About Us
Microbial Communication, Enzyme Evolution, and Engineering lab at the Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, is dedicated to advancing the understanding of microbial communication and developing enzyme-based solutions for various applications in oral health and beyond.
Dr. Livnat Afriat-Jurnou
Principal Invastigator
Dr. Livnat Afriat-Jurnou holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biology from Tel Aviv University. She completed both M.Sc. and Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular evolution under the mentorship of Prof. Dan Tawfik in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. She joined the laboratory of Prof. Colin Jackson at the Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University for a postdoctoral research fellowship. She then joined Migal Research Institute in Upper Galilee and became a group leader, along with Senior Lecturer affiliation at Tel Hai College. In October 2024 she joined the Department of Oral Biology at The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, as a Senior Lecturer.
Dr. Afriat-Jurnou is an elected board member of The Israel Society for Microbiology.
Dr. Korina Goldin Azulay
Korina holds an MSc degree from Tel Aviv University in Molecular biology and PhD from the Weizmann institute in Biochemistry and cell biology. Korina contributes to the lab's efforts towards the development of plastic-degrading enzymes.
Dor Ben Tovim
MSc Researcher
Dor Graduated with his BSc and MSc in Biochemistry from Tel Hai College. Dor's studies involve investigating novel strategies for disrupting harmful microbial communication and exploring fungal enzyme role in secondary metabolites transformation.
Olena Trofimyuk
Olena holds an MSc in biochemistry. Proficiency in molecular biology, classic microbiological techniques, protein expression and purification, and protein characterization methods.
Shaked Yakov
Master Student (with Tel Hai College). Shaked studies the evolution of plastic degrading capabilities in marine enzymes.
Former lab members From MIGAL and Tel Hai College:
Dr. Anumeha Saha
Dr. Ofir Gershoni
Dr. Rupak Kumar
Shlomit Dor
Ariel Tenenboim
Bar Mahaler (In collaboration with Dr. Mery Dafny Yelin)
Rami Harmati
Sapir Yaar-bar
Keren Nudel
David Gurevich
Guy Or
Yoav Niv
Shira Lendman
Kseniya Semenov
Mayan Erov
Maria Vetcos
Explore Our Lab
Take a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art research facilities
