The main research interests of Prof. Betty Schwartz include the role of nutrients in cancer and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health and characterization and evaluation of immunological and biological role of natural immunomodulators, particularly glucans. Prof. Betty Schwartz is an expert in areas including nutritional immunomodulators and their effects on GIT and liver functioning, effects on cancer and on gastrointestinal immunity.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the Western world including Israel. The role of diet in modulating cancer risk is a well-accepted concept, and natural compounds which have been proven safe over time and easily accessible through the diet represent ideal candidates as chemopreventive agents for the effective reduction of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Prof. Betty Schwartz laboratory has searched for numerous agents present in foods that can act as chemopreventive agents and exert their activity on multiple signal transduction, transcriptional regulation and activation of several apoptotic cascades in various tumor cells and animal models of colorectal cancer or associated colon cancer (induced by inflammation of the bowel). Natural agents such as lycopene, isoflavones, allicin, omega-3 fatty acids, glucans, specific proteins etc. have been shown by us to possess chemopreventive potential. We have utilized molecular and chemical biology approaches, including in vivo in animal models and even human studies to ask well as hypothesis-driven strategies, to interrogate cancer biology, identify and validate new cancer targets, discover and develop chemical, molecular tools to identify nutrients acting on these targets, identify predictive and proved mechanism of action. Read more

Academic Activities


CO-ACADEMIC CHAIR, THE INTERNATIONAL MSC PROGRAM IN NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES

CO-HEAD, DIABETES RESEARCH CENTER

FORMER HEAD OF THE SCHOOL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES

Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition

School of Nutritional Sciences and the International School of Agricultural Sciences      

Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Rehovot

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

 

Recent Publications

R. Rozner, Vernikov, J. , Griess-Fishheimer, S. , Travinsky, T. , Penn, S. , Schwartz, B. , Mesilati-Stahy, R. , Argov-Argaman, N. , Shahar, R. , and Monsonego-Ornan, E. . 2020. “The Role Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids From Different Sources In Bone Development”. Nutrients, 12, 11. doi:10.3390/nu12113494. Publisher's Version Abstract
N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential nutrients that must be obtained from the diet. We have previously showed that endogenous n-3 PUFAs contribute to skeletal development and bone quality in fat-1 mice. Unlike other mammals, these transgenic mice, carry the n-3 desaturase gene and thus can convert n-6 to n-3 PUFAs endogenously. Since this model does not mimic dietary exposure to n-3 PUFAs, diets rich in fish and flaxseed oils were used to further elucidate the role of n-3 PUFAs in bone development. Our investigation reveals that dietary n-3 PUFAs decrease fat accumulation in the liver, lower serum fat levels, and alter fatty acid (FA) content in liver and serum. Bone analyses show that n-3 PUFAs improve mechanical properties, which were measured using a three-point bending test, but exert complex effects on bone structure that vary according to its source. In a micro-CT analysis, we found that the flaxseed oil diet improves trabecular bone micro-architecture, whereas the fish oil diet promotes higher bone mineral density (BMD) with no effect on trabecular bone. The transcriptome characterization of bone by RNA-seq identified regulatory mechanisms of n-3 PUFAs via modulation of the cell cycle and peripheral circadian rhythm genes. These results extend our knowledge and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of bone remodeling regulation induced by different sources of dietary n-3 PUFAs.
Gopi Muthusamy, Joardar, Siddhartha Narayan , Samanta, Indranil , Isore, Devi Prasad , Roy, Barun , and Maiti, Tapas Kumar . 2020. “Dietary Administered Purified Β-Glucan Of Edible Mushroom (Pleurotus Florida) Provides Immunostimulation And Protection In Broiler Experimentally Challenged With Virulent Newcastle Disease Virus”. The Journal Of Basic And Applied Zoology, 81, 1, Pp. 55. doi:10.1186/s41936-020-00180-0. Publisher's Version Abstract
To study the immunomodulatory and protective role of dietary administered purified β-glucan obtained from edible mushroom (Pleurotus florida) in commercial broiler chicken, experimentally challenged with virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) on 7th day post treatment. Mushroom glucan (MG) at 15 mg/kg feed (group A) and MG at 30 mg/kg feed (group B) was administered to broiler birds for 20 days keeping control birds (group C) with a normal diet throughout. After 7 days post treatment, three groups of birds (n = 4, in each case) were challenged with virulent NDV. The immunological parameters were assessed to observe the protective efficacy of MG.