Dr. Ran Tivony
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences
My life before BGU:
I was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Ma’ale Adumim. My scientific path began at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where I completed my BSc in medicinal chemistry and my MSc in chemistry, with specialization in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Then, I moved to the Weizmann Institute of Science to pursue my PhD in physical chemistry and soft matter.
In 2018, I took up a Blavatnik postdoctoral fellowship and joined the Department of Physics (Cavendish Laboratory) in the University of Cambridge. Subsequently, I secured a Marie-Curie individual fellowship (Aug 2020 – Jul 2022) that enabled me to further pursue my independent research in the Cavendish Laboratory.
Why BGU?
The unique and vibrant atmosphere in BGU serves as a fertile ground for great ideas and research.
My research:
Cells in our body, and bacteria too, need to eat, breath and protect themselves against harmful substances and invaders - just like every other organism on earth. To perform these fundamental functions, the movement of molecules and ions into and out of the cell must be carefully regulated while preventing the entrance of cytotoxic molecules like drugs. Remarkably, this intricate activity is effectively achieved by a semi-permeable barrier - the cell membrane - that is only a few nanometers thick! In our group we combine bioengineering, soft matter, and biophysical methodologies with state-of-the-art microfluidic approaches to elucidate the role and functionality of cellular membranes in health and disease. Research in our lab covers different topics including ion transport, antibiotic resistance, peptide-membrane interaction, and bottom-up synthesis of artificial cells.
An insight from my research:
A clear and well-written scientific question is the basis for an excellent research project!
Something that doesn't appear on my CV:
In my free time, I enjoy playing the guitar.
In Brief:
- Fauda or Big Brother? The Wire
- Yoga or CrossFit? Running
- Hapoel or Maccabi? Arsenal
- Ravid Plotnik or Noa Kirel? Bob Dylan
- Steak or tofu? Steak
- Trekking or the spa? Trekking
- Car or train? Train
- Classical Europe or India? Both
- Ocean or pool? Ocean
- Night or morning? Night
- Winter or summer? Summer
- City or country? Country
- Film or play? Film
- Phone call or text message? Phone call
- Savory or sweet? First savory and then something sweet for dessert
- Android or iPhone? It doesn’t really matter to me
- Cat or dog? Dog
- Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
