Prof. Shira Knafo

Prof. Shira Knafo Profile

Associate Professor
PhD / MD date: PhD: 2004, MD: 2005

Department : Physiology and Cell Biology
Medical School for International Health
Room : 229
בניין המכון הלאומי לביוטכנולוגיה בנגב, ע"ש אדגר דה-פיצ'וטו - 41
Phone : 972-74-7728847
972-74-7728876
972-74-7728848
Email : shirak@post.bgu.ac.il
Office Hours :  

Education

MD-PHD, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 2005

Research Topics

  • The molecular basis of cognitive function
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cognitive enhancenment
  • Drug development

Major expertise and techniques in the lab

  • Animal behavior
  • Molecular biology
  • Electrophysiology

Publications and funding summary / representative publications and grants

  • I.M. De la Fuente, C.Bringas, I. Malaina, M. Fedetz, J. Carrasco-Pujante, M. Morales, S. Knafo, L. Mart?nez, A. P?rez-Samart?n, J.I. L?pez, G. P?rez-Yarza, & M.D. Boyano. Evidence of conditioned behavior in Amoeba proteus. Nature Communications. In Press
  • C. S?nchez-Puelles, M. Calleja-Felipe, A. Ouro, G. Bougamra, A. Arroyo, I. Diez, A. Erramuzpe, J. Cort?s, J. Mart?nez-Hern?ndez, R. Luj?n, M. Navarrete, C. Venero, A. Chan, M. Morales, J.A. Esteban and S. Knafo¥. PTEN activity defines an axis for plasticity at cortico-amygdala synapses and influences social behavior. Cerebral Cortex, 2019 Jun 26. pii: bhz103. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhz103.
  • T. Lissek, M. Adams, J. Adelman, E. Ahissar …S. Knafo, M.T. Hasan (partial list), Building bridges through science. 2017, NeuroViews (opinion article), Neuron, Nov 15;96(4):730-735. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.09.028
  • Knafo, S. and J. A. Esteban, PTEN: local and global modulation of neuronal function in health and disease (review). Trends in Neuroscience. 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2016.11.008.
  • Knafo, S., C. S?nchez-Puelles, E. Palomer, I. Delgado, J. E. Draffin, M. Mingo, T. Wahle, K. Kaleka, I. Pereda-Per?z, E. Klosi, E. B. Faber, L. Lozano-Montes, A. Ortega-Molina, F. Wandosell, J. Vi?a, C. G. Dotti, R. Pulido, N. Z. Gerges, A. M. Chan, M. R. Spaller, M. Serrano, C. Venero and J. A. Esteban. PTEN Recruitment Controls Synaptic and Cognitive Function in Alzheimer’s Models. Nature Neuroscience, 19(3): 443-453, 2016.
  • Knafo, S., C. Venero, C. Sanchez-Puelles, I. Pereda-Perez, A. Franco, C. Sandi, L. M. Suarez, J. M. Solis, L. AlonsoNanclares, E. D. Martin, P. Merino-Serrais, E. Borcel, S. Li, Y. Chen, J. Gonzalez-Soriano, V. Berezin, E. Bock, Defelipe J. and Esteban J. A.. Facilitation of AMPA receptor synaptic delivery as a molecular mechanism for cognitive enhancement. PLoS Biology, 2012. 10(2): p. e1001262. p. 01-17. IF, 12.69

Existing collaborations

  • Yossef Buganim, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Andrew Chan, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Suggested multi-disciplinary research project / research focus topics

  • Drug development
  • Animal behavior

Looking for expertise / project

  • Bioinformatics
  • Clinicians