POSITION: Associate Professor of Pediatrics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

AFFILIATION: Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, affiliated with Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

WORKING/RESEARCH FOCUS: I completed my fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada in 2002. I have worked 15 years in The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, and been the Head of the Pediatric Hematology Center. In September 2017 I joined Prof. Ari Zimran as a senior physician at the Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, and since January 2019, I have been the Director of the Gaucher Unit; the largest Gaucher Unit worldwide (over than 850 patients over 30 years). In 2012, I gained an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology, and currently, I am doing my PhD at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health. My Ph.D. thesis is developing an algorithm for the diagnosis of Gaucher disease using real-world data and aiming to shorten the time to diagnosis as well as to avoid misdiagnosis.  I have over 100 peer-reviewed publications.

My research in Gaucher disease focuses on digital health, patient-reported outcome measures, type IIIC disease, and bleeding issues.

WHAT IS THE EWGGD FOR ME?: A group of clinicians, scientists, and patient representatives working together, independent of direct industry influence, is essential for improving our knowledge related to the diagnosis, and management of patients with all types of Gaucher disease. Although, over the years, significant advances in the field of GD have been achieved, there are still many unmet needs that require us to work together for the benefit of our patients and their families.