ELSC congratulates Dr. Thabat Khatib, for winning the Shimon Peres Postdoctoral Award for 2020-21.

Dr. Khatib studied neuroscience at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, studying the potential roles of retinols in Alzheimer’s disease and focusing on Vitamin A and retinoic acid, which are known to be crucial for neuroplasticity.

Dr. Khatib explored the novel role of retinoic acid receptor agonists (RAR and RXR) in their ability to induce neurons to form elongated neuronal processes (axons and dendrites) as a sign of neuronal repair, as well as changes in gene expression indicative of positive changes for amyloid processing, anti-inflammatory action, and neuroprotection.

At ELSC, Dr. Khatib works as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Prof. Eran Meshorer. Dr. Khatib investigates the brain-related phenotypic effects of archaic DNA methylation and splicing patterns in human cells, and the subsequent biological interpretation of these effects in comparing archaic humans (Denisovans and Neanderthals) and modern humans.

The prestigious Shimon Peres Postdoctoral Fellowship at ELSC was established through a gift from Mrs. Lily Safra.