Dr. Ofer Yizhar Department of Neurobiology Dr. Ofer Yizhar was awarded a BSc in biology with distinction at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2001 and a PhD in neurobiology with distinction at Tel Aviv University in 2008. He did his postdoctoral research at Stanford University in California from 2008 to 2011. In 2011, he joined the Weizmann Institute of Science. Dr. Yizhar focuses his investigations on unraveling the mysteries of the prefrontal cortex. Prefrontal cortical regions contribute to many higher brain functions, including language, working memory, emotional regulation, and goal-directed behavior. This is also one of the regions most strongly implicated in several types of psychiatric diseases. To investigate the physiology of neural circuits, his lab develops and uses a technical approach called optognetics, which gives scientists new tools for directly investigating neuron functions. He played a pivotal role in the development of many of the optogenetic tools being used today worldwide in brain research. Through the use of light-activated ion channels, pumps and receptors, optogenetics allows temporally and spatially precise control over the activity of defined circuit elements. By perturbing the physiology of a circuit, Dr. Yizhar can learn about its function and establish causal links between patterns of circuit activity and animal behavior. Dr. Yizhar uses this method to test hypotheses regarding the neural circuit dysfunction associated with autism and schizophrenia. His research has vast implications for the study and treatment of brain-related disease including schizophrenia, mood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and autism. Dr. Yizhar’s academic and professional awards include the 2004 Wolff Foundation Prize for Excellent Graduate Students, the 2005 Jorge Deutsch Prize for Research in Bio-Medicine, long-term postdoctoral fellowships from the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), the Human Frontiers in Science Program (HFSPO), the 2011 Sieratzki Prize for Neuroscience Research and a Career Development Award from the HFSPO.
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Dr. Ofer Yizhar Department of Neurobiology · Dr. Ofer Yizhar Department of Neurobiology Dr. Ofer Yizhar was awarded a BSc in biology with distinction at the Hebrew University of
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Dr.OferYizhar
DepartmentofNeurobiologyDr.Ofer Yizharwas awardedaBSc inbiologywithdistinctionatthe Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2001 and a PhD inneurobiology with distinction at Tel Aviv University in 2008. Hedidhis postdoctoral research at StanfordUniversity in Californiafrom2008to2011.In2011,hejoinedtheWeizmannInstituteofScience.Dr. Yizhar focuseshis investigationsonunraveling themysteries of theprefrontal cortex.Prefrontal cortical regions contribute tomany higher brain functions, including language,workingmemory,emotionalregulation,andgoal-directedbehavior.Thisisalsooneoftheregionsmoststronglyimplicatedinseveraltypesofpsychiatricdiseases.To investigate the physiology of neural circuits, his lab develops and uses a technicalapproach called optognetics, which gives scientists new tools for directly investigatingneuronfunctions.Heplayedapivotalroleinthedevelopmentofmanyoftheoptogenetictoolsbeingusedtodayworldwideinbrainresearch.Throughtheuseoflight-activatedionchannels, pumps and receptors, optogenetics allows temporally and spatially precisecontrol over the activity of defined circuit elements. By perturbing the physiology of acircuit,Dr.Yizharcanlearnaboutitsfunctionandestablishcausallinksbetweenpatternsofcircuit activity and animal behavior. Dr. Yizhar uses this method to test hypothesesregarding the neural circuit dysfunction associated with autism and schizophrenia. Hisresearch has vast implications for the study and treatment of brain-related diseaseincludingschizophrenia,mooddisorders,neurodegenerativediseases,epilepsy,andautism.Dr.Yizhar’sacademicandprofessionalawardsincludethe2004WolffFoundationPrizeforExcellent Graduate Students, the 2005 JorgeDeutsch Prize for Research in Bio-Medicine,long-term postdoctoral fellowships from the European Molecular Biology Organization(EMBO), the Human Frontiers in Science Program (HFSPO), the 2011 Sieratzki Prize forNeuroscienceResearchandaCareerDevelopmentAwardfromtheHFSPO.
Curriculum Vitae, Ofer Yizhar, Ph.D.
Weizmann Institute of Science
Department of Neurobiology
Rehovot, 76100 Israel
Education
Postdoctoral research scholar, Stanford University
February 2008 – September 2011
Advisor: Prof. Karl Deisseroth, M.D. Ph.D.
Graduate studies – Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University
Awarded Ph. D. with distinction, April 2008; Advisor: Dr. Uri Ashery
Thesis title: “Elucidating the role of Tomosyn in neurotransmitter release”.
B. Sc., Hebrew University of Jerusalem
B. Sc. with distinction, September 2001 Life Science Honors Program (“Etgar”)
Employment history
Senior Scientist, Weizmann Institute of Science
October 2011 – Present
Department of Neurobiology
Honors and Awards
2012 Awarded the ‘Alon Fellowship’ for returning scientists, granted by the Israeli Council for Higher Education
2012 Incumbent of the Gertrude and Philip Nollman Career Development Chair, Weizmann Institute
2011 Recipient of the Sieratzki Prize for Advances in Neuroscience
2008 Long term postdoctoral fellowship, Human Frontiers in Science Program (HFSP)
2007 Long term postdoctoral fellowship, the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
2006 Teaching Award for Graduate Students, Life Science Faculty, Tel Aviv University
2005 Jorge Deutsch Prize for Research in Bio-Medicine
2004 Wolff Foundation Prize for Excellent Graduate Students
2002 Dean’s scholarship for PhD studies, Tel Aviv University
2000 Winokur scholarship for undergraduate research in genetics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Teaching
2013-2015 Weizmann Institute of Science – Methods in Neuroscience
2013-2015 Weizmann Institute of Science – Neurogenetics
2013-2015 Weizmann Institute of Science – Introduction to neuroscience
Invited talks
Sept. 2009 Invited speaker, “Optogenetics – tools and development”, in DISC1 and Schizophrenia meeting,
CA, USA.
May 2010 Invited speaker, “Optogenetic modulation of cortical microcircuits”, in “Channelrhodopsin and