prof. Fish expressed his gratitude to Bar-Ilan University’s leadership, to Prof. Zeev Zalevsky, Vice President for Academia-Industry Relations, to Prof. Orit Shefi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and to the Israel Innovation Authority for its long-standing support of the EnICS Labs Institute. He also thanked his partners at the institute, as well as the students, “for their professionalism, initiative, innovation, determination, creativity, and attention to detail.” Prof. Fish emphasized that “the fact that the high-tech industry recognizes the value of Bar-Ilan University, and of EnICS Labs in particular, in developing talent is a major achievement.”

27/04/2026

We are thrilled to congratulate Prof. Shulamit Michaeli on receiving the Israel Prize, the highest and most prestigious honor awarded by the State of Israel.

Prof. Michaeli, a world-renowned researcher and former Vice President for Research at Bar-Ilan University, has dedicated her life to unlocking the secrets of the remarkable RNA molecule. Her groundbreaking research on gene silencing mechanisms and the fight against infectious diseases has not only advanced global science, but also laid the foundation for innovative, life-saving medical treatments.

Beyond her extraordinary scientific achievements, Prof. Michaeli is a role model for generations of young researchers. She embodies uncompromising academic excellence together with a genuine passion for making the world a better and healthier place 👏

20/04/2026

Bar-Ilan University today awarded an honorary doctorate to President of Argentina Javier Milei, in recognition of his long-standing partnership with the State of Israel and his public international fight against antisemitism.

The ceremony was held in the presence of the University President, Prof. Arie Zaban, BIU CEO Zohar Yinon, Rector amnon albeck, VP Rivka Tuval-Mashiach. The degree was awarded, among other reasons, in recognition of President Milei’s diplomatic support for the State of Israel, and especially for his firm stance in the international effort to secure the return of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Throughout his presidency, President Milei has expressed clear solidarity with Israel and its citizens, and has worked to strengthen ties between the two nations on the diplomatic and international stage.

Released hostages and members of their families from the Argentine-Israeli community, who were abducted to Gaza on October 7, and later freed from Hamas captivity, were invited as guests of honor of the University and the President of Argentina. Present at the ceremony were: Yair Horn, David Cunio, Sharon Cunio, Luis Har, Clara Marman, Dalia Kushnir, Silvia Cunio, Luis Cunio, and Yaakov Israel.

12/03/2026

Across Israel, students are studying while navigating uncertainty, fear, and disruption. Universities are not only places of learning in moments like these. They become anchors of stability, support, and community.

Today we’re opening a conversation about how Bar-Ilan University is responding to this reality and how academic institutions can support the emotional and psychological well-being of students during prolonged national crises.

Join us for a conversation about resilience, trauma support, and how universities can help students move forward even in the most challenging times.

You’ll hear directly from the people leading these efforts at Bar-Ilan:
Prof. Rivka Tuval-Mashiach, Vice President for International Affairs and community, Prof. Noa Vilchinsky, PhD, Dean of the Division for Designated Programs and Head of the Resiliency Center Steering Committee, Dr. Yael Shoval Zuckerman, Head of the BSW Program, Weisfeld School of Social Work, Prof. Danny Horesh, Head of the Trauma and Stress Research Lab, Department of Psychology and Co-Director of BIU’s new Interdisciplinary Trauma Research Center.

When? Today at 6:00 PM Israel time.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/57rryxbz

22/02/2026

Bar-Ilan University is establishing a Trauma Research Center for interdisciplinary study of the impact of the October 7 attacks and the “Iron Swords” war. The research will examine the effects of the war on diverse populations, including hostages and survivors of captivity, soldiers, evacuees from southern and northern Israel, and frontline professionals such as medical teams, emergency responders, and journalists.

The findings are expected to play a significant role in Israel’s healthcare, education, and welfare systems, and more broadly in the country’s rehabilitation efforts in the day after the war.

The center, the first of its kind in Israel, will be led by three leading researchers in the field: Prof. Rivka Tuval-Mashiach and Prof. Danny Horesh from the Department of Psychology, and Dr. Yael Shoval-Zuckerman from the School of Social Work. The research will also involve leading trauma researchers from around the world, alongside representatives of hostages, soldiers, and their families.

Read more in the article pinned below 👇

15/02/2026

There’s no day more exciting on campus than Open Day, and at Bar-Ilan, our open days outdo themselves every single time!

It’s a pure joy to see thousands of young Israelis weighing their next steps and making the decisions that will shape their future future 🥰

Thank you for coming, and we can’t wait to see you again 🥇🚀

12/02/2026

Jellyfish and sea anemones may seem simple, but their sleep looks surprisingly similar to our own. A study Led by BIU's Prof. Lior Appelbaum and Prof. Oren Levy, recently published on Nature Communications, finds that these ancient animals follow daily sleep cycles, snooze for about a third of the day, and even ‘make up’ for lost sleep. Just like humans.

The researchers tracked sleep in jellyfish and sea anemones in the lab and in the wild. They found that sleep was regulated by light, circadian rhythms and the body’s internal sleep drive. When these animals were kept awake, their neurons showed increased DNA damage, and sleeping helped repair it.

The findings suggest that sleep may have evolved very early in animal history as a way to protect cells from the stress of being awake. Cnidarians (among the oldest animal groups with neurons) could offer new clues to how and why sleep first emerged.

Springer Nature

Jellyfish and sea anemones may seem simple, but their sleep looks surprisingly similar to our own. A study in Nature Communications finds that these ancient ...

11/02/2026

Bar-Ilan University is proud to launch a new Excellence Program for Olympic Athletes, a strategic initiative developed in partnership with the Olympic Committee to enable elite athletes to pursue full academic degrees alongside international competition.

The program provides tuition support, personalized academic mentorship, and flexible academic frameworks tailored to the realities of world-class sport.

The first athlete selected for the pilot is world champion and Olympic windsurfer Shahar Tibi, who has begun her undergraduate studies in the Faculty of Engineering.

At Bar-Ilan, excellence is not limited to one arena. We are committed to empowering Israel’s leading athletes to build strong academic and professional futures, while continuing to represent the nation at the highest level 🤩

29/01/2026

Prof. Rachela Popovtzer from the Faculty of Engineering Bar-Ilan University has been awarded the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept grant by the European Research Council for the third time in her career.

The grant will support the development of GOLDEN-RT, an advanced nanotechnology-based platform designed to enable highly precise systemic radiotherapy for cancer tumors and microscopic metastases, while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.

“This is a critical stage where science moves beyond the lab and begins to directly impact patients’ lives,” says Prof. Popovtzer. “GOLDEN-RT is designed to improve the precision of radiotherapy, increase its effectiveness, and make the next generation of targeted, safer oncology treatments more accessible.”
This achievement builds on two previous ERC-funded projects: In 2024, a Proof of Concept grant for GOLDEN-ADC, improving the precision of drug delivery to tumors, and in 2022, a Consolidator Grant for BrainCRISPR, a gold-based nano-system for delivering CRISPR molecules to the brain to treat rare genetic neurological diseases

Consistent excellence. Breakthrough science. Research with real-world impact 👏

27/01/2026

Proud moment for Bar-Ilan University and for Israeli science 🥇 👏

Israel’s Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch, announced that Prof. Shulamit Michaeli is the recipient of the Israel Prize in Life Sciences Research for 2025–2026.

Prof. Michaeli is a global pioneer in RNA research, whose groundbreaking work on parasites causing infectious diseases, including leishmaniasis, has reshaped scientific understanding and laid the foundation for new medical treatments.

“Shulamit is a groundbreaking scientist who has influenced generations of researchers,” said Prof. Arie Zaban, President of Bar-Ilan University.

“Her research did not remain confined to the laboratory. It forms the basis for the development of innovative medical treatments for infectious and parasitic diseases, such as leishmaniasis, which threaten millions of people worldwide.”

The Israel Prize is the State of Israel’s highest and most prestigious honor.

Read more about Prof. Michaeli’s remarkable journey and scientific impact in the full article linked in the first comment below 👇

22/01/2026

Viruses don’t just turn genes on and off. They decide when to stay silent and when to wake up 👇

In a new research published in Nature Communications, BIU researchers Nilabja Roy Chowdhury, Deepanway Ghosal, and Vyacheslav Gurevich, led by Meir Shamay trained a natural language processing model to read viral DNA like a language.

With just six known examples, the AI uncovered enhancer maps across multiple human herpesviruses and even detected similar control patterns in human DNA.

This work sheds new light on how viruses hide, persist, and reactivate, and shows how AI can reveal biological control systems that were previously invisible.

Read the full story linked in the comment below.