Message from the Dean
Welcome to The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University.
The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University is an academic home for researchers, students, and all those who seek to understand life, advance human health, and address the challenges facing society, the environment, and the natural world through biological science.
Life sciences today stand at the forefront of some of humanity’s most pressing challenges: the study of disease and the development of innovative therapies; biotechnology; neuroscience and vision research; aging and neurodegeneration; computational biology and artificial intelligence; immunology and cancer research; microbiology; ecology; plant sciences; marine biology; sustainability; reproductive biology; stem cell research; and structural and developmental biology. These are not merely fields of knowledge, but scientific languages that allow us to ask fundamental questions about life and translate discoveries into technologies and solutions with real-world impact.
The Faculty is committed to scientific excellence, rigorous teaching, critical thinking, and a supportive academic environment. From the earliest stages of their studies, our students are exposed to a broad, dynamic, and interdisciplinary research landscape. They acquire a strong scientific foundation, develop advanced experimental and computational skills, and engage in research-oriented thinking that prepares them for careers in academia, biotechnology, medicine, education, entrepreneurship, and a wide range of fields in which modern biology plays a central role.
We offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, including Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Computational Biology, interdisciplinary dual-major tracks, as well as studies within the School of Optometry and Vision Science. At the graduate level, students join leading research laboratories, conduct original research, and are mentored by internationally recognized scientists and recipients of prestigious awards and grants; researchers who are at the forefront of global science and driving breakthroughs with profound scientific, medical, and technological impact.
Our alumni hold key positions in academia, research institutes, medicine, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, startups, clinical laboratories, clinical trial units, education, and the public sector. Many pursue advanced degrees and research careers, others enter medical training, and many lead scientific and technological innovation across healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sectors. Their success reflects the core mission of the Faculty: to educate thoughtful, curious, and capable individuals who are able to shape science, society, and the future.
We place particular importance on cultivating the next generation of scientists in Israel. To this end, the Faculty offers dedicated excellence programs, including “Ofek Le’Machkar[YL1] ” for research-oriented undergraduate students and “Psagot,” a flagship research track for outstanding master’s students. These programs provide early integration into leading research laboratories and hands-on experience in independent, cutting-edge research under close mentorship. They are designed to enable highly motivated students to enter research early, develop scientific independence, and build outstanding academic and professional trajectories.
Alongside its commitment to training future researchers, the Faculty is undergoing continuous growth and development. We are recruiting outstanding faculty members, establishing and upgrading laboratories, expanding research infrastructure, and fostering collaborations within the university, with medical centers, industry, and research institutions in Israel and abroad. New members of our academic community find here an open, ambitious, and intellectually vibrant environment that combines academic freedom, high standards, and strong support for long-term research development.
One of the Faculty’s greatest strengths is its human atmosphere. We believe that excellent science is built not only on advanced equipment and original ideas, but also on open dialogue, collaboration, intellectual generosity, mutual support, and a strong sense of belonging. Our Faculty is a vibrant community in which students, researchers, staff, and faculty work together to advance knowledge, educate the next generation of scientists, and contribute to society in Israel and beyond.
I invite you to join us: to learn, to explore, to ask bold questions, to make new discoveries, and to be part of a Faculty that believes life sciences are key to understanding and improving our world.
Sincerely,
Prof. Cyrille Cohen
Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences
Bar-Ilan University
Please contact the Dean's Office at lsdean@mail.biu.ac.il
