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.
Feb 20, 2019...
An ant has the navigation skills to cover hundreds of metres in a single day and still find its way home. Melophorus Bagoti ant. Credit: Antoine Wystrach
As a child, you almost certainly at one stage spent hours watching ants move about from their nest. Maybe you dropped a piece of food and watched as a group of ants came and picked it up, carrying it home in an impressive display of cooperation.
Jan 28, 2020... Immunotherapies, which harness the immune system to fight disease, are revolutionizing treatments for many types of cancer. Having made significant breakthroughs in the field, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers are now exploring ways to apply immunotherapy to conditions other than cancer, including neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Prof. Ido Amit of the Department of Immunology is advancing this research by developing sophisticated tools and technologies to investigate the immune system’s role in neurodegenerative diseases.
Jun 29, 2012...
You’d be amazed at how much you can learn from a plant.
In a paper published this week in the journal Science, a Michigan State University professor and a colleague discuss why if humans are to survive as a species, we must turn more to plants for any number of valuable lessons.
“Metabolism of plants provides humans with fiber, fuel, food and therapeutics,” said Robert Last, MSU professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. “As the human population grows and nonrenewable energy sources diminish, we need to rely increasingly on plants and to increase the sustainability of agriculture.”
Aug 05, 2014...
Source: Shutterstock.com
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—August 5, 2014—Laboratory mice are one of the most common animal models used in biological and medical research. Thousands of laboratory mouse strains are produced by artificial selection – the process by which humans breed animals over dozens of generations for particular traits. This has led to the domestication of mice: strengthening specific qualities that make them well-adapted for research under laboratory conditions, such as rapid reproduction, while eliminating characteristics that are not conducive to research, for example, aggression, the desire and ability to escape from danger, and anxiety caused by environmental disturbances.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/physics-on-the-edge-dr-efi-efrati/
Jul 03, 2019... Meet Dr. Efi Efrati, a member of the Department of Physics of Complex Systems. Dr. Efrati speaks about his research on “geometric frustration,” a physical state that could help us understand a host of phenomena—from the behavior of plastics to how living tissue remodels itself. His work may lead to the design of new materials, improved surgical procedures, and more. Find out why Dr. Efrati believes the Weizmann Institute is “the best place to do science in Israel … perhaps in the world.”
Mar 25, 2020... In just one week, Profs. Ido Amit and Eran Elinav, both of the Department of Immunology, have built one of the highest-tech labs in the world. They developed a new type of PCR testing that is tremendously fast: if current capabilities test one patient at a time, the new method can test all of Israel simultaneously. The scientists intend to make their method available to anyone who needs it.
Jan 05, 2020...
If visions of sugarplums are still dancing in your head after the holidays, it’s time to get real. We all know what happens when we overindulge in Hanukkah sufganiyot or Christmas fruitcake, and it’s not a pretty picture.
After one too many cups of eggnog or a mountain of sour cream and latkes, we resolve to slim down in the new year. Again.
How can you make your weight-loss plan more successful this time around? We reviewed Israeli research and found these suggestions for effective dieting.
Dec 14, 2018...
In this work, the team studies vascular networks formed by a coculture of fibroblasts and endothelial cells embedded in three-dimensional biomaterials experiencing external, physiologically relevant forces. (© ACS)
Israeli scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Weizmann Institute of Science recently combined one group’s expertise in tissue engineering with the other’s expertise in the physics of complex systems to understand in detail how mechanical forces can direct the orientation of developing blood vessels.
Jan 01, 2018...
Acropora coral less than 2 meters under sea-level at One Tree Reef, One Tree Island in the southern Great Barrier Reef. (Photo: University of Sydney)
A recent report said that hurricanes devastated coral reefs in the Caribbean and scientists studied their recovery ability from natural disaster. As scientists understand the importance of coral reefs to an ocean ecosystem, conservation efforts have been gathering steam. According to a UNESCO study in June 2017, World Heritage coral reefs could become extinct by 2100 unless CO2 emissions are reduced.
Feb 28, 2018... In just the past few years, understanding of the microbiome has transformed how we perceive diet and nutrition, and is already altering how we take care of ourselves. Weizmann Institute scientists from a range of disciplines – just some of which are immunology, neuroscience, biology, genetics, chemistry, machine learning, mathematics, and computer science – have led the way in microbiome research, regularly producing headline-making discoveries. Several of these researchers are also medical doctors, and their experience in working with patients helps move therapies more quickly from the lab to you.