Alon Friedman

Dr. Alon Friedman, MD, PhD, is Professor of Neuroscience and Dennis Chair in Epilepsy Research at Dalhousie University, Professor and Dr. Helena Rachmanska-Putzman Chair in Neurology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Director of the Sheba Medical Neuroscience Research Center. He completed his medical and doctoral training at Ben-Gurion University, where his PhD focused on the electrophysiological properties of cortical neurons, and later trained in neurosurgery at Soroka University Medical Center.

As an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at Charité Medical University in Berlin, Dr. Friedman advanced research on blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction and epileptogenesis. He later returned to Ben-Gurion University as a physician–scientist and helped establish the Epilepsy Center at Soroka University Medical Center.

His research spans basic, translational, and clinical studies on the role of the BBB and neurovascular unit in epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and other brain disorders, with an emphasis on developing novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. He has published more than 180 peer-reviewed articles, supervised over 60 graduate students and fellows, and co-founded Emagix Inc., a diagnostic company specializing in non-invasive vascular imaging for brain and retinal diseases. His work has been recognized by several international honors, including the Michael Prize for Epilepsy Research, the Foulkes Foundation Award, and the 2025 Alexander von Humboldt Research Award.