In 1989, Prof. Oded Yarden graduated the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Ph.D. degree in the Plant Protection program, under the supervision of Profs. J. Katan and N. Aharonson). During his Ph.D. studies he investigated the role of microorganisms in the enhanced degradation of fungicides in soil. Following graduation, the BARD-Vaadia Postdoctoral Fellowship program granted Dr. Yarden support for a 2-year postdoctoral training at the Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University. During his fellowship, he expanded his knowledge in classical and molecular fungal genetics (hosted by Prof. C. Yanofsky). Since 1991, Dr. Oded Yarden has been a faculty member at the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2005, Dr. Yarden was promoted to Prof. and incumbent of the Buck Family Chair of Plant Pathology. Over the years, Prof. Yarden has served as the Head of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology (2010 – 2015), as Director of the Interfaculty Program for Biotechnology (2005-2009, 2016-2017) and as a member of the academic board of the Hebrew University Institute for Advanced Studies (2003-2008). He has also served as president of the Israel Society of Plant Pathology (2006-2009) and serves as the Israeli representative to the Asian Mycological Committee (since 2007).

The research group headed by Prof. Yarden focusses on the study of molecular mechanisms involved in growth and development of model as well as plant pathogenic fungi. This includes the study of cell wall biosynthesis and involvement of protein phosphorylation in the regulation of hyphal elongation and branching. In addition, the Yarden group studies fungi in their natural environment (including soil and in association with plants and sessile marine animals) and their interactions with other species. Elucidating the mechanistic aspects of fungal biology, and especially those that are unique to the fungal kingdom, may provide a basis for designing rational approaches to either affect fungal proliferation or enhance specific traits of fungi used in biotechnology. Prof. Yarden has supervised over 60 graduate and post-doctoral students. To date, Prof. Yarden has published more than 120 articles in refereed journals. Former students from the Yarden lab have found positions in academia and research institutes (e.g., The Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv Univ., EMBL,  Israel Institute for Biological Research, Agricultural Research Organization) in BioTech and MedTech industries (e.g., Novartis, Hazera, Sigma Chem. Co., Danziger) and others.