Integrative Photosynthesis Lab
Our lab studies how photosynthetic microorganisms respond to environmental change, from the physiology of individual cells to the dynamics of entire aquatic ecosystems. We combine laboratory research on cyanobacterial photophysiology with large-scale data analysis of Lake Kinneret, aiming to uncover how temperature, light, and chemistry shape photosynthetic performance and bloom development. By bridging experimental and computational approaches, we seek to connect cellular mechanisms with ecosystem productivity and resilience.
Our Research Focus
Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) is a monomictic lake that mixes once each winter, shaping its nutrient dynamics and driving annual successions of algae and cyanobacteria. These recurring bloom cycles provide a natural laboratory for studying how environmental change influences the timing, magnitude, and composition of primary producers. Over the past three decades, rising water temperatures and shifting nutrient regimes have altered the lake’s ecological balance, offering unique opportunities to link long-term environmental data with experimental insights and explore the mechanisms that govern aquatic productivity.
News
I’m pleased to welcome Ms. Fatma Yassin and Ms. Erin Feiglin to my research group!
Fatma Yassin joins as an M.Sc. candidate, co-supervised by Dr. Shira Ninio (IOLR) and Dr. Tal Luzzatto-Knaan (University of Haifa). Her research will focus on the synthesis and environmental drivers of odor compounds in cyanobacteria.
Erin Feiglin joins as a co-project student, in collaboration with Prof. Eitan Lerner (Hebrew University of Jerusalem). She will work on applying machine learning techniques to analyze spectroscopic signals that reveal patterns in photosynthetic dynamics.
Their work represents the growing integration of physiology, chemistry, and data science in our lab’s approach to aquatic photosynthesis research.
I’m honored to have been selected to co-chair the Ecophysiology session at the upcoming Annual Meeting of the Israeli Association of Aquatic Sciences (IAAS), 2025.The session will be held in honor of Prof. Aaron Kaplan, a pioneer in aquatic photosynthesis research whose work continues to inspire the field. I look forward to contributing to this special event and to the discussions celebrating his scientific legacy.
I'm honored to participate in the Annual Conference on Science and the Environment, where I will present my recent findings on how increased temperatures affect cyanobacteria in Lake Kinneret. My talk will take place on July 9th, as part of the session on Nature Conservation and Wetland Habitats (שמירת הטבע ובתי גידול לחים)