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.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/on-the-probiotic-trail/
May 08, 2012...
Naama Geva-Zatorsky in the lab. JTA
Jerusalem — She’s young, smart and aims to help treat life-threatening diseases. Naama Geva-Zatorsky, 34, is among a growing number of Israeli women scientists who are gaining recognition for their contributions to scientific research.
The Weizmann Institute biologist was in Paris last month to accept the International UNESCO L’Oreal Prize for Women in Science. Dubbed “Europe’s top young researcher” by the prize committee, she received a two-year, $40,000 fellowship for her postdoctoral work at Harvard University.
May 04, 2011...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 4, 2011—Weizmann Institutescientists have added another piece to the obesity puzzle, showing howand why a certain protein that is active in a small part of the braincontributes to weight gain. This research appeared today in Cell Metabolism.
Prof. Ari Elson and his team in the Institute’s Molecular GeneticsDepartment made the discovery when working with female mice that weregenetically engineered to lack this protein, called protein tyrosinephosphatase epsilon (PTPe, for short). The scientists had originallyintended to investigate osteoporosis, and thus, they also removed theovaries of these mice. Taking out ovaries typically causes mice to gainweight to the point of obesity – so the scientists were surprised tofind that the weight of the genetically-engineered mice remained stable.Working with Dr. Alon Chen and his group in the Neurobiology Departmentand Prof. Hilla Knobler, Head of the Unit of Metabolic Disease andDiabetes of Kaplan Medical Center, the researchers fed these mice ahigh-fat diet, yet the PTPe-deficient mice maintained their sveltefigures; they burned more energy and had more stable glucose levels aswell.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/profiles-in-science-fertility-research/
Oct 08, 2010... This article can be viewed by downloading the PDF.
Jul 19, 2016...
Stress-coping molecule Urocortin-3 (green) and its receptor, CRFR2 (red), expressed in the mouse brain region responsible for social behavior. Viewed under a confocal microscope
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—July 19, 2016—Meeting new people can be both stressful and rewarding. Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science, reported yesterday in Nature Neuroscience, suggests that a molecule involved in regulating stress in the brain may help determine how willing we are to leave the safety of our social group and strike up new relationships.
Nov 30, 2017...
A scallop with eyes arrayed on tentacles along the edge of its shell. Scientists have found that each eye contains two retinas receiving light from a unique mirroring system. Credit Ceri Jones/Haven Diving Services
It’s hard to see what’s so special about a scallop. It looks a lot like a clam, mussel or any other bivalve. Inside its hinged shell lurks a musclebound creature that’s best enjoyed seared in butter.
Jul 23, 2019...
Gut bacteria may play a role in motor neurone disease ALS by speeding up progression, early studies reveal. The cruel condition that killed Professor Stephen Hawking, pictured
Gut bacteria could play a role in the development of motor neurone disease - also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, early studies suggest.
Tests on mice showed a change in their gut microbe levels before symptoms of the crippling disorder appeared.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/science-tips-july-2007/
Jul 26, 2007...
A New Technique May Speed the Development of Molecular Electronics
Often, things can be improved by a little “contamination.” Steel, for example, is iron with a bit of carbon mixed in. To produce materials for modern electronics, small amounts of impurities are introduced into silicon—a process called doping. It is these impurities that enable electricity to flow through the semiconductor and allow designers to control the electronic properties of the material.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/science-tips-march-2015/
Mar 02, 2015...
Manot Cave cranium
A partial human skull unearthed in 2008 in northern Israel may hold some clues as to when and where humans and Neanderthals might have interbred. The key to addressing this, as well as other important issues, is precisely determining the age of the skull. A combination of dating methods, one of them performed by Dr. Elisabetta Boaretto, head of the Weizmann Institute’s D-REAMS (DANGOOR Research Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) laboratory, has made it possible to define the period of time that the cave was occupied and, thus, the skull’s age. The combined dating provides evidence that Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis could have lived side by side in the area.
Sep 17, 2018... September is both Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S., where prostate cancer is the most common cancer (after skin cancer) in men: about 1 in 7 will be diagnosed during his lifetime. However, as the American Cancer Society points out, prostate cancer is now quite treatable, and “most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it.” But there is still progress to be made: for example, current treatments can have undesirable side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/to-stay-young-kill-zombie-cells/
Oct 25, 2017...
Image via Shutterstock
Jan van Deursen was baffled by the decrepit-looking transgenic mice he created in 2000. Instead of developing tumours as expected, the mice experienced a stranger malady. By the time they were three months old, their fur had grown thin and their eyes were glazed with cataracts. It took him years to work out why: the mice were ageing rapidly, their bodies clogged with a strange type of cell that did not divide, but that wouldn’t die.
©2023 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
