Peleg Hasson Editor

Prof. Peleg Hasson works in the Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology and heads the Tissue Development laboratory at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. His research looks at the crosstalk between the cell and the extracellular matrix. Focusing on this interplay in skeletal muscle development, he has recently ventured into studying these interactions in other types of muscles, namely the heart and smooth muscle cells. Using novel transgenic lines enabling the modulation of members of the Lysyl oxidase family, he has demonstrated the autonomous roles these secreted enzymes play. Taking advantage of the studies learnt from basic research, his work now also focuses on identifying novel routes to inhibit fibrosis.

Prof. Irit Sagi works in the Department of Immunology & Regenerative Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science.She is developing and applying unique, multidisciplinary and biophysical approaches to investigate tissue and extracellular remodeling molecular processes. She pioneered innovative methodologies that significantly advanced the understanding of ECM remodeling mediated by key enzymes, like matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs), and lysyl oxidases (LOXs). Her research on MMPs has overcome the longstanding challenge of designing highly selective inhibitors, which has revolutionized the ability to modulate MMPs/ADAMs activity in vivo with unprecedented precision. In recent years, she has utilized these biological inhibitors in conjunction with advanced OMICs technologies, including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, to map the cellular and molecular pathways involved in ECM remodeling. These integrative approaches allow to explore ECM enzyme remodeling processes at both the single-cell and tissue levels and provide a holistic view of how ECM dynamics influences cellular behavior and tissue architecture.