Prof. Hadassa Degani has spent decades developing noninvasive methods of imaging cancer. Moving beyond her breakthrough 3TP, FDA approved for detecting breast and prostate cancer, she has patented a new technique, DTI, which identifies breast – and potentially pancreatic – cancer by tracking the movement of water in the body.
Weizmann Institute basic research is, yet again, behind the headlines: a new blood cancer therapy that uses one's own immune system to defeat the disease is stunning clinicians and giving patients hope. Trials in the U.S. have had amazing results, with critically ill leukemia patients now in remission. The breakthrough is based on decades of research by Weizmann's Prof. Zelig Eshhar, who is now working to adapt his method to other forms of cancer.
Lymphedema is a too-unknown condition involving severe swelling that affects about 10 million Americans, most of them cancer survivors. Learn what lymphedema is and about the research and organizations that are trying to help – and sign a petition at Change.org to establish World Lymphedema Day.
March 11, 2016
The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science hosted the first Women for Science (W4S) virtual conference, linking over 100 attendees to the Weizmann Institute campus from seven video conferencing sites across the U.S. Live from Rehovot, Prof. Idit Shachar, Head of the Department of Immunology and incumbent of the Dr. Morton and Anne Kleiman Professorial Chair, discussed the role of immune cells in health and disease.
Our hearts mean many things: love, strength, loyalty. But even if we look at hearts from a purely biological perspective, they are still awesome – and complicated, particularly when it comes to disease. That's why, for American Heart Month, we'd like to share some of the many approaches Weizmann Institute scientists are taking to fight heart disease.
A casual conversation about dealing with her diabetes gave Rebecca Perl an idea: an app to help diabetics. The American Committee connected her with Prof. Michael Walker, renowned diabetes researcher, for help; the result is a startup that aims to create an app, implant, and insulin pump. The American Committee talks with Rebecca about becoming a biotech entrepreneur.
February 01, 2016
From the Mars rovers to the Star Wars reboot, interest in space hasn't been this high since America's moon landing. And once again, the Weizmann Institute is ahead of the curve: with some of the world's brightest young astrophysicists on campus, we are not only putting Israel on the star map, but advancing knowledge for all humankind.
The Institute's postdoc award for women in science, funded by generous donors, supports talented Israeli women such as Dr. Michal Leskes. The award meant she could do her postdoc at Cambridge; today, at the Weizmann Institute, her work includes improving the lithium-ion batteries we use for everything from cell phones to electric cars.
Prof. Moshe Oren has spent decades studying the p53 gene, which plays a key role in keeping healthy cells from turning cancerous. His basic research has inspired other scientists to build on his findings, potentially leading to p53-based cancer treatments. As head of the Moross Integrated Cancer Center, Prof. Oren's knowledge will be more valuable than ever.
©2019 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
