SIMCHA FINKELMAN Ph.D.

Dr Simcha Finkelman is acting Director of FTIC Ltd. Between 2000 and 2004 he was a research scientist at the Agricultural Research Organization in the Department of Food Technology.

His major fields of activity, as evidenced by his recent publications were in the search for alternatives to methyl bromide prior to the 2005 phase-out.

These involved:
• Development of vacuum treatments within flexible liners to control insects and prevent microbial spoilage (V-HF technology).
• Development of alternative fumigants, notably propylene oxide.
• Use of heat to control insect infestations in dried fruit.

Simcha was born in Jerusalem, Israel in 1958. His University Education was at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he received his B.Sc. in Physical Geography and Biology in 1983. In 1988 he obtained his M.Sc. in Animal Science at the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The title of his thesis being "Infection of Clinostomatidea (Trematoda) in the sea of Galilee fish" under the supervision of Prof. Ilan Paperna.

Between 1998 and 2000 he undertook research on tick-borne diseases in man and wild animals as a visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases in Boston, U.S.A.

Simcha received his Ph.D. degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at the Department of Animal Science, of the Faculty of Agriculture, the title of his thesis being "Diversity of transmission mechanisms as a means for survival of Apicomplexan parasites".

The following is a list of recent publications relevant to FTIC. Some abstracts are available on-site.

• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Miriam Rindner and Dias, R. (2006) Use of Heat for Disinfestation and Control of Insects in Dates: Laboratory and Field Trials. Phytoparasitica 34(1):37-48.
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• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Isikber, A. and Donahaye, E. (2005) A new method of ensuring even distribution of a fumigant in flexible fumigation chambers using external fans . Journal of Stored Products Research 41, 323–331
  
• Isikber, A.A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner, M., Azrieli, A. and Dias R. (2005) Sorption of propylene oxide by various commodities, J. stored Prod. Res. 41, 311–321
  
• Isikber, A.A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner, M., Azrieli, A. and Dias R. (2004) Propylene oxide: a fumigant for quarantine purposes as a potential alternative to methyl bromide enhanced at low pressure or in a combination with CO2. IOBC Bulletin/wprs Vol.27
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• Isikber, A. A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner, M., Azrieli, A., and Dias, R. (2004) Toxicity of propylene oxide at low pressure against life stages of four species of stored product insects. J. Econ. Entomol. 97 (2):281-285
  
• Isikber, A. A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner, M., and Dias, R. (2004) Influence of temperature on toxicity of propylene oxide at low pressure against Tribolium castaneum. Phytoparasitica 32(5):451-458.
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• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Miriam Rindner, Dias, R. and Azrieli, A. (2004) Effect of low pressures on the survival of three cacao pests at 30°C. J. stored Prod. Res., 40: 499-506.
  
• Navarro, S., Isikber, A.A., Finkelman, S., Rindner, M., Azrieli, A. and Dias R. (2004) Effectiveness of short exposures of propylene oxide alone and in combination with low pressure or carbon dioxide against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) . J. stored Prod. Res. 40: 197-205.
  
• Isikber, A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner Miriam, Azrieli, A. and Dias, R. (2004) Influence of Temperature on Toxicity of Propylene Oxide at Low Pressure Against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Proceedings of the Conference of the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC). West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS) (OILB SROP) Working Group on Integrated Protection of Stored Products, Hotel Pine Bay, Kusadasi, Turkey, September 16-19, 2003.
• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner Miriam, and Dias, R. (2004) Emigration and control of nitidulid beetles from dates using heat. p. 219-225. In: S. Navarro, C. Adler, M. Schiller, M. Emekci, A. G. Ferizli, and L. S. Hansen (Eds.), Proceedings of the Conference of the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC). West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS) (OILB SROP) Working Group on Integrated Protection of Stored Products Bulletin Vol. 27 (9), Hotel Pine Bay, Kusadasi, Turkey, September 16-19, 2003.
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Rindner Miriam, Dias, R. and Azrieli, A. (2004) The use of portable systems to control insect pests by low pressures. Proceedings of the Conference of the International Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC). West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS) (OILB SROP) Working Group on Integrated Protection of Stored Products, Hotel Pine Bay, Kusadasi, Turkey, September 16-19, 2003.
• Navarro, S., Finkelman S., Sabio G., Isikber A., Dias R., Miriam Rindner, and Azrieli A. (2003) Enhanced effectiveness of vacuum or CO₂ in combination with increased temperatures for control of storage insects. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection. P.E. Credland, D.M. Armitage, C.H. Bell, P.M. Cogan and E. Highley, Eds.York, UK., CABI Publishing, UK. pp. 818-822.
• Isikber A.A., Navarro, S., Finkelman S., Azrieli A., M. Rindner and R. Dias, (2003) Propylene oxide as a potential alternative to methyl bromide. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection. P.E. Credland, D.M. Armitage, C.H. Bell, P.M. Cogan and E. Highley, Eds., York, UK., CABI Publishing, UK. pp. 823-826.
  
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Rindner Miriam, Dias, R. and Hezy, T. (2003) Practical aspects to the use of vacuum as a method to control storage insects. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf) Hotel Double Tree, San /.Diego, California, November 2-6 2003. 74-1;2. San Diego, CA, USA.
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• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner Miriam and Dias, R. (2003) Effectiveness of heat for disinfestation of nitidulid beetles from dates. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf) Hotel Double Tree, San Diego, California, November 2-6 2003. 69-1;2. San Diego, CA, USA.
• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner Miriam, Dias, R. and Azrieli, A. (2003) Field trials on biogenerated V-HF systems to control the large narcissus fly. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf) Hotel Double Tree, San Diego, California, November 2-6 2003. 73-1;2. San Diego, CA, USA.
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Miriam Rindner, Dias, R. and Azrieli, A. (2003) Effect of low pressures on the survival of cacao beans insects stored at 18°C. J. stored Prod. Res., 39:423-431.
  
• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Donahaye, E., Dias, R., Rindner Miriam, and Azrieli A. (2002) Integrated storage pest control methods using vacuum or CO₂ in transportable systems. In: Proceedings of International Organization for Biological Control and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS), Working Group "Integrated Protection in Stored Products" meeting, C. Adler, S, Navarro, M. Scholler, and L. Stengard-Hansen, Eds. Lisbon, Portugal, September 2001.University of Gent Belgium, 25(3): 207-214.
  
• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Sabio, G., Isikber, A., Dias, R., Rindner Miriam, and Azrieli A. (2002) Quarantine Treatment Of Storage Insect Pests Under Vacuum Or CO₂ In Transportable Systems. In: Batchelor, T. A. and Bolivar, J. M. (Eds) Proc. Int. Conf. On Alternatives to Methyl Bromide, Sevilla, Spain 5-8 March 2002. 356-360.
  
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Isikber, A., Dias, R., Azrieli A., Rindner Miriam, Lotan, Y. and deBruin, T. (2002) Application of vacuum to sealed flexible containers: A viable alternative to disinfestation of durable commodities with methyl bromide. In Transportable Systems. In: Batchelor, T. A. and Bolivar, J. M. (Eds) Proc. Int. Conf. On Alternatives to Methyl Bromide, Sevilla, Spain 5-8 March 2002. 145-149.
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• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Rindner Miriam, Dias, R., and Azrieli A. (2002) Integration of vacuum in flexible structures as a disinfestation strategy in the food industries. VII Simposio La difesa antiparasitaria nelle industrie alimentari e la protezione degli alimenti, Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 18-20, Sept. 2002, Piacenza, Italy pp. 46-48,
• Finkelman S., Navarro S., Miriam Rindner, Dias and R., Azrieli A. (2002) Quarantine application of the new V-HF system to control the large narcissus fly. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf), The Rosen Center Hotel, Orlando, MI, November 6-8 2002 p. 100-1,2 Orlando, MI, USA.
• Navarro S., Finkelman S., Miriam Rindner, Dias R., Azrieli A., Gazit Y. and Akiva R. (2002) Control of Mediterranean fruit fly using vacuum or CO₂. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf), The Rosen Center Hotel, Orlando, MI, November 6-8 2002 p. 99-1,2 Orlando, MI, USA.
• Isikber A.A., Navarro S., Finkelman S. Azrieli A., Miriam Rindner and Dias R., (2002) Propylene oxide: a fumigant for quarantine purposes as a potential alternative to methyl bromide. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions (eds. G.L. Obenauf and R. Obenauf), The Rosen Center Hotel, Orlando, MI, November 6-8 2002 p. 97-1,2 Orlando, MI, USA.
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Lotan, Y., Debruin, T., Isikber A.A., Rindner, M., Dias, R. and Azrieli, A. (2003) Insects control of cocoa pests using a novel vacuum approach. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, P.E. Credland, D.M. Armitage, C.H. Bell, P.M. Cogan and E. Highley, Eds. York, UK., CABI Publishing, UK. pp. 579-582.
  
• Navarro, S., Finkelman, S., Donahaye, E., Dias, R., Rindner Miriam, and Azrieli A. (2001) Laboratory and field tests on vacuum or CO₂ for the control of storage insects. Proc. Annual Int. Res. Conf. Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reductions, San Diego, California, November 5-9 2001. 68-1.
  
• Finkelman, S., Navarro, S., Rindner Miriam, Dias, R. and Azrieli A. (2001) Effect of low pressures on the survival of cacao bean insects stored at 18^oC. Proc. Annual Int. Res. Conf. Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reductions, San Diego, California, November 5-9 2001. 69-1.
• Isikber, A., Navarro, S., Finkelman, S. and Azrieli A. (2001) Toxicity of propylene oxide in combination with vacuum or CO₂ to T. castaneum. Proc. Annual Int. Res. Conf. Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reductions, San Diego, California, November 5-9 2001. 70-1 to 70-2.