The Human Frontier Science Program selected Zohar Meir, a Postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Liam Dolan at the GMI, for one of the program’s competitive fellowships. 

Zohar Meir did his PhD in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute, where he developed experimental and analytic methodologies to study epigenetic drivers of cancer. 

Zohar joined the Dolan lab as a postdoctoral fellow in April 2023. In his project, Meir will study the very early development of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, a very ancient plant. “I will investigate how the information within a single cell, the spore, can give rise to the different and complex structures in the adult plant.” Zohar Meir combines modern single-cell genomics and imaging technologies to study the principles that guide the formation of plant stem cell niches and their regional specialization. His research will provide insights into the incredible plasticity of plants. 

“I’m grateful for the support by the Human Frontier Science Program, and excited about the opportunity to be a part of this worldwide community of great scientists,” says Zohar Meir. “The training opportunities and the possibility to network with scientists of diverse disciplines will allow me to develop this exciting project by taking a creative and enthusiastic approach, benefiting our group’s research.” 

About the HFSP postdoctoral Fellowships 

The Human Frontier Science Program awards 3-year postdoctoral fellowships to outstanding scientists worldwide who wish to pursue frontier, potentially transformative research in the life sciences. 

The peer-review selection process evaluates the applicant's achievements, as well as the scientific quality of the project and host laboratory. The process is highly competitive, with less than 10 percent of applicants receiving a fellowship. On top of a monthly stipend, the HFSP provides research and travel allowances.