Isaiah (Shy) Arkin

Founder and CEO

Prof. Arkin is the former Vice President for Research and Development at the Hebrew University.  He holds the Lejwa Chair in Biochemistry.

Prof. Arkin was born in 1965 and did his undergraduate studies in the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University and at Faculty of Life Sciences of Tel Aviv University.  He received his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Yale University in 1995.  He lectured at the University of Cambridge in England for four years in the Department of Biochemistry. In 2000 he joined the staff of the Hebrew University as an Associate Professor in biochemistry and won an Alon Fellowship. In 2005 he was promoted to full professor and went to D. E. Shaw Research in NYC for a two year sabbatical.  In 2008 he was appointed Head of the Institute of Life Sciences. In 2009 he was elected as Vice President for Research and development, a post he held until 2017. He also served on the Board of Directors of Yissum Technology Transfer Company.

Prof. Arkin’s research focuses on viral ion channels – their function and inhibition as a route to curb viral infectivity.