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Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Raphael Benhamou | Campaign

Meet Our Faculty: Dr. Raphael Benhamou

Credit: Oron Film Production

Dr. Raphael Isaac Benhamou

The School of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine

Born and raised in Paris, Dr. Raphael Isaac Benhamou always dreamed of coming to live in Israel. As soon as he had graduated high school, he took the plunge and left the town of his childhood, to come and live in Israel. He spent his first year in Israel on the preparatory “Mechina” Program at Hebrew University's Rothberg International School subsequently enlisted as a lone soldier into the Israel Defense Forces paratroopers unit, where he served for four years to the rank of commander.

Upon his release, Dr. Benhamou immediately began undergraduate studies at Tel Aviv University in the fields of chemistry and biology. From there he seamlessly transitioned directly into a PhD in Chemical Biology where he focused his studies on the development of novel antimicrobial drugs. Seeking to further deepen his research in the emerging field of RNA chemical biology, Dr. Benhamou flew to the USA for postdoctoral studies in the Scripps Research Institute, Florida, Department of Chemistry, working in the lab of Prof. Matthew D. Disney. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards including a Fulbright scholarship, the National Ataxia Foundation Fellowship Award, and the Myotonic US and UK Fellowship award.

Two and a half years later, Dr. Benhamou returns to Israel as Assistant Professor in the Hebrew University’s school of Pharmacy.

Today, Dr. Benhamou lives in the center of Jerusalem with his wife Yael and their three young children. In his very limited spare time, Dr. Benhamou is an avid follower of sports, and enjoys studying Torah.

Dr. Benhamou’s Research: Discovering the Healing Power of RNA

Everyone has heard of DNA, the molecule that carries genetic instructions in all living things. But And there is a lesser-known cousin to DNA called RNA – Ribonucleic Acid – that may just hold the key to curing some of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Unlike DNA, RNA is single-stranded and has one primary purpose – to translate our genetic information into proteins. Little else was known of the RNA until the 21st century and it was only recently discovered that RNA could be be linked to a myriad of diseases.

Interestingly, when this single-stranded RNA folds up and onto itself, it has been found to transform into novel and unique three-dimensional shapes. Although scientists had a good understanding of the two-dimensional nature of RNA, little was known about its newly discovered three-dimensional shape. Success over the last decade in advancing towards an understanding of RNA’s three-dimensional shape has been a game-changer.

In most cases, drugs are designed to be as specific as possible, targeting the precise component of the cell that has mutated. And the more scientists know about the shape of those cell components, the more likely it is that the drug will be effective. Growing understanding of folded, three-dimensional RNA has given scientists increasingly accurate targets for the drugs they are designing.

This is the arena in which Dr. Benhamou is making great strides.

Using revolutionary techniques, he is leveraging new discoveries of RNA’s 3D shape to investigate ways in which RNA can be targeted by small molecule drugs, as an effective treatment against sicknesses like cancer and infectious diseases.

In the words of Dr. Benhamou, “I am establishing a research laboratory focused on the emerging role of RNA as a target at the interface between chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and molecular/cellular biology. In that respect, organic chemistry is providing me with the necessary tools to answer some of the most fundamental questions of biology.

Getting to know Raphael

How did you get into your field?

I have loved science – particularly chemistry and biology - for as long as I can remember. It was therefore obvious to me that when I completed my army service, I would seek out an academic path involving both of those fields. For, I see them as inextricably linked – each explaining the mysteries of the other. And indeed, through my studies in chemistry, I found the necessary tools to begin answering the questions of biology. And throughout my studies I delved deeper and deeper into the groundbreaking field of designing new compounds – a step I knew would open new vistas and opportunities for drug efficacy in the cure of disease.

What is your daily motivation for your work?

I love the variety and excitement that research provides. Every day brings with it new challenges, new projects, and new discoveries. And I combine that love of science with an ideological love of teaching, mentoring, and cultivating a new generation of Israeli scientists.

How do you feel about returning to Israel?

I could not wait to come back. We missed Israel tremendously, and in that respect, our return was a homecoming.

What are your thoughts on the Hebrew University?

I am continually impressed by the high caliber of students here at the Hebrew University. I am excited for the opportunity to teach them, mentor them and partner with them as we power towards new frontiers in the world of chemical biology.