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/the-a-i-diet/
Mar 02, 2019...
Eric Blad
Some months ago, I participated in a two-week experiment that involved using a smartphone app to track every morsel of food I ate, every beverage I drank and every medication I took, as well as how much I slept and exercised. I wore a sensor that monitored my blood-glucose levels, and I sent in a sample of my stool for an assessment of my gut microbiome. All of my data, amassed with similar input from more than a thousand other people, was analyzed by artificial intelligence to create a personalized diet algorithm. The point was to find out what kind of food I should be eating to live a longer and healthier life.
Apr 15, 2010... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 15, 2010—Weizmann Institute scientists have "trained" an electronic system to be able to predict the pleasantness of novel odors, just like a human would perceive them—turning on its head the popular notion that smell is completely personal. In research published in PLoS Computational Biology, the scientists argue that the perception of an odor's pleasantness is innately hard-wired to its molecular structure, and it is only within specific contexts that individual or cultural differences are made apparent.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/rhapsody-in-red-violet/
Aug 15, 2017...
Unripe (top) and ripe (bottom) tomatoes. Regular tomatoes (far left) start out green and turn red when ripe. In contrast, genetically engineered tomatoes assume different shades of red-violet, depending on whether they produce betalains (second from left), pigments called anthocyanins (second from right), or betalains together with anthocyanins (far right)
Color in the plant kingdom is not merely a joy to the eye. Colored pigments attract pollinating insects, they protect plants against disease, they confer health benefits, and are used in the food and drug industries. A new study conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, has now opened the way to numerous potential uses of betalains, the highly nutritious red-violet and yellow pigments known for their antioxidant properties and commonly used as food dyes.
Sep 11, 2019...
Three fragments from the Temple Scroll, one the Dead Sea Scrolls, is displayed at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood, Ohio, March 28, 2006. (AP Photo/Jamie-Andrea Yanak, File)
Among the thousands pieces of parchment found in caves above the Dead Sea, the one known as the Temple Scroll has stood out for its shape, color and fairly unblemished text compared to the rest of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Nov 24, 2016... Following a successful diet, many people are dismayed to find their weight rebounding – an all-too-common phenomenon termed “recurrent” or “yo-yo” obesity. Worse still, the vast majority of recurrently obese individuals not only rebound to their pre-dieting weight but also gain more weight with each dieting cycle. During each round of dieting-and-weight-regain, their proportion of body fat increases, and so does the risk of developing the manifestations of metabolic syndrome, including adult-onset diabetes, fatty liver, and other obesity-related diseases.
Aug 24, 2016...
Credit: Thomas Fuchs
Compared with other bodily excretions, tears are vastly understudied. Collecting the salty drops is tedious – weepy donors are rare, men hardly ever sign up and tears must be “fresh” for their makeup to be properly analyzed. As a result, researchers lack a consensus about the purpose of a basic human behavior. Is crying a primal way to communicate that many species share, as some chemists hypothesize? Or is it, as psychologists have put forth, a uniquely human key to social bonding? Israeli neurobiologist Noam Sobel has a plan to advance the field: he has perfected a way to flash-freeze tears and is now working to create a “tear bank” for researchers around the world.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/inspiring-future-scientists/
Oct 04, 2018... Each year since 1969, the Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI) has welcomed about 80 talented high school graduates from around the world to spend a month on the Weizmann Institute campus. Students conduct research alongside renowned Weizmann scientists, experience life in Israel, and form close bonds with one another. Here, participants discuss how the program has nurtured their passion for science. Alumna Prof. Yardena Samuels credits ISSI with solidifying her desire to become a scientist and to establish her own lab at the Weizmann Institute.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/it-s-really-hard-to-study-artificial-sweeteners/
Jan 24, 2019...
Winslow Townson / AP
For decades, ads for treats sweetened with substances like Sweet’N Low, NutraSweet, and Splenda have promised what seems like a miracle of modern science: that you can enjoy all the dessert you want, calorie-free. No need to deprive yourself—with artificial sweeteners, you can literally have your cake and eat it, too. But are these substances safe? Don’t they cause cancer in rats and mess up your metabolism? Listen in now for answers to all these questions, plus the tale of a sugar-free gumball marketing blitz, courtesy of none other than Donald Rumsfeld.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/harnessing-the-power-of-stem-cells/
Jul 29, 2014... The reason that embryonic stem cells are so appealing is their power: they can give rise to any cell type in the body. This means they could be used to repair damaged tissue, treat autoimmune diseases, and even grow transplant organs. However, in the U.S. and elsewhere, research using embryonic stem cells is severely limited due to religious or ethical issues, as well as limited availability. In order to advance the use of stem cells in medicine, another way must be found – and that’s why Dr. Jacob (Yaqub) Hanna of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Department of Molecular Genetics is seeking to harness the potential of embryonic stem cells while avoiding the pitfalls.
Jul 24, 2006...
After a hard day’s work, Rick Allen of Aptos, Calif., can’t wait to jump in his car and zone out to the music on his iPod.
“Rather than listening to the radio, I listen to my iPod because it’s my music,” he said. “There are no news or commercial interruptions, so I get to be in my own little world.”
Allen is among millions of users of Apple Computer iPods and other MP3 digital devices who depend on their tiny music players as a prime means of escape from the cares of the day.
©2023 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
