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.
Jan 25, 2023...
Researchers have for years tried to discover what determines “resilience to stress,” a term describing the ability to adapt to difficult situations and to overcome adversity. Is it acquired through experience, or is there a tendency to easily recover from stress possibly ingrained in us from a very early age or even from birth?
A new study lead by Prof. Gil Levkowitz of the molecular cell biology and molecular neuroscience departments at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot has revealed an important piece of this puzzle. The study examined zebrafish – small, black-and-white-striped, transparent fish whose natural habitat spans rivers, ponds and rice paddies in Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal and India.
Apr 23, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 27, 2023—To get life-giving oxygen into every cell, the human body produces two to three million oxygen-carrying red blood cells, or erythrocytes, each second – about one-quarter of all the new cells that are produced in the body at any one time. This process is controlled by the hormone erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO, which works by binding to cells in the bone marrow that are poised to become erythrocytes, promoting their proliferation. Erythropoietin was discovered decades ago, but the identity of the cells that make this hormone remained unknown – until now.
May 18, 2023... Dr. Moran Shalev Benami discusses her research on the tiniest details of the human brain: proteins. Using cryo-electron microscope (cryoEM), she works to understand and identify the proteins’ function and how proteins work together.
May 24, 2023...
To get life-giving oxygen into every cell, the human body produces two to three million oxygen-carrying red blood cells each second, a process controlled by the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which works by binding to cells in the bone marrow and promoting their proliferation. Discovered decades ago, the identity of the cells that make this hormone remained unknown – until now.
In a new paper, published in Nature Medicine, Weizmann scientists from Prof. Ido Amit’s lab and colleagues from Israel, Europe, and the United States have identified a rare subset of kidney cells that are the main producers of EPO in the human body, a discovery that has transformative potential for patients with anemia.
Aug 07, 2023...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL — August 8, 2023—Nonsmokers who develop lung cancer can be treated effectively with new drugs, but their tumors refuse to surrender without a fight. The drugs stop working in the long term because the tumors acquire secondary mutations that allow them to evade the medications’ therapeutic effect.
In research published today in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, investigators from the Weizmann Institute of Science report findings that may lead to relapse-free treatment for a sizeable subgroup of lung cancer patients. In a study in mice, scientists identified a biomarker that may help physicians treat select lung cancer patients with a single antibody-based drug that is likely to bring about full remission, without cancer relapse.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/surviving-on-an-empty-battery/
Aug 17, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—August 17, 2023—Every time we make a call, send a text message, or watch a video, some of the energy stored in the cell phone battery is depleted. Living cells also store energy in “currencies” they can cash in when needed to fuel life processes. The main energy currency used by all life on Earth is a molecule known as ATP. But even though charging cells with ATP molecules is of vital importance, discharging them could be equally crucial – and potentially lifesaving.
Sep 06, 2023... Scientists grow whole model of human embryo, without sperm or egg
Sep 07, 2023... Lab-grown human "embryo-like structures" bring hope for research into early-pregnancy complications
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