Oshrat Hershkovitz-Rokah, PhD

About the Investigator:

Dr. Oshrat Hershkovitz-Rokah established the Molecular Research Laboratory at Assuta Medical Centers. She holds a PhD from the Department of Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University. Her current research focuses on the role of non-coding RNAs and epigenetic changes in hematological malignancies, with several projects dedicated to rare diseases such as histiocytosis, AL-Amyloidosis, MCL, and Ph-like ALL.

In 2024, Dr. Rokah received an Excellence Award for her contributions to rare disease research. She possesses extensive expertise in advanced and complex molecular research methods and maintains strategic collaborations with leading academic and medical centers in Israel and abroad to address real clinical needs.

About the Research:

Histiocytosis refers to a group of rare diseases caused by the abnormal accumulation of immune cells in tissues. This accumulation, observed in Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD), Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), and Rosai-Dorfman Disease (RDD), can lead to serious health complications. The main cause of these diseases involves DNA mutations that activate the MAPK/ERK pathway, which controls cell growth and trigger excessive inflammation. Among these, ECD is particularly challenging to diagnose due to its non-specific symptoms and overlap with other conditions. Moreover, while current treatments targeting the MAPK/ERK pathway show promise, resistance to therapy and incomplete responses are becoming increasingly common, highlighting the urgent need for new approaches.

This project aims to address these challenges by uncovering molecular mechanisms beyond DNA mutations to improve diagnosis and treatment options. Using cutting-edge multi-omics techniques, we will analyze DNA methylation (epigenetics), gene expression (transcriptomics), small RNA molecules (miRNAome), and proteins (proteomics) in blood and tissue samples from patients with ECD, LCH, RDD, and healthy controls to identify novel biomarkers and targeted biological pathways.

This research is expected to significantly enhance our understanding of histiocytic neoplasms, a group of rare diseases where research is lacking, and lead to improved outcomes for patients, offering better diagnostic tools and innovative treatment strategies.