Vered Raz (Biology)
Vered Raz |
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Vered has been a researcher for the last 15 years and has changed her research topic three times. For her Master and PhD degrees she studied signal transduction pathways in mammalian cells and plants, combining molecular biology and biochemistry approaches. For her postdoctoral studies she elucidated two fascinating growth processes during plant development, using genetic and molecular genetics approaches. Finally 3 years ago, Vered changed back to mammalian systems where she combines a wide variety of methods to understand the organisation of the cell nucleus during cell senescence in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). In culture, hMSCs senesce after only a few passages, thus providing an excellent model to study changes in nuclear organisation. Vered uses molecular techniques to express and visualise structural proteins in the cell nucleus, and confocal laser scanning microscopy to reconstruct 3D images of the nucleus.
By studying the spatial organisation of nuclear proteins quantitatively, Vered hopes to understand the contribution of the nuclear spatial organisation to cell function. Senescence in hMSCs is characterised by specific reorganisation patterns of heterochromatin regions and the nuclear envelope. Interestingly, Vered has found similar nuclear reorganisation in cells targeted for cell-death, suggesting that both senescence and apoptosis are supported by similar changes in nuclear organisation. This project involves collaboration between research groups in biology, physics and computer science. Vered finds such interdisciplinary work very challenging, and the interactions with groups from various scientific fields a wonderful and stimulating experience.
Parallel to her research activities, Vered has initiated a science education programme at local schools. The programme aims to promote science to 3rd- and 4th-year pupils, as well as networking between schools, academia and industry. It provides a different working environment to lab work and involves communication between secondary schools teachers and university researchers. Vered's research has taken her to Israel, the USA and the Netherlands. This international experience has had a great influence on her understanding of the world, which is reflected in her social and family life. She has three kids and, although she does not spend much time with the family, they certainly have a lot of quality time together.
In addition to science, she also loves art. Vered sees a creative link between research and art, and the search for the unknown. Overall, as a curious person, university research provides Vered with the possibility to ask questions and explore possible answers.