DDLSS: Prof. Ayelet Erez “Deciphering tumor-host crosstalk to improve cancer diagnosis and therapy”

Ayelet Erez, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist who bridges the gap between clinical genetics and basic science to advance precision healthcare for cancer patients. Her research centers on the metabolic crosstalk between the host and tumor, with a strong focus on translating metabolic insights into therapeutic and diagnostic innovations. Dr. Erez earned her medical degree from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. After completing her pediatric residency, she pursued a PhD in Cancer Genetics at Tel Aviv University. She then trained at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she completed a clinical genetics fellowship and conducted postdoctoral research on the metabolism of human diseases. In 2012, Dr. Erez returned to Israel to join the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she currently serves as Dean of the Weizmann MD-PhD School and Head of the Center for Rare Genetic Diseases. Beyond her academic leadership, she co-founded the Oncogenetics Clinic at Schneider Children’s Medical Center, where she volunteers weekly, providing genetic counseling to pediatric patients with suspected hereditary cancer syndromes.