Unlocking the Mystery of Chronic Pain

Iftach Chaplin, who is pursuing a Master of Science in Medicine in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, understands the cultures in both the United States and Israel. He was born on a kibbutz in Israel, where he spent the first 12 years of his life.

At the age of 12, his father’s career brought Iftach and his family to Dallas, Texas, where he completed high school and his undergraduate studies. On October 1, 2023 — a week before the war broke out — he returned to Israel to begin the next chapter of his life.

As a Technion graduate student, Iftach is working to solve the mysteries of the microbiome and fibromyalgia to alleviate the chronic pain associated with the syndrome.

“Fibromyalgia has left so many patients and medical professionals without effective solutions,” he says. “The work I’m doing at the Technion has the power to improve the quality of life for countless individuals.”

The focus of his studies is on how the syndrome, characterized by chronic pain and other symptoms, may be influenced by the gut microbiome. He studies the efficacy of microbiota transplantation from healthy donors to patients with fibromyalgia, with a special focus on the microbiome’s role in the mechanisms of pain. His ultimate hope is to develop new clinical therapies for the syndrome and other chronic pain syndromes.

Committed to bridging the gap between research and practice, Iftach has brought his studies to clinical settings. He works as a researcher at the Institute for Pain Medicine in Israel’s Rambam Medical Center. He previously completed a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, and during his undergraduate studies, he worked as a researcher in the urologic oncology department at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Iftach finds time outside his studies to give back to his community. After making Aliyah just days before the war broke out, Iftach immediately stepped up to support those in need. He volunteered to pack care packages for soldiers, harvest crops for agriculture, and prepare apartments for families displaced by the conflict. In addition, he devoted time to sharing the Israeli perspective with friends and acquaintances in the U.S., helping to create meaningful dialogue during a profoundly challenging time.

Throughout the war, Iftach has remained focused on his studies and patient care. He says, “Even during days with rocket attacks, I made sure to stay committed to my research and work with patients. The Technion made commendable efforts to maintain an academic routine, which was a crucial anchor during this challenging year.”

Iftach enjoys playing musical instruments, long-distance running, woodworking, traveling, and cooking.