There are two major goals of the Molecular Neuroscience laboratory:

1.) To determine molecular mechanisms that are involved in the development and etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders
2.) To understand the roles of epigenetics in molecular processes in the brain.

These goals are being pursued using multiple tools and techniques, including postmortem studies and the behavioral and molecular analysis of multiple autism mouse models.

In an exciting new project, we are establishing a national autism patient registry, whose goal is to improve Israeli autism research through a registry which will gather information about the epidemiology of autism in Israel and the establishment of a tissue bank for autism research.

Molecular Neurobiology and Behavioral Laboratory

 Along with the increase in life expectancy in the world population, there is also an increased prevalence of neurobiological diseases, such as Alzheimer's, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. These diseases are caused by a combination of a person's genetic makeup and emotional trauma that he experienced in his life.  These two factors cause changes in different regions in the human brain. Recent studies show that trauma or other events of one's life can change the genetic composition through chemical modifications.

Our study focuses on both the search for changes in a person's genetic makeup after trauma, and the role of these changes in the development of brain diseases. The study deals with brain diseases in an innovative way to use live human tissue models while trying to uncover molecular mechanisms Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. We also use molecular techniques and modern behavioral study of these diseases.