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Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Gali Umschweif-Nevo | Campaign

Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Gali Umschweif-Nevo

Credit: Oron Film Production

Dr. Gali Umschweif-Nevo

The School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine

Today, Dr. Gali Umschweif-Nevo is closing the circle, returning to her alma mater, the Hebrew University. An alumnus through and through, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo, born and raised in Ramat Hasharon, did her bachelor’s degree, her master’s degree and her doctorate all within the corridors of the Hebrew University’s School of Pharmacy.

Always fascinated by medicine and the manner in which drugs can manipulate our bodies in the fight against disease, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo’s academic journey consistently focused on pharmacology. Her razor-sharp academic approach led to her selection for the prestigious Hebrew University Hoffman Fellowship, a program for doctoral students that display tremendous potential. The fellowship program’s bi-weekly encounters with fellow students from across the entire spectrum of academic fields, significantly enriched her doctoral experience, and generated a vibrant network of high-level academics that continues to fuel her research to this very day.

Upon completing her PhD, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo travelled to The Rockefeller University, New York for six and a half years of postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Paul Greengard, in the field of neuropharmacology. During that time, she was investigating the neuro-biological basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, in the hope of identifying specific proteins involved in causing the disease – a vital step in the development of highly accurate drug therapies. Her research has been published in a wide range of academic journals including the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry and the European Journal of Neuroscience, to name but a few.

Mid-pandemic, in March 2021, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo returned to Israel, together with her husband and three young children. Today they live in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood of Jerusalem. When she isn’t wearing the ‘hat of neuropharmacology’, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo can be found wearing the ‘hat of wine connoisseur’, tasting and rating the quality, character and flavor of the world’s finest wines.

Dr. Umschweif-Nevo’s Research:

The brain is a huge complex of many different types of cells that communicate with each other to form networks. With every single cell having a different function, the biggest challenge facing neuroscience today is to map and understand the molecular basis of each and every brain disease.

One of the most common brain diseases facing humankind today is that of Depression.

In fact, more than 264 million people across the globe suffer from some sort of depression, making it a leading cause of disability worldwide. And with increasing usage of screens and time spent on social media among children and adolescents, this statistic is sadly only going in one direction.

And yet, little is known about the molecular pathways that are impaired in the depressed brain. And as a result, antidepressants that are currently available are not designed to alleviate a specific known depression-related pathway, and are therefore, not surprisingly, characterized by an inadequate, delayed clinical effect.

There is therefore an urgent need to identify the cellular and molecular events that lead to depression. This is where Dr. Umschweif-Nevo’s research is critical. Through her attempts to understand the molecular causes of depression and anxiety, Dr. Umschweif-Nevo has succeeded in identifying a specific protein involved in the development of depression. In simple terms, this means that we now have a target – a depression related pathway – for which therapeutic drugs can be designed. And with these neuroscientific developments, come the potential for more effective and speedier treatment protocols.

There is light at the end of the tunnel,” reflects Dr. Umschweif-Nevo. “I believe that we are on the brink of a true breakthrough for those suffering from depression and anxiety. With the discovery of these proteins, we can now develop significantly more effective anti-depressant drugs and anti-anxiety therapies that will serve to both treat and prevent the onset of these cruel mental illnesses.”

Getting to know Gali Umschweif

How did you get into your field?

In high school, I was always interested in science, biology, and neuroscience. I was eager to understand how our bodies work – whether in health or in disease – and how drugs manipulate those functions in order to rectify any maladies. It was therefore a natural step for me to enroll in the School of Pharmacy.

What is your daily motivation for your work?

Beyond my love of science, the true motivation behind my research is acutely personal. Someone with whom I am particularly close, struggled with depression for many years, ultimately succumbing to the disease. I watched with my own eyes as she suffered terribly, struggling with ineffective treatment plans. And it made me feel utterly hopeless.

So, today I am on a mission. I see my research as a vital step towards the development of effective therapies for fighting depression. And in that sense, the entire motivation behind all that I do is that of honoring this special person’s memory.

And my vision goes one step further. Above and beyond the very real crippling effects of mental health, the disease is still shrouded in negative societal stigmas, heavily steeped in shame. Through sharing my research and my findings, I hope to shift this paradigm. I aim to educate the public about the biological and chemical basis of this disease, and through doing so to rid society of the clouds of blame; and ultimately to dispel the myths that depression is a disease that can be controlled, a condition of which to be ashamed.

How do you feel about returning to Israel?

We always knew that we were going to return to Israel. Our identities are based upon being Israeli and we knew that we wanted to raise our children here. The transition, of course, is not simple, especially for our children – but the challenges are temporary. We are glad to be home.

What are your thoughts on the Hebrew University?

Having spent many years here, I can truly say that one of the most amazing aspects of the Hebrew University is the overarching sense of diversity – among both the students and the faculty. It breeds dialogue and creates an appropriate environment for an authentic sharing of opinions and cultures. I find this tremendously enriching.