Dr. Gabriel Leitner  

University Education and Additional Training:

1987-1991 - Ph.D. in Immunogenetics, Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Supervision by: Prof. E.D. Heller

1991-1993 - Postdoctoral position, the University of Minnesota, Department of Clinical and Population Science, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, with Dr. T.W. Molitor

                     Research subject: Effect of cocaine on the immune responses: Swine model.

Positions held and Academic Status:

1991-1993 - Research Associate in Immunology, Department of Clinical and Population Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA

1993  -          Department of Immunology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel

1995- present - National Mastitis Reference Center, Kimron Veterinary Institute

2012 - Senior Scientist (equivalent to full professor)

Training/Teaching Experience:

1993-2005 - Lecturer: Clinical Immunology - Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University.

2001 -           Lecturer: Immunology Methods, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University.

2008-            Lecturer: Physiology of Lactation, Immunology, School of Practical Engineers, Technological College, Midreshet Ruppin, Israel

2011-2012 - Sabbatical, Ruminant Research Group (G2R), Dept. Animal and Food Sciences, University Autònoma of Barcelona , España, with:  Prof. G. Caja

Students:  3 Ph.D. and 8 M.Sc. students

Membership in Scientific and Agricultural Committees:

Local:

2000-present - Israel Cattle Breeders Association – Udder health of dairy cattle.

2001-present - Israel Sheep and Goats Breeders Association – Udder health of small ruminants.

2006-present - Scientific Committee, Kimron Veterinary Institute.

2007-present - Research Steering Committee, Animal Health, Committee for Regulation of Cow's Milk Israel Dairy Board, Committee for Regulation of Small Ruminant's Milk, Israel Dairy Board

2007-present - Advisory Committee of the Central Laboratory of Mastitis Control, Israel Dairy Board.

International:

2011 to date - Member (Delegate of the Israeli Chapter), "IDF Standing Committee on Animal Health (SCAH)", "IDF Committee on Mastitis (AT-AH-01)", The International Dairy Federation (IDF), Brussels, Belgium.

Editorial responsibilities:

2003 - present - Editorial Advisory Board - Small Ruminant Research

2004 - present - Editorial Board – Israel Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Reviewer of manuscripts for the following journals: J. Dairy Res., J. Dairy Sci., Vet. Microbiol., Vet. Immunol. Immunop., Life Sci. and others.

           Over 100 Articles in reviewed journals and over 150 Abstracts

In the past two decades I have developed professional expertise and made significant contributions to the improvement of agriculture on both Israel and the international levels, and in the past few years particularly to the dairy industry. Under my direction, a patent for S. aureus vaccine, one of the major causes of udder infection in dairy animals was developed and registered. In addition, the results of my studies connecting the quality of milk in the bulk tank to its influence on product yield in the dairy industry were implemented by Afimilk Afikim, for on-line classification and channeling of milk for increased yield when producing different dairy products. This technological achievement has the potential to result in a radical increase in the economical profitability of cheese production and is currently under final experimental evaluation by two dairy plants in Israel.

These developments in agriculture are integrally related to my professional career as a researcher, in which I implemented my expertise in immunology to conduct extensive research to promote understanding of the immune response related to specific pathogens as a sub-system of the animal as a holistic whole. In years of cumulative research this approach guided my work. My primary focus of research has been on infective agents such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas, as related to target hosts in a variety of animal species, mainly in broilers, cattle, sheep and goats leading to developing means of combating diseases. Through understanding the complex relationship between the agent and the host animal, I developed appropriate vaccines to avian colibacillosis and S. aureus mastitis. Continuing this line of research, recently I have examined the bacteria genome as expressed in the development of the disease.