Two new and powerful research methods – CRISPR gene editing and single-cell genomic profiling – have now been combined to produce a tool fine enough to enable scientists to observe life's most nuanced processes. Prof. Ido Amit and his lab have so refined CRISPR that scientists can understand biological processes in shades of grey – not just black and white.
December 15, 2016
Crystallization is a well-observed process; we all watch it every winter when ice crystals form on our windows. But no one had ever seen the process on a molecular level: the point at which the liquid changes states. Until now, that is. Prof. Ronny Neumann and colleagues developed a way to watch crystallization happen, verifying long-held theories.
December 07, 2016
The fine art of mixing drug cocktails - such as for cancer treatment - is incredibly complicated, especially once you get into three or more ingredients. The numbers of possible interactions and side effects are virtually infinite. Now, a new model from the lab of Prof. Uri Alon lets scientists compare combinations of drugs to determine which work well together, and with the fewest side effects. This is a major step forward in personalized medicine.
December 07, 2016
The wild faba - today, fava - bean is thought to be extinct. Now, however, Dr. Elisabeth Boaretto has identified the oldest known beans - about 14,000 years old. Understanding how the wild fabas survived can help scientists grow hardier fava crops today. Favas are a major source of nutrition in many parts of the world.
December 07, 2016
Following up on earlier research - and using technologies that did not exist then - Profs. Lia Addadi and Steve Weiner answered long-held questions: where do sea urchins get the calcium ions they need to build their spines? The answer: they ""drink"" sea water, even as larvae. And it turns out that other organisms use the same surprising process.
Triple-negative breast cancer is particularly hard to treat because, as its name suggests, it lacks three receptors that usually serve as targets for anti-cancer drugs. Now, Prof. Sima Lev has identified a promising new combination therapy that not only inhibits tumor growth and survival, but gets around the problem of drug-induced resistance.
Two new databases - WeizMass and MatchWeiz - created in the lab of Prof. Asaph Aharoni help scientists identify the majority of metabolites in a plant, including fruits such as tomatoes. This helps provide targeted nutritional information and reveals that biologically active plant substances are much more prevalent across the plant kingdom than was previously thought.
November 30, 2016
Yet again, new research from Dr. Eran Elinav and Prof. Eran Segal is making global headlines and potentially changing lives. Most people have experienced the rebound effect of dieting - losing weight only to regain it, and then some. Now the Weizmann team has determined why this happens, and has identified potential solutions.
November 24, 2016
The low pressure in airplanes can make traveling unpleasant – but it could also ease jetlag, finds Dr. Gad Asher. Every cell in the body contains a circadian clock, and when these clocks are disrupted, imbalances result. Dr. Asher's findings could affect how airlines moderate cabin pressure. He and his team are now seeking ways to help travelers.
October 27, 2016
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