2025 President's Report
Breakthroughs Begin in the Lab
2025 President’s Report > Breakthroughs Begin in the Lab
Breakthroughs Begin in the Lab
The new Laboratory Complex for our Faculty of Natural Sciences is designed to ignite global solutions in healthcare, neuroscience and environmental resilience.
To stay at the forefront of research, the University of Haifa is building a five-story research complex housing more than 20 specialized labs.
At its core, the complex will be a Shared Resource Center, equipped with state-of-the-art technology to support advanced research across overlapping and interdisciplinary fields. The complex will also support the new Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine, which will welcome its first cohort in the 2025/26 academic year.
The Faculty of Natural Sciences is already globally recognized—and its research is transforming lives. The addition of new labs will expand that impact even further. Here are just a few examples of life-changing research underway at the Faculty:
Turning off cancer – We’re finding ways to shut down cancer cells, reduce breast cancer metastasis and target diseased cells without harming healthy cells.
Unlocking the brain – Our neuroscience labs offer new insight into autism, schizophrenia, bipolar episodes and Parkinson’s.
Strengthening life on Earth – Researchers are designing resilient crops, treating genetic diseases and promoting sustainable farming to adapt to climate change.
Five Floors of Life Science Innovation
Built to fuel innovation, the new complex brings together specialized labs and shared research spaces that encourage scientists to work across fields—from understanding the brain and our genes to exploring nature and developing new medical approaches.
A Hub for Talent and Discovery
We tackle complex Life Science challenges by taking an integrated multi-disciplinary approach that crosses scientific boundaries. Interdisciplinary programs like Biology-Medicine, Biology-Philosophy, and BioPhysics are training the next generation of innovators.
Our academic model and new labs are drawing top students. Enrollment numbers are expected to grow by 50% over the next three years, from 900 to around 1350.
We invite you to take part in one of the University of Haifa’s most significant scientific infrastructure initiatives – a cornerstone of our growing research ecosystem and a vital companion to the new Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine. This state-of-the-art facility will accelerate interdisciplinary scientific discoveries and empower our researchers to create global impact while positioning northern Israel at the forefront of Life Sciences.
“Cutting-edge facilities will ultimately lay the groundwork for a brighter future for humanity based on scientific discoveries.”
– Prof. Ofir Alon
Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences
The Prof. Eran Stark Lab is working on a device designed to unlock and restore memories.
Renad Jabarin, a PhD candidate in the Lab for Neurobiology of Social Behavior, lives in the Arabic village of Zalafa. With several published papers under her belt, she exemplifies both the emerging talent from Israel’s northern underserved communities and the University’s commitment to advancing social mobility through academic excellence.
2025 PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Produced by the Division of External Relations
© June 2025 University of Haifa
Mount Carmel, Haifa ISRAEL
www.haifa.ac.il
Photography: University of Haifa Archives, American Friends of University of Haifa, Itai Bodel, and Manara Center.