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/time-is-of-the-essence/
Feb 05, 2014...
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REHOVOT, ISRAEL—February 5, 2014—New findings in mice suggest that merely changing meal times could have a significant effect on the levels of triglycerides in the liver. The results of this Weizmann Institute of Science study, recently published in Cell Metabolism, not only have important implications for the potential treatment of metabolic diseases, they may also have broader implications for most research areas in the life sciences.
May 04, 2011...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 4, 2011—Weizmann Institutescientists have added another piece to the obesity puzzle, showing howand why a certain protein that is active in a small part of the braincontributes to weight gain. This research appeared today in Cell Metabolism.
Prof. Ari Elson and his team in the Institute’s Molecular GeneticsDepartment made the discovery when working with female mice that weregenetically engineered to lack this protein, called protein tyrosinephosphatase epsilon (PTPe, for short). The scientists had originallyintended to investigate osteoporosis, and thus, they also removed theovaries of these mice. Taking out ovaries typically causes mice to gainweight to the point of obesity – so the scientists were surprised tofind that the weight of the genetically-engineered mice remained stable.Working with Dr. Alon Chen and his group in the Neurobiology Departmentand Prof. Hilla Knobler, Head of the Unit of Metabolic Disease andDiabetes of Kaplan Medical Center, the researchers fed these mice ahigh-fat diet, yet the PTPe-deficient mice maintained their sveltefigures; they burned more energy and had more stable glucose levels aswell.
Nov 02, 2017...
Eran Segal is a computational biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and co-author of “The Personalized Diet.” He studies nutrition, genetics, the microbiome, and gene regulation, looking specifically at how diet affects people differently. Following is a transcript of the video.
Eran Segal: It’s not just what we eat but also: when should we eat?
My name is Eran Segal. I’m a researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Sep 17, 2014...
Should we drink diet soda or not? The latest study doesn't really clear things up.
The debate over whether diet sodas are good, bad or just OK for us never seems to end.
Some research suggests zero-calorie drinks can help people cut calories and fend off weight gain.
But in recent years, the idea that artificial sweeteners may trick the brain and lead to "metabolic derangements," as one researcher has theorized, has gained traction, too.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/weizmann-in-focus-episode-11-time-to-get-fit/
Feb 07, 2020...
We’re well into the New Year and many of us have resolved to get fit in 2020 … but does the time we work out make a difference? In the latest episode of Weizmann in Focus, Dave Doneson discusses the research of Dr. Gad Asher, who studies the effects of our biological clocks on everything from fitness to jetlag to liver disease.
Find out Dr. Asher’s take on whether mornings or evenings are the best time to hit the gym. Please share the video with friends via email or social media.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/time-to-eat/
Mar 16, 2016...
The circadian clock regulates the mitochondria’s utilization of nutrients throughout the day
When one eats may be as important as what one eats. New research at the Weizmann Institute of Science and in Germany suggests that the cells’ power plants – the mitochondria – are highly regulated by the body’s biological, or circadian, clocks. This may help explain why people who sleep and eat out of phase with their circadian clocks are at higher risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. The research recently appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/scientists-urge-new-approaches-to-plant-research/
Jun 29, 2012...
You’d be amazed at how much you can learn from a plant.
In a paper published this week in the journal Science, a Michigan State University professor and a colleague discuss why if humans are to survive as a species, we must turn more to plants for any number of valuable lessons.
“Metabolism of plants provides humans with fiber, fuel, food and therapeutics,” said Robert Last, MSU professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. “As the human population grows and nonrenewable energy sources diminish, we need to rely increasingly on plants and to increase the sustainability of agriculture.”
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/is-the-microbiome-about-to-change-medicine-for-good/
Oct 15, 2019...
Your body is composed of about 10 million human cells. It’s also home to about 100 trillion tiny microbes, mainly bacteria, that wield astonishing power over your health.
Many influences, from genetics, to diet and stress, contribute to the makeup of your microbiome — the collective community of microbes as personal as a fingerprint.
Understanding, manipulating and balancing the microbiome could play an increasing role in preventing and curing diseases.
Feb 28, 2018...
ISTOCK, CHRISCHRISW
Environment plays a much greater role than host genetics in determining the composition of the human gut microbiome, according to a study published today (February 28) in Nature. And including microbiome characteristics when predicting people’s traits, such as cholesterol levels or obesity, makes those estimates more accurate than only personal history, such as diet, age, gender, and quality of life, the study finds.
Feb 28, 2018... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—February 28, 2018— The question of nature vs. nurture extends to our microbiome – the personal complement of mostly friendly bacteria we carry around with us. Study after study has found that our microbiome affects nearly every aspect of our health, and that the composition of our microbes, which varies from individual to individual, may hold the key to everything from weight gain to mood. Some microbiome researchers had suggested that this variation begins with differences in our genes, but a large-scale study conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science challenges this idea and provides evidence that the connection between microbiome and health may be even more important than we thought.
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