CV
Prof. Okun completed his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. at the Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University. His Ph.D. research focused on the role of immune modulators in alleviating neurodegenerative pathologies, including stroke and Alzheimer's disease. He conducted his postdoctoral studies with Dr. Mark P. Mattson at the National Institute on Aging (NIH) in Baltimore, MD, where he explored how innate immune pathways influence cognitive learning and memory.
In 2012, Prof. Okun established the Paul Feder Laboratory for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University. He currently serves as a Full Professor and Vice Dean for Infrastructure and Research Development.
Prof. Okun's research focuses on basic and translational neuroimmunology. His work examines the role of B-cells, a subset of adaptive immune cells known for antibody production, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS)-related cognitive decline. This includes investigating sex-based differences to understand why women are twice as likely to develop AD as men. Another research focus is identifying novel targets for vaccination strategies to delay AD and DS-related cognitive decline. Additionally, his lab explores the mechanisms of fetomaternal transfer contributing to maternal cognitive decline following pregnancies with a fetus affected by Down syndrome.
Last Updated Date : 24/12/2024
