Team:BGU Israel/Team

Team:BGU Israel




Our team includes 8 students, creating a dynamic and heterogenic group, studying various subjects:
  • Biotechnology Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Economics and politics
  • Biology
  • Brain and Cognition Science
We are supervised and supported by Prof. Smadar Cohen, Dr. Emil Ruvinov, and Dr. Efrat Forti from the department of Biotechnology Engineering.

We are excited to represent the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and to compete with the teams that come from leading universities around the world.

Our ambition is to contribute to the advancement of the State of Israel, and Ben-Gurion University in particular, and help to establish Israel and BGU at the forefront of development and innovation in the field of synthetic biology.

Team members:


Shoham Rigbi, 26, studying Medicine (3rd year)

    Interesting facts about Shoham:
  • Volunteered in a rural hospital in Ethiopia for a month with Ethiopian and north- Korean staff.
  • Volunteered at a horse camp in Canada, where I learned how to train and ride horses
  • A total junkie for dogs


    • Her motto:
    "Life is short, eat dessert first"


Shai Duchin, 29, M.Sc. student

    Interesting facts about Shai:
  • Research area: protein engineering and molecular biology. A student at prof' Amir Aharoni's lab.
  • Walked across the USA along the continental divide trail.
  • Loves basketball and hopes that David Blatt will win the NBA finals
  • Has a twin sister
    • His motto:
    "Don’t believe catchphrases"

Bar Gazit, 25, studying Biotechnology engineering (3rd year)
    Interesting facts about Bar:
  • loves trekking, playing soccer and knows to appreciate good food.
  • Volunteered in the IDF as software developer for 3 years.
  • Worked at Zim Integrated Shipping Services as ABAP developer.


    • His motto:
    "Life is short, make every day count"

Dafna Goldman, 25, 3rd year Economics & Political Science
    Interesting facts about Dafna:
  • A member in the non-profit org. WIIS- international security women in Israel. Organization whose goal is to promote women in the public sector and promotion to key positions in Israel.
  • Volunteering for "Paamonim"
  • Dancing is her life :)
    • Her motto:
    "Live with passion today and everyday!"

Adi Stein, 26, B.Sc in ISE, Pursuing M.A. in Brain Science
    Interesting facts about Adi:
  • Multi-disciplinary entrepreneur with a background in information system engineering, technology & web companies.
  • Worked at Intel.
  • Represented Israel students in delegations to south Korea & u.s.a
  • Lead and StandWithUs programs Alumni.

    • Her motto:
    "Don't be afraid to fail, afraid not to try"
Vlad Shumeiko, 25, 3rd year biotechnology student


    Interesting facts about Vlad:
  • Loves science, traveling, nature and good music.
  • Worked as web developer and designer.
  • In IDF served as battalion combat medic.


    • His motto:
    "Never, never, never give up."
Ori Zelichov, 29, Medicine


    Interesting facts about Ori:
  • Happily married with one amazing daughter
  • Works for a mobile health startup
  • Founded a project to improve healthcare in Israel's periphery
  • 8200 alumnus
  • Music addict


    • His motto:
    "The best way to predict the future is to create it"


Shalev Goldfarb, 27, B.Sc in Biology (2nd year)

    Interesting facts about Shalev:
  • Will distinguish a cat from a dog 9/10 times.
  • Loves nature as if it's his mother or something.
  • Flew an airplane ten times.
  • Has delicious white strawberries in his garden.


    • His motto:
    "Education is the kindling of the flame, not the filling of a vessel."

Team supervisors:

Dr. Efrat Forti, 36, post doctoral fellow

    Interesting facts about Efrat:
  • Research area: Bio-inspired nanocarriers for Nucleic acid delivery
  • Addicted to Italy and Italian food
  • Mother to Noa (5) and Ela (3)
  • Dancing and Teaching Nia


    • Her motto:
    "Always search for the balance in life"

Dr.Emil Ruvinov, 36, PhD in Biotechnology Engineering.
    Interesting facts about Shalev:
  • Researcher in Prof. Smadar Cohen Lab
  • Research areas include biomaterial-based applications for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine
  • Published several papers and co-aוauthored book chapters in the field of cardiac tissue engineering and regeneration

    • His motto:
    "You can't always get what you want"