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.
To expand the ties between the Israeli and Czech scientific communities, their countries are developing new forms of collaboration among talented young scientists. One such project is the “Joint Prague-Weizmann Winter School on Drug Discovery.” This intensive week of professional lectures is attended by more than 120 scientists and students from around the world. The project provides a unique opportunity for young Israeli and Czech researchers to meet and discuss the latest trends and challenges in drug development, as well as to meet with world leaders in academia and experts from such multinational pharmaceutical giants as MSD, Roche, and Astra Zeneca.
January 2019
Grand Finale was the official name of Cassini’s last act: a risky orbit between Saturn’s rings and atmosphere in a daring attempt to view the planet up close, just before going down in flames. Prof. Yohai Kaspi and Dr. Eli Galanti of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences led one of the studies on Cassini’s final mission: revealing the depth of Saturn’s jet streams ‒ the strongest measured in the Solar System, with winds of up to 1,500 km (about 932 mi) per hour ‒ and found them to reach a depth of around 9,000 km (about 5,600 mi). Teaming up with research partners in Italy and the U.S., their study also helped reveal the age of the planet’s iconic rings. The findings of these studies were published in Science.
January 17, 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
According to some estimates, up to one in three people around the world may experience severe anxiety in their lifetime. In a study published in Cell Reports, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have revealed a previously unknown mechanism underlying anxiety. Targeting this biochemical pathway may help develop new therapies to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
December 11, 2018
In an effort to advance basic research insights for the benefit of therapeutic discoveries, the Weizmann Institute of Science is establishing the Dr. Barry Sherman Institute for Medicinal Chemistry, thanks to a major gift from the Sherman family.
December 10, 2018
Cancer arises when cells lose control. Deciphering the “blueprint” of cancer cells – outlining how cancer cells hijack specific pathways for uncontrolled proliferation – will lead to more efficient ways to fight it. Now, in a joint effort, scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science and clinicians from major hemato-oncology departments in Israel have successfully created detailed profiles of myeloma cancer in both pre-cancer stages, in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, as well as post-treatment and relapse. These detailed blueprints will help in future precision diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
December 06, 2018
At its 70th annual International Board Meeting, the Weizmann Institute of Science conferred the degree of Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa upon longtime supporter and leader Ellen Merlo. The Weizmann Institute of Science, located in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world’s leading centers of multidisciplinary scientific research.
December 04, 2018
The Executive Board of the Weizmann Institute of Science, headed by Shimshon Harel, announced that they have elected Prof. Alon Chen to be the 11th president of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The board accepted the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee, headed by the chair of the International Board of the Institute, Prof. Jehuda Reinharz. Out of several candidates presented to the search committee, its members unanimously voted to put forward Prof. Chen’s name for the position.
November 05, 2018
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