WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
SCIENCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY
One of Israel’s greatest resources is its brain power. The start-up nation draws its strength and sustenance from an educational system that fosters creativity, invention and entrepreneurship.
Israel has many different institutions of higher education, each having their own lineup of top notch professors and researchers. In this post we are highlighting the Weizmann Institute of Science. As stated on their ‘About the Institute page’, “the Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences.
It is located in Rehovot, Israel, just south of Tel Aviv. It was initially established as the Daniel Sieff Institute in 1934, by Israel and Rebecca Sieff of London in memory of their son Daniel. In 1949, it was renamed for Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the first President of the State of Israel and Founder of the Institute”.
Below is just a small sample of some of the cutting edge research happening in the Institute, truly making a global impact and helping humanity.
Prof. Maya Schuldiner creates cutting-edge robotic technology to research the function of genes and how uncovering the functions of genes can lead to treatments for rare diseases and the 300 million people who suffer from them worldwide.
Prof. Eran Elinav uncovered the role of the intestinal microbiome in a myriad of diseases, including diabetes, ALS, and cancer.
Prof. Asaph Aharoni shaped modern treatment for Parkinson’s by bioengineering plants.
Dr. Sivan Refaely-Abramson is reimagining how to collect and harness renewable energy, using intelligent materials derived from the building blocks of nature and how understanding the way particles interact will lead to more effective, cleaner, and greener energy.
Prof. Nava Dekel made IVF successful for more people struggling with infertility, using an innovative biopsy treatment now used in fertility centers worldwide.
Prof. Yonina Eldar continues to improve MRI and ultrasound equipment to be more affordable, portable, and accurate.
Prof. Jacob Hanna has grown synthetic embryo models of mice outside the womb using only stem cells cultured in a petri dish – making it possible to one day grow organs for transplantation.
Dr. Einat Segev uses million-year-old algae to uncover the secrets of the ocean and how her deep dive into oceanic research can help us better understand the impacts of climate change.
Prof. Michal Schwartz was awarded the 2023 Israel Prize in Life Science. Schwartz was honored with the prestigious award for “groundbreaking discoveries that led to a new understanding of the interactions between the immune system and the brain.”
Israel is definitely conducive to innovative research, which leads to major breakthroughs, ultimately, once again, helping improve lives everywhere!
Source: Weizmann Institute