Moran Elishmereni

Moran Moran joined IMBM in November 2004, after completing a B.Sc. in Computational Biology at Bar-Ilan University. She is currently a PhD student in the School of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, under the supervision of Prof. Francesca Levi-Schaffer. In IMBM, Moran takes part in the Cancer Immunotherapy project.

Scientific activity in 2007

    Over the past year, Moran has been involved in two research topics:

  • Mathematical modeling of the beneficial and toxic effects of the chemotherapy-supportive treatment interleukin-11 (IL-11): Despite its approval almost a decade ago for alleviating thrombocytopenia in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, IL-11 is still not applied in standard clinical practice due to its inflammation and fluid retention-associated side-effects. A novel mathematical approach was used for multi-scale ODE modeling of IL-11 pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, allowing analysis of plausible physiological mechanisms, investigation of model and parameter sensitivity, and development of improved therapeutic approaches with increased efficacy/toxicity ratios. This work was a joint project with Yuri Kheifetz and Smadar Horowitz.
  • Mathematical modeling of cancer immunotherapy by interleukin-21 (IL-21): The characterization of IL-21 as an immune regulator was investigated using ODE modeling, and utilized multiple and varied experimental information. The model, which is currently being expanded to include drug pharmacokinetics and validated using retrospective data, supports different tumor models, drug administration routes, and various characteristics of tumor growth in a murine system. The model also serves a basis for finding effective IL-21 therapeutic strategies intended for futuristic cancer treatment. Optimization methods have also been implemented for more quantitative analysis of therapeutic schedules. This work was a joint project with Antonio Cappuccio and Yuri Kheifetz.

Work program for 2008


    This year, Moran's research subjects continue to be focused on immunotherapy of cancer. Through continuous collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry, the murine IL-21 model will be further refined and validated using preclinical and clinical data. Considerations regarding various IL-21 administration strategies will be further incorporated and assessed, aiming to arrive at testable therapeutic conclusions and ultimately advance the model to the human system. In addition, Moran will be involved in developing software for simulating and calibrating immunotherapy models.

Lectures/Conferences in 2006/2007

  • MCRTN Workshop: "New Prospects for Cancer Immunotherapy: Integrating Biomarkers in Mathematical Models" May 2008, Kibutz Dalia, Israel.
  • 8th World Congress on Inflammation, June 2007, Copenhagen, Denmark. Talk: “The allergic synapse: A novel regulatory interface between mast cells and eosinophils”. Elishmereni, Bachelet, Levi-Schaffer.
  • 5th European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB), January 2007, Eilat, Israel. Poster: “Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies”. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur.
  • 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR symposium: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Prague, November 2006. Poster: “Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies”. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur.
  • 2nd Summer School of Modeling, Mathematical Methods and Computer Simulations of Tumor Growth and Therapy (MCRTN), July 2006, Kolymbari, Crete. Talk: “Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies”. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur.
  • EuroConference: Which Mathematics for Biology, July 2006, Anogia, Crete. Talk: “Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies”. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur.
  • 2nd American-Israel Conference: Novel Approaches in Cancer Therapy, June 2006, Jerusalem, Israel. Poster: “Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies”. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur.

Publications

  1. Elishmereni M, Kheifetz Y, Agur Z. New strategies of Interleukin-11 therapy for thrombocytopenia based on a mathematical PK/PD analysis (in preparation).
  2. Elishmereni M, Levi-Schaffer F. Skin disorders of inflammation and immune suppression in young and elder: A special role for mast cells. Handbook of skin aging: Market prospective, pharmacology, formulation and evaluation, Dayan Nava Ed., William Andrew Publishing, New York.
  3. Elishmereni M, Bachelet I, Levi-Schaffer F. DNAM-1: An amplifier of immune responses as a therapeutic target in various disorders. Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs 2008 9(5):491-6.
  4. Cappuccio A, Elishmereni M, Agur Z. Optimization of Interleukin-21 immunotherapeutic strategies. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2007; 248 (2): 259-66.
  5. Agur Z, Elishmereni M, Kogan Y, Kheifetz Y, Ziv I, Shoham M, Vainstein V. Mathematical modeling as a new approach for improving the efficacy/toxicity profile of drugs: The thrombocytopenia case study. Preclinical Development handbook (Ch. 36), Shayne Gad Ed., John Wiley and Sons, USA.
  6. Kheifetz Y, Elishmereni M, Horowitz S, Agur Z. Fluid-retention side-effects of the chemotherapy-supportive treatment Interleukin-11: Mathematical modelling of putative underlying mechanisms. Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine 2006; 7(2-3):71-84.
  7. Cappuccio A, Elishmereni M, Agur Z. Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: Potential treatment strategies evaluated in a mathematical model. Cancer Research, 2006; 66(14):7293-300.

Abstracts in conferences and meetings

  1. Elishmereni, Minai, Ben Efraim, Bachelet, Mankuta, Eliashar, Bradding, Alenius, Levi-Schaffer. Mast cells physically interact with eosinophils in vitro and in the allergic tissue. Poster presented in the Mast Cell Network Meeting, October 2008, Jerusalem Israel.
  2. Elishmereni, Kheifetz, Agur. A new strategy for improving interleukin-11 therapy for thrombocytopenia based on a mathematical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis. Oral presentation in European Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB) June 2008, Edinburgh Scotland.
  3. Elishmereni, Ben Efraim, Bachelet, Levi-Schaffer. Mast cell-eosinophil cross-talk regulates function and viability of both cells in vitro. Poster presented in American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March 2008, Philadelphia USA.
  4. Elishmereni, Kheifetz, Inbar, S?ndergaard, Thygesen, Overgaard, Agur. IL-21 immunotherapy in solid cancers: therapeutic insights from a preclinically validated mathematical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic model. Poster presented in AACR International Conference: Advances in Cancer Research- From the Laboratory to the Clinic,. March 2008, Dead Sea, Jordan.
  5. Elishmereni, Bachelet, Levi-Schaffer. The allergic synapse: A novel regulatory interface between mast cells and eosinophils. Oral presentation in 8th World Congress on Inflammation, June 2007, Copenhagen Denmark.
  6. Elishmereni, Cappuccio, Agur. Cancer immunotherapy by Interleukin-21: theoretical evaluation of potential treatment strategies. Poster presented in 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR symposium: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. November 2006, Prague, Czech Republic.
  7. Elishmereni, Kheifetz, Horowitz, Agur. Modeling the fluid retention side effects of Interleukin-11 administered for treating thrombocytopenia and other diseases. Oral presentation in 5th European Conference of Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB), July 2005, Dresden Germany.

Participation in summer schools and workshops

  1. MCRTN Summer school: "Modeling, Mathematical Methods and Computer Simulations of Tumor Growth and Therapy", July 2006, Kolymbari Crete.
  2. MCRTN Workshop: "New Prospects for Cancer Immunotherapy: Integrating Biomarkers in Mathematical Models" May 2008, Kibutz Dalia, Israel.

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