The Felsenstein Medical Research Center is a multidisciplinary research center operating on the Beilinson Campus of Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. The Center provides a research environment that connects basic science, clinical medicine, and applied innovation, with the aim of advancing a deeper understanding of diseases, developing new diagnostic and therapeutic tools, and translating scientific discoveries into meaningful medical solutions for patients.
The physical and professional proximity to the clinical departments of Rabin Medical Center, Schneider Children's Medical Center, and Geha Mental Health Center enables the Center's researchers to maintain an ongoing dialogue with physicians and clinical teams. This allows research questions to emerge from real medical needs, and laboratory findings to be examined in relevant clinical contexts.
Research That Begins with a Medical Question
At the heart of the Center's activity is translational research: an approach that bridges the understanding of biological and genetic mechanisms of disease with the development of diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic options. Research work integrates — according to the field — cell culture studies, biological models, human-derived samples, clinical data, and advanced analytical methods.
multidisciplinary approach enables diseases to be examined from multiple angles — molecular, cellular, genetic, immunological, and clinical — creating a foundation for more precise and personalized medical solutions.
Diverse Fields of Activity
The Center houses research laboratories working across a broad range of biomedical fields, including:
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Oncology, hematology, and cellular aging — including research on telomeres, telomerase, and exosomes, aimed at understanding cancer processes, mechanisms of treatment resistance, and options for biomarker identification.
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Cardiology and cardiac research — studying metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms related to heart failure, obesity, diabetes, and diabetic cardiomyopathy.
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Immunology, hepatology, and transplantation — investigating immune responses, organ rejection, viruses, NK cells, and exosomes as tools for understanding complex medical conditions.
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Biological and molecular psychiatry — research on biological, genetic, and epigenetic pathways associated with psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and metabolic dementia.
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Pediatric hematology — studying congenital blood disorders, blood cell differentiation mechanisms, rare anemias, and congenital neutropenia.
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Ophthalmology — research on corneal and retinal diseases, glaucoma, ocular inflammation, and neurodegenerative mechanisms, alongside the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.
These fields of activity reflect the Center's ability to advance research at the interface between complex medical questions and cutting-edge scientific technologies.
Research Infrastructure and Advanced Technology
Researchers and students have access to an interdepartmental equipment unit, supporting research in molecular biology, immunology, hematology, cancer research, neurology, and additional fields. The unit provides not only equipment, but also professional expertise, guidance, and support in selecting the appropriate methods for each research project.
The Center's existing infrastructure includes: fluorescence and confocal microscopes, flow cytometry and cell sorting systems, ultracentrifuge, exosome research systems, Real-Time PCR instruments, histological processing equipment, ELISA systems, plate readers, and molecular analysis systems. These facilities enable the execution of complex studies, the integration of diverse research methods, and the ability to address a wide range of biological and clinical questions.
Collaboration and Training the Next Generation
The Felsenstein Center operates within a shared academic and medical environment, promoting collaboration among researchers, physicians, graduate students, and professionals from a variety of disciplines. These collaborations enhance research quality, broaden the ability to examine medical problems from multiple perspectives, and enable the leadership of multidisciplinary projects.
The Center also serves as a training framework for the next generation of researchers and physician-researchers. Students, residents, and young investigators integrate into laboratory work, gain experience with advanced methodologies, and participate in research processes that impact the world of medicine.
Research with Impact
The work at the Felsenstein Center is grounded in the belief that quality medical research must be connected to people, to clinical needs, and to the questions facing the healthcare system today and in the future. Through the combination of scientific knowledge, advanced infrastructure, clinical expertise, and collaboration, the Center works to advance medicine that is more precise, innovative, and humane.
The Felsenstein Medical Research Center continues to develop a research environment in which scientific ideas become discoveries, discoveries become knowledge, and knowledge can become a real improvement in the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of patients.