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.
Israeli scientists have discovered the effect of a gene in causing epilepsy and autism, which may lead to new therapies, the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) reported Thursday.
In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, the WIS researchers examined a non-coding gene, which is not translated into protein but replicated into control molecules.
The researchers found that by releasing the grip of this gene from another gene that produces proteins, the genetic defect responsible for these diseases can be corrected.
January 22, 2020
Israeli researchers discovered the unique structure and mechanism of shrimp’s eyes, which allow it to see in the dark seabed, said the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) in central Israel on Monday.
The scientists, from the WIS and Ben-Gurion University in southern Israel, said they hope their findings will lead to the creation of new optical coatings and specialized paints in ultra-thin layers.
January 22, 2020
Credit: CC0 Public Domain
Non-communicable diseases including heart disease, cancer and lung disease are now the most common causes of death, accounting for 70 percent of deaths worldwide. These diseases are considered “non-communicable” because they are thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors and can't be transmitted between people.
A new research paper in Science by a team of fellows in CIFAR's Humans and the Microbiome program throws this long-held belief into question by providing evidence that many diseases may be transmissible between people through microbes (including bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that live in and on our bodies.
January 21, 2020
A person receives a test for diabetes during Care Harbor LA free medical clinic in Los Angeles, California September 11, 2014
(photo credit: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS)
A new computer algorithm developed by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot can predict which women are at a high risk of gestational diabetes in the early stages of pregnancy or even before it has occurred, the institute said in a press release Monday afternoon.
January 21, 2020
Oren Yifa, left, and Prof. Eldad Tzahor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.
A non-toxic blue dye commonly used in biology labs helps repair damaged heart tissue in mice, say researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
As described in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, a dye molecule called Chicago Sky Blue reduced scar size and improved heart function of adult mice following induced myocardial infarction (heart attack).
January 13, 2020
The active part of Arenacept is shown as rainbow-colored ribbon bound to the receptor binding domain of Macho virus colored in grey.
A group of scientists led by a team from the Weizmann Institute of Science has devised a decoy molecule that could lead to the treatment of viruses that cross over from animals to humans.
A host of disease-causing viruses, which are called arenaviruses, “lurk in animal populations in various parts of the world, sometimes crossing over into humans,” the Rehovot-based Weizmann Institute said in a statement. “When they do cross over, they can be lethal, and only very few treatments exist.”
January 13, 2020
Do you want to eat better in 2020? Illustration by Shutterstock
If visions of sugarplums are still dancing in your head after the holidays, it’s time to get real. We all know what happens when we overindulge in Hanukkah sufganiyot or Christmas fruitcake, and it’s not a pretty picture.
After one too many cups of eggnog or a mountain of sour cream and latkes, we resolve to slim down in the new year. Again.
January 05, 2020
From left to right: Gil-Granot Mayer (CEO, Yeda R&D), Ofer Gonen (CEO, Clal Biotech), Prof. Gabriel Barbash (Bench-to-Bedside, WIS) and Dr. Daniel Katz (GM Israel, Bristol-Myers Squibb) (Photo credit: Itay Belson/Weizmann Institute of Science)
The Israeli life science industry is uniquely poised in the global ecosystem and the trajectory is likely to go north. According to a recent report by Israeli Advanced Technology Industries (IATI), the robust Israeli life ecosystem has produced close to 1400 companies in the last decade solving pressing problems in the diverse range of sectors, including but not limited to, biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, healthcare IT, etc. Further, a lion’s share of these companies (about 823) is in the early stages. One of the major reasons for Israeli superiority in the life science industry stems from significant spending on R&D (about 4% of GDP) and the seamless technology transfer from acclaimed research institutions, most notably the Weizmann Institute of Science.
December 25, 2019
Spectrum reviews research showing that autistic people respond differently to some odors, looking at the findings through the lens of autism.
December 05, 2019
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