Affiliation
the Goldyne Savad Institute for Gene Therapy, and at the MRI/MRS lab., HBRC, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem
Education
1989-1992: B.Sc. in chemistry, Tel-Aviv University (with distinction).
1992-1993: One year of Master Degree in Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science.
1994-1998: Ph.D., Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science. Topic: Angiogenic processes: magnetic resonance microimaging studies.
Awards
2003-2004: Complexity Science Fellowship Award
2003-2004: Philip Morris Fellowship Award
1999: Travel award to ISMRM, Philadelphia.
1998: Best Poster Award, Workshop on MR in Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
1998: Best Poster Award, 8th Annual Meeting of the European Tissue Repair Society. Copenhagen, Denmark.
1997: Travel Award to ISMRM, Vancouver.
1996-1998: Clore Scholars Award.
1996: Travel Award to ISMRM, New-York.
1991: Dean Excellency.
1990: Dean Excellency Award.
1989:Rector Excellency award.
Research interests
New noninvasive technique for quantitative assessment of tumor angiogenesis; development of MRI methods for evaluating VEGF-mediated pro-angiogenic therapy; assessment of anti-angiogenic therapy using MRI; analysis of the angiogenic potential of heparanase; angiogenic process in partial hepatectomy.
Selected recent publications
Freiman M, Edrei Y, Sela Y, Shmidmayer Y, Gross E, Joskowicz L, Abramovitch R. Classification of suspected liver metastases using fMRI images: a machine learning approach. 2008. Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv Int Conf Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv 11:93-100.
Meyuhas R, Pikarsky E, Tavor E, Klar A, Abramovitch R, Hochman J, Lago TG, Honigman A. 2008. A Key role for cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein in hypoxia-mediated activation of the angiogenesis factor CCN1 (CYR61) in Tumor cells. Mol Cancer Res 6(9):1397-409.
Freiman M, Edrei Y, Sela Y, Shmidmayer Y, Gross E, Joskowicz L, Abramovitch R. 2008. Classification of suspected liver metastases using fMRI images: a machine learning approach. Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv Int Conf Med Image Comput Comput Assist Interv.;11(Pt 1):93-100.
Matot I, Cohen K, Pappo O, Barash H, Abramovitch R. 2008. Liver response to hemorrhagic shock and subsequent resuscitation: MRI analysis. Shock 29(1):16-24.
Barash H, Gross E, Matot I, Edrei Y, Tsarfaty G, Spira G, Vlodavsky I, Galun E, Abramovitch R. 2007. Functional MR imaging during hypercapnia and hyperoxia: noninvasive tool for monitoring changes in liver perfusion and hemodynamics in a rat model. Radiology 243(3):727-35.
Ben Moshe T, Barash H, Kang TB, Kim JC, Kovalenko A, Gross E, Schuchmann M, Abramovitch R, Galun E, Wallach D. 2007. Role of caspase-8 in hepatocyte response to infection and injury in mice. Hepatology 45(4):1014-24.
Gafni Y, Zilberman Y, Ophir Z, Abramovitch R, Jaffe M, Gazit Z, Domb A, Gazit D, 2006. Design of a Filamentous Polymeric Scaffold for in vivo Guided Angiogenesis. Tissue Eng 11:3021-34.
Grunewald M, Avraham I, Dor Y, Bachar-Lustig E, Itin A, Yung S, Chimenti S, Landsman L, Abramovitch R, Keshet E. 2006. VEGF-induced adult neovascularization: recruitment, retention, and role of accessory cells. Cell 124(1):175-89.
Cohen I, Pappo O, Elkin M, San T, Bar-Shavit R, Hazan R, Peretz T, Vlodavsky I, Abramovitch R. 2006. Heparanase promotes growth, angiogenesis and survival of primary breast tumors. Int J Cancer 118(7):1609-17.
Zcharia E, Zilka R, Yaar A, Yacoby-Zeevi O, Zetser A, Metzger S, Sarid R, Naggi A, Casu B, Ilan N, Vlodavsky I, Abramovitch R. 2005. Heparanase accelerates wound angiogenesis and wound healing in mouse and rat models. FASEB J 19(2):211-21.
Darash-Yahana M, Pikarsky E, Abramovitch R, Karplus R, Kasem S, Pal B, Zeira E, Galun E, Peled A. 2004. Role of high expression levels of CXCR4 in tumor growth, vascularization and metastasis. FASEB J 18:1240-2.
Abramovitch R, Itzik A, Harel H, Nagler A, Vlodavsky I, Siegal T. 2004. Halofuginone inhibits angiogenesis and growth in implanted metastatic rat brain tumor model--an MRI study. Neoplasia 6:480-89.
Abramovitch R, Tavor E, Jacob-Hirsch J, Zeira E, Amariglio N, Pappo O, Rechavi G, Galun E, Honigman A. 2004. A pivotal role of cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein in tumor progression. Cancer Res 64(4): 1338-1346.
Pikarsky E, Porat RM, Stein I, Abramovitch R, Amit S, Kasem S, Gutkovich-Pyest E, Urieli-Shoval S, Galun E, Ben-Neriah Y. 2004. NF-kappaB functions as a tumour promoter in inflammation-associated cancer. Nature 43:461-66.
Shabat S, Nyska A, Long PH, Goelman G, Abramovitch R, Ezov N, Levin-Harrus T, Peddada S, Redlich M, Yedgar S, Nyska M. 2004. Osteonecrosis in a Chemically Induced Rat Model of Human Hemolytic Disorders Associated with Thrombosis - A New Model for avascular Necrosis of Bone. Calcif Tissue Int 74(3):220-228.
Dor Y., Djonov V., Abramovitch R, Itin A, Fishman G.I., Carmeliet P, Goelman G, Keshet E. 2002. Conditional organ-specific switching of VEGF expression: re-evaluating the feasibility of pro-angiogenic therapy. EMBO J 21(8):1939-1947.
Goldshmidt O, Zcharia E, Abramovitch R, Metzger S, Guatta-Rangini Z, Aingorn H, Friedmann Y, Mitrani E, Vlodavsky I. 2002. Cell surface expression and secretion of heparanase markedly promote tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99(15):10031-10036.
Research group
Harel, Hila, Ph.D. student – Phone 677-7770/7918
Edrei, Yifat, M.Sc. student
Collaborators
Prof. Eithan Galun, Hadassah University Hospital
Dr. Idit Matot, Hadassah University Hospital
Dr. Eitan Gross, Hadassah University Hospital
Prof. Israel Vlodavsky, Hadassah University Hospital
Prof. Eli Keshet, Hebrew University
Prof. Tali Siegal, Hadassah University Hospital
Prof. Shmuel Ben-Sasson, Hebrew University
Prof. Alik Honigman, Hebrew University
RESEARCH SUMMARY
Analysis of vascular remodeling in vivo is a major challenge both for the study of the regulatory mechanisms of its initiation and inhibition, and for the clinical evaluation of pathological processes. In vivo assays for the study of angiogenesis are essential for the study of cancer, wound healing and reproduction. Angiogenesis is being assessed today by immunohistological staining of biopsy specimens, an invasive procedure that gives only local information. Application of MRI as a noninvasive detection tool can provide a full 3-dimensional information about vessel density, functionality and maturation. Most of the previous approaches for the study of angiogenesis by MRI relied on the use of exogenous contrast agents. In our work, vascular development is followed by gradient echo (GE) MRI using the intrinsic (BOLD) contrast). Our research projects are the following:
• Applying a new noninvasive technique for quantitative assessment of tumor angiogenesis to the clinic
• Development of MRI methods for evaluating the feasibility of VEGF-mediated pro-angiogenic therapy
• Assessment of anti-angiogenic therapies in cancer models using MRI
• Analysis of the angiogenic potential of heparanase
• Perfusion and hemodynamic changes in partial hepatectomy and cirrhosis