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.
Jun 26, 2013...
The brain image at the back presents spontaneous (resting state) patterns before a fMRI-based neurofeedback training session. The front brain image presents spontaneous (resting state) patterns a day after the training session. Photo credit: Weizmann Institute of Science
New research at the Weizmann Institute of Science shows that scientists can explore the brain, like archaeologists, and uncover the history of past experiences. The research shows that spontaneous waves of neuronal activity in the brain bear the imprints of earlier events for at least 24 hours after the experience has taken place.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/bats-offer-new-directions-in-brain-research/
Jul 01, 2012...
"Our memories are basically who we are," says Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky of the Department of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. "I suspect that this is why people are so afraid of the various memory dysfunctions—because if you lose your memory then, in some way, you lose your identity and personality."
Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky
Dr. Ulanovsky investigates memory using an unconventional subject: bats. In addition to shedding light on the basic function of the memory system, his work could lead to new understanding of a range of neurological conditions. "There are dozens and dozens of disorders of the brain," he says, "and these are some of the most difficult medical problems to tackle."
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/rats-long-term-memory-erased-in-study/
Aug 16, 2007... This article can be viewed by downloading the PDF.
Nov 09, 2009... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—November 9, 2009—From Proust's madeleines to the overbearing food critic in the movie Ratatouille who is transported back to his childhood at the aroma of stew, artists have long been aware that some odors can spontaneously evoke strong memories. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have now revealed the scientific basis of this connection. Their research appears in the latest issue of Current Biology.
Jan 15, 2017...
Credit: akindo via iStock
How do humans and other animals find their way from A to B? This apparently simple question has no easy answer. But after decades of extensive research, a picture of how the brain encodes space and enables us to navigate through it is beginning to emerge. Earlier, neuroscientists had found that the mammalian brain contains at least three different cell types, which cooperate to encode neural representations of an animal’s location and movements.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/thanks-for-the-memories/
Jun 30, 2011...
How easy is it to falsify memory? New research at the Weizmann Institute shows that a bit of social pressure may be all that is needed. The study, which appears Friday inScience, reveals a unique pattern of brain activity when false memories are formed – one that hints at a surprising connection between our social selves and memory.
The experiment, conducted by Prof. Yadin Dudai and research student Micah Edelson of the Institute’s Neurobiology Department with Prof. Raymond Dolan and Dr. Tali Sharot of University College London, took place in four stages. In the first, volunteers watched a documentary film in small groups. Three days later, they returned to the lab individually to take a memory test, answering questions about the film. They were also asked how confident they were in their answers.
Aug 06, 2013...
At Weizmann: Researchers Rafael Malach and Tal Harmelech, pushing the boundaries of brain research. Courtesy of Prof. Rafael Malach
It is well known that the patterns of activity in the human brain change according to the different tasks that people are performing. But could it be that an imprint of these patterns remains on the brain hours and even days later, like footprints in the sand?
At the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, home to a Nobel laureate and three Turing Award laureates, neurobiology professor Rafael Malach claims to have evidence that such a record remains — for 24 hours, at least.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/feature-stories/science-on-the-brain/
Aug 01, 2006...
The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS) and New York University (NYU) recently held a Day of Science on the topic of “Unveiling the Secrets of the Brain: Collaborations in Neuroscience.”
While the topic of neuroscience could be perceived as daunting, the half-day seminar, which featured four prominent scientists, attracted about 150 people to the Helen & Martin Kimmel Center for University Life at NYU. This large turnout is perhaps because, as Prof. Ilan Chet, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), Israel, indicated in his welcoming remarks, brain research is one of the areas of science that attracts the most interest from the public. We all want to know who we are, and what makes us “us,” both as a species and as individuals.
Oct 22, 2015... The human brain is “limitless” – and yet, sometimes things go wrong. In this video, Prof. Noam Sobel, Dr. Assaf Tal, Prof. Michal Schwartz, Prof. Alon Chen, Dr. Tali Kimchi, Dr. Ofer Yizhar, Prof. Daniel Zajfman, and Prof. Yadin Dudai talk about studying the brain in health and disease, always learning “what it means to be human, what it means to think, what it means to remember.”
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/immune-system-may-also-help-brain/
Jan 17, 2006...
Scientists have surprising new evidence that the immune system, best known for protecting the body against pathogens, also plays a key role in the brain's ability to grow new neurons in adulthood.
If true, boosting the immune system may be one way to protect against age-associated learning and memory problems, said Michal Schwartz, lead author of a paper on the research published this month in Nature Neuroscience.
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