ד"ר אריאל יהודה ישראל

Director, Leumit Research Institute
Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Disease Prevention

• M.D., Ph.D.
  Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School
  Thesis: MicroRNA activity in human cancer and complex diseases (2012) 
  Focus: Bioinformatics and Human Genetics
   
• Board Certification in Family Medicine
  Hebrew University and Clalit Jerusalem (2019)
   
• Diplôme d’études approfondies (DEA)
  Post-graduate diploma in Databases Theory and Engineering
  Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, and Université Paris XI Orsay (1997)
  Mention Bien
   
• MIAGE: Master's Degree of Business Informatics
  Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (1996)
  Mention Très Bien
   
• License es Sciences Economiques: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration
  Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (1994)

My research focuses on applying advanced data science to real-world public health. I leverage national electronic health records, machine learning, and AI-driven analytics to improve early disease detection, enhance preventive care, and enable precision population health.

As Director of the Leumit Research Institute (LRI), I lead the development and deployment of predictive models based on over 20 years of nationwide longitudinal healthcare data from 720,000 members. Our models are translated directly into clinical workflows, including national screening initiatives for colorectal cancer and COPD, and risk-stratified outreach programs that have already demonstrated substantial improvements in early detection.

My work integrates clinical, laboratory, medication, environmental, and genetic data to uncover previously unrecognized contributors to chronic disease, aging, dementia, and cancer. Areas of current focus include:

• AI for early cancer detection and targeted screening in primary care
• Infectious and immune factors contributing to neurodegeneration and mental health
• Large-scale evaluation of vitamin D deficiency as a modifiable risk factor
• Digital health interventions to reduce cardiovascular, metabolic, and psychiatric disease burden

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our group was among the first to identify waning immunity after vaccination in real-world settings, helping inform national and international booster policy decisions.

Our findings have been published in leading journals including New England Journal of Medicine, BMJ, Brain Behavior and Immunity, Gut Microbes, and others.

LRI collaborates extensively with national and international partners, including Tel Aviv University researchers across disciplines, academic and industry partners, and healthcare organizations worldwide. Our mission is to transform healthcare data into actionable public health insights and tangible improvements in population wellbeing.

Click here for a list of selected publications.