Professor, Micha Ilan
Ph.D.: Tel-Aviv University, 1990
Phone: (Office) +972-3-640-8613
(Fax) +972-3-640-7274
E-mail: Milan@post.tau.ac.il
Room#: Room 221, Sherman Building
Links:

BIOCAPITAL

National center for high throughput screening

Member's portrait
  Personal Information
  Research Interests
  Full Publications
  Students and Lab Members

Personal Information

Academic and professional experience

Period of study

Name of University

Department

Rank/Function

2007- Tel Aviv University Department of Zoology Full Professor
2003-2007 Tel Aviv University Department of Zoology Associate Professor
1995-2003 Tel Aviv University Department of Zoology Senior Lecturer
1991-1995 Tel Aviv University Department of Zoology Lecturer

1980-1989

Tel Aviv University

Department of Zoology

Senior Teaching Assistant

 

Education

Period of study

Name of

University

Subject

Degree

Date of award

1984 - 1989 Tel Aviv University Zoology - Marine Biology Ph.D. 1990
1981 - 1984 Tel Aviv University Zoology - Terrestrial Ecophysiology M.Sc.

1984

with distinction

1978 - 1981

Tel Aviv University

Biology

B.Sc.

1981

 

Further studies

Period of study

Name of University

Subject

Degree

1989-1991

University of California - Santa Barbara

Molecular Marine Biology

postdoctoral fellowship

 

 

Reseaerch grants

Year

Name of Foundation

(city, country)

2006-2010 Israel Science Foundation
(Jerusalem, Israel). (With S. Carmeli & O. Yarden)
2004 - 2008

BSF – US - Israel Binational Scientific Foundation

(Jerusalem , Israel ) (with J. Aizenberg )

2004 - 2007 BARD – US Israel b inational a gricultural r esearch and d evelopment fund (Bet Dagan, Israel) (With M. Shpigel & R. Hill)
2004 - 2006

Marie Curie European Research Training Network

(Brussels , Belgium ) (with Y. Loya)

2002 - 2003

Ministry of Science and Technologies

(Jerusalem , Israel ).

2002 - 2003

National Inheritance Foundation

(Jerusalem , Israel ).

2001 - 2004

BSF – US - Israel Binational Scientific Foundation

(Jerusalem , Israel )  (With S. Beer & JR Pawlik)

2000 - 2001

Foundation for basic research

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).

2000 - 2001

Israel diving association.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).

1998 - 2001

Ministry of Science and Technologies

(Jerusalem , Israel )   (with Y. Loya).

1998 - 2001

US-AID

(Washington , USA ).

1997 - 1998

The Tobias Landau Foundation for Marine Biology

(New York , USA ).

1996 - 1997

The National Center for Cooperation Between the Sciences and Archaeology

(Rehovot , Israel )   (with N. Goren) .

1996 - 1997

Israel diving association.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ). 

1994 - 1997

BSF - US-Israel Binational Scientific Foundation.

(Jerusalem , Israel )    (with S. Carmeli & W. Fenical) .

1994 - 1997

Israel Ministry of Science and Technologies.

(Jerusalem , Israel )    (with S. Carmeli).

1994 - 1997

Joint German Israeli Research Foundation (BMFT-MOST).

(Jerusalem , Israel)  (with D. Barthel & A. Gasith).

1994 - 1995

Foundation for basic research.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).

1993 - 1996

The Israel Science Foundation (The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities).

(Jerusalem , Israel ).

1993 - 1995

The Interuniversity foundation for ecology.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).

1993 - 1994

Israel diving association.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).

1992

Foundation for basic research.

(Tel Aviv , Israel ).


Research Interests

The research in my laboratory is centered around two main areas:

1) on the taxonomic level – the phylum Porifera (sponges); and

2) on Symbiosis between marine organisms (usually with a sponge as one of the interacting organisms). Over the years we have thus studied many sponge species and their associates: from microorganisms (cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, and fungi) through algae and invertebrates (e.g., scyphozoans, barnacles, and polychaetes) to vertebrates (fish and hawksbill turtles).

Sponges – the oldest multicellular organisms, being filter-feeding sessile organisms, frequently non-cryptic, have developed a wide array of natural products (metabolites) that assist them in dealing with their world. In our laboratory we study marine-derived natural products through two different disciplines. One, in Marine Biotechnology , studies how the sponge produces such metabolites. The second, in Chemical Ecology , examines how the sponge utilizes these compounds. We subsequently evaluate the potential of exploiting these metabolites for human benefit, mostly as lead compounds for the development of pharmaceutical drugs.

Another group of studies is in the field of Biomineralization , in which we investigate how organisms deposit various minerals; what is the ecological/physiological function of these minerals, and how can we exploit this in the production of biomimetic materials?

The studies carried out in my laboratory are therefore multidisciplinary and utilize knowledge from fields such as ecology, organic chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and geochemistry, and relate to different levels of organization, from the population level through the physiological and cellular, to the molecular and chemical levels.


Students and Lab Members

Research assitant:

Dr. Sigal Shefer

 

Ph.D. students:

Dates

Name of student

Title of thesis

2009- Keren, R. Acquisition of sponge-associated bacteria
2008 Sokolover, N. Bryozoans ecology
2007- Aluma, Y Sponge skeletogenesis
2005 - Khalfin I. Function of natural products from sponge associated fungi
2005 - Haber, M Biosynthesis and function of Natural products from sponge associated miscroorganisms
2005 - Blihoghe, B

Marine natural products with antifouling activity

2005 - Mayzel, B. Sponge skeleton and its properties
2003 - Novak, L. Engineering a bacterial expression system to produce large amounts of known and of modified naturally occurring bioactive compounds of pharmacological interest
2001 - 2006 Steindler, L. New insights in sponge-cyanobacteria symbiosis
2001 - 2006 Hadas, E Organic carbon and nitrogen budgets of a Red Sea sponge

1994 - 2000

Meroz, E.

Phenotypic plasticity in marine invertebrates


 

 

 

M.Sc. students:

Dates

Name of student

Title of thesis

2008- Albag, O. Soft bottom sponges from the Red Sea
2007- Schechtman, Y. Sponge associated Archaea
2007- Sieradzki , E. Sponge pathogenic microorganisms
2006 - Tirosh, G.

Sponges of the Irciniidae along the Israeli Mediterranean coast

2006 - 2009 Bergman, O. Marine based cultivation of sponges and isolation of their associated bacteria, as first steps towards the accumulation of marine natural products
2006-2009 Kochva, Z. Characterization of the bacterial community inhabiting sponges of the genus Amphimedon and locating bacterial symbionts which produce natural compounds
2003 - 2006 Gur A. Relationships between sponges and associated barnacle
2003 - 2006 Rot, H. The complete mitochondrial genom of the sponge Negombata magifica: new insight on the evolution of metazoan mitochondrial genomes
2002 - 2005 Ein-Gil, N. Isolation and structure elucidation of biologically active natural products from sponge associated fungi
2002 - 2004 Oren, M. Aspects of sponge culture for the production of bioactive material
2001 - 2004 Sokolover, N. Chemical ecology of sponges from the Israeli coast of the Mediterranean Sea
2001 - 2003 Cohen, N. The association between marine sponge and filamentous fungi
1999 - 2003 Mayzel, B. Antifouling defense mechanisms in the ascidian P. nigra
1998 - 2002 Daya, A. Ecology and genetics of Hawksbill turtles
1999 - 2001 Ayalon-Burns, E. Comparison of anti-predatory defense mechanisms of Red Sea and Caribbean sponges
1998 - 2000 Perzman-Shemer A. The sponge Cliona vastifica and its contribution to the bioerosion at the coral reef of Elat
1998 - 2000 Steindler, L. Energetic and photoadaptational aspects of the association between photosymbionts and marine sponges
1998 - 1999 Vardi, T. The dynamics of corals and algae as mediated by sea urchins in the Gulf of Eilat ( University of Pennsylvania )
1997 - 2001 Rogel, Y. Sea urchins effect on Red Sea coral reefs
1997 - 2000 Ifrach, I. Chemical defense of Red Sea sponges against predation
1994 - 1998 Blisko, R. Reproductive processes and establishment of cell culture from marine sponges Negombata spp.
1994 - 1997 Gillor, O. Localization of bioactive metabolites within the Red Sea sponges Negombata magnifica & Theonella swinhoei .
1994 - 1997 Hizi, N. Reproduction and settlement of the ahermatypic coral Cladopsammia gracilis and the gastropods associated with it

1993 - 1996

Dembo, M.G.

Ecophysiology and biology of Lake Kinneret sponges.

1992 - 1995

Contini, H.

Propagation methods for obtaining the compound latrunculin, and growth aspects of the sponge Latrunculia magnifica .

1992 - 1994

Meroz, E.

Life history strategy of the sponge Mycale fistulifera and its symbiotic relationship with the scyphozoan Nausithoe cf. punctata in the Gulf of Eilat .

 

 

 

 

Post-Doctoral fellows

Dates

Name of student

Title of research

2006 - Sauleau, P Marine natural products with anti-cancer properties

1997 - 1999

Gugel, J.

New sources for biotechnological production of marine derived bioactive compounds


Full Publications

E. Hadas, M. Shpigel, M. Ilan, (2009) Particulate organic matter as a food source for a coral reef sponge. Journal of Experimental Biology, 212: 3643-3650. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.027953

Z. Paz, M. Komon-Zelazowska, I.S. Druzhinina, M.M. Aveskamp, A. Schnaiderman, Y. Aluma, S. Carmeli, M. Ilan, O. Yarden (2009) Diversity and potential antifungal properties of fungi associated with a Mediterranean sponge. Fungal Diversity (in press)

N. Ein-Gil, M. Ilan, S. Carmeli, G.W. Smith, J.R. Pawlik, O. Yarden (2009) Presence of Aspergillus sydowii, a pathogen of gorgonian sea-fans in the marine sponge Spongia obscura. ISME Journal 3: 752-755. DOI 10.1038/ismej.2009.18

E. Hadas, M. Ilan, M. Shpigel (2008) Oxygen consumption by a coral reef sponge. Journal of Experimental Biology, 211: 2185-2190. DOI 10.1242/jeb.02627

F. Belinky, C. Rot, M. Ilan, D Huchon (2008) The complete mitochondrial genome of the demosponge Negombata magnifica (Poescilosclerida). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 47: 1238-1243. 

DOI 10.1016/j.ympev.2007.12.004


N. Sokolover and M. Ilan (2007) Assessing anti-predatory chemical defences among ten East Mediterranean sponges. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , 87: 1785-1790

L. Steindler, S. Schuster, M. Ilan, A. Avni, C. Cerrano, S. Beer (2007) Differential gene expression in a marine sponge in relation to its symbiotic state. Marine Biotechnology 9: 543-549

Y. Paran, , M. Ilan, Y. Kashman, S. Goldstein, Y. Liron, B. Geiger, Z. Kam (2007) High-throughput screening of cellular features using high-resolution light-microscopy; Application for profiling drug effects on cell adhesion. Journal of Structural Biology, 158: 233-243

N. Hizi-Degany, E. Meroz-Fine, S. Shefer, M. Ilan (2007) Tale of Two Colors - Cladopsammia gracilis (Dendrophylliidae) color morphs distinguished also by their genetics and ecology Marine Biology 151 (6). p.2195

A. Zundlevich, B. Lazar, M. Ilan (2007) Chemical versus mechanical bioerosion of coral reefs by boring sponges – Lessons from Pione cf. vastifica. Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 91-96

J.R. Pawlik, L. Steindler, T.P. Henkel, S. Beer, M. Ilan (2007) Chemical warfare on coral reefs: Sponge metabolites differentially affect coral symbiosis in situ. Limnology & Oceanography, 52: 907-911

E. Hadas, D. Marie, M. Shpigel, M. Ilan (2006) Virus predation by sponges is a new nutrient-flow pathway in coral reef food webs Limnology & Oceanography, 51: 1548– 1550

C. Rot, I. Goldfarb, M. Ilan, D. Huchon (2006) Putative cross-kingdom horizontal gene transfer in sponge (Porifera) mitochondria. BMC & Evolutionary Biology, 6: 71-

E. Hadas , D. Marie, M. Shpigel, M. Ilan (2006) Virus predation by sponges is a new nutrient-flow pathway in coral reef food webs .Limnology & Oceanography – 51: 1548-1550.

S. Gesner, N. Cohen, M. Ilan, O. Yarden, S. Carmeli (2005) Pandagolide 1a, a new metabolite of the sponge associated fungus Cladosporium sp. and the absolute stereochemistry of Pandagolide 1 and iso-Cladospolide B . Journal of Natural Products 68: 1350-1353

M. Oren, L. Steindler, M. Ilan (2005) Transmission, plasticity and the molecular identification of cyanobacterial symbionts in the Red Sea sponge Diacarnus erythraenus . Maine Biology, 148: 35-41

 

L. Steindler, D. Huchon, A. Avni, M. Ilan (2005) 16S rRNA Phylogeny of Sponge-Associated Cyanobacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71: 4127-4131

E. Meroz-Fine, S. Shefer, M. Ilan (2005) Changes in morphology and physiology of an East Mediterranean sponge in different habitats. Marine Biology, 147: 243-25

E. Hadas, M. Shpigel, M. Ilan (2004) Sea ranching of the marine sponge Negombata magnifica (Demospongiae, Latrunculiidae) as a first step for latrunculin-B production. Aquaculture, 244: 159-169

M. Ilan, J. Gugel, R.W.M. van Soest (2004) Taxonomy, reproduction and ecology of both new and known Red Sea sponges. Sarsia – 89: 388-410


M. Ilan, D. Janussen, J. Gugel, B. Galil (2003) Small bathyal sponge species from East Mediterranean revealed by non-regular soft bottom sampling technique. Ophelia, 57: 145-160


E. Meroz-Fine, I. Brickner, Y. Loya, M. Ilan (2003) The hydrozoan coral Millepora dichotoma – speciation or phenotypic plasticity? Marine Biology 143: 1175–1183


V.C. Sundar, A.D. Yablon, J.L. Grazul, M. Ilan, J. Aizenberg (2003) Fibre-optical features of a glass sponge Nature, 424: 899-900


E. Burns, M. Ilan (2003) Comparison of anti-predatory defenses of Red Sea versus Caribbean sponges: II. Physical defense. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 252: 115-123


E. Burns, I. Ifrach, S. Carmeli, J.R. Pawlik, M. Ilan (2003) Comparison of anti-predatory defenses of Red Sea versus Caribbean sponges: I. Chemical defense. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 252: 105-114


L. Steindler, S. Beer, M. Ilan (2002) Photosymbiosis in intertidal and subtidal tropical sponges. Symbiosis 33: 263-273


E. Meroz, I. Brickner, Y. Loya, A. Peretzman-Shemer, M. Ilan (2002) The effect of gravity on coral morphology. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B, 269: 717-720


D. Kelman, Y. Kashman, E. Rosenberg, M. Ilan, I. Yifrach, Y. Loya (2001) Antimicrobial activity of the reef sponge Amphimedon viridis from the Red Sea: evidence for selective toxicity. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 24: 9-16


T. Evan, A. Rudi, M. Ilan, Y. Kashman (2001) Aplyzanzine A, a new dibromotyrosine derivative from a Verongida sponge. Journal of Natural Products 64: 226-227


L. Steindler, S. Beer, A. Peretzman-Shemer, C. Nyberg, M. Ilan (2001) Photoadaptation of zooxanthellae in the sponge Cliona vastifica from the Red Sea as measured in situ. Marine Biology 138: 511-515


O. Gillor, S. Carmeli, Y. Rahamim, Z. Fishelson, M. Ilan (2000) Immuno-localization of the toxin latrunculin B within the Red Sea sponge Negombata magnifica (Demospongiae; Latrunculiidae).Marine Biotechnology 2: 213-223


M. Ilan, Y. Loya, G.A. Kolbasov, I. Brickner (1999) Sponge inhabiting barnacles on coral reefs. Marine Biology 133: 709-716


M. Ilan, S. Beer (1999) A new technique for non-intrusive in situ measurements of symbiotic photosynthesis under water. Coral Reefs 18: 74


B. Rinkevich, R. Blisko, M. Ilan (1998) Further steps in the initiation of cell cultures from embryos and adult sponge colonies. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology 34: 753-756


S. Beer, M. Ilan (1998) In situ measurements of photosynthetic irradiation responses of two Red Sea sponges growing under dim light conditions. Marine Biology 131: 613-617


S. Beer, M. Ilan, A. Eshel, A. Weil, I. Brickner (1998) Use of pulse amplitude modulator (PAM) fluorometry for in situ measurements of photosynthesis in two Red Sea faviid corals. Marine Biology 131: 607-612


J. Aizenberg, M. Ilan, S. Weiner, L. Addadi (1996) Intracrystalline macromolecules are involved in the morphogenesis of calcitic sponge spicules. Connective Tissue Res. 34-5: 17-23


R. Goobes, A. Rudi, Y. Kashman, M. Ilan, Y. Loya (1996) Three new glycolipids from a Red Sea sponge of the genus Erylus. Tetrahedron, 52: 7921-7928

M. Ilan, H. Contini, S. Carmeli, B. Rinkevich (1996) Sponge cell culture techniques - primary and secondary cultures. Journal of Marine Biotechnology 4: 145-149

L. Stone, E. Eilam, A. Abelson, M. Ilan (1996) Modeling coral reef biodiversity and habitat destruction. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 134: 299-302


M. Ilan, J. Aizenberg, O. Gilor (1996) Dynamics of spicule growth in a calcareous sponge. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B, 263: 133-139


M. Ilan, M.G. Dembo, A. Gasith (1996) Gemmules of sponges from a warm lake. Freshwater Biology, 35: 165-172


M. Ilan, A. Abelson (1995) The life of a sponge in a sandy lagoon. Biological Bulletin, 189: 363-369


E. Meroz, M. Ilan (1995) Cohabitation of a coral reef sponge and a scyphozoan. Marine Biology, 124: 453-459


E. Meroz, M. Ilan (1995) Life history characteristics of a coral reef sponge. Marine Biology, 124: 443-451


U. Frank, I. Brickner, B. Rinkevich, Y. Loya, R. P. M. Bak, Y. Achituv, M. Ilan (1995) Allogeneic and xenogeneic interactions on reef-building corals may induce tissue growth without calcification. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 124: 181-188


M. Ilan (1995) Reproductive biology, taxonomy, and aspects of chemical ecology of Latrunculiidae (Porifera). Biological Bulletin, 188: 306-312


J. Aizenberg, J. Hanson, M. Ilan, L. Leiserowitz, T.F. Koetzle, L. Addadi, S. Weiner (1995) Morphogenesis of calcitic sponge spicules: a role for specialized proteins interacting with growing crystals. The FASEB Journal 9: 262-268


M. Ilan, N. Ben-Eliyahu, B. Galil (1994) Three deep water sponges from the Eastern Mediterranean and their associated fauna. Ophelia, 39: 45-54


M. Ilan, J. Vacelet  Kebira uteoides (Porifera, Calcarea), a recent "Pharetronid" sponge from coral reefs. Ophelia, 38: 107-116

M. Ilan, R. A. Jensen D. E. Morse (1993) Calcium control of metamorphosis in polychaete larvae. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 267: 423-430


D. Green, I. Goldberg, Z. Stein, M. Ilan, Y. Kashman (1992) Cyanthiwigin A-D, novel cytotoxic diterpens from the sponge Epipolasis reiswigi. Natural Products Letters, 1: 193-199


R. Talpir, R. Rudi, M. Ilan, Y. Kashman (1992) Niphatoxin A and B., two new ichtyo- and cyto-toxic tripyridine alkaloids from a marine sponge. Tetrahedron Letters, 33: 3033-3034


M. Ilan, Y. Loya (1990) Ontogenetic variation in sponge histocompatibility responses. Biological Bulletin, 179: 279-286


M. Ilan, Y. Loya (1990) Sexual reproduction and settlement of a coral reef sponge Chalinula sp. from the Red Sea. Marine Biology, 105: 25-31


A. A. Degen, B. Pinshow, M. Ilan (1990) Seasonal water flux and urine and plasma concentrations in free-living fat sand rats feeding solely on saltbush. Journal of Arid Environments, 18,: 59-66


M. Ilan, Y. Yom Tov (1990) Diel activity pattern of a diurnal desert rodent Psammomys obesus. Journal of Mammalogy, 71: 66-69


S. Carmeli, M. Ilan, Y. Kashman (1989) 2-amino imidazole alkaloids from the marine sponge Leucetta chagosensis. Tetrahedron, 45: 2193-2200

 

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

year
Title
2007
Head of the Department of Zoology Tel Aviv University
1988-2005
Editor in Chief of Israel Journal of Zoology
2006-
Editor of - Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution
2000-2005

Head of Faculty of Life Sciences Teaching Committee

Tel Aviv University

2005-2006

Head of Faculty of Life Sciences Graduate School

Tel Aviv University

Professional experience includes ten research expeditions and field work in the Bahamas, six to Zanzibar , six to the northern and central Red Sea, one to Eritrea , and six to San Juan Island (Friday Harbor Laboratories WA).


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