The Federation of the Israel Societies for Experimental Biology (FISEB) announced that Prof. Karen Avraham, Dean of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University (TAU), is the winner of the STAR Award for Scientific Excellence and Leadership. The STAR Award recognizes outstanding scholars in biomedical research and is a testament to their dedication and contribution to advancing the academic community in Israel.
Prof. Avraham is recognized as one of Israel’s top scientists for her research on disease genomics, with an emphasis on hearing disorders. To that effect, her team explores the genes responsible for hereditary hearing loss and implements new gene therapies to reverse deafness. Recently Prof. Avraham has expanded her research to study rare genetic diseases, including developmental delay, epilepsy and breathing disorders in children. She is a member of the Department of Human Molecular Genetics & Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience. Prof. Avraham has received numerous awards for her scientific achievements, including the Sir Bernard Katz Prize from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany and the Michael Bruno Memorial Prize from the Rothschild Foundation (Yad Hanadiv), and was recently awarded the Israel Science Foundation Breakthrough Research Grant.
In addition to her research achievements, Prof. Avraham is the first woman to serve as the Dean of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at TAU. She also served as founder and former director of the Healthy Longevity Research Center, the Aufzien Family Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and the Taube-Koret Global Collaboration in Neurodegenerative Disease. Prof. Avraham is the founder and director of the Biomed@TAU Research Hubs, whose mission is to bring together scientists and foster collaboration from across Tel Aviv University and affiliated hospitals who share overlapping research interests.
The selection committee noted: “Prof. Karen Avraham’s contributions to the field have been truly exceptional and have significantly impacted the advancements of human genetics from basic concepts to innovative therapeutics. Her creative ideas, unwavering commitment and leadership have inspired many and set a benchmark for others.”
Prof. Karen Avraham, Dean of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine: “I am thrilled to receive this honor. There is nothing more significant than getting the recognition of your peers and colleagues. I have had tremendous opportunities to pursue my scientific research, leadership and mentoring in Israel for many years, and I am very grateful for that.”