TEAM · BRAIN TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY · HUJI

A small lab, recruiting actively.

A small lab,
recruiting actively.

We're a young immunology group working on T cell behavior in brain tumors and neuroinflammation. The science is collaborative across the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical Center, and Shaare Zedek Hospital; the day-to-day is focused, ambitious, and direct. New trainees join a lab still being built — with the upside that comes with that.

We’re a young immunology group working on T-cell behavior in brain tumors. The science is collaborative across HUJI and Hadassah; the day-to-day is focused, ambitious, and direct. New trainees join a lab still being built — with the upside that comes with that.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Itay Raphael

Assistant Professor · School of Pharmacy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem · Hadassah–Ein Karem

Itay studies how T cells behave inside brain tumors — what they recognize, what blunts them, and what can be re-primed for therapy. His lab works across pediatric gliomas, adult glioblastoma, and the translational gap between mechanistic immunology and clinical treatment.

Before joining the Hebrew University, Itay trained in T cell immunology at the University of Texas at San Antonio and tumor immunology at the University of Pittsburgh, where he built much of the lab's core toolkit there — TCR and single-cell sequencing, multiplexed cytometry, and preclinical models of brain tumors and neuroinflammation. Opened in Jerusalem in 2026, the lab maintains an explicit translational orientation through tight clinical partnerships with Hadassah Medical Center and Shaare Zedek Hospital.

Before independence at HUJI, Itay trained in tumor immunology at the University of Pittsburgh and built much of the lab’s core toolkit there — TCR repertoire sequencing, multiplexed cytometry, and patient-derived models of CNS tumors. The lab opened in Jerusalem in 2024 with an explicit translational orientation, partnered tightly with the Hadassah–Ein Karem clinical campus.

He works mostly at the bench-and-clinic interface and prefers small, focused trainee groups. Outside the lab, he's reachable on X and LinkedIn; the publication record lives on Scholar and ResearchGate.

He works mostly at the bench-and-clinic interface and prefers small, focused trainee groups. Outside the lab, he’s reachable on X and LinkedIn; the publication record lives on Scholar and ResearchGate.

itay.raphael@mail.huji.ac.il

FIND ITAY

Google Scholar

ResearchGate

The team

PHOTOS ARRIVING

PHOTO TO COME

LAB MANAGER

Becky Raphael

Operations across procurement, regulatory, and day-to-day lab logistics. Keeps the wet lab moving so the science can.

Rebeccara@savion.huji.ac.il

PHOTO TO COME

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Vipin Sharma

Tumor immunology in pediatric glioma—focusing on metabolic reprogramming of the immune niche, mouse models, and translational wet-lab validation of therapies.

asvipinsharma10@gmail.com

PHOTO TO COME

M.SC. STUDENT

Shadan Marie

Target discovery and preclinical assessment of novel immune checkpoints — leading the lab's validation pipeline to overcome tumor evasion.

Splice-junction antigen discovery for next-generation immunotherapy targets — leading the lab’s scRNA-seq antigen-prediction pipeline.

shadan.marie@mail.huji.ac.il

OPEN POSITIONS · NOW HIRING

Join the lab.

We're recruiting graduate students, postdocs, and rotation students who want to work at the intersection of immunology, neuro-oncology, and translational therapy. Send a cover letter, a current CV, and contact information for two or three references.

We’re recruiting graduate students, postdocs, and rotation students who want to work at the intersection of immunology, neuro-oncology, and translational therapy. Send a cover letter, a current CV, and contact information for two or three references.

CONTACT ITAY

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