rooniarbel@gmail.com · 0486 508 858
Melbourne, Australia
Portrait of Dr. Roni Arbel

Roni Arbel, MD/PhD

Paediatrics & Computational Neuroscience

Israeli-trained certified paediatrician and neuroscientist. I completed paediatric specialty training at Hadassah Medical Center, a major tertiary hospital, working across general paediatric wards and the NICU. My research focuses on cortical plasticity in sensory-deprived individuals through dedicated training, rehabilitation methods, and neuroimaging. I am now seeking clinical fellowships or opportunities in community paediatrics in Melbourne.

Based in Melbourne Now seeking clinical fellowships or opportunities in community paediatrics
Poster Presenting at ASDP 2026, Melbourne · 20–22 August →

Education & Training

  • Israeli-trained certified paediatrician
  • Specialty training, Hadassah Medical Center (wards & NICU)
  • PhD, Neuroscience, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD), Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • MSc, Neuroscience · BSc Medicine, Cum Laude
About

From the paediatric ward and NICU to the research lab

I am an Israeli-trained certified paediatrician and MD/PhD clinician-scientist. At Hadassah Medical Center I worked on general paediatric wards and in the NICU, including care of premature and critically ill neonates and children with metabolic, genetic, and complex conditions.

My PhD research used functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to study cortical plasticity and sensory substitution in congenitally blind adults: how dedicated training and rehabilitation reshape sensory cortex.

Line illustration of a brain as a cognitive network
Research

What I have studied

PhD research on neuroplasticity and sensory substitution, with clinical grounding in ward and NICU care. The most recent of it goes to ASDP 2026 in Melbourne as a poster on how the brain learns to read through sound. See the poster →

Neuroplasticity & sensory substitution

Cross-modal reorganisation studied with fMRI in congenitally blind adults.

Training & rehabilitation

How dedicated sensory-substitution training reshapes cortical responses.

Functional neuroimaging

Task-based fMRI, resting-state connectivity, and related pipelines.

Clinical grounding

Paediatric ward and NICU experience informing questions about early brain development.

Critical periods

How sensory experience (or its absence) organises developing cortex.

Methods

Python, MATLAB, and neuroimaging analysis for plasticity research.

Experience

Clinical & research appointments

2021-2025

Clinical Registrar in Pediatrics

Hadassah Hospital, Mount Scopus Campus · Jerusalem
  • Chief Registrar: led the registrar training program, integrating hospital and department needs with formal and practical clinical training.
  • Managed registrar scheduling and hospital placement during wartime conditions.
  • General paediatric wards and clinics, including metabolic and genetic conditions and rare founder mutations from the rural Jerusalem population.
  • Extensive NICU experience including acute management of extremely premature and critically ill neonates.
2019-2020

Medical Intern

Shaare Zedek Medical Center · Jerusalem
  • Selected for the competitive paediatric internship track.
2013-2022

PhD Researcher, Neuroplasticity & Sensory Substitution

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem · Amedi Lab
  • Thesis: Sensory flexibility in cortical specializations: the blind brain as a model to challenge classical theories on the emergence of brain organization and development.
  • Designed and executed task-based fMRI studies in congenitally blind adults and healthy controls.
  • Developed OVAL, a novel auditory orthography optimised for visual-to-auditory sensory substitution. Try it in your browser →
Education

Training path

Israeli-trained certified paediatrician
Specialty certification in Paediatrics
PhD, Neuroscience
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2013-2022
Sensory flexibility in cortical specializations; the blind brain as a model
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2013-2020
MSc, Neuroscience
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2010-2012
BSc, Medicine
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2009-2012
Cum Laude
Exchange, Outstanding Students
Zhejiang University School of Medicine · Hangzhou, China
2017
Selected publications

Peer-reviewed research

01
Rapid plasticity in the ventral visual stream elicited by a newly learnt auditory script in congenitally blind adults
Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A · 2023
Neuropsychologia
02
Face shape processing via visual-to-auditory sensory substitution activates regions within the face processing networks
Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A · 2022
Frontiers in Neuroscience
03
Congenitally blind adults can learn to identify face-shapes via auditory sensory substitution and generalize learned features
Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A · 2022
Scientific Reports
04
The sound of reading: color-to-timbre substitution boosts reading performance via OVAL, a novel auditory orthography
Arbel R, Heimler B, Amedi A · 2020
PLOS ONE
05
Cross-sensory transfer of sensory-motor information: visuomotor learning affects an audiomotor task using sensory-substitution
Levy-Tzedek S, Novick I, Arbel R, et al. · 2012
Scientific Reports
06
Vision through other senses: practical use of sensory substitution devices as assistive technology for visual rehabilitation
Maidenbaum S, Arbel R, Buchs G, Shapira S, Amedi A · 2014
IEEE MED
Honours & teaching

Awards and teaching

Awards

2018
Student Exchange Program for Outstanding Medical Students
2017
Na'amat Award for Women in Science
2016
Folks Scholarship for MD/PhD Students

Teaching

2025
Chief Registrar of Pediatrics, Hadassah Mount Scopus
23-25
Clinical Teaching Supervisor, Medical Students, Hadassah
2015
TA, Biostatistics, International MPH, Hebrew University
13-16
TA, Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Cognitive Science

Get in touch

For clinical opportunities, research collaborations, or introductions. I would be glad to hear from you.

rooniarbel@gmail.com 0486 508 858