Dr. Linda Rubinstein (PhD)

Email: linda.rubinstein@gmail.com

Phone:  054-4707620

Position:  Research Director, Principal Investigator, Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center (JSNC)

Lab Site

LinkedIn

Our multidisciplinary lab at Sheba takes a holistic approach, integrating cutting-edge molecular methods with sensory-motor and behavioral tests to elucidate the dynamics of neurodegeneration and identify early multi-modal biomarkers for neuro – pathology. We are developing mitigation strategies for neuro-degenerative diseases, based on restoring redox and immune homeostasis. Our goal is to promote translational medicine, validate our pre-clinical findings in patient cohorts, and build a multidisciplinary research infrastructure involving clinicians, basic researchers, data analysts, patients, and additional stakeholders.
Our lab operates within the Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, part of Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital in Israel. The center is dedicated to advancing neuroscience research and serving as a hub for groundbreaking, clinically significant studies. Its team of researchers and clinicians integrates basic and clinical research on brain diseases to foster applied science and innovation. 

Research Interests:

• Elucidating redox and immune dys-homeostasis in neurodegenerative diseases (pre-clinical Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, PTSD and ROS longevity quenching models).
• Finding early translational biomarkers for neurodegeneration (with validation in human cohorts).
• Development of new drug targets for neurodegenerative pathologies (e.g. Immune and redox neuromodulation)
• Sex differences in neurodegeneration and in pathology onset and kinetics.
• Environmental stressors and neurodegeneration -using extreme environments (e.g. Space environment), as a model for accelerated aging.
• PTSD, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue translational research with human samples (collaboration with clinicians and patient advocates); finding biomarkers and developing new drug targets.

Education:

2017-2021, Postdoc, Neurobiology, Behavior, Sex differences, Astrobiology, Translational physiology, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California

2016-2017, Postdoc, Biochemistry, Genetics, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California

2009-2015, Ph.D, Microbiology, Molecular Biology Genetics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

2003-2006, M.Sc., Summa cum laude Medical Science, Physiology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel 

1999-2003, B.Sc.,Biology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Positions, Scientific Appointments:

2022 – present   Research Director, Principal Investigator (Assistant Professor),  Neuroimmune consequences of stress and aging and neurodegenerative diseases, Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
2022 – present   Affiliated PI, The Gonda multidisciplinary brain research center, Bar-Ilan University, Israel. 
2017 – 2021       NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) fellow, Prof. Ruth Globus and Prof. April Ronca, NASA in Silicon Valley, Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California. 
2021 – 2022       Mentor at Zvi Meitar, “Emerging Technologies” annual excellence program, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel. 
2021 – present   Guest lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University Jerusalem (Space Medicine, Prof. Sarah Eyal)
2016 – 2017       Post-Doctoral Fellow, Prof. Kathleen Collins, UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA.
2014 – 2015       DNA forensic expert, National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM), Tel Aviv, Israel.  
2009 – 2014       Full scholarship during the Ph.D. work in molecular biology laboratory, managing students and projects, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 
2006 – 2007       Microbiologist at Prof. Amnon Hizi’s lab, Faculty of Medicine TAU, working on functional analysis of RT protein of HIV 
2003 – 2006      Full scholarship during the M.Sc. work in medical science laboratory.  
2005                  Lecturer in the course "Introduction to Physiology" at Lifshitz College, Jerusalem. 
1999 – 2003      During B.Sc. in Life Sciences, executive assistant in the Prime Minister's Office, department for international visits, Jerusalem.
1995 – 1997      Sergeant, Operations NCO at the IDF’s elite intelligence unit (8200). 
1994                  Young Ambassadors, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delegation Europe

Affiliations:

The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Research Center, Sheba

The Longevity Center, Sheba

The Multidisciplinary Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan

Professional memberships:

•    Sigma Xi-scientific research honor society
•    Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) 
•    NASA Human Research Program (HRP) 
•    Society for Neuroscience (SFN) 
•    Wi-Space, Women in space industry network 
•    Alzheimer’s Association International Society (ISTAART) 
•    European Association for the Study of Diabetes (ESAD)
 

Invited Talks / Oral presentations:

•   2025   Invited speaker, Ramon International Space Conference.
•    2024  Invited speaker and head of panel, Neurodegeneration-redox point of view, Tel Aviv University. 
•    2024  Invited speaker, Neuroscience, Neve-Ilan. 
•    2024  Invited speaker, Brainstorm opening of the year symposium at Tel Aviv University 
•    2024  Invited speaker, Brainstorm opening of the year symposium at Bar Ilan University 
•    2023  Invited speaker, International Association for Radiation Research, Montreal, Quebec
•    2022  Oral presentation, ASGSR (American Society for Gravitational and Space Research), Huston Texas 
•    2022  Invited expert panelist at the International Ramon Space conference 
•    2019  Invited Speaker, Experimental Biology (EB) meeting Florida, published in FASEB
•    2018, 2019, 2020  Oral presentations in American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) conferences.  
•    2019,2020,2021+panelist,2022   Oral presentations in NASA Human Research Program (HRP) conferences.

Research Grants & Awards:

2024-2027       Principal Investigator, Development and verification of new biomarkers and drug 
                        targets for PTSD emphasizing sex and genetic diversity - From in vivo models to 
                        patients – research + applied innovation FIDF, Ministry of Health. 
2024-2025       Principal Investigator, Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Centre 
                        collaborative grant, Gonda BIU.
2024-2025       Principal Investigator, Interplay between immune and redox dys-homeostasis in 
                        Fibromyalgia (FMS) Neuroscience Center Collaborative Grant.
2024-2025       Principal Investigator, “Second Chance” Research authority grant.
2023-2026       Principal Investigator, New lab start-up fund Sheba + facilities Research authority.
2019-2023       Co-investigator – NASA Human Research Program Hero Grant – Oxidative stress and the neuro-consequences of the spaceflight environment, immune dysregulation, and antioxidant dietary countermeasure efficacy. 
                        Collaborator – HRP Human Research Program Hero Grant, Cardiovascular responses to simulated   spaceflight: molecular signatures and surrogate outputs to  measure CVD risk.
2019-2022      Co-investigator – Ames Research Innovation Award (ARIA) Proposal – Therapeutic stromal cells for health   in space. 
                        Co-investigator – Mouse Circling Behavior in Space: Rewarding Behavior or Stress Response, tissue       sharing space samples. 
2022                 Acceptance into Space innovation workshop (Israel Space Agency, Ramon Foundation, Israel Aerospace                             industry Israel Innovation Authority, European Space Agency). 
2018                 Acceptance into Cold Spring Harbor highly competitive training program 
  Advanced Techniques in Molecular Neuroscience + travel award.
2017                 Acceptance to the highly competitive NASA Post-doctoral Program (NPP) based on submitting an innovative research proposal, full stipend+ travel funds. 
2006                 Master’s degree, with excellence, M.Sc., Medical Science - Summa cum laude.

Publications:

Here is a link to the publications of Dr. Linda Rubinstein