HAIFA, Israel – Professor Mouna Maroun, head of the Sagol Department of Neurobiology at the University of Haifa, was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Binational Science Foundation (BSF) in March 2026, a move signaling both a personal milestone and a potentially broader shift in Israeli scientific leadership. Maroun, the first Arab woman to head a university science department in Israel, brings to the role a distinguished career focused on the neural basis of emotion and trauma.
Maroun’s appointment to the BSF, which funds collaborative research projects between Israeli and U.S. Scientists, is particularly noteworthy given her own history with the organization. She credits BSF grants with facilitating crucial partnerships with American researchers, opportunities she felt were missed during her postdoctoral work in Paris. “If you study science in Israel, you know that a BSF grant is very prestigious,” Maroun stated in a 2020 interview. “Question Israelis about international partners they desire to work with and most of them will tell you they want to work with partners in the United States.”
Her research centers on the interplay between the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex in regulating fear, and the impact of environmental stressors – including trauma and diet – on emotional responses, social behavior, and memory. Currently, Maroun is developing a medical treatment for preventing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by targeting the erasure of specific fear memories in lab rats. Her work has already led to breakthroughs in understanding the unique needs of child trauma victims and the development of specialized treatments for adolescents.
Maroun’s path to prominence has been marked by numerous firsts. She was the first from her hometown of Isfiya to earn a PhD, the first Arab to achieve a doctorate in Neuroscience, and the first Arab woman to lead a university science department in Israel. She has consistently emphasized the importance of increasing representation of women – Jewish, Arab, Ethiopian, and Haredi – in STEM fields, arguing that such recruitment is essential for achieving gender and ethnic equality within academic institutions. “Recruiting outstanding women as faculty members… is one of the first steps to ensure the representation of women in higher education and to convey a clear message to the younger generation that there is no glass ceiling for girls,” she said.
The BSF appointment comes as the foundation continues to navigate a landscape of evolving international research collaborations. The organization, established to promote scientific exchange between the U.S. And Israel, plays a critical role in fostering joint projects and facilitating the transfer of knowledge. Maroun’s presence on the Board of Governors is expected to influence the foundation’s priorities and potentially broaden its reach within the Israeli scientific community.
Maroun’s trajectory, from a Druze village to a leadership position in Israeli neuroscience, reflects a commitment to overcoming systemic barriers. She initially pursued a medical degree but ultimately found her calling in research after working with rats in a laboratory at the University of Haifa. “It was love at first sight,” she recalled. Her research has since focused on understanding why humans experience fear, a question she believes is fundamental to addressing mental health challenges.
The BSF Board of Governors has not yet announced its next meeting date, or any specific initiatives Maroun will champion in her recent role.
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