I am an Associate Professor at Bar-Ilan University, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Computer Science and the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences.

I also serve as a core member of the Data Science and AI Institute. My research lies at the intersection of computer science and biology, with a focus on developing advanced computational models to solve fundamental biological challenges.

My lab specializes in Deep Learning in Computational Biology. We leverage state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to decode the complex language of life encoded in DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Our primary areas of expertise include:

• Protein-DNA/RNA Interactions: Modeling the binding affinity and specificity of proteins to nucleic acids, which is critical for understanding gene expression regulation.
• Genome Editing (CRISPR/Cas9): Developing predictive models (such as DeepCRISTL) to improve the efficiency and specificity of on-target and off-target CRISPR editing.
• Sequence Design & Data Structures: Crafting efficient algorithms and data structures to analyze high-throughput sequencing data and design novel biological sequences. Gene Regulation: Utilizing deep neural networks to decipher transcription factors and regulatory elements, particularly in the context of cellular differentiation and disease.

Before joining Bar-Ilan, I was a Senior Lecturer at Ben-Gurion University and a Postdoctoral Researcher at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), working in Prof. Bonnie Berger’s group.

I earned my PhD in Computer Science from Tel Aviv University under the mentorship of Prof. Ron Shamir, where I focused on algorithms in computational genomics.

The Orenstein Lab thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging the gap between theoretical computer science and experimental biology. We are committed to developing open-source tools that empower the global research community to process vast amounts of genomic data and extract actionable biological insights.