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.
Mar 31, 2022... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—March 31, 2022—Genetic mutations linked to a disease often spell bad news. Mutations in over 25 genes, for example, are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and they all increase the risk of developing this incurable disorder. Now, a research team headed by Prof. Eran Hornstein of the Weizmann Institute of Science has linked a new gene to ALS, but this one contains mutations of a different sort: They seem to play a defensive, rather than an offensive, role in the disease.
May 25, 2022...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL – May 25 2022 – Our family origins tend to shape our future in many ways. A Weizmann Institute of Science study, published today in Nature, found that the same holds true for blood vessels. The researchers discovered blood vessels forming from unexpected progenitors and went on to show that this unusual origin determines the vessels’ future function.
“We found that blood vessels must derive from the right source in order to function properly – it’s as if they remember where they came from,” says team leader Prof. Karina Yaniv.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/remembering-prof-michael-sela/
May 31, 2022...
The worldwide community of the Weizmann Institute of Science deeply mourns the passing of our beloved longtime leader, preeminent scientist, and dear friend, Prof. Michael Sela.
Throughout his illustrious career, Michael made numerous discoveries that forever changed immunological research, shedding light on the genetic control of the immune response.
He co-invented the blockbuster drug Copaxone® for the treatment of multiple sclerosis as well as three cancer treatment drugs – Erbitux®, Vectibix®, and Portrazza® – which have improved the lives of millions worldwide.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/a-new-gene-linked-to-als/
May 25, 2022... ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known by the name Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a rare – and devastating – neurological disease. Many of us probably didn’t know about it until the Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago. So what research developments on the disease have been made since then? ALS Awareness Month is a chance to reflect on that and to share a recent discovery at Weizmann that could slow or prevent the disease.
Aug 01, 2022... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—August 1, 2022— An egg meets a sperm – that’s a necessary first step in life’s beginnings, and it’s also a common first step in embryonic development research. But in a Weizmann Institute of Science study published today in Cell, researchers have grown synthetic embryo models of mice outside the womb by starting solely with stem cells cultured in a petri dish – that is, without the use of fertilized eggs. The method opens new horizons for studying how stem cells form various organs in the developing embryo, and may one day make it possible to grow tissues and organs for transplantation using synthetic embryo models.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/expanding-the-limits-of-the-possible-1/
Nov 07, 2022...
A rock star, a Paralympic swimmer, and a Nobel Prize in Physics laureate were among the nine recipients of honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Weizmann Institute of Science on Monday, November 7, bestowed upon them in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to society.
"Each one of tonight’s honorees has expanded the limits of the possible, while inspiring others to fulfill their own boundless potential," Prof. Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute, said at the conferment ceremony, hosted by news anchor Lucy Aharish on campus at the Michael Sela Auditorium. Part of the Institute’s 74th Annual General Meeting of the International Board, the ceremony and related events are taking place in person — and as usual — for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jan 25, 2023...
Researchers have for years tried to discover what determines “resilience to stress,” a term describing the ability to adapt to difficult situations and to overcome adversity. Is it acquired through experience, or is there a tendency to easily recover from stress possibly ingrained in us from a very early age or even from birth?
A new study lead by Prof. Gil Levkowitz of the molecular cell biology and molecular neuroscience departments at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot has revealed an important piece of this puzzle. The study examined zebrafish – small, black-and-white-striped, transparent fish whose natural habitat spans rivers, ponds and rice paddies in Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal and India.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/treating-a-heart-attack-before-it-happens/
Mar 08, 2023...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—March 8, 2023— Imagine getting treatment for a perfectly healthy young heart that would allow it to recover from an otherwise devastating injury decades later.
If you think this prospect seems farfetched, you are not alone. Until recently, Prof. Eldad Tzahor, whose lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science studies heart tissue regeneration, had also considered it science fiction. After all, cardiovascular diseases, which are humanity’s leading cause of death, aren’t generally perceived as something one can prepare for through preventive treatment. But Tzahor and researchers in his lab have now activated a cellular mechanism in healthy mouse hearts that makes these mice resilient to future heart attacks – even when they occur months later.
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