Itzhack Polacheck, Ph.D.
Head of Clinical Micology laboratory
Address
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Hadassah Hebrew-University Hospital
Kiryat Hadassah P.O.B. 12000
Jerusalem 91120
ISRAEL
e.mail: ItzhackP@ekmd.huji.ac.il
Personal details
Date & Place of Birth April 29, 1945; Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Nationality Israeli
Family Status Married; 3 children.
Phone (W) 972-2-6776592
Fax (W) 972-2-6419545
Education
1967-1969 Studied for a B.Sc.degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry in the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
1970-1971 Studied for an M.Sc. degree in Microbiology, Department of Microbiological Chemistry, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem.
1973 EMBO Short-term Fellowship: Laboratory of Prof. J.M. Ghuysen, Universite de Liege, Department of Microbiology, Liege, Belgium.
1972-1977 Studied for Ph.D. degree in Microbiology, Department of Microbiological Chemistry,The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem.
1977-1978 EMBO long-term fellowship, Dr. E. Cabib laboratory, NIAMD, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
1978-1981 Fogarty Visiting Fellow for Post Doctorate Training and Research in Medical Mycology In Dr. KJ. Kwon-Chung Laboratory, LCI, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD. USA.
1981-1985 Lecturer, Department of Clinical Microbiology, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1986-1991 Senior Lecturer, Department of Clinical Microbiology; The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. (Tenure position).
1988-1989 Visiting Scientist (Sabbatical), Dr. J.B. Hicks, Department of Molecular Biology, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California.
1991-present Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Professional Activities
1992-1994 Member of the board of the Israel Society of Microbiology
1994-1996 Member of the executive board and treasurer of the
Israel Society for Microbiology
1998-2000 Member of the executive board and treasurer of the
Israel Society for Microbiology
2000-2003 Vice-president of the International Society of Human and Animal Mycoses (ISHAM).
2003- present Vice-president of the Israeli Society of Medical Mycology (ISMM).
2005- Founder & Scientific advisor of Stratup Company - ConjuGate Ltd.
Representative recent experience
Prof. Polacheck has expertise in all aspects of Medical Mycology and has wide experience in the study of medical mycology in a variety of different areas: biochemistry, diagnosis, development of an antimycotic drug, mutant isolation and analysis, virulence studies, study of the course of infection in animal models, development of an antifungal drug and molecular biology. Mycological and molecular biology methodology including PCR technique are working routinely in the laboratory. He has a wide experience in murine candidiasis, murine cryptococcosis and murine aspergillosis and with dermatophytosis in guinea pigs. All models are currently running in the lab. He is the founder and scientific advisor of a Start-up Company that deals with the development of new antifungal agents and delivery systems. He published more than 70 referred articles and chapters in books, and holds grants and patent in this field. He is the founder and a scientific advisor of a start-up company (ConjuGate Ltd.) dealing with the development of new antifungal antibiotics and novel drug delivery systems. In addition, he was chairperson and organiser of international conferences in this area. The research team includes one Ph.D. Student, two M.Sc. Students, two postdoctoral students and a well-trained technician.
Representative Publications
1. Falk, R., A. J. Domb, and I. Polacheck. (1999). A Novel Injectable Water-Soluble Amphotericin B-Arabinogalactan Conjugate.. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 43:1975-1981
2. Polacheck, I., J. Strahilevitz, S. Donnelly, D. Sullivan, IF. Salkin and D. C. Coleman. (2000). Recovery of Candida dubliniensis from non-Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients in Israel, J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 170-174,. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 4420-4425
3. Wolf, G.D., R. Falk, M. Hacham, B. Theelen, T. Boekhout, G. Scorzetti, M. Shapiro, C. Block, I.F. Salkin and I. Polacheck. (2001). Multidrug-resistant Trichosporon asahii: Infection of nongranulocytopenic patients in three intensive care units. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 4420-4425.
4. Falk, R., J. Grunwald, A. Hoffman, A.J. Domb and I. Polacheck. (2004). Tissue distribution of amphotericin B-arabinogalactan conjugate in mice, and its therapeutic efficacy in murine aspergillosis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 48:3606-3609.
5. Nir-Paz, R., J. Strahilevitz, M. Shapiro, N. Keller, A. Goldschmied-Reouven, O. Yarden and I. Polacheck. (2004). Clinical and Epidemiological Aspects of Infections Caused by Fusarium Species. A collaborative study from Israel. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42:3456-3461.
6. Falk, R., M. Hacham, A. Nyska J.F. Foley, A.J. Domb and I. Polacheck. (2005). Induction of IL-1α, TNF-β and Apoptosis in Mouse Organs by Amphotericin B is neutralized by Conjugation with Arabinogalactan. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 55: 713-720.
7. Al Mosaid A., D.J. Sullivan I. Polacheck, F.A. Shaheen, O. Soliman, S..Al Hedaithy, S. Al Thawad, M. Kabadaya, and D.C. Coleman. (2005). A novel 5-flucytosine resistant clade of Candida dubliniensis from Saudi Arabia and Egypt identified by Cd25-fingerprinting. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43:4026-4036.
8. Takrouri, K., G. Oren, I. Polacheck, E. Shalom, J. Katzhendler and M. Srebnik. (2006). Synthesis and antifungal activity of a novel series of alkyldimethylamine cyanoboranes and their derivatives. J. Med. Chem. 49:4879-4885.
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