Prof. Eli Keshet
Eli Keshet is a renowned Israeli biochemist and professor of molecular biology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was awarded the prestigious 2021 Israel Prize for Life Sciences in recognition of his groundbreaking research. Keshet earned his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He later conducted post-doctoral research in the lab of Nobel Laureate Howard Temin at the University of Wisconsin (1976–79). In 1982, he began his academic career at the Hebrew University, becoming an associate professor in 1986 and a full professor in 1993. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the EMET Prize (2006), the Rothschild Award (2014), and the NAVBO Benditt Meritorious Award (2015). Keshet’s research focuses on the mechanisms of angiogenesis—how new blood vessels form in response to oxygen deprivation. His work has significant implications for understanding retinal diseases and cancer. Notably, his findings regarding the effects of excess oxygen on premature infants helped change neonatal care practices to prevent blindness. He has published over 130 scientific papers, with more than 34,000 citations.