Decoding the secret language of RNA

RNA molecules are the workhorses of biology. They act as essential messengers and regulators, guiding how cells interpret and execute life’s fundamental processes. For Dr. Shai Zilberzwige‑Tal, these molecules hold the key to understanding how life, particularly bacterial life, organizes, adapts, and defends itself.

As a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Feng Zhang’s lab at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard—one of several institutions driving progress in CRISPR genome‑editing technologies—Dr. Zilberzwige‑Tal sought to uncover how RNA shapes the logic and evolution of bacterial existence. Her work relies on an integrative, interdisciplinary approach to study the diverse and complex architectures of bacterial immunity—mechanisms that allow bacteria to sense threats, process information, and launch targeted defenses.

Curiosity with a cause

Dr. Zilberzwige-Tal’s career has been fueled by a profound sense of purpose. Before beginning her scientific training, she served in the IDF’s Medical Corps, gaining firsthand insight into the fragility and resilience of life, and developing “a deep respect for living systems in action.”

She later volunteered as a paramedic with Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service, finding that fieldwork offered powerful lessons beyond medical knowledge itself.

She earned her BSc in Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University, graduating summa cum laude, and joined Prof. Ehud Gazit’s lab as a fast-track PhD student. There she developed synthetic biology tools and engineered DNA- and RNA-based materials for medical and other technological applications.

Beyond her research, she remained an active presence on campus—serving on the TAU Student Union, mentoring high school students through the National Biology Olympiad, and teaching in youth science programs.

Science through turbulence

Joining the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2022 placed Dr. Zilberzwige‑Tal at the center of global molecular biology. “It’s inspiring to be surrounded by people who constantly find new ways to tackle deep biological questions,” she says.

But the events of October 7, 2023, brought unexpected challenges. Like many Israelis abroad, she faced the strain of worrying for loved ones while maintaining family life and research in a tense academic climate. “It was a time when everything felt uncertain,” she says. “Balancing research, motherhood, and concern for home was overwhelming.”

During that period, Israeli scholars across Boston formed a grassroots support network. “The sense of community we built, among Israelis and with many allies, was deeply meaningful,” she says.

Even amid the turbulence, she stayed focused on science and on helping others navigate this difficult moment.

That same sense of community also led her to the Kalaniyot Fellows Program, which supports Israeli scholars at leading global institutions. She was selected as an Honorary Kalaniyot Postdoctoral Fellow for 2023‑2024 and remains engaged in the organization’s work.

Amid all of this, a clearer sense of direction began to emerge. “It clarified our priorities,” she says. “We knew we wanted to return to Israel—to raise our children here and contribute to building the society we believe in.”

Found in translation

Dr. Zilberzwige-Tal has now returned to Israel to launch her own lab in the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Biomolecular Sciences. Her research will focus on the fundamental interplay between RNA and proteins as they choreograph bacterial defense, moving from the internal logic of single cells to the coordinated responses of microbial communities.

Her team will combine cutting‑edge molecular biology and computational tools to map the evolution of these complex communication systems. By studying mechanisms such as toxin–antitoxin networks, they hope to decipher the molecular “language” that shapes how cells cooperate and protect themselves.

In parallel, the lab will design synthetic RNA circuits and virus-like particles engineered to sense and respond to specific signals—tools that will help them decode RNA and protein “communication” and open the door to new applications.

“I’m fascinated by how living systems organize themselves,” she concludes. “Weizmann is the natural home for this deep, curiosity-driven research. I want my lab to focus on rigorous, exploratory science—digging into RNA biology and microbial behavior to build a blueprint for understanding and manipulating immunity schemes.”

EDUCATION AND SELECT AWARDS
• BSc in biology, summa cum laude, Tel Aviv University (2013)
• PhD in life sciences, Fast-Track Program for Excellent Students, Tel Aviv University (2016–2023)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (2022–2025)
• Tel Aviv University Scholarship for Excellent Students (2018), Marian Gertner Institute for Medical Nanosystems Excellence Award (2021), Miriam Smolarz Research Excellence Award (2022), NanoSeries Early Career Research Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry (2022), Gruss Lipper Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the EGL Charitable Foundation (2023), Women’s Postdoctoral Career Development Award in Science, administered by the Weizmann Institute (2024)