News & Media

How does a social animal gain dominance over its fellows? With a unique setup, Weizmann scientists were able to closely study mice living in almost-natural conditions and observe regulation of social behavior, including selection of a leader. This work could also provide insight into the social aspects of schizophrenia and autism.

June 17, 2013

From: Google Blog

Today, Israel’s “start-up nation” status is almost taken for granted. However, it wasn’t always that way; the country’s first computer, WEIZAC, helped establish Israel as one of the world’s technology powerhouses. Google has shared a short film in honor of the 84th birthday of Prof. Aviezri Fraenkel, one of WEIZAC’s creators.

June 08, 2013

From: Israel21c

Triple negative breast cancer targets young black or Hispanic women and those of Jewish Ashkenazi descent, and standard therapies don’t work for long. In a novel approach, Weizmann scientists engineered a two-front attack by binding different antibodies to different parts of growth receptors. A vaccination against cancer is their ultimate goal.

May 27, 2013

From: The Philadelphia Inquirer

A decades-old “audacious idea” by Weizmann’s Prof. Zelig Eshhar helped create a cancer treatment that has now led to full remissions in almost 20 adult and pediatric blood-cancer patients. Considered the “future of cancer” by many, the therapy programs the patient’s own immune cells to recognize and attack cancer.

May 20, 2013

Since the ‘80s, when Voyager II discovered extremely high atmospheric winds on Uranus and Neptune, the vertical extent of those winds has been a scientific puzzle. Now, a team led by Weizmann’s Dr. Yohai Kaspi has found a way, based on a novel method for analyzing gravitational fields, to determine an upper limit for the atmospheric layer’s thickness.

May 17, 2013

From: SPACE.com

Giant planets are dominated by winds that can reach supersonic speeds; however, just how deep those winds reached was unknown … until now. SPACE.com reports on how the Weizmann Institute’s Dr. Yohai Kaspi and team resolved what “has been an open question for the last 25 years.”

May 15, 2013

In aScientific American guest blog, Rita J. King of Science House discusses the Tomorrow Lab Summit, hosted by NBA Cares. Created by the American Committee, Tomorrow Lab brings together thought leaders from a variety of arenas in support of science for the benefit of humanity. Astrophysicist Oded Aharonson opened the meeting via link from Israel.

May 14, 2013

Ambassador Shapiro visits the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot. The U.S. and the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) share a particularly close relationship through extensive scientific collaboration, a robust Fulbright Program, U.S. grant assistance in the establishment of the Feinberg Graduate school, and U.S.-supported state-of-the-art scientific equipment. During his visit, Ambassador Shapiro met with students and faculty at the Feinberg Graduate School, chartered as a higher education institute in the state of New York. He learned about the latest technology, funded by USAID, at the Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, visited the Weizmann House, which served as the first residence of the President of Israel, and toured the Levinson Visitor's Center with its amazing, interactive exhibits. He also met with Weizmann President Daniel Zajfman, to learn more about WIS's unique scientific strategy: (curiosity-based research) and the future challenges in scientific education. This is indeed rocket science!

May 03, 2013

From: The Jewish Daily Forward

Masha Leon dishes about the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science’s recent gala. Held at the legendary Pierre, it honored Sara and Prof. Michael Sela, a former Weizmann president and scientist who co-developed Copaxone®. The black-tie affair included remarks by Prof. Yadin Dudai and a sing-along led by Einat Sarouf.

April 22, 2013

From: The Times of Israel

The Green Revolution may have saved a billion people from starvation, but at a price we are just now reckoning: a huge increase in the use of environment- and health-wrecking pesticides and chemicals. But with technology developed at the Weizmann Institute and commercialized by Israeli start-up Catalyst AgTech, these consequences may be reversed.

April 21, 2013