Berta Levavi-Sivan

PhD

Programme Leader

Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan Vice Rector Animal Sciences, Room: 219 Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Career  History:
 Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan is a renowned figure in fish endocrinology and  aquaculture biotechnology. She has been a faculty member at the Hebrew  University of Jerusalem since 2000, where she currently serves as a full  professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the Robert H. Smith Faculty  of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Her research focuses on reproductive  endocrinology in fish, emphasizing hormonal regulation, aquaculture  innovation, and conservation biology. She has led numerous national and  international research projects, significantly advancing the understanding of  gonadotropins and reproductive control in teleosts and sturgeons. Berta  serves as the  Vice-Rector of the Hebrew University for Academic and Research Affairs.

Academic History:
 Prof. Levavi-Sivan earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from the Tel-Aviv  University of Jerusalem, and completed her Ph.D. in Physiology at the same  institution. She pursued postdoctoral training at the Weizmann Institute,  specializing in neuroendocrinology and molecular biology, before establishing  her research group at the Hebrew University.

Engagements:
 Prof. Levavi-Sivan actively engages in international scientific  collaborations, EU-funded projects, and interdisciplinary research networks.  She has mentored over 70 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many of  whom have become leaders in academia and industry. She regularly participates  in international conferences and serves on editorial boards of leading  journals in endocrinology and aquaculture. Her collaborations span Europe,  Asia, Africa, and North America, often focusing on improving sustainable  aquaculture practices and reproductive technologies in farmed fish.

Prof. Levavi-Sivan co-founded two  start-up companies: AquiNovo, which accelerates fish growth, and Sea2Cell, which  develops a unique technology to produce cultivated fish meat.

Accolades:
 Prof. Levavi-Sivan is the recipient of multiple awards recognizing her  scientific excellence, including the Golda Meir award, the  Rector's Prize for Excellence in Research and Teaching, and the Kaye Innovation Award from  the Hebrew University, and the Richard E. Peter Lectureship at the 10th  International Symposium of Fish Endocrinology (ISFE). as well as grants from  prestigious funding bodies such as the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) and  the European Union's Horizon programs, US-AID, DFG, BSF-NSF, World Bank, BARD  and Israel Ministry of Agriculture. Her innovations in hormone production and  reproductive manipulation in fish have been patented and translated into  applied technologies in global aquaculture.

ORCID:

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0183-9524