Foulkes Foundation

U.K. Advisors

Professor Alastair Compston
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge

Alastair Compston is Professor of Neurology (from 1989) and Head of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences in the University of Cambridge (since it was established in 2004). With others, he established the MRC Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair (1992) and the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre (1994); and he co-chairs Cambridge Neuroscience (from 2004). He qualified in medicine from the Middlesex Hospital Medical School (UCL) in 1971, and subsequently trained in neurology at the National Hospital, Queen Square. He is president of the Association of British Neurologists (2009-2010); Editor of Brain (from 2004); and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1997), Foundation Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (1998), Foreign Member of the Royal Physiographic Society of Lund (2000), Fellow of the Institute of Biology (2000), and Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Germany (2008). He was previously president of the European Neurological Society (2002-3), chairman of the Neurosciences and Mental Health Panel of the Wellcome Trust (2001-4), consultant advisor in neurology to the Chief Medical Officer (1994-2001), and member of research panels in RAE2001 (UoA3) and RAE2008 (UoA9). His research focuses on the clinical science of human demyelinating disease with contributions to the genetic epidemiology, immunology and neurobiology, and treatment and repair of multiple sclerosis. This work has been recognised by the Sobek Prize (2002) and the Charcot Award (2007).

Professor Andrew Copp
Institute of Child Health, London
& 1979 Foulkes Fellow

Andrew Copp trained both as a scientist (PhD in experimental embryology, Oxford University, UK) and clinician (MD, Guy’s Hospital, UK), with the help of a Foulkes Foundation Fellowship (1979). He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK in 2003. He worked as Research Fellow in Pediatrics at Stanford University, California, USA (1984-1986), Research Scientist at the ICRF Developmental Biology Unit, University of Oxford (1986-1992) and Senior Lecturer/Reader/Professor at the Institute of Child Health (1992-present). He is Honorary Consultant and Non-Executive Director of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, in London. He currently holds an endowed chair in Developmental Neurobiology and heads the Neural Development Unit at the UCL Institute of Child Health, London. His research centres upon the embryonic development of the nervous system, using mouse genetic models to study birth defects such as spina bifida. In 2000, he was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and in 2003, he became Director of the UCL Institute of Child Health. He provides advice to the membership of the Foulkes Foundation in the area of academic paediatrics.

Professor Eileen Joyce
Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, London
& 1980 Foulkes Fellow

Eileen Joyce is Professor of Neuropsychiatry at University College Institute of Neurology and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. She received a BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cambridge (1975) where she subsequently completed a PhD in the behavioural neuroscience of dopamine. She qualified in medicine at the University of Cambridge (1981) and obtained training in clinical and academic psychiatry at The Maudsley Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry. She worked as a research associate at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,USA(1989-1991) and at Imperial College London as a Senior Lecturer/Reader/Professor before taking up her current position in 2005. She is currently Chairman of the British Neuropsychiatry Association and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Section of Neuropsychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists. Her primary research interest is in the neural basis of schizophrenia focussing on cognitive dysfunction in the early stages of psychosis and how this relates to brain structural changes and clinical manifestations of the disorder.

Dr Denis Talbot (Chair)
Cancer Research U.K., Oxford
& 1978 Foulkes Fellow

Denis Talbot is a Medical Oncologist and Reader in Cancer Medicine at the University of Oxford Medical Oncology Unit. After graduating in biochemistry he completed a PhD in pharmacology at the Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, before studying medicine at Cambridge. He trained in Medical Oncology at St Bartholomew’s and Royal Marsden Hospitals. His clinical activity relates to early phase trials in thoracic oncology, breast cancer and neuro-endocrine tumours. These studies are underpinned by translational research focused on proof of concept studies at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford. Agents directed against cell cycle regulatory proteins, DNA repair and apoptosis are key areas of research. Denis’ other interests include research ethics, physician/patient communication skills and, with the General Medical Council, the development of objective assessment tools for evaluating clinical skills. He is Regional Specialty Advisor and member and past Chairman of the Specialist Advisory Committee for Medical Oncology and Central Oxford Research Ethics Committees. Denis is a member of the Leukaemia Research Fund Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel, Cancer Research UK Clinician Scientist Advisory Board, National Lung Cancer Clinical Reference Group, British Thoracic Oncology Group Steering Committee and NCRI Lung Cancer Group.

Professor John Williams
University of Wales, Swansea

John Williams is Professor of Health Services Research at the School of Medicine, Swansea University, and Consultant Gastroenterologist at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust. From 2002-07 he was Director of R&D for Wales, a post in which he established the Clinical Research Collaboration in Wales (CRC Cymru). His research interests include the development and evaluation of clinical interventions, and new models of service delivery, particularly in gastroenterology, and the greater involvement of patients in the process. He presently chairs a Board Subgroup for the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, to raise public awareness of the benefits of patient data being used for research, and is a member of the OSCHR e-Health Board. He has a long-standing interest in improving information systems that support patient care, and set-up and directs a Health Informatics Unit at the Royal College of Physicians of London. Health informatics is an emerging specialty of huge importance to the NHS as it strives to become better computerised and Professor Williams would be very happy to offer advice and support to any Fellows wishing to pursue a career in this direction.

Israel Advisors

Professor Yehudith Birk (Chair)
Hebrew University

Professor of Agricultural Biochemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Member, The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the European Academy of Sciences & Arts. Research interests: Investigation of plant protease inhibitors and accompanying secondary metabolites and their significance in nutrition, plant protection and cancer prevention. Awards and Honors: Thirty years Award in Israel for contributions to Israel’s Agricultural Research and teaching; The Rothschild Prize in Agriculture; The Israel Prize in Agricultural Research; Doctor Philosohiae – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Honoree – Tel-Hai Academic College; Member, Board of Governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Honorary Citizen of Rehovot; Honorary Award from the Jerusalem Academic College of Engineering (JCE); Award from the International Women’s Forum to ‘IWF Woman Who Makes A Difference’.

Professor Eran Dolev
Tel Aviv University

Eran Dolev gained his M.D. from the Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem in 1963.  He specialised in Internal Medicine at the Sheba Medical Centre (1967-72), was a Research Fellow at the Metabolic Unit, The Middlesex Hospital, London (1976-77), was a Visiting Professor of Military Medicine at USUHS (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences), Bethesda, Maryland, USA (1984-86), was Head of the Section of Bone Diseases and Mineral Metabolism, the Sheba Medical Centre (1986-90), was Head of the Department of Behavioural Sciences, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University (1988-92), had been Associate Professor of Medicine, The Sackler School of Medicine since 1992, was Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Wolfson Hospital, Holon (1990-97) and was Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Tel-Aviv Medical Centre (1998-2005).  He has been teaching history of military medicine, the “Programme for Security Studies” since 2001, teaching at the Department of Nutrition, Tel-Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee since 2005 and teaching at the Disaster  Management Programme, School of Public Health, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University since 2005.  In addition, Eran Dolev served in the Israeli Defence Forces Medical Corps between 1965 and 1983 where his last assignment was as The Surgeon General and commander of the IDF Medical Corps [Retired Brigadier General].  Since 1987 he has been a Specialist in Health Systems Management; between 1992 and 1994 he was Chairman of the Israeli Society for the History of Medicine; between 1995 and 2002 he was Chairman of the supreme ethical committee, the Israel Medical Association.

Professor Michael Fry
Technion

Michael Fry is Professor, Rebecca and Herman Feinberg Chair in Life Sciences, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He has a BSc and MSc in Microbiology, from Hebrew University, Jerusalem and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Research interests: Quadruplex DNA and RNA; Quadruplex DNA and RNA destabilizing proteins and helicases; Fragile X syndrome. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Cell Biology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, U.S.A. (1971-1973), a Lecturer at the Unit of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (1973-1975), a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Technion (1975-1981); an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Technion (1981-1990) and since 1990 has been Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Technion. Professor Fry has also been a Visiting Professor and Visiting Scientist to the University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A. Awards and honours: Research Grants, Israel Science Foundation (six consecutive 3 and 4 year awards); Research Grants, United States – Israel Binational Science Foundation (six consecutive 3 and 4 year awards); Eleanor Roosevelt – American Cancer Society Fellow, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Rebecca and Herman Feinberg Chair in Life Sciences, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; Taub Research Prize; Outstanding Teacher Award, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (five times); Muriel & David Jacknow Excellence in Teaching Award.

Professor Uri Seligsohn
Tel Aviv University

Uri Seligsohn was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and graduated Medical School at the Hebrew University and Hadassah, Jerusalem. Specialised in Haematology at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel and did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Served as Chairman of the Department of Haematology at Sheba Medical Center, Israel, until 2002. Since 2002 he is the Director of the Amalia Biron Research Institute of Thrombosis and Haemostasis at Sheba Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. Authored more than 225 papers in leading peer reviewed Journals and 21 chapters in major textbooks in Haematology and Genetics. In the last 10 years he has been one of the Editors of Williams Textbook of Haematology. His major research interests are in molecular, genetic and clinical aspects of Glanzmann thrombasthenia (a severe bleeding disorder), deficiencies of coagulation factor V and VIII, VII and XI, and inherited thrombophilias (tendencies to thrombosis). Uri Seligsohn was the President of the 15^th Congress of the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) held in Jerusalem, 1995 with 3,500 participants. He was the Chairman of this Society between 2000-2002, and currently co-chairs with Professor Frits Rosendaal from the Netherlands the ISTH education committee. Awards and Honours: 1991 – Ham-Wasserman lecturer Award, American Society of Haematology; 1997 – Distinguished Career Award, ISTH; 2001 – Member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; 2007 – Robert Grant Medal, International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Professor Meir Wilcheck
Weizmann Institute

Prof. Meir Wilchek was born in 1935 in Warsaw, Poland. In 1949 he came to Israel from Germany. He received his B.Sc. degree in chemistry and physics from the University of Bar-Ilan in 1960. He received his Ph.D. From the Department of Biophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science in 1965 under Prof. Patchornik and Katzir where he also served as Head of the Department, Chairman of the Scientific Promotions Committee, and Dean of the Faculty for Biophysics-Biochemistry. He was invited to visit and lecture at universities and institutes throughout the world, and has been Invited Speaker at many conferences in the field of molecular recognition and its applications in chemical and biological systems. He is best known for the development of affinity chromatography for purification of biologically active molecules and the avidin- biotin system which has a major impact in the fields of chemistry, biology, medicine and nanotechnology. Prof. Wilchek has published over 400 scientific works and acted as Advisor to many biotechnology companies in Israel and abroad. He has served as Chairman and a member of many scientific committees. In addition, he serves as Editor and Member of the Editorial Board of a variety of international scientific journals, and is a member of many scientific societies, including the Israel Academy of Science and The Institute of Medicine -American Academy of Science. His work and research have awarded him many prizes, among them: the Rothschild Prize in Chemistry; The Wolf Foundation Prize for Medicine, The Pierce Prize for Biorecognition Technology; The Israel Prize for Biotechnology,The EMET prize in Chemistry, the Sarstedt Prize, the International Distinguished Clinical Chemistry Award, the Anfinsen award in protein science, the Wilhelm –Exner medal, as well as Honorary Doctorate awards in Canada, Finland and Israel.

Administrative Support – Israel

Bob Lapidot
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Bob Lapidot was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He holds a Bachelor of Jewish Education degree (1969) from the Hebrew College, Boston; a Bachelor of Arts (1970) in psychology and sociology from Boston University; and a Master of Education (1972) in educational administration and supervision from Boston University. He immigrated to Israel in 1975 and has served in a number of leadership positions in the public sector in Safad and in Jerusalem. From 1990 until 1993 he represented the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Winnipeg, Canada. Soon after his return he was appointed to the position of Head of International Relations at the Israel Academy of Sciences and subsequently accepted additional responsibilities there as Coordinator of the Humanities Section.

Galia Finzi
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Galia Finzi was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. She Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Media Studies (1994) from City University Hunter College in New York and a Master in Arts degree in Journalism and Communications (2008) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Following her BA degree she worked in marketing communication at Hallmark Entertainment in New York and then moved back to Israel where she worked in production and marketing of documentary films. She continues her work in Marketing Communication at several high tech companies and then worked as event organizer at a non profit organization. For the past 5 years works as an Administrative Associate at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.