Ehud Gazit

Ehud Gazit is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Life Sciences. He holds the Chair for Nano-Biology and serves as Vice President for Research and Development at Tel Aviv University. Professor Gazit has held numerous prestigious visiting appointments including at Umeå University, Fudan University, and Cambridge University.

His academic journey began with a B.Sc. (summa cum laude) from Tel Aviv University's Special University Program for Outstanding Students in 1991, followed by a Ph.D. (with distinction) from the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1997, and postdoctoral training at MIT from 1997-2000.

Professor Gazit's research focuses on molecular structure and self-assembly at the nano-scale, particularly examining protein folding, unfolding, and misfolding phenomena. His laboratory investigates the mechanisms and significance of protein unfolding and misfolding, with experimental systems including bacterial toxin-antidote systems, type II diabetes-related amyloidogenic proteins, and the VHL tumor suppressor protein. His work bridges fundamental biochemistry with nanotechnology applications, exploring how molecular self-assembly can be harnessed for technological innovation.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong trajectory in peptide-based nanomaterials, with particular emphasis on amyloid formation mechanisms, peptide self-assembly for functional materials, and therapeutic applications targeting neurodegenerative diseases. His work spans multiple disciplines including biochemistry, nanotechnology, materials science, and biomedical engineering, showing increasing integration of fundamental research with practical applications.

Professor Gazit has received numerous prestigious awards including:

• 2020 Landau Prize in Sciences and Arts in the Field of Healthy Aging
• 2019 Rappaport Prize for Excellence in Biomedical Research
• 2018 Foreign Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India
• 2016 ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council
• 2015 Elected Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

Professor Gazit has been actively involved in mentoring students and researchers, as evidenced by his extensive publication record with numerous collaborators. He has secured significant research funding including an ERC Advanced Grant. His professional activities include editorial board memberships for journals including Journal of Peptide Science, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology - Asia, and Amyloid. He previously served as Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Science and Technology (2012-2014).

His laboratory has developed innovative approaches to studying molecular self-assembly, with particular expertise in peptide nanostructures. The research team has made significant contributions to understanding amyloid formation mechanisms while simultaneously developing novel biomaterials with applications ranging from electronics to medicine. They have established strong collaborations with research groups worldwide, creating a dynamic interdisciplinary research environment focused on the intersection of biology and nanotechnology.