I received my PhD from the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University in 2001 under the supervision of Prof. Hanokh Czosnek. My research during my graduate studies focused on the molecular interactions between the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, one of the most important virus vectors worldwide, and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Following the completion of my PhD, I joined the lab of Prof. Kevin P. White in the Department of Genetics of Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Prof. White was one of the pioneers that developed and used the microarray technology and transcriptomics at Stanford University. The lab of Prof. White studied the development of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and my research focused on the molting hormone ecdysone signaling and early embryonic development, and searching for targets of transcription factors that govern pattern formation of the early embryo. After the three-year BARD funded postdoc fellowship, in 2004 I joined the Department of Entomology in ARO and established my lab.

Research in my lab focuses on two main topics: the first is the interactions between insect vectors and the pathogens they transmit, and molecular factors that influence the transmission, including insect proteins and endosymbiotic bacteria. Under this topic, we use two pathogen-vector systems, both are economically important in Israel and worldwide: the first is the interactions between the whitefly Bemisia tabaci and TYLCV, and the second is the interaction between psyllids and bacteria of the genus Liberibacter, which drew much attention in the last 10 years because of several disease outbreaks worldwide. The second topic being studied in my lab is biological and molecular aspects of insect pest resistance to pesticides, resistance monitoring and Integrated Resistance Management in Israel. Under this topic, we work with companies for developing and improving new and existing chemical and biorational pesticides.