Prof. Benjamin Dekel is known internationally as one of the most innovative and highly recognized investigators in the field of human renal stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. He initiated his work in this field as a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow at the Weizmann Institute of Science, which resulted in seminal studies demonstrating that kidney precursor tissues from humans or pigs could develop into fully functional nephrons when transplanted into adult mice, paving the way for the “growing kidneys” concept. His team was the first was to prospectively isolate expandable human nephron progenitor cells from fetal kidneys and showed their beneficial effects in treating chronic renal injury. Not too far away from human trials, Avichai’s family is hoping to be able to get accepted into the program once ready and established.