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/plant-research-reaches-a-new-high/
Apr 30, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 1, 2023—A South African plant called a woolly umbrella is completely unrelated to the cannabis plant, yet it makes a slew of the active compounds found in cannabis – cannabinoids – including some that may have new medical uses. In a study published today in Nature Plants, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers identified more than 40 cannabinoids in the woolly umbrella, and they revealed the series of biochemical steps the plant takes when it makes these compounds. The researchers also showed how these steps can be reproduced in the lab to synthesize or even engineer new cannabinoids.
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.
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.
Nov 10, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—November 10, 2023—An international crowdsourced campaign to discover an anti-COVID-19 drug has created a blueprint for the accelerated, patent-free development of drugs to treat viral threats to humanity. The campaign, called COVID Moonshot, was co-led by Prof. Nir London of the Weizmann Institute of Science and researchers from the University of Oxford, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the US-based biotech company PostEra. The results have been published in Science.
Dec 21, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—December 21, 2023—All land mammals have tear glands in their eyes, but, until recently, the human tearing experience was considered unique. After all, humans are the only animals to shed tears while watching Beaches. Now a new Weizmann Institute of Science study reveals that human tears have much more in common with those of other animals than previously thought: Just as with the tears of mice and blind mole rats, they contain chemicals that reduce aggression in others. The study, published today in PLOS Biology, showed that sniffing women’s tears lowered brain activity related to aggression in men, reducing aggressive behavior.
Jan 21, 2024... Women’s tears can reduce male aggression, new study claims