Israel Sekler

Israel Sekler is a Full Professor in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Faculty of Health Sciences since 2011. He served as Chairman of the department from 2011-2015 and has been continuously tenured since 2004.

• Education:
• BSc in Animal Physiology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1984)
• MSc in Chemical Immunology, Weizmann Institute (1986)
• PhD in Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute (1992)
• Postdoctoral training in Physiology, Stanford University (1996)

His research focuses on mitochondrial ion homeostasis, particularly the molecular identification and physiological role of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCLX. He pioneered optometabolic control techniques using light-activated mitochondrial proton channels with support from prestigious grants including the DIP grant for functional links between mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling, gene regulation, and brain metabolism (2014-2019).

Scientific leadership includes:

• President of the Israeli Society for Physiology and Pharmacology (2014-2018)

Major research contributions include:

• Identification of NCLX as the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger
• Demonstration of NCLX's critical role in astrocyte Ca2+ signaling, insulin secretion, and pain sensation
• Discovery of PKA-mediated phosphorylation regulation of NCLX
• Establishing NCLX's role in mitochondrial redox state and store-operated Ca2+ channel regulation

Research grants include:

• ISF-China (2014-2017): ASIC1a-NCLX signaling in ischemia
• DIP (2014-2019): Optometabolic brain metabolism analysis
• ISF (2017-2021): NCLX regulation studies