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Their commitment to Israel’s medical future matters more than ever. APF invests in physicians who pledge to return home after advanced training abroad, bringing specialized expertise to the patients and communities who need it. By caring for patients, training colleagues, and advancing medical practice, these Fellows help strengthen Israel’s healthcare system for generations to come.
Past APF Fellows: Bringing Expertise Home to Israel
Advanced training abroad creates lasting benefits at home. These five APF alumni show how fellowship support helps strengthen patient care, research, and medical leadership across Israel.
Dr. Ofrat Beyar-Katz — Advancing Cancer Treatment at Rambam
APF Fellow, 2019–2020
After postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Beyar-Katz returned to Israel with expertise in CAR-T therapy, which harnesses patients’ immune cells to fight cancer. Today, she directs Rambam’s Cellular Immunotherapy Unit and leads research to improve these treatments—connecting scientific discovery with care for patients with blood cancers.
Dr. Uri Greenbaum — Bringing Advanced Cancer Care to the Negev
APF Fellow, 2019–2020
Following training at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Greenbaum returned to Soroka and initiated a cellular-therapy program focused on CAR-T treatment for lymphoma and leukemia. His work expands access to advanced cancer care in Israel’s underserved Negev region, while his collaborative research seeks to make these therapies safer and more effective.
Dr. Naomi Pode-Shakked — Improving the Future for Children with Kidney Disease
APF Fellow, 2022–2023
After training at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Dr. Pode-Shakked returned to Israel, where she combines pediatric kidney care at Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital with research at Tel Aviv University. Using patient-derived cells and miniature kidney models, her team studies inherited kidney disorders to identify more precise treatments and help prevent progression to kidney failure.
Dr. Stav Sarna Cahan — Strengthening Burn Care and Emergency Response
APF Fellow, 2021–2022
Dr. Sarna Cahan brought advanced burn-care expertise home from Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston. He now heads Hadassah’s Burns Unit and directs its Scar Clinic, supporting patients from acute injury through rehabilitation. His service on Israel’s medical relief delegation following the 2025 nightclub fire in North Macedonia demonstrates how that expertise also strengthens disaster response.
Prof. Michael Mimouni — Restoring Vision and Training Specialists
APF Fellow, 2020–2021
Following fellowship training at the University of Toronto, Prof. Mimouni returned to Israel and now directs Rambam’s Cornea Unit. Through patient care, research, and teaching at the Technion, he advances treatments that preserve and restore sight. As chair of the Israeli Cornea Society, he also leads professional collaboration that extends his impact to eye care throughout Israel.
These five physicians illustrate what APF fellowship support makes possible: opportunities to gain advanced expertise that physicians can bring home and build upon. Supporting the next generation of APF Fellows is an investment in the people who will strengthen Israel’s patient care, medical research, and clinical leadership.
Since 1951, APF has supported more than 2,000 Israeli physicians through fellowship grants. Our newest recipients carry that legacy forward—and you can be part of their journey.
Sponsor a physician. Strengthen care for generations.
A $5,000 gift can fund a typical APF supplemental fellowship grant, helping ease the financial burden of advanced training. Contributions of any size support this essential program, and sponsorship offers an opportunity to connect with the physician whose training you help make possible.
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