About
Dr. Morick , who heads the department, is a veterinarian and researcher with 18 years of experience in marine animal medicine. In recent years, he has been leading research focused on understanding the causes of illness and mortality, as well as disease transmission among marine animals in the Mediterranean Sea. This research also includes understanding the impact of disease factors in marine agriculture systems. The Marine Pathology Laboratory, led by Dr. . Morick, also studies the effects of pollutants such as heavy metals on the health of marine animals. Using advanced technologies and molecular biology, this research generates extensive knowledge in a field that has been barely studied in our region and has implications for many areas, including marine ecology, nature conservation, and public health.
Publications
- Machine learning–based decision support for harvest optimization in commercial microalgae photobioreactors: A field validation study, Kadosh, E., Eisenstadt, D., Gamliel, O., Levy, A., Sasson, A., Bogin, Y., Einbinder, S., Tchernov, D. & Morick, D., 15 Sep 2026, In: Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 252, 112040.
- Sulfur, e-waste contaminants and sharks, Newman, E. S., Scheinin, A., Wosnick, N., Lemos, L. S., Bigal, E., Itay, P., Saint'Pierre, T. D., Tchernov, D., Hauser-Davis, R. A. & Morick, D., 15 Jul 2026, In: Environmental Pollution. 401, 128227.
- Decision-making and public health: How the prevalence of Contracaecum spp. larvae in market-size tilapia may influence fish sample-size to be inspected prior marketing, Davidovich, N., Tedesco, P., Caffara, M., Minkova, E., Aflalo, O., Hadar, S., Baramboim, V., Goldstein, G., Cohen, O., Glasner, S., Markovich, M. P., Morick, D., Lattanzi, A. & Gustinelli, A., Dec 2025, In: Food and Waterborne Parasitology. 41, e00288.
- A data-driven approach to compare behavioral and physiological metrics of gilthead sea bream exposed to playback ship noise to a control group, Diamant, R., Cohen, E., Shachar, I., Kipnis, D., Mišković, N., Zemah-Shamir, Z., Itay, P. & Morick, D., Dec 2025, In: Ecological Informatics. 92, 103491.
- Fatal shark incident in the eastern Mediterranean Sea highlights urgent need for enhanced management measures, Bigal, E., Livne, L., Zemah-Shamir, Z., Morick, D., Einbinder, S., Tchernov, D. & Scheinin, A., Oct 2025, In: Ocean and Coastal Management. 269, 107848.
- Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Along the Coast of Israel: Abundance and Social Structure, Mevorach, Y., Galili, O., Bigal, E., Goffman, O., Roditi-Elasar, M., Zuriel, Y., Kobo, K., Haitovich, Y., Hadar, N., Markovich, M., Vardimon, D., Reininger, D., Marco, S., Morick, D., Tchernov, D., Kerem, D. & Scheinin, A., Aug 2025, In: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 35, 8, e70181.
- Three new Microbacterium species isolated from the Marmara Sea mucilage event: Microbacterium istanbulense sp. nov., Microbacterium bandirmense sp. nov., Microbacterium marmarense sp. nov, Saticioglu, I. B., Ajmi, N., Coskuner-Weber, O., Alpsoy, S., Ay, H., Aydin, F., Abay, S., Karakaya, E., Kayman, T., Dalyan, C., Koca, F. D., Tasci, G., Yarim, D., Morick, D., Yibar, A., Erdogan, S., Altun, S. & Duman, M., May 2025, In: Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 48, 3, 126600.
- Monitoring Fish Bacterial Pathogens of Wild Fish Species From the South China Sea by Applying Next-Generation Sequencing on Gill Tissue, Zrihan, S., Itay, P., Kroin, Y., Davidovich, N., Wosnick, N., Tchernov, D., Koh, X. P., Lau, S. C. K. & Morick, D., Feb 2025, In: Journal of Fish Diseases. 48, 2, e14050.
- Plasma chemistry and hematology of Eastern Mediterranean Sea green turtles undergoing rehabilitation, Starostinetsky Malonek, T., Scheinin, A., Wosnick, N., Davidovich, N., Itay, P., Piha, S., Aroch, I., Tchernov, D., Levy, Y., Hauser-Davis, R. A. & Morick, D., Jan 2025, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 34, 1, p. 85-103 19 p., e11842.
- Genomic Insight into Vibrio Isolates from Fresh Raw Mussels and Ready-to-Eat Stuffed Mussels, Yibar, A., Duman, M., Ay, H., Ajmi, N., Tasci, G., Gurler, F., Guler, S., Morick, D. & Saticioglu, I. B., Jan 2025, In: Pathogens. 14, 1, 52.
- Trace elements and high sulfur levels in the blood of rehabilitated eastern Mediterranean Sea green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), Morick, D., Reem, N., Lavy, E., Soledade-Lemos, L., Tchernov, D., Starostinetsky-Malonek, T., Wosnick, N., Itay, P., Hauser-Davis, R. A., Ivgy, G. & Levy, Y., 10 Dec 2024, In: Science of the Total Environment. 955, 176788.
- Serum chemistry, thyroxine concentration, and blood cell morphology of wild, young Blackchin Guitarfish Glaucostegus cemiculus sampled on the eastern Mediterranean coastline, Schwartz, N., Morick, D., Azrieli, B., Scheinin, A., Tchernov, D. & Aroch, I., Sep 2024, In: Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. 36, 3, p. 281-299 19 p.
- First description of a Gammaherpesvirus in a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Morick, D., Davidovich, N., Zemah-Shamir, Z., Kroin, Y., Bigal, E., Sierra, E., Segura-Göthlin, S., Wosnick, N., Hauser-Davis, R. A., Tchernov, D. & Scheinin, A. P., Dec 2023, In: Veterinary Research Communications. 47, 4, p. 2253-2258 6 p.
- Low prevalence of Contracaecum third-stage larvae parasitizing Sea of Galilee fisheries: 1-year survey after 57 years of no information, Davidovich, N., Tedesco, P., Caffara, M., Luci, V., Cantori, A., Morick, D., Fioravanti, M. L. & Gustinelli, A., Sep 2023, In: Food and Waterborne Parasitology. 32, e00204.
- Global assessment of shark strandings, Wosnick, N., Leite, R. D., Giareta, E. P., Morick, D. & Musyl, M., Jul 2022, In: Fish and Fisheries. 23, 4, p. 786-799 14 p.
- Unraveling Metabolite Provisioning to Offspring Through Parental Fluids: A Case Study of the Brazilian Guitarfish, Pseudobatos horkelii, Wosnick, N., Leite, R. D., Giareta, E. P., Morick, D. & Hauser-Davis, R. A., 20 Jun 2022, In: Frontiers in Physiology. 13, 911617.
- Morphological description and molecular characterization of Contracaecum larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae) parasitizing market-size hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis aureus x Oreochromis niloticus) and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) farmed in Israel, Davidovich, N., Tedesco, P., Caffara, M., Yasur-Landau, D., Gustinelli, A., Drabkin, V., Minkova, E., Aflalo, O., Morick, D. & Fioravanti, M. L., Mar 2022, In: Food and Waterborne Parasitology. 26, e00147.
- Cutaneous appearance of mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium marinum, affecting gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems, Davidovich, N., Pretto, T., Sharon, G., Zilberg, D., Blum, S. E., Baider, Z., Edery, N., Morick, D., Grossman, R., Kaidar-Shwartz, H., Dveyrin, Z. & Rorman, E., 15 Nov 2020, In: Aquaculture. 528, 735507.
- Physiological impairment as a result of bile accumulation in an apex predator, the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier Péron & Lesueur, 1822), Wosnick, N., Chaves, A. P., Niella, Y. V., Takatsuka, V., Hazin, F. H. V., Nunes, J. L. S. & Morick, D., Nov 2020, In: Animals. 10, 11, p. 1-13 13 p., 2030.
- Mycobacteriosis in aquatic invertebrates: A review of its emergence, Davidovich, N., Morick, D. & Carella, F., Aug 2020, In: Microorganisms. 8, 8, p. 1-20 20 p., 1249.
- Multilocus sequence analysis of diverse Streptococcus iniae isolates indicates an underlying genetic basis for phenotypic heterogeneity, Heckman, T. I., Griffin, M. J., Camus, A. C., LaFrentz, B. R., Morick, D., Smirnov, R., Ofek, T. & Soto, E., 2020, In: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 141, p. 53-69 17 p.
- Inhibition of nervous necrosis virus by ribavirin in a zebrafish larvae model, Morick, D. & Saragovi, A., 1 Jan 2017, In: Fish and Shellfish Immunology. 60, p. 537-544 8 p.
- Detection of Bartonella spp. In wild carnivores, hyraxes, hedgehog and rodents from Israel, Marciano, O., Gutiérrez, R., Morick, D., King, R., Nachum-Biala, Y., Baneth, G. & Harrus, S., 1 Sep 2016, In: Parasitology. 143, 10, p. 1232-1242 11 p.
- Molecular detection of zoonotic bartonellae (B. henselae, B. elizabethae and B. rochalimae) in fleas collected from dogs in Israel, Sofer, S., Gutiérrez, R., Morick, D., Mumcuoglu, K. Y. & Harrus, S., 1 Sep 2015, In: Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 29, 3, p. 344-348 5 p.
- Novel evidence suggests that a 'Rickettsia felis-like' organism is an endosymbiont of the desert flea, Xenopsylla ramesis, Rzotkiewicz, S., Gutiérrez, R., Krasnov, B. R., Morick, D., Khokhlova, I. S., Nachum-Biala, Y., Baneth, G. & Harrus, S., 1 Mar 2015, In: Molecular Ecology. 24, 6, p. 1364-1373 10 p.
- Bartonella infection in rodents and their flea ectoparasites: An overview, Gutiérrez, R., Krasnov, B., Morick, D., Gottlieb, Y., Khokhlova, I. S. & Harrus, S., 1 Jan 2015, In: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 15, 1, p. 27-39 13 p.
- Mortality caused by bath exposure of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae to nervous necrosis virus is limited to the fourth day postfertilization, Morick, D., Faigenbaum, O., Smirnov, M., Fellig, Y., Inbal, A. & Kotler, M., 2015, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 81, 10, p. 3280-3287 8 p.
- Identification of different Bartonella species in the cattle tail louse (Haematopinus quadripertusus) and in cattle blood, Gutiérrez, R., Cohen, L., Morick, D., Mumcuoglu, K. Y., Harrus, S. & Gottlieb, Y., Sep 2014, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 80, 17, p. 5477-5483 7 p.
- The effect of ecological and temporal factors on the composition of Bartonella infection in rodents and their fleas, Gutiérrez, R., Morick, D., Cohen, C., Hawlena, H. & Harrus, S., Aug 2014, In: ISME Journal. 8, 8, p. 1598-1608 11 p.
- Bartonellae in domestic and stray cats from Israel: Comparison of bacterial cultures and high-resolution melt real-time PCR as diagnostic methods, Gutiérrez, R., Morick, D., Gross, I., Winkler, R., Abdeen, Z. & Harrus, S., 1 Dec 2013, In: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 13, 12, p. 857-864 8 p.
- Vertical nontransovarial transmission of Bartonella in fleas, Morick, D., Krasnov, B. R., Khokhlova, I. S., Gutiérrez, R., Gottlieb, Y. & Harrus, S., Sep 2013, In: Molecular Ecology. 22, 18, p. 4747-4752 6 p.
- Effects of Bartonella spp. on flea feeding and reproductive performance, Morick, D., Krasnov, B. R., Khokhlov, I. S., Gutiérrez, R., Fielden, L. J., Gottlieb, Y. & Harrus, S., Jun 2013, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 79, 11, p. 3438-3443 6 p.
- Prevalence and Diversity of Bartonella Species in Commensal Rodents and Ectoparasites from Nigeria, West Africa, Kamani, J., Morick, D., Mumcuoglu, K. Y. & Harrus, S., May 2013, In: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 7, 5, e2246.
- Recurring influenza B virus infections in seals, Bodewes, R., Morick, D., de Mutsert, G., Osinga, N., Bestebroer, T., van der Vliet, S., Smits, S. L., Kuiken, T., Rimmelzwaan, G. F., Fouchier, R. A. M. & Osterhaus, A. D. M. E., Mar 2013, In: Emerging Infectious Diseases. 19, 3, p. 511-512 2 p.
- Transmission dynamics of Bartonella sp. strain OE 1-1 in sundevall's jirds (Meriones crassus), Morick, D., Krasnov, B. R., Khokhlova, I. S., Gottlieb, Y. & Harrus, S., Feb 2013, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 79, 4, p. 1258-1264 7 p.
- Prevalence of phocine distemper virus specific antibodies: Bracing for the next seal epizootic in North-Western Europe, Bodewes, R., Morick, D., Van De Bildt, M. W. G., Osinga, N., García, A. R., Contreras, G. J. S., Smits, S. L., Reperant, L. A. P., Kuiken, T. & Osterhaus, A. D. M. E., 2013, In: Emerging Microbes and Infections. 2, e3.
- Patterns of Stranding and Mortality in Common Seals (Phoca vitulina) and Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) in The Netherlands between 1979 and 2008, Osinga, N., Shahi Ferdous, M. M., Morick, D., García Hartmann, M., Ulloa, J. A., Vedder, L., Udo de Haes, H. A., Brakefield, P. M., Osterhaus, A. D. M. E. & Kuiken, T., Nov 2012, In: Journal of Comparative Pathology. 147, 4, p. 550-565 16 p.
- Pulmonary fungal infection caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum in a Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) update, Morick, D., Alvarez, M. D. & Elad, D., Aug 2011, In: Medical Mycology. 49, 6, p. 672 1 p.
- Investigation of Bartonella acquisition and transmission in Xenopsylla ramesis fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), Morick, D., Krasnov, B. R., Khokhlova, I. S., Gottlieb, Y. & Harrus, S., Jul 2011, In: Molecular Ecology. 20, 13, p. 2864-2870 7 p.
- Combined MLST and AFLP typing of Bartonella henselae isolated from cats reveals new sequence types and suggests clonal evolution, Mietze, A., Morick, D., Köhler, H., Harrus, S., Dehio, C., Nolte, I. & Goethe, R., 24 Mar 2011, In: Veterinary Microbiology. 148, 2-4, p. 238-245 8 p.
- Molecular detection of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma platys, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and Babesia canis vogeli in ticks from Israel, Harrus, S., Perlman-Avrahami, A., Mumcuoglu, K. Y., Morick, D., Eyal, O. & Baneth, G., Mar 2011, In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 17, 3, p. 459-463 5 p.
- Molecular detection of Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae and Rickettsia conorii israelensis in ticks from Israel, Harrus, S., Perlman-Avrahami, A., Mumcuoglu, K. Y., Morick, D. & Baneth, G., Feb 2011, In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 17, 2, p. 176-180 5 p.
- Bartonella genotypes in fleas (insecta: Siphonaptera) collected from rodents in the negev desert, Israel, Morick, D., Krasnov, B. R., Khokhlova, I. S., Shenbrot, G. I., Kosoy, M. Y. & Harrus, S., Oct 2010, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 76, 20, p. 6864-6869 6 p.
- A dermal melanoma in a young common seal (phoca vitulina), Morick, D., Jauernlg, S., Whltbread, T. J., Osinga, N. & Tjaisma, E. J., Apr 2010, In: Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 46, 2, p. 556-559 4 p.
- Molecular detection of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella koehlerae from aortic valves of Boxer dogs with infective endocarditis, Ohad, D. G., Morick, D., Avidor, B. & Harrus, S., 24 Feb 2010, In: Veterinary Microbiology. 141, 1-2, p. 182-185 4 p.
- Identification of a Bartonella species in the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and in seal lice (Echinophtirius horridus), Morick, D., Osinga, N., Gruys, E. & Harrus, S., 1 Dec 2009, In: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 9, 6, p. 751-753 3 p.
- Detection of Bartonella spp. in wild rodents in Israel using HRM real-time PCR, Morick, D., Baneth, G., Avidor, B., Kosoy, M. Y., Mumcuoglu, K. Y., Mintz, D., Eyal, O., Goethe, R., Mietze, A., Shpigel, N. & Harrus, S., 18 Nov 2009, In: Veterinary Microbiology. 139, 3-4, p. 293-297 5 p.
- Isolation and genetic characterization of a Bartonella strain closely related to Bartonella tribocorum and Bartonella elizabethae in Israeli commensal rats, Harrus, S., Bar-Gal, G. K., Golan, A., Elazari-Volcani, R., Kosoy, M. Y., Morick, D., Avidor, B. & Baneth, G., Jul 2009, In: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 81, 1, p. 55-58 4 p.
- By-catch and drowning in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded on the northern Dutch coast, Osinga, N., 'T Hart, P. & Morick, D., Oct 2008, In: European Journal of Wildlife Research. 54, 4, p. 667-674 8 p.
- Isolation of Mycobacterium mageritense from the lung of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) with severe granulomatous lesions, Morick, D., Kik, M., de Beer, J., van der Zanden, A. G. M. & Houwers, D. J., Oct 2008, In: Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 44, 4, p. 999-1001 3 p.
Education
1999-2002: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Biology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
2002-2006: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). University of Veterinary Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia (passed with great distinction).
2007-2012: PhD, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Rehovot. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
2012-2015: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
2017 : Certified Aquatic Veterinarian, World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA).