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.
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.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/2022-breakthroughs-of-the-year/
Dec 08, 2022...
Today, The Atlantic reveals its inaugural 10 Breakthroughs of the Year. The accomplishments span every station of life, from birth to death, and every component, from our cells to the stars. They include a drug that revives the organs of dead animals; an embryo created without sperm or egg; a telescope to see the universe’s first moments; and an AI that conjures award-winning art.
One theme of this year’s list is the principle of “twin ideas”—the tendency for major breakthroughs to have more than one author. The telegraph was invented by Charles Wheatstone and Samuel Morse in the same year, 1837, and patents for the telephone were filed by Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell on the same day in 1876. Accordingly, many of this year’s breakthroughs are group efforts rather than individual awards. We didn’t just get one mind-blowing generative AI app this year; we got several in the span of a few months. We didn’t just get one “unheard-of” cancer breakthrough; we got several in one year. In this golden age of new vaccine technology, many different companies are building off the success of the COVID shots to deliver new antiviral weaponry for humankind.
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