Alexander Levitzki

Professor Alexander Levitzki serves as a Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Biological Chemistry, since 1976. His research focuses on enzymology, receptor signaling, and rational drug design for cancer treatment. He has held visiting positions at UCSF, Stanford, NIH, and Berkeley, and previously served as Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Hebrew University.

Education:

• M.Sc. (1963) and Ph.D. (1968) in Biochemistry from Hebrew University and Weizmann Institute

Research Interests span three decades: (1) Enzyme dynamics (e.g., glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase cooperativity), (2) Receptor signaling (beta-adrenergic and EGF receptor mechanisms), and (3) Targeted cancer therapeutics through tyrosine kinase inhibitors. His work bridges fundamental enzymology with translational oncology applications.

Scientific Awards include:

• 2005 Wolf Prize for Medicine
• 1990 Israel Prize in Biochemistry
• 1993 Paul Ehrlich Lifetime Achievement Award
• Multiple international prizes (Brussels Bronze Medal, FEBS Lectureship, Nauta Award)

Leadership Roles encompass:

• Chairman of the Israel Academy of Sciences' Natural Sciences Division
• Director of Hebrew University's Institute for Advanced Studies
• Founder of biotech startups including Algen Biopharmaceuticals and NovoTyr
• Editorial board member of journals like Science and Journal of Biological Chemistry