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 future of humanity.
Mar 07, 2017... 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.
Apr 17, 2019...
For many years, scientists believed that the brain was completely isolated from the immune system because of a shield called the blood-brain barrier.
That dogma has changed, due in no small part to the research of Prof. Michal Schwartz of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Neurobiology.
“My assumption was always that the immune system does help repair the brain, but that it has a very unique way of communicating across the blood-brain barrier,” she says. “This assumption turned out to be correct. However, the work that it took to get there was very difficult.”
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/unfolding-the-mysteries-of-proteins/
Feb 06, 2017... The deceptively simple, three-dimensional beauty of origami starts with a single sheet of paper, which must be precisely folded to become a swan or frog or crane. Similarly, the proteins that carry out many of the tasks in cells also must be accurately folded into three-dimensional structures; in their case, in order to perform their specific function and keep the organism – for example, you – in good shape. When origami is misfolded, the result is a pile of crumpled, formless paper. But when proteins don’t fold properly, the result is not so benign. In fact, it can be devastating: the misfolded proteins can clump together into aggregates that are toxic to normal, healthy cells.Dr. Rina Rosenzweig
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/the-ins-and-outs-of-acetylcholine/
Feb 13, 2000...
A team of scientists from the Weizmann Institute and France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) has recently shown that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine plays a double role in learning and memory.
While prior studies had already demonstrated that adding acetlycholine to neuronal junctions during learning affects information reception and storage, subsequent testing of the cell's ability to retrieve the information produced inconsistent results. The findings ranged from significant or slight improvement following acetylcholine application, to the lack of any learning enhancement whatsoever.
Jun 14, 2018...
What would we be without our brains? They hold our memories, our sense of humor, our ability to do math in our heads or dance or cook, to know all the world’s capitols or cite Shakespeare – they make us us.
As the number of older people in the world continues to rise, so do brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s – and no one wants to lose the essence of who they are.
Fortunately, Weizmann Institute scientists have been working to strengthen the mechanisms that promote healthy aging and find new and better ways of treating disease once it occurs.
Jan 09, 2018... Dr. Shimanovich speaks at London’s how to: Academy about her work with silk fibers and how they affect the brain in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Jun 13, 2017...
Thanks to advances in healthcare, sanitation, safety, and nutrition, people today are living longer than ever; in fact, in the West, the fastest-growing demographic is age 85 and up.
Fortunately, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers from across the disciplines have long made it a priority to investigate neurodegenerative and neurological disorders, including those that tend to strike older people; just some of these areas of research include Parkinson’s, glaucoma and advanced macular degeneration (AMD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), nerve degeneration as a result of trauma or stroke – and, especially, Alzheimer’s disease.
Feb 01, 2010... For many years, much of the RNA—the coded copies of the information contained in our DNA—floating around our cells was thought to be “junk” that had no visible role in protein production. In particular, microRNAs (miRNAs) did not initially appear to have an important function. But recently it was discovered that these small molecules actually play a key role in helping to regulate gene expression—the process by which genetic information is turned into proteins.
Jan 28, 2020... Immunotherapies, which harness the immune system to fight disease, are revolutionizing treatments for many types of cancer. Having made significant breakthroughs in the field, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers are now exploring ways to apply immunotherapy to conditions other than cancer, including neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Prof. Ido Amit of the Department of Immunology is advancing this research by developing sophisticated tools and technologies to investigate the immune system’s role in neurodegenerative diseases.
Jan 18, 2016...
Drugs which are already available on the NHS may help Alzheimer's patients, scientists believe Photo: Alamy
Cancer drugs already available on the NHS may help reverse Alzheimer’s disease by boosting the immune system, scientists believe.
A range of immunotherapy treatments, which harness the body’s own defences to ward off tumours are already revolutionising cancer care.
But now scientists believe that a similar immune boost could help people with dementia.
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