IES Fellows

Tal
Dahan Meir (Alumni)

Prof. Avraham Levy’s lab, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Tal Dahan-Meir was previously a postdoctoral fellow researching natural wild plant variation under the supervision of Prof. Magnus Nordborg at the Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna Biocenter, Austria. She has a BSc Agr in Animal Sciences and MSc in Genetics and Breeding, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

During her PhD as a SAERI fellow at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Tal was in the Prof. Avraham Levy group, where she studied the genetic variation of wild wheat - the direct ancestor of bread wheat, over 36 years of climate change. In her postdoc, she currently focuses on adaptation of the most studied model plant, Arabidopsis, to extreme environments. By integrating multiple disciplines such as field work, experimental ecology, molecular biology and computer science, Tal sought to find the genetic basis for key mechanisms that provide plant survival and fitness to diverse conditions.

Tal participated in educational outreach and served as a mentor to members of underrepresented communities to support their pursuit of academic studies in science.

Where are you from?

I was born in Haifa, Israel. Today I am mother of two and live in Vienna, Austria.

Where does your interest in science, the environment, and sustainability come from?

Growing up in a household where we separated our household waste streams, generated our own compost to fertilize our garden, and minimized the use of disposables, I was always aware of the importance of sustainability in making the world a better place for future generations.

Some of my earliest childhood memories are from my uncle’s visits to our home in Haifa. I would grab him by the hand, guiding him to our garden in the Lotem Valley, and ask him for the name of each bush and shrub we passed. He is an agronomist, working on crops across Africa. In simple words, he explained to me how we can improve food security with sustainable agriculture and make a dramatic increase in yield just by understanding the adaptation of each crop to its environment. I was always fascinated by his broad base of knowledge and today, I treasure the fact that I can share my research with him.

What was your path to Weizmann?

During my undergraduate studies, I worked as a research assistant in the lab of Prof. Avi Levy, which led me to do my master’s thesis as a collaboration between HUJI and WIS, with Prof. Levy as a supervisor. During my master’s studies, Prof. Levy introduced me to his long term study (from when he was a PhD student) in Ammiad, and I was excited to do my PhD studies on this magnificent population of wild emmer wheat.

What does your research focus on?

My PhD research focused on the genetic structure of Ammiad wild wheat population, located at the center of the species’ distribution. We genetically analyzed thousands of samples of wild wheat and found that the Ammiad population is highly diverse. This diversity was clustered in ecologically distinct habitats, which remained stable over 36 years of collection. 

As a postdoctoral fellow at the Gregor Mendel Institute in Vienna, I study the adaptation of seed size in Arabidopsis thaliana, the most studied plant in science. I aim to understand the genetic basis of seed size variation and how different seed sizes promote adaptability to harsh environments. I work with collections of thousands of samples, while also collecting and growing plants in Sweden.

Why did you want to become an IES Fellow?

I heard about IES in the early months of my PhD, and I knew I wanted to be part of a group that promotes sustainability. I aimed to connect with scientists from various fields who share the same interests and goals, so that together we can collaborate not only in science but also in educating the public and making a positive change.

How did being an IES Fellow impact your work?

The IES Fellows program was a major part of my graduate school experience since the beginning of my PhD. The diversity of the group broadened my scientific horizons and shaped the way I communicate science to people from various fields and backgrounds. Our monthly meetings were always fascinating and led to fruitful discussions and ideas, many of which became collaborations, initiatives, and actions. It strengthened my goal to be a scientist studying the adaptation of plants to diverse environments, with a focus on traits that can impact conservation and future agriculture.

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to complete my postdoctoral studies at the Gregor Mendel Institute in Vienna, Austria under the supervision of Prof. Magnus Nordborg, focusing on understanding the genetic basis of seed size adaptation. If seed size plays a major role in local adaptation as we hypothesize, it could serve as a textbook example, leading to numerous studies investigating its molecular mechanisms and ecological implications, which I can continue to work on as an independent researcher in the future. Additionally, I aim to remain active in public outreach, educating the younger generation and promoting sustainability.

Complete the picture: Formal Background

Tal earned her BSc Agr. (2011-2014) and MSc degree in genetics and breeding (2014-2016) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

Tal did her PhD studies in the Weizmann Institute, under the supervision of Prof. Avraham A. Levy. Her thesis was entitled: “Temporal and spatial genetic diversity of a wild wheat population over 36 years”. During her PhD at WIS, she was awarded an EMBO Scientific Exchange Grant, the WIS Women in Science travel award, the Moshe Meir Horovitz Memorial Award and won the “Outstanding student authored article” prize by SEB-Wiley and the Next-Gen Environmental Sustainability prize.

Today, she is a postdoctoral VIP2 fellow in the group of Prof. Magnus Nordborg, at the Gregor Mendel Institute in the Vienna Biocenter, Austria.