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.
Apr 12, 2007... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 11, 2007—Muscle fibers are large cells that contain many nuclei. They begin, like all animal cells, as naive embryonic cells. These cells differentiate, producing intermediate cells called myoblasts that are now destined to become muscle. New myoblasts then seek out other myoblasts, and when they find each other, they stick together like best friends. In the final stage of muscle fiber development, the cell membranes of attached myoblasts open up and fuse together, forming one large, unified cell.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/why-chemotherapy-fails/
May 29, 2012... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 29, 2012—The fight against cancer is not won in a single battle: long after a cancer has been beaten into remission, it can return. The reason for this is under debate, and much is unclear. New research led by Weizmann Institute scientists shows that, at least for one type of blood cancer, the source of cancer recurrence is in a set of cells that do not proliferate as quickly as regular cancer cells, and thus are able to survive chemotherapy. The findings, which appear in the journal Blood, have some important implications for the future of the war on cancer.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/new-stem-cells-go-back-further/
Oct 31, 2013... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—October 31, 2013—One of the obstacles to employing human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) for medical use lies in their very promise: They are born to rapidly differentiate into other cell types. Until now, scientists have not been able to efficiently keep ESCs in their pristine stem state. The alternative that has been proposed to ESCs — reprogrammed adult cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — have similar limitations. Though these can differentiate into many different cell types, they retain signs of “priming” — commitment to specific cell lineages. A team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has now taken a large step toward removing that obstacle: They have created iPSCs that are completely “reset” to the earliest possible state, and have maintained them in that state. Among other things, this research may, in the future, pave the way toward the ability to grow transplant organs to order.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/pig-stem-cells-to-be-used-to-grow-human-organs/
Feb 15, 2005...
It might be possible to transplant embryonic stem cells from pigs into humans to grow new organs, a new study shows.
The idea is not new. For more than two decades, scientists have pointed to the potential of embryonic pig tissues as a source for organ transplantation.
Studies in the past, however, have had little success when tissue has been taken relatively late in a pig embryo's development.
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.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/new-hope-for-kidney-patients/
Sep 21, 2003...
For people suffering from fatal diseases, such as leukemia or kidney failure, the scarcity of available transplants is often the cause of feelings of hopelessness. Thousands of people in the U.S. alone languish on waiting lists, tied to dialysis tubing, hoping for the transplant that may save their lives.
But if there were a way to make transplants immediately and widely available to all who need them, suddenly, it would be something everyone could afford, and something that would be accessible to all.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/science-tips-october-2012/
Oct 22, 2012... Not long ago, some unassuming bacteria found themselves at the center of a scientific controversy: a group claimed that these microorganisms, which live in an environment that is rich in the arsenic-based compound arsenate, could take up that arsenate and use it — instead of the phosphate on which all known life on Earth depends. The claim, since disproved, raised another question: How do organisms living with arsenate pick and choose the right substance?
Dec 24, 2014...
An "embryoid" at the start of the appearance of Sox17 positive cells (green cells), which depict the birth of the human germ cell lineage. (Walfred Tang / University of Cambridge)
Scientists say they have discovered a key factor in the lab formation of human primordial germ cells – the precursors to egg and sperm – and that it differs significantly from experiments involving rodent cells.
In a paper published Wednesday in the journal Cell, researchers at the University of Cambridge in England and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel said their discovery raises questions about how much mouse experiments can tell us about early human cell development.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/israelis-find-cure-for-stem-cell-debate/
Oct 21, 2013...
Stem cells. Image via Shutterstock.com
By now, the fact that Israel is the world’s innovation hub is no longer a hot news flash. But a recent medical/scientific breakthrough emanating from the Weizmann Institute illustrates the significance of Israeli ingenuity beyond the obvious concrete and financial benefits.
The important and widely publicized revelation, conducted by a research team headed by Dr. Yaqub Hanna, involves the production of stem cells.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/human-primordial-cells-created-in-the-lab/
Dec 24, 2014...
Clusters of human embryonic stem cells that were differentiated to a primordial germ cell (PGC) state (colored cells). Each color reveals the expression of a different gene. (l-r) NANOS3, NANOG, OCT4 and, on the right, all three combined in a single image. From the Weizmann Institute of Science
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—December 24, 2014—Groups at the Weizmann Institute of Science and Cambridge University have jointly managed the feat of turning back the clock on human cells to create primordial germ cells – the embryonic cells that give rise to sperm and ova – in the lab. This is the first time that human cells have been programmed into this early developmental stage. The results of their study, which were published December 24 in Cell, could help provide answers as to the causes of fertility problems, yield insight into the earliest stages of embryonic development and potentially, in the future, enable the development of new kinds of reproductive technology.
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