About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the benefit of humanity.
Blood cancers are far too common, comprising almost 10% of new cancer diagnoses each year in the U.S. Almost every 10 minutes, an American succumbs to a blood cancer. Unfortunately, many of these are children.
That's why the Weizmann Institute of Science’s researchers are conducting innovative studies and taking novel approaches to blood cancers. September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and we’d like to share with you some of Weizmann’s current investigations.
September 2020
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, is usually only diagnosed at an advanced stage, at which point it requires aggressive treatment. Although AML is a relatively rare disease, accounting for just 1.8 percent of cancer deaths in the U.S., its incidence is expected to increase as the population ages. The average age of diagnosis is 68.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and people across the world are helping raise awareness and support through runs, walks, events – and, at the Weizmann Institute of Science, through research.
Before breakthroughs in breast cancer research ever appear in the news or on the market, there are cadres of scientists working tirelessly to discover new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat this all-too-common disease. Here are some of our advances over just the past year:
May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month – the perfect time, as we head into summer, to think about protecting our skin. The American Cancer Society predicts that in 2019, almost 100,000 American adults will be diagnosed with invasive melanoma, and while that number may not be massive, it’s important, as melanoma is the deadliest of the skin cancers. Treatments are often ineffective; thus, early intervention is crucial.
This issue of Weizmann Views features bright young scientist Dr. Ruth Scherz-Shouval, who is studying the tumor microenvironment and how it helps protect the cancer.
What is the Weizmann Institute doing to fight prostate and ovarian cancer? Quite a bit.
September 2018
Our genetic material – DNA – is under constant assault. It is damaged every day by external forces like sunlight, radiation, tobacco smoke, air pollution, and food additives, and internal ones like waste products left over from the body’s metabolic processes.
“We don’t just want to find the genes involved in cancer,” says Prof. Yardena Samuels, of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Molecular Cell Biology, “we want to understand what those genes do. We want to reveal the complete picture of a cancer genome.” That is something of a tall order, considering that cells from melanoma, the cancer Prof. Samuels is researching, can contain anywhere from tens to thousands of mutations. On average, melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – has more mutations in the DNA of its cells than any other solid tumor. Among other things, this range of mutations explains why a recent treatment designed to target melanoma will only help around 50% of those with the disease, despite representing a large step forward.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and people everywhere are running, walking, and even shopping in support – and, at the Weizmann Institute of Science, investigating, researching, and pursuing creative new ways to attack this still-insidious, too-common disease. Our devoted scientists are developing ways to detect breast cancer early, designing more effective treatments, and better preventing it in the first place. Learn what Weizmann is doing about breast cancer – and how you can help.
©2020 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science