As a child, Dr. Avihu Yona loved computers and programming. During his undergraduate studies in biophysics, he realized that DNA was, essentially, just another program, running on a live organism. He continued to graduate work in system biology, focusing his work on evolution in bacteria and yeast.
Bacteria split every half hour, making it easy to track generations over the course of a single day. Dr. Yona has shown that microorganisms do not rely on random mutations alone, but rather have mechanisms that enable them to quickly find beneficial mutations in response to environmental challenges.
During his postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Yona starved specific bacteria until some were able to metabolize oxalate, a natural compound that forms kidney stones. This led to exploring ways to utilize these bacteria as a therapeutic probiotic, breaking down oxalate before stones form. “Selective breeding isn’t anything new,” Dr. Yona explains. “In the past it was done in the field. Today it’s done in the lab.”
Today he continues playing evolutionary tricks in his lab in Rehovot, working in the field of alternative proteins. For centuries, humans have used specific bacteria to ferment cow milk, resulting in cheeses and yogurt. Yet plant-based “dairy” products are lacking because their carbohydrates, which differ from those found in animal milk, cannot be fermented by the traditional microbes. Dr. Yona has achieved proof of concept, developing bacteria that can ferment oat milk into top-notch yogurt.
Looking ahead, Dr. Yona is also interested in exploring lactose intolerance. He is curious whether its painful symptoms are caused by present bacteria (rather than absent enzymes). If this were the case, people worldwide, especially in poor countries, could take specific probiotics that would enable them to metabolize this rich source of protein.
“It is an honor and pleasure being at the Robert H. Smith Faculty, where I’m surrounded by researchers and students who have the mindset of a start-up – research for its own sake, but also to change the world.”
Photograph by Maxim Dinshtein