Avishag, born in 1993, grew up in Yehud and now resides in Jerusalem with her husband, Sahar, and their cats. Inspired by her father, who was a biology teacher, Avishag pursued a BSc in life sciences at the Hebrew University. During her studies, she worked as an instructor at PICO Kids, a Jerusalem-based organization that uses technological hands-on learning to nurture children to be problem-solvers. She was also a mentor at QueenB, a feminist nonprofit organization promoting girls learning coding and tech. Captivated by the fascinating research taking place in Dr. Yaniv Elkouby’s lab and its potential for advancing women’s health and well-being, Avishag started her M.Sc. research there. She was awarded the ADMAS fellowship for excelling PhD students in sciences and the Reem-Kayden Scholarship for outstanding women graduate students.

Avishag’s research focuses on the cilium, a previously unknown organelle in female meiosis that is essential for oogenesis and female fertility. The cilium is also conserved in male meiosis, mouse oocytes, spermatocytes, and, strikingly, human oocytes. Currently, Avishag is investigating the mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the newly identified cilium to find new solutions for human infertility.

Scholarship:
Kaiden-Reem women in science
ADAMS fellowship