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.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/uncovering-the-anti-myeloma-resistance-files/
Feb 23, 2021... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—February 23, 2021—Multiple myeloma patients live much longer today than in the past, thanks to new targeted anti-myeloma drugs, but ultimately most people develop resistance to the medications, and in some the disease is resistant to therapy from the start. Weizmann Institute of Science researchers, in collaboration with physicians from Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (TASMC), have made use of extremely sensitive genomic technology to reveal genetic pathways that characterize some of the more resistant cases of multiple myeloma. Their study, reported in Nature Medicine, may lead to a more informed, personalized treatment for these patients, and paves the way for using this new technology to discover disease targets in other cancers.
Feb 28, 2021...
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center have found 30 genes that seem to be responsible for the resistance that multiple myeloma shows to treatment, which may help lead to more informed, personalized treatment for patients.
Malignant myeloma is a cancer of the antibody-producing plasma cells in bone marrow. Most patients develop resistance to medications and in some, the cancer is resistant to therapy from the start.
Oct 18, 2021...
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time that is typically packed with runs, walks, and other events. While this year is different due to the coronavirus, stepping up to support and advance the science is as important as ever.
Breast cancer research is actively underway at the Weizmann Institute of Science, with researchers applying their formidable skills to improve understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of this still-too-common disease. Working in collaboration with oncologists and other medical professionals around the world, Institute scientists are continually making groundbreaking progress, demonstrating the role that curiosity-driven, interdisciplinary science plays in the battle against breast cancer. Just a few of the innovative projects taking place right now include:
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/decoding-the-functions-of-long-non-coding-rna/
Dec 22, 2021... Prof. Ulitsky’s discoveries have unlocked the potential of using lncRNAs as both therapeutic agents and targets with promising potential treatment of diseases such as cancer, brain injury, and epilepsy.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/tracking-multiple-genes-with-flying-colors/
Jan 31, 2022...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—January 31, 2022—Even fans of black-and-white film can’t deny that color brought new life to photography and motion pictures. And when it comes to learning what happens inside the body, there’s no substitute for color.
Were it possible, for example, to map out real-time gene expression in our body’s cells using contrasting colors, scientists would gain a glimpse of vital biological processes that are currently invisible. The problem is that the glowing multicolor proteins used by scientists to illuminate, so to speak, the inner workings of cells are of little help in observing deep-seated processes in the body, because the thickness of tissues obscures the glow.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/antibodies-fight-cancer-too/
Mar 23, 2022...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—March 23, 2022—Immunotherapies for cancer rely on recruiting the patient’s immune system, but they still fall far short of tapping into the entire arsenal of the body’s natural defenses. In fact, most such therapies draw on one type of immune defense: the ability of T cells to battle the tumor.
A new study at the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in Cell, paves the way toward an immunotherapy that will exploit a different, previously unused immune system weapon: naturally produced antibodies.
May 25, 2022...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL – May 25 2022 – Our family origins tend to shape our future in many ways. A Weizmann Institute of Science study, published today in Nature, found that the same holds true for blood vessels. The researchers discovered blood vessels forming from unexpected progenitors and went on to show that this unusual origin determines the vessels’ future function.
“We found that blood vessels must derive from the right source in order to function properly – it’s as if they remember where they came from,” says team leader Prof. Karina Yaniv.
May 28, 2022...
Michael Sela, a world-renowned Israeli immunology expert who also served as president of the Weizmann Institute of Science, died on Friday at the age of 98.
An Israel Prize laureate at the age of 35 for his life science research who also earned many other awards during his career, Sela was involved in the development of the drug Copaxone for the treatment of multiple sclerosis as well as three cancer treatment drugs. His research shed light on the genetic aspects of the functioning of the immune system and led to new fields of immunology.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/remembering-prof-michael-sela/
May 31, 2022...
The worldwide community of the Weizmann Institute of Science deeply mourns the passing of our beloved longtime leader, preeminent scientist, and dear friend, Prof. Michael Sela.
Throughout his illustrious career, Michael made numerous discoveries that forever changed immunological research, shedding light on the genetic control of the immune response.
He co-invented the blockbuster drug Copaxone® for the treatment of multiple sclerosis as well as three cancer treatment drugs – Erbitux®, Vectibix®, and Portrazza® – which have improved the lives of millions worldwide.
Jun 03, 2022...
In the late 1960s, as a researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Prof. Sela wanted to shed light on the causes and nature of the potentially disabling disease. He and two colleagues—Ruth Arnon and Dvora Teitelbaum—injected synthetic proteins into lab animals in an attempt to induce something akin to multiple sclerosis as part of that quest.
To their surprise, none of the laboratory animals developed the malady. “We wanted to cause disease, and we were unsuccessful,” Prof. Sela later told TheMarker, an Israeli newspaper.
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