In Issue No. 47 of Weizmann Views, serendipity leads Dr. Ofer Yizhar to his life’s work: pioneering the remarkable new field of optogenetics. Optogenetics combines optics – the branch of physics concerned with light – and genetics to offer previously unimaginable new ways of studying the brain. Dr. Yizhar's work has particular import for the understanding of autism.
On February 28, 2017, American Committee donors of all giving levels were invited to join a special conference call with CEO Marshall S. Levin. More than 100 donors from across the country participated. Mr. Levin spoke on the topic of “Science at the Leading Edge: Latest Breakthroughs from the Weizmann Institute of Science.” He opened with an overview of the Weizmann Institute and its reputation as a relatively small institution with “an outsized impact” on the world. He then discussed the Institute’s game-changing research on the aging brain, as well as the work of its Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine. Through these and other initiatives, the Institute seeks to improve the quality of life of every person on the planet.
March 07, 2017
WeizmannViews Issue No. 46 is about the research of new young scientist Dr. Rina Rosenzweig. She is expert in using super-powerful NMR machines, applying these skills to her studies of misfolded proteins and the clumps they form. These protein “aggregates” are involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s.
Read about Prof. Idit Shachar's search for an improved treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other blood cancers. She and her team discovered a blocking antibody that showed great promise in killing cancer cells in a clinical trial. Prof. Shachar also addresses the challenges of being a woman (and mom) in science. This is WeizmannViews Issue No. 45.
In Issue No. 44 of WeizmannViews, we share the stress-response-related research of Prof. Rony Paz. He investigates how the brain processes stress - for example, how is a traumatic event encoded in such a way as to trigger PTSD? His work could lead to new and better treatments for mental illnesses.
For 40 years, the ISEF Foundation has been a partner with the Weizmann Institute, providing scholarships for minority Israelis to pursue higher education in the sciences. In recognition of these decades of collaboration, we present three Weizmann graduates - successful scientists all - who benefited from an ISEF scholarship.
Looking back at 2016 reveals an exceptional year at the Weizmann Institute, one chock-full of major developments from unprecedented insight into our universe to better understanding of our modern world to truly life-changing – and life-saving – breakthroughs in cancer and medical research. Here are some highlights.
2017 marks a decade since the Weizmann Institute took action to bridge science's gender gap by establishing the Israel National Postdoctoral Award Program for Advancing Women in Science. The program's success is quantifiable and inspirational – and good for women, for science, for the Weizmann Institute, for Israel … for the world.
Dr. Sarel Fleishman studies how proteins ""mate,"" or fit together – and, in fact, created his own method that lets scientists change the surface of proteins so that they mate with other proteins of the researcher's choice. This technique could lead to new treatments aimed at viruses, bacteria, and cancer.
©2018 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
