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.
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.
Nov 05, 2019... Recognizing faces is as natural and habitual as can be for human beings. Even with their undeveloped vision, babies can recognize their mother’s face within days, while adults typically know some 5,000 faces. But what actually happens inside our brains during the process of recognizing a face? How are different facial features encoded in our brains? And can artificial intelligence learn to recognize faces the way humans do?
Jan 22, 2020...
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.
Nov 30, 2019...
If there is one thing that all human beings seem to have in common, it is the fear of losing their memories. After all, memory shapes our personality, determines how we see ourselves, and contributes to shared experiences on multiple levels. Losing one’s memory is akin to losing an entire life history.
The 21st century offers various technologies that keep us from forgetting the little things, such as phone numbers, which are now a touch away on our smartphones. But could mobile phones actually contribute to one’s forgetfulness? Is age to blame for memory loss? Genetics? Or maybe a combination of all of the above?
Oct 29, 2014... Prof. Eytan Domany takes the stage to discusses the nature of memory, how we form memories, and how they change over time. He ties this into the dance about to performed by Israel's Vertigo Dance Company at Lincoln Center, describing how the movements made by the dancers – seemingly repetitive, but slightly different each time – represent memory.
Sep 23, 2014...
Creating a "monster" at the Garden of Science. Photo by Haim Ziv
If you look at an upside-down photograph of the fashion model Bar Refaeli, she looks just fine. When the same picture is turned right-side-up, she suddenly seems monstrous, and you realize that within her upright face, it is the eyes and mouth that have been turned upside down. Because our brain tends to recognize people by their eyes and mouth, we know immediately that this is the same person as long as the eyes and mouth are portrayed right-side-up. Even though they werepositioned in the upside-down face, our brains registered an “all-ok.” There’s a life lesson.
Feb 22, 2012...
Scientists now have a better understanding of the way that stress impacts the brain. New research, published by Cell Press in the January 26 issue of the journal Neuron, reveals pioneering evidence for a new mechanism of stress adaptation and may eventually lead to a better understanding of why prolonged and repeated exposure to stress can lead to anxiety disorders and depression.
Most stressful stimuli cause the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from neurons in the brain. This is typically followed by rapid changes in CRH gene expression. In more practical terms, as soon as the CRH-containing neurons run out of CRH, they are already receiving directions to make more. CRH controls various reactions to stress, including immediate "fight-or-flight" responses as well as more delayed adaptive responses in the brain. Regulation of CRH activity is critical for adaptation to stress, and abnormal regulation of CRH is linked with multiple human psychiatric disorders.
Oct 28, 2014...
Targeting cognition through the body. Cognition by Shutterstock
When we age our whole body gradually deteriorates. This includes our brains, where our personality, memories and personal values reside. It is therefore understandable that dementia and memory loss are some of the most devastating hallmarks of aging, for the elderly, their families, and the healthcare system.
This is why researchers want to find ways to rejuvenate the brain and therefore maintain the young mind and cognition in old age.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/sleep-off-addiction-to-cigarettes/
Nov 20, 2014...
Nov. 20, 2014 — Bad smells during sleep may teach smokers to dislike cigarettes and help them cut back, a new study hints.
Smokers who were exposed to the smell of cigarettes along with an unpleasant odor during a single night of sleep smoked less for days afterward, the researchers found.
This study shows that "sleep learning can influence later wake behavior," says Anat Arzi. She's a PhD student at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/i-was-afraid-of-dying-but-i-had-to-save-them/
Jun 23, 2016... A rogue wave hit Tamara Loiselle like a truck, its salt water searing her eyes, filling her nose and throat and knocking the wind from her 115-pound body. Behind her lay a brilliantly white beach becoming crowded with onlookers; beyond her, two heads bobbed in the angry, roiling sea – a man and a woman who had gone past warning flags and been pulled into danger by deadly riptides. Tamara was breathless, alone and deeply afraid. "For a split second, I thought about my kids and that I could die trying to save these people," says the 43-year-old single mom. "But I sent those thoughts back to the beach, caught my breath and kept going."
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