I am a senior lecturer in the Sagol Department of Neurobiology at the University of Haifa and lead the Brain–Body Axis and Interoception Lab. We all learn early on about the five senses that connect us to the outside world, but my work is driven by a quieter, often overlooked sense: interoception. This “inner sense” allows the brain to listen to signals coming from within the body and to turn them into meaningful physiological responses that help us adapt, feel, and behave.

My academic path began with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I then followed a direct PhD track in Neuroscience at the University of Haifa, where I studied the neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory. After completing my doctorate, I moved to Germany for postdoctoral training at the University of Regensburg. Eventually, I returned to my hometown of Haifa to join the Department of Neurobiology, where my research continues to focus on how ongoing communication between the brain and the body shapes physiological responses, emotions and behavior.