Michal Breker-Dekel

Dr. Michal Breker-Dekel is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Breker Lab at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on systems genetics of green microalgae, particularly Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to understand chloroplast biogenesis and protein quality control under stress conditions. She develops innovative genetic and imaging tools to study these processes, with translational applications in agritech and foodtech to engineer climate-resilient crops and protein production platforms.

Key achievements include securing an ERC Starting Grant (2023) for mapping chloroplast protein import systems. Her lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining fundamental cell biology with industry collaboration. Current lab members include PhD candidate Elad Meilin (co-PI: Silvia Ramundo) and M.Sc. student Shai Gelbart, alongside B.Sc. researchers exploring diverse projects like septin protein roles and microbiota interactions.

Dr. Breker-Dekel's career spans postdoctoral research at the Rockefeller University (Simons Foundation Award) and academic training at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She actively mentors students and fosters collaborations across academia and industry to advance sustainable agricultural solutions.