As we take a moment to reflect on 2018, one thing is clear: the world needs science now more than ever. The past year was a time of flux, which makes us all the more grateful for Weizmann’s unchanging mission of “science for the benefit of humanity.” Scientific progress holds the promise of a better world – and here are just some of the breakthroughs from 2018 that inspire hope:
Prof. Ruth Arnon, renowned co-developer of Copaxone®, one of the world’s leading multiple sclerosis drugs, has developed a universal flu vaccine. The vaccine, which entered Phase III clinical trials in 2018, could protect people against all strains of the virus, for many years, in a single shot.
Israeli researchers recently made a discovery that could help develop new therapies for anxiety disorders. With up to one in three people around the world at the risk of experiencing severe anxiety, this is big news.
January 09, 2019
At the age of eight, Henry Fenichel, a child survivor of the Holocaust, met Dr. Chaim Weizmann. The young boy would go on to become an accomplished physicist, a visiting scientist at the Weizmann Institute, and the co-author of a biography of the Institute's first scientific director.
Israel21C reports on a new Weizmann technique that profiles the genetic makeup of cancerous cells. The discovery could help blood cancer patients receive earlier and more precise treatment and prevent relapse.
January 02, 2019
Why is “bad” cholesterol bad for us? As Israel21C reports, Weizmann scientists sought to find out – and discovered that cholesterol transforms into “killer” crystals.
January 02, 2019
A drug that helps the immune system clear away old cells could restore youthfulness, according to a new study. The research suggests it may be possible to reverse the ageing process and could potentially pave the way for anti-ageing treatments that actually work. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel investigated the way the immune system is involved in clearing away old, senescent (or, ageing) cells that are not completely dead but are irreparably damaged and barely functioning.
January 01, 2019
Drug treatment eliminates senescent cells from tissues of old mice. The blue staining shows senescent cells in lung and liver tissue. The amount of the staining is significantly reduced following the drug treatment
If only we could keep our bodies young, healthy, and energetic, even as we attain the wisdom of our years. New research at the Weizmann Institute of Science suggests this dream could be at least partly obtainable in the future. The results of this research, led by Prof. Valery Krizhanovsky and Dr. Yossi Ovadya in the Department of Molecular Cell Biology, were recently published in Nature Communications.
December 31, 2018
Ten satellites, each around the size of a shoebox, are slated in a few years to enter orbit and begin filling in some gaping holes in our understanding of clouds and their role in climate. Inspired by medical CT (computed tomography), which observes and maps patients’ interiors, the designers are creating a system that will reveal detailed images of clouds’ external and internal 3D structures and properties. By probing small cloud fields that are generally missed by today’s remote-sensing technologies, the mission may resolve some major uncertainties that limit current atmospheric modelling and climate prediction.
December 17, 2018
In an interdisciplinary project, Weizmann and Technion scientists brought together tissue engineering and complex systems to reveal key information about how blood vessels develop.
December 14, 2018
©2019 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
