Yael Hanein

Prof. Hanein's research field is neuro-engineering and her main passions are developing wearable electronic technology and bionic vision. Her research group has pioneered the use of nanomaterials for neuro applications. Prof. Hanein has conducted research at the Weizmann Institute, Princeton University (visiting student at the lab of Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Dan Tsui), and at the University of Washington. Thanks to her extensive connections with the industry, in 2009 she joined Rainbow Medical to help establish NanoRetina, a startup company developing artificial vision. Prof. Hanein is the co-founder of Tel Aviv University Micro and Nano Central Facilities. Since 2013, she is co-directing XIN, a joint research centre of Tel Aviv University and Tsinghua University (Beijing) that focuses on young researchers and research geared towards innovation that benefits society. With  her ERC project 'FUNMANIA', Prof. Hanein and colleagues have focused on artificial vision and skin electronics, and have developed wire-free, light induced retinal implants that can stimulate blind retinas. Their new systems mark substantial advantages in comparison to other photo-sensitive artificial retinal platforms, as they have a lower stimulation threshold and are biocompatible, flexible and chemically stable.