Past Deans
Professor Moshe Prywes z"l, MD (1974-1982)
Professor Prywes was the founding dean of BGU's medical school and the Faculty of Health Sciences. Born in Poland in 1914, he studied medicine in Paris and in Warsaw, and during the Second World War served as a medical officer in the Polish army. He was subsequently exiled to a gulag in Siberia, where he served as a physician and surgeon responsible for the health of some 28,000 prisoners.
After the war, Prywes went to Paris, where he joined the medical management of the Jewish health organization OSE. In this capacity, he initiated and led the program to eradicate tuberculosis, trachoma and ringworm in North African Jewish communities during 1947-1951.
From 1951, Professor Prywes devoted himself to medical education and was one of the founders of Israel's first medical school, the Hadassah medical school at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he was subsequently appointed deputy dean for medical education. Professor Prywes was the first president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, serving between 1969 and 1974, as well as one of the founders of the medical school and its first Dean.
In recognition of his international contributions, the French Government awarded him the title of Chevalier de Légion d'Honneur. This was the first of many prizes Prywes received, culminating in Israel's highest honor, the Israel Prize, awarded to him in 1990 for his lifelong contribution to medical education. Prywes also founded the Israel Journal of Medical Sciences and was the Chief Editor until his death.
Professor Lechaim Naggan z"l, MD, MPH, PHD (1979-1980) & (1982-1986)
Professor Naggan also obtained MPH and DrPH degrees (Epidemiology) from the Harvard University School of Public Health (1965-67), and joined the BGU faculty in 1976 as Chair of the Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation Unit. He was Acting Dean between August 1979 and October 1980 and, subsequently, Dean of the FOHS (1982-1986), serving concurrently as head of the Negev Division of Clalit (Kupat Holim) Health Services.
While serving as Dean, Professor Naggan established the Faculty's administrative leadership of vice deans and inaugurated the Basic Sciences Division. He also founded and led the Graduates Program to encourage medical graduates to remain in the Negev, an endeavor that has had a significant impact on the development of family medicine in the Negev and the country as a whole.
Professor Naggan also established a national institute specializing in family medicine (in collaboration with Kupat Holim) and started an academic B.Sc. in Nursing program for working registered nurses. He served as BGU's Vice President and Dean for R&D (1991-98), and during this time was deeply engaged in the integration of immigrant scientists and students, mostly from the former Soviet Union.
Professor Lechaim Naggan was the Herman Kessel Professor of Epidemiology at BGU (endowed 1981) and was elected to the Johns Hopkins University Society of Scholars in 1997. In 2014, he received the Life Achievement Award from the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, "in recognition of his contribution to advancing research and teaching of Epidemiology and Public Health." In addition to these academic achievements, Lechaim Naggan is renowned for his talent as a violinist in amateur chamber music groups.
Professor Shimon Glick, MD (1986-1990)
Professor Shimon Glick was born in Brooklyn in 1932 and received his medical training in the United States, specializing in internal medicine and endocrinology. He immigrated to Israel in 1974 to become a founding member of the FOHS, as well as head of the Internal Medicine Department at Soroka Medical Center. He then became chair of Israel's first Internal Medicine Division
Professor Glick served as Dean of the FOHS between 1986 and 1990. During his tenure, he played a key role in formulating the admissions process for medical students - a process based not only on achievements but also the candidates’ character. Professor Glick headed the Prywes Center for Medical Education and the Jakobovits Center for Jewish Medical Ethics, two domains that were assigned a central role in the professional education of students in the Faculty. He was also instrumental in the instruction on doctor-patient communications for first year medical students. In addition, Professor Glick has served as ombudsman for Israel's Ministry of Health. He is widely recognized as an expert in medical ethics, with a particular focus on Jewish medical ethics, and is at the forefront of the efforts to bring a Jewish perspective to bear on the most important issues of modern bioethics.
Professor Glick is blessed with 46 grandchildren and 65 great grandchildren, and continues to bicycle to work from home and to teach at the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School and the Medical School for International Health (MSIH).
Professor Shimon Moses, MD (1990-1994)
Professor Shimon Moses was born in Germany in 1926. His father, also a physician, was incarcerated by the Nazis in 1935. After his release in 1938, the family immigrated to Israel (then Mandatory Palestine) and settled in Jerusalem. Upon graduating high school in 1943, Moses joined the British army’s Jewish Brigade. After the conclusion of the Second World War, he studied science at the Hebrew University and then began medical school in Leiden, Netherlands. A year later he returned to fight in Israel’s War of Independence.
At the end of the war in 1949, Professor Moses resumed his studies and was among the first graduating class of the Hebrew University’s medical school in 1952. Following a residency in internal medicine, he chose to specialize in pediatrics and, in 1958, was among the founders of the Pediatrics Department at Kaplan Hospital in Rechovot. In 1961, after a period of studies at Stanford University and research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington DC, Professor Moses was asked to establish a pediatrics department at Soroka Hospital (at the time called the Central Hospital for the Negev) in Beer Sheva.
At Soroka, Professor Moses researched metabolic diseases among children and was one of the pioneers of research on familial dysautonomia (FD or Riley–Day syndrome) in Israel, publishing 130 papers and co-authoring a book on this subject. He headed the Pediatrics Department until 1990, when he was appointed the fourth Dean of the FOHS.
During his tenure as Dean, a new wing for the hospital’s medical library was constructed and the plans for the new medical school campus named in memory of Joyce and Irving Goldman took shape. In addition, a campaign to absorb 50 immigrant doctors from the Soviet Union at Soroka Medical Center through a special assistance scheme was carried out successfully under his tutelage.
Professor Moses retired in 1994, and up until 2015, conducted medical research on Dead Sea climatotherapy.
Professor Shraga Segal z"l, PhD (1994-2000)
Professor Segal was one of the founders of the Faculty of Health Sciences at BGU, which he joined in 1975. There, he founded and served for many years as the head of the Department of Immunology and Microbiology. He also played a key role in establishing the Faculty’s Basic Sciences Division, chairing the Division between the years 1981-1984, and enlisting many capable researchers.
Although not a medical doctor, Professor Segal served as Dean of the FOHS (1994-2000), and as vice-rector of the University. During his tenure as Dean, the School of Laboratory Sciences, the Emergency Medicine Department, the School for International Medicine in collaboration with Columbia University, and the Master’s program in Public Health were all established. He also initiated the plans for a School of Pharmacy.
Professor Segal was a world renowned researcher in cancer studies, publishing over 200 articles in prestigious professional journals. His contribution to the IDF Armored Corps as a colonel (res.) was substantial and he continued to volunteer as reservist tank company commander up until his sudden and untimely death from heart failure in 2006, at the age of 67.
Professor Rivka Carmi, MD (2000-2005)
Professor Carmi is the incumbent of the Kreitman Foundation Chair in Pediatric Genetics. She has served as director of the Genetics Institute at the Soroka University Medical Center and held several important academic administrative positions in the FOHS at BGU. Prof. Carmi has also been deeply involved with the establishment of major biotechnology initiatives at BGU and served as the Acting Director of the then nascent National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev. In 2000, she was elected Dean of the FOHS and served for five years (2002–2005).
Professor Carmi was elected to serve as President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev by the University’s Board of Governors in May 2006. She is the first woman to serve as president of an Israeli university.
Prior to entering University administration, Professor Carmi’s research focused mainly on the characterization of clinical manifestations and the molecular basis of genetic diseases in the Negev Arab-Bedouin population. Authoring over 150 publications in medical genetics, her research includes the identification of 12 new genes and the description of three new syndromes, one of which is known as the Carmi Syndrome. Her community outreach projects aim at preventing hereditary diseases and advancing women's education in the Bedouin community.
In 2013, Professor Carmi was recognized with numerous awards, including an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Dalhousie University in Canada. In 2015, she was made an honorary Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the name of Queen Elizabeth II.
Professor Shaul Sofer (2005-2011)
In 1983, Shaul Sofer established the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Soroka Medical Center, which he headed for 30 years until his retirement in 2013. Between 1991 and 1998, Professor Sofer also concurrently headed the Pediatrics Division.
During Professor Sofer's tenure as Dean of the FOHS (2005–2011), the Preclinical Research Service Facility, the Caroline House (the FOHS Student Center), and a new (functional) MRI for clinical diagnosis and research were dedicated. In addition, the Master’s programs in emergency medicine and physiotherapy were inaugurated. Research programs to advance community health were embarked on, and the foundations were laid for a clinical and simulation-based training center.
Over the course of his career, Professor Sofer became a pillar of pediatric medicine in the Negev. He has published over 100 articles dealing with various aspects of pediatrics, including many which focus on specific forms of morbidity among the Negev population. Most notable are his contribution on topics such as hypothermia in infants, poisoning by organic phosphorous compounds among infants and children, and the pathophysiology and treatment of scorpion stings. He has participated in medical aid missions across the globe - from Cambodia to Rwanda and Kosovo.
Professor Gabriel Schreiber (2011-2014)
Professor Schreiber joined the faculty of the FOHS at BGU in 1986. He served as a professor of psychiatry and clinical pharmacology at the Faculty, and headed the Psychiatric Department at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. He was elected Dean of the Faculty in 2011, serving in this position until 2014.
During his tenure as Dean, there was a marked increase in enrollment in the medical and nursing schools, in the volume of submissions of research proposals, and the number of research grants won by faculty members. In addition, a pre-med program was inaugurated and mentoring and inter-professional education (IPE) frameworks were instituted.
Professor Schreiber's psycho-pharmaceutical research focuses on antidepressants and mood stabilizers, pathophysiology, and diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders. His outstanding research of depression has been recognized in a number of prestigious international awards.
Professor Amos Katz (2014-2020)
Professor Amos Katz was born in Ramat Gan. He is a graduate of the first class of the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in 1981. Upon completing his studies, he worked as a primary care physician at the Ben-Yair community Clinic in Beer-Sheva and specialized in cardiology at Soroka University Medical Center.
After completing his specialization, he spent two and a half years in the United States further specializing in clinical electrophysiology of the heart and conducting research in this field. He then served for 17 years as a senior physician in the cardiology division at Soroka University Medical Center.
From 1993 to 1999 Prof. Katz served as Deputy Director of the Cardiology Department at Soroka University Medical Center, and from 1995 to 2005, he managed the Electrophysiology Unit. From 2006 to 2017, he was Director of the Cardiology Department at Barzilai University Medical Center in Ashkelon. Concurrently, as a member of the Faculty of Health Sciences at BGU, he held various positions, including Deputy Dean for Student Affairs, Deputy Dean for Academic Promotion, and member of various committees.
Prof. Katz has published numerous articles in prestigious journals in the fields of cardiology and electrophysiology. Together with Professors Arie Moran and Yoram Etzion, he established a basic research laboratory for the study of heart and rhythm disorders, which is currently headed by Professor Yoram Etzion.
Prof. Katz is active in national and international professional committees and councils, including the National Council for Prevention and Treatment of Heart Diseases, and he is an editorial board member of leading periodicals in the fields of cardiology and electrophysiology of the heart. He was one of the initiators of the Community Defibrillation Act and served as secretary and chairman of the Israeli Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology.
During his tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof. Katz promoted a strategic plan that led to changes in the Faculty's organizational structure, the introduction of new methods and content in teaching, and the updating of the faculty's vision. He initiated the affiliation with Assuta Hospital in Ashdod, Assuta Ramat HaHayal, and the Adi Negev Rehabilitation Center. He also worked for the academization and affiliation of the Barzilai School of Nursing and promoted new regulations for the Faculty. During his tenure, master's degrees in physiotherapy and community clinical pharmacy were first offered, and a Center for Digital Innovation was established. Overall, Prof. Katz's tenure was characterized by the exploration, expansion, and implementation of innovative approaches to medical education and research.
Professor Angel Porgador (2020-2023)
Conducts research on cancer and viral diseases at the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics and at the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev. He holds a bachelor's degree with honors in basic medical sciences, an additional bachelor's degree with honors in computers with a track in mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a master's and doctoral degree in life sciences from the Weizmann Institute of Science. He completed his postdoctoral studies at Duke University and the American Institutes of Health.
Prof. Porgador's research focuses on tumor immunology and immunotherapy. He has published over 150 articles in leading scientific journals, which have been cited more than 10,000 times.
As the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences from 2020 to 2023, Prof. Porgador emphasized the advancement of research, leading to a significant increase in the number of competitive and prestigious research grants awarded to Faculty members, as well as in the number of research papers accepted in journals, which increased the Faculty's budget.
During his tenure, new academic programs were approved and launched: the occupational therapy program, a 4-year medical track, and a master's degree track in health systems management at the Eilat campus. He also initiated and approved A 4-year medical track combined with direct doctoral studies. In addition, he led the launch of the Field Family Medical Simulation Center in the Rachel and Max Javit Medical Simulation Building; established the Heart Initiative, which provides epidemiological and biostatistical assistance to clinical and health professionals; completed the standardization of the School of Biomedical Research and the of the School of Public Health; signed an official clinical and teaching affiliation agreement with Barzilai Hospital, and with MDA. Furthermore, he prepared the Faculty for a significant increase in the number of students accepted to medical study tracks and inaugurated the Ilanot Negev program, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, designed to promote a reserve of leading doctors who will remain in the Negev.
Prof. Progador previously served as Vice Dean of Health Sciences and later as Vice President and Dean for Research and Development. At the national level, he served as President of the Israeli Society of Immunology, President of the Israel Association for Research on Cancer, and President of the Federation of Israeli Societies for Experimental Biology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he headed BGU's task force to combat the virus. He was a member of a team of researchers from the university and abroad who developed a method that enables a 10-fold increase in the capacity of COVID-19 tests, which was implemented in Israel during the pandemic.
