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News by Supplier: Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science, located in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions in the world. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the sciences and technology, the Institute gathers together 2,500 scientists, technicians and research students. Successful transplantation from pig embryos to mice 07 March 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science Millions of diabetics face a lifetime of daily injections to replace the insulin their bodies fail to produce, as well as a host of risks that includes blindness, amputation, kidney failure and heart disease. For many, particularly those inflicted with juvenile diabetes, transplants of the pancreatic tissue in which insulin is produced might alleviate these problems. Unfortunately, there are not nearly enough organ donors available for transplantation. Bones hold the key to blood renewal 04 March 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science Though we think of them as solid and permanent, our bones are actually constantly being rebuilt throughout our lives. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has now revealed how cells that work at remodeling the bones play a direct part in the ongoing renewal of another system, the blood. Their findings, which may lead to future improvements in bone marrow transplantation and a better understanding of diseases involving bone or blood renewal, were published in the Nature Medicine. The molecular mechanism of a diabetes vaccine revealed 03 March 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of researchers led by Prof. Irun Cohen of the Weizmann Institute of Science Immunology Department has revealed the molecular mechanism of a vaccine for Type 1 diabetes. The new findings should help amplify the effectiveness of the vaccine, which is currently in advanced stages of clinical trials. Tiny airborne particles are a major cause of climate change 02 March 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science The local effect of atmospheric aerosols can be greater than the greenhouse effect. A scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and his colleagues caused a storm in the atmospheric community when they suggested a few years back that tiny air-borne particles, known as aerosols, may be one of the main culprits causing climate change, having, on a local scale, an even greater impact than the greenhouse gases effect. Bacteria beat the heat 01 March 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science How do some microorganisms manage to exist and even thrive in surroundings ranging from Antarctica to boiling hot springs? A team of scientists from the Weizmann Institute’s Plant Sciences Department, led by Prof. Avigdor Scherz, has found that a switch in just two amino acids (the building blocks of protein) can make a difference between functioning best at moderate temperatures and being adapted to living in extreme heat. Stars may lead fascinating lives but sometimes, it’s in death that they really shine 28 February 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science Stars may lead fascinating lives but sometimes, it’s in death that they really shine. Some stars finish up as black holes but, a moment before the end, they explode, sending material in all directions and shining with a light that can be seen throughout the universe. Weizmann Institute scientists render a disease-causing pathogen harmless 27 February 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science Freedom of expression is great, but silence is golden, at least when it comes to amoebae, intestine-dwelling parasites that cause life-threatening dysentery in many parts of the world. Three years ago, scientists at the Weizmann Institute accidentally discovered a way to silence the expression of a key amoebic gene, one which codes for a toxic protein that kills human intestinal cells infected with this devastating illness. A better water test 26 February 2007 - Weizmann Institute of Science Water is essential for life. Nevertheless, even small amounts of water in the wrong places, fuels, lubricants, or organic solvents, can cause motors to sputter, metal parts to rust, or chemical reactions to go awry. That’s why one of the most common lab tests performed in industry is one that looks for traces of water in other substances, even though the test itself is complicated and time-consuming. Cervical cancer treatment depends on patient age 13 August 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Elderly women with cervical cancer face double jeopardy. Not only does their advanced age decrease chances of survival, it also decreases the likelihood that they'll be given the most aggressive treatments for their disease, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Genomic analysis to become tool for studying trauma patients 10 August 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Genomic analysis may one day be a primary diagnostic tool for physicians deciding on a course of treatment for trauma and other critically ill patients in the intensive care unit, according to a new study by a national collaboration of more than 70 physicians and scientists. Weizmann Institute scientists develop new approach for directing treatment to metastasized prostate cancer 02 July 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science When prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death among men, spreads in the body, it most often goes to the bone where it is particularly difficult to treat. Metastasis to the bone is implicated in over 70% of prostate cancer deaths. Prof. Zelig Eshhar, Head of the Immunology Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science, has now shown how a treatment that works on cancer in the prostate can be redirected to the bones. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute use DNA to assemble nanosized electronic parts 02 July 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Take a little DNA; add a pinch of carbon nanotubes; sprinkle in a few grains of gold, all on a clean silicon surface, and whip up a batch of nanotransistors, that's pretty much what the research group of Prof. Ron Naaman of the Chemical Physics Department of the Weizmann Institute did. Only, they began with even more basic ingredients: tiny spoonfuls of phosphates, sugars and nucleotides that were used to create unique strands of DNA programmed to form attachments with carbon nanotubes. Scientists has shown one way that evolving organisms beat evolutionary stakes 01 July 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Evolution is something of a gamble: in order to stay a step ahead of a shifting environment, organisms must change or risk extinction. Yet the instrument of this change, mutation, carries a serious threat: mutations are hundreds of times more likely to be harmful to the organism than advantageous. Now, in a paper published online Nov. 28 in Nature Genetics, a team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown one way that evolving organisms may be hedging their bets. Weizmann Institute Scientists find: Optimal time windows for successful embryonic tissue transplant 01 July 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have determined distinct gestational time windows for the growth of transplanted pig embryonic liver, pancreas and lung precursor tissue into functioning organs in mice. These findings, appearing this week in PNAS online Early Edition, could help enhance the chances for successful implementation of embryonic pig tissue in the treatment of a wide spectrum of human diseases. Weizmann Institute Scientists discover how substitutions are made for injured genes 30 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science If there were no bench for second-string players on a football team, who would substitute for tired or injured team members? A team of Weizmann Institute scientists has found that, if the team were made up of genes, they might pull athletes who can play a little football in a pinch from nearby basketball or rugby teams. Their findings were published in the March issue of Nature Genetics. Nanotubes form aalong atomic steps 30 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science today announced that a research group headed by Dr. Ernesto Joselevich has developed a new approach to create patterns of carbon nanotubes by formation along atomic steps on sapphire surfaces. Carbon nanotubes are excellent candidates for the production of nanoelectronic circuits, but their assembly into ordered arrays remains a major obstacle toward this application. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown how sea urchins grow new spines 29 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The sea urchin's tough, brittle spines are an engineering wonder. Composed of a single crystal from base to needle-sharp tip, they grow back within a few days after being broken off. Now, a team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown how they do it. Molecular messengers perform crucial role in nerve cell repair 29 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Long distance messengers star in many heroic tales, perhaps the most famous being the one about the runner who carried the news about the victory of the Greeks over the Persians in the fateful battle of Marathon. A team of researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science has now discovered how molecular messengers perform a crucial role in the ability of injured nerve cells to heal themselves. New kind of electrical switch formed from organic molecules could be used in future 28 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have demonstrated a new kind of electrical switch, formed of organic molecules, that could be used in the future in nanoscale electronic components. New study gives scientists insight into how the DNA code is turned into instructions for protein construction 28 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has revealed the structure of a cellular editor that 'cuts and pastes' the first draft of RNA straight after it is formed from its DNA template. Many diseases appear to be tied to mistakes in this process, and understanding the workings of the machinery involved may lead to the ability to correct or prevent them in the future. Weizmann Institute scientist's vision: Microscopic computers will function inside living tissues 27 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The world's smallest computer (around a trillion can fit in a drop of water) might one day go on record again as the tiniest medical kit. Made entirely of biological molecules, this computer was successfully programmed to identify, in a test tube, changes in the balance of molecules in the body that indicate the presence of certain cancers, to diagnose the type of cancer, and to react by producing a drug molecule to fight the cancer cells. Weizmann Institute Scientists weaponize an antibody to deliver continuous attacks on cancer cells 27 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science In a recent study published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science paired the active ingredient of a garden remedy with advanced bio-technology to deliver a powerful punch against cancer. The cancer killing effectiveness lies in their technique of arming a cancer-targeting antibody with the destructive potential of the dietary molecule otherwise known as 'allicin.' New invention allows scientists to view intact biological samples under the electron microscope 26 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The scanning electron microscope has been a basic research tool for fifty years, and for those fifty years, scientists have been looking for better ways to observe biological samples under its beam. The problem is that the viewing chamber of the SEM must contain a vacuum (in which liquid water in tissues 'boils' away). A new particle detector built at the Weizmann Institute of Science will help probe the primordial universe 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science When the first matter came into being right after the big bang, what was it like? It may not have been quite as scientists have been describing it. That's one of the possibilities raised by four international teams of researchers that are about to publish important results three years into an experiment to recreate the primordial matter of the universe. Weizmann Institute scientists are among those who participated in the creation of matter that may be the 'quark-gluon plasma' thought to be the first matter in the universe. Weizmann Institute scientists develop a method for analysing crack progression 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Could engineers have known ahead of time exactly how much pressure the levees protecting New Orleans could withstand before giving way? Is it possible to predict when and under what conditions material wear and tear will become critical, causing planes to crash or bridges to collapse? A study by Weizmann Institute scientists takes a new and original approach to the study of how materials fracture and split apart. Three different types of code come into play when rats sense with their whiskers 25 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Is there a universal neural code, similar to the genetic code, in which the complexity of sense and experience can be reduced to a few simple rules? According to Prof. Ehud Ahissar of the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department, the answer might be no. He and his team have been studying how rats use their whiskers to sense their environment, and have found that the seemingly simple act of feeling out a 3-D object requires three different types of code. A newly discovered source of DNA in fossil bones holds promise for unearthing the past 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science recently discovered a new source of well-preserved ancient DNA in fossil bones. Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. With a new method scientists can identify novel protein molecules in days rather than months 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a method that could speed up the process of identifying novel protein molecules for medical or biological research hundreds of times over. Scientists reveals how fruit fly embryos impose order in early development 24 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Soon after fertilization, the cells in an embryo, which have been dividing furiously from the start, begin to take on different forms and to separate into layers that will eventually give rise to the organism's various tissues and organs. But dividing and changing shape, two distinct processes, cannot happen simultaneously. Directing activities so each takes place in turn becomes critical when the pressure is on to do both. A team of Weizmann Institute scientists recently found how a cellular 'traffic cop' temporarily halts cell division so other processes can proceed. Scientists has shown exactly why a new drug has sometimes serious side effects 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, working in collaboration with scientists at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, has shown exactly why a new drug that's been proven effective against colon cancer has sometimes serious side effects. Their hope is that these findings will allow the drug's design to be improved so as to lower the incidence of these side effects. Weizmann Institute scientists create method for predicting chemotherapy success 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Chemotherapy drugs, given intravenously, are the mainstay of the fight against cancer. But doctors know that sometimes these drugs effect a complete cure, while other times they can be nearly ineffective. How to turn some of those failures into successes? New findings that may have implications in delaying and slowing down cognitive deterioration in old age 23 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, led by Prof. Michal Schwartz of the Neurobiology Department, has come up with new findings that may have implications in delaying and slowing down cognitive deterioration in old age. The basis for these developments is Schwartz's team's observations, published today in the February issue of Nature Neuroscience, that immune cells contribute to maintaining the brain's ability to maintain cognitive ability and cell renewal throughout life. A multidisciplinary team develops an analytical method to trace lineage trees of cells 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Some fundamental outstanding questions in science: 'Where do stem cells originate?' 'How does cancer develop?' 'When do cell types split off from each other in the embryo? 'might be answered if scientists had a way to map the history of the body's cells going back to the fertilized egg. Now, a multidisciplinary team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has developed an analytical method that can trace the lineage trees of cells. Weizmann Institute scientists discover a molecular security mechanism for keeping mutations in check 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Everyone knows mutations, genetic mistakes in DNA, the material of heredity, are bad: The more mutations in the cell's DNA, the higher the risk of cancer developing. But in the last few years it has become clear that the very processes that generate mutations, if they take place at a relatively low frequency, can actually protect us from cancer. Researchers find new method for mapping gene expression in MRI 22 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science New findings show an iron storage molecule in the cell can serve as an advanced tool for mapping gene expression. Future gene therapy may use a technique in which non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging is used to track this molecule. The results of this research, conducted by Prof. Michal Neeman of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department, were published in the research journal Neoplasia. A Weizmann Institute study finds that signals travel from rat's whiskers to its brain along 3 separate pathways 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Like blind peoples' fingers, rats use their whiskers to engage in active sensing, a combination of movement and touch, when trying to figure out the location and identity of a certain object. But how the brain decodes the signals it receives from the whiskers is unclear. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has identified some basic principles of communication 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science How do we succeed in putting our ideas into words, so that another person can understand them? This complex undertaking involves translating an idea into a one-dimensional sequence, a string of words to be read or spoken one after the other. Of course the person on the receiving end might not get the intended point: The effective expression of one's ideas is considered an art, or at least a desirable and important skill. Solar Energy Project at the Weizmann Institute promises to advance the use of hydrogen fuel 21 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Innovative solar technology that may offer a 'green' solution to the production of hydrogen fuel has been successfully tested on a large scale at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The technology also promises to facilitate the storage and transportation of hydrogen. The chemical process behind the technology was originally developed at Weizmann, and it has been scaled up in collaboration with European scientists. Organic Chemistry Scientists catch a glimpse of platinum-based complexes 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Do metal complexes casually stroll around certain molecules prior to chemical reactions? Scientists in the Organic Chemistry Department of the Weizmann Institute of Science have caught a glimpse of platinum-based complexes 'walking' a path to their destinations. Routine uterine biopsies turned up a surprising result that could open up new pathways in fertility research 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Louis Pasteur said that 'chance favors the prepared mind.' For Prof. Nava Dekel of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department, some completely unexpected results of biopsies performed on women with fertility problems have led to a new path of scientific discovery that may hold hope for women trying to conceive. Scientists at Weizmann Institute of Science & in Sweden discover how excess body fat can lead diabetes 20 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science One out of 12 people in the western world suffers from type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. Worldwide, 150 million people are diabetic and their numbers are expected to double in the next 20 years, a result of the growing obesity epidemic. Yet, the reasons for the strong correlation between excess body fat and diabetes have been puzzling researchers. A Weizmann Institute scientist reveals how a mountain may have moved 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science 'Moving mountains' has come to mean doing the impossible. Yet at least once in the past, one mountain relocated a fair distance away. This feat took place around 50 million years ago, in the area of the present-day border between Montana and Wyoming. Weizmann Institute Scientists discover how an HIV protein fragment shuts down an immune response 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science The HIV virus hides out in the very immune system cells that are meant to protect the body from viral infection. But how does it prevent these cells from mounting a full-scale attack against the invader? In research published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown how a part of a protein on the virus' outer surface interferes with the cells' normal immune response. Scientists link algae salt tolerance to human kidney function 19 June 2006 - Weizmann Institute of Science Life thrives in all sorts of hostile environments, including the extreme salinity of the Dead Sea. A team of scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science has uncovered a strategy that helps a plant-like, microscopic alga to happily proliferate in such inhospitable surroundings, and their findings have unexpectedly shed light on the working of our own kidneys. Switching to chemistry 21 April 2005 - Weizmann Institute of Science Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have demonstrated a new kind of electrical switch, formed of organic molecules, that could be used in the future in nanoscale electronic components. Weizmann Institute Scientists reveal the shape of a protein that helps retroviruses break into cells 13 April 2005 - Weizmann Institute of Science Retroviruses are among the trickier and more malicious disease agents, causing AIDS and cancers such as leukemia. The viruses manage to sneak into cells with the help of special protein assemblies scattered all over their surfaces. These retrovirus surface proteins cause the membrane envelope of the virus to fuse with the membrane of the cell, spilling virus RNA into the cell to wreak damage. Nanotubes form along atmoic steps 21 December 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science has announced that a research group headed by Dr Ernesto Joselevich has developed a new approach to create patterns of carbon nanotubes by formation along atomic steps on sapphire surfaces. Hidden aspects of kidney function are revealed in a new kind of MRI scan used at Weizmann Institute of Science 15 April 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Kidney disease may affect as many as one in twelve people, and causes millions of deaths each year. Currently, the diagnosis of kidney function relies mainly on blood and urine tests, an indirect means of figuring out how well they're working. New type of Nanotube made of gold or silver created at the Weizmann Institute 26 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have created a new type of nanotube built of gold, silver and other nanoparticles. The tubes exhibit unique electrical, optical and other properties, depending on their components, and as such, may form the basis for future nanosensors, catalysts and chemistry-on-a-chip systems. Study shows that perception is tied to movement 20 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Our fingers run over surfaces; our eyes are in constant motion. This is all a part of 'active sensing,' key principles of which have now been uncovered by a Weizmann Institute study. Weizmann Institute scientists reveal key part of nerve regeneration mechanism 20 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science A new study conducted by Weizmann Institute scientists has now uncovered a key process leading to the regeneration of peripheral nerves. Nerves in the peripheral nervous system (any part of the body aside from the brain and spinal cord) are capable of regenerating, though often they do so poorly or slowly. Our cells are resourceful when it comes to copying DNA, even when the DNA is damaged 20 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Millions of cells divide every day in our bodies to replace those that wear out. To be able to do so, their DNA must be copied. A new Weizmann Institute study shows that the molecules in charge of the task of copying DNA, called DNA polymerases, are able to improvise in order to achieve this crucially important goal. New method tracking single atoms may lead to improved drug design 05 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Until now, scientists studying the workings of ultra-microscopic forms have had to rely on the scientific equivalents of still photos, something like trying to fathom driving by looking at a photograph of a car. Metastasis of colon cancer cells reversed in vitro 05 January 2004 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have succeeded in reversing the metastatic properties of colon cancer cells, in vitro. The findings, published in the Nov. 24 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, uncover a key process involved in the metastasis of colon cancer cells and raise hopes that target-specific drugs might be devised to prevent, or reverse, the invasive behavior of metastatic colon cancer cells. Colon cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer in men and third in women in the Western world. A new method selectively kills cancer cells, leaves healthy ones intact 21 December 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Allicin, as the chemical is called, is the substance that gives garlic its distinctive aroma and flavor. For many years, scientists studying allicin have known that it is as toxic as it is pungent. It has been shown to kill not only cancer cells, but the cells of disease-causing microbes, and even healthy human body cells. Fortunately for our body's cells, allicin is highly unstable, and breaks down quickly once ingested. However, the rapid breakdown and undiscriminating toxicity presented twin hurdles to creating an allicin-based therapy. Cancer diagnosis technique gets FDA clearance 23 September 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Thanks to a diagnostic imaging technique that should soon be finding its way to medical establishments, many patients could be spared the pain and risk of biopsies. The technique, called 3TP, has recently received FDA clearance for use in the detection of breast and prostate cancer, and is slated for distribution as early as next year. It will enable doctors to distinguish between malignant tumors and benign lumps by scanning instead of cutting. New blood test uncovers individual risk for lung cancer 03 September 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Scientists at the Weizmann Institute have discovered a new genetic risk factor that increases the susceptibility of smokers to lung cancer. Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the findings show that smokers who carry the newly discovered genetic marker are around 120 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers who do not have the risk factor. A simple blood test based on these findings will be able to detect smokers who are at especially high risk of developing lung cancer. The finding may lead to the development of new treatments for psychological trauma 21 August 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Is it possible to intentionally forget specific memories, without affecting other memories? Many would undoubtedly be happy to learn that unpleasant memories might be erased. This ability could be especially significant when it comes to the kind of traumatic memories that are debilitating to those experiencing them. It may well be that in the future, we will be able to wipe out, or at least dim, certain types of memories with controlled accuracy. A new fundamental rule governing the workings of the brain, recently discovered by a team of scientists in the Weizmann Institute of Science, headed by Prof. Yadin Dudai of the Neurobiology Department, constitutes a step towards reaching this goal. Stem cells in the bone marrow become liver cells in response to an alarm 20 August 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science They still don't have a personality, and they're waiting for the maturity call. Stem cells in our bone marrow usually develop into blood cells, replenishing our blood system. However, in states of emergency, the destiny of some of these stem cells may change: They can become virtually any type of cell, liver cells, muscle cells, nerve cells, responding to the body's needs. Why taste and smell differ among individuals – and how industry may profit 20 August 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science 'De gustibus non est disputandum' is a popular saying, conveying that one shouldn't argue about flavors. Now, a team at the Weizmann Institute of Science, headed by Professor Doron Lancet of the Molecular Genetics Department, has found why this is true. In our genome, around 1,000 genes code for the nose's odor-detecting receptors (responsible for our sense of smell and a great part of flavor perception). Of these, more than half have become totally inactive in all humans, a fact that has been known for years. Now a surprising discovery, published in Nature Genetics, shows that at least 50 genes are 'optional', they can be active in some individuals and inactive in others. This high level of genetic variation among individuals is most unusual. Phase III in psoriasis to be initiated later this year 20 August 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease with as yet no cure that affects approximately 4.5 million people in the U.S. and 5.7 million people in Europe. About 10% of these people develop chronic inflammation of the joints called psoriatic arthritis. In clinical trials testing a drug based on the discovery of Prof. David Wallach of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Chemistry Department, the condition of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients was greatly improved. The treatment had no adverse effects. Promising indications that we may have succeeded in reproducing matter 12 June 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Recent results of a joint experiment conducted by 460 physicists from 57 research institutions in 12 countries strongly indicate that the scientists have succeeded in reproducing matter as it first appeared in the universe, matter called the quark-gluon plasma. The experiment, called PHENIX and conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, has brought together physicists from Brazil, China, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The Israeli team is led by Prof. Itzhak Tserruya, head of the Weizmann Institute's Particle Physics Department. Tserruya and his colleagues have designed and built unique particle detectors that are a central part of PHENIX's detecting system. The discovery may help design effective therapies for the genetic disease that mainly affects Ashkenazi Jews 02 June 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science An interdisciplinary team of Weizmann Institute scientists has solved the three-dimensional structure of an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase. Mutations occurring in this enzyme cause Gaucher disease, a genetic illness that mainly affects Ashkenazi Jews. The Institute study, published recently in EMBO Reports, may lead to the design of effective new therapies for treating the disease. Weizmann Institute study suggests that rising carbon dioxide levels might cause forests to spread into dry environments 12 May 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Missing: around 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas charged with global warming. Every year, industry releases about 22 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. And every year, when scientists measure the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it doesn't add up, about half goes missing. Figuring in the amount that could be soaked up by oceans, some 7 billion tons still remain unaccounted for. Now a study conducted at the edge of Israel's Negev Desert has come up with what might be a piece of the puzzle. Experiment may help size up neutrinos 01 March 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science According to The Standard Solar Model, the most substantiated model of the sun, the sun should emit around three times more neutrinos than are actually measured on Earth. They are a source of great interest for scientists who seek to better understand elementary particles and the physics of the sun. Indeed, one of the recipients of this year's Nobel Prize in Physics was Raymond Davis, who first drew attention to the neutrino shortfall. First sightings of individual proteins as they fold 01 March 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Proteins, it appears, have taken Frank Sinatra's 'I Did It My Way' close to heart. A new study published in the current issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals how single proteins, each a few nanometers (billionths of a meter) long, fold to assume their final shape. It shows that even proteins having the same final shape achieve it by taking different routes. X-rays yield mechanism of alzheimer's drug 24 February 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of Weizmann scientists has gained new insight into the effects of a newly approved drug, rivastigmine, in treating Alzheimer's disease, a debilitating brain disease causing memory loss in around 10% of the elderly. The study was published in the American Chemical Society journal Biochemistry. Tiny computing machine fueled by DNA 24 February 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Fifty years after the discovery of the structure of DNA, a new use has been found for this celebrated molecule: fuel for molecular computation systems. The search, conducted by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, will appear in this week's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Sperm use heat sensors to find the egg 31 January 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Much like guided missiles that sense the heat of a plane's engine, sperm are guided to the fertilization site by temperature, reports a Weizmann Institute study published in the current issue of Nature Medicine. The site where the egg lies is slightly warmer than the place where the sperm make a pause in their journey through the female genital tract. Sperm cells are apparently guided by this temperature difference in their navigation. Such a temperature-driven mechanism was previously known to exist in microorganisms and worms, but the Weizmann study for the first time has provided evidence for its existence in sperm cells. Radiation-resistant organism reveals its defense strategies 09 January 2003 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have found what makes the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans the most radiation-resistant organism in the world: The microbe's DNA is packed tightly into a ring. The findings, published in the January 10 issue of Science, solve a mystery that has long engaged the scientific community. New formula developed by Weizmann Institute physicists may improve rain prediction 30 December 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute physicists have revealed that turbulence in clouds can accelerate rain formation. In a study published in Nature, they developed a formula that makes it possible to calculate how fast tiny droplets within clouds cluster into heavy, rain-producing drops. The research may provide an effective tool for rain prediction. Transplanted tissue could offer a solution to kidney donor shortage 23 December 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science Instead of searching for a kidney donor, a new study suggests, one might be able to grow a new kidney. A team headed by Prof. Yair Reisner of the Weizmann Institute of Science has induced human stem cell tissue to grow into functional kidneys, and have accomplished the same with porcine stem cell tissue. Published in Nature Medicine, the method could lead to a promising solution to the severe shortage of kidney donors. A rare type of the disease found mainly in Bedouins may provide insight into anemia 15 December 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science A combined effort between scientists at Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Tel Aviv University, and the Weizmann Institute of Science has led to the discovery of a gene responsible for a type of anemia primarily found in a number of Bedouin families, called congenital dyserythropoietic anemia-1. The findings, published the December issue of The American Journal for Human Genetics, could lead to effective detection and eventually treatment of the disease. In addition, understanding the role of this gene's protein product in the body could provide important clues to other types of anemia, as well as to the general mechanisms of blood cell formation. Scientists build a nanoscale computing machine using biological molecules 22 November 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science A group of scientists headed by Prof. Ehud Shapiro at the Weizmann Institute of Science has used biological molecules to create a tiny computer, a programmable two-state, two-symbol finite automaton, in a test tube. Reported today in Nature, this biological nanocomputer is so small that a trillion (1,000,000,000,000) such computers co-exist and compute in parallel, in a drop the size of 1/10 of a milliliter of watery solution held at room temperature. Collectively, the computers perform a billion operations per second with greater than 99.8% accuracy per operation while requiring less than a billionth of a Watt of power. This study may lead to future computers that can operate within the human body, interacting with its biochemical environment to yield far-reaching biological and pharmaceutical applications. Forty-year-old theory promoted to fact by Weizmann Institute scientists 24 October 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science Twenty thousand hits per day, that's the average dose of damage sustained by the genes within each cell of our body. How are innumerable mutations avoided? In a study published in the October issue of Molecular Cell, Weizmann Institute researchers have proved the existence of a vital repair mechanism used by cells to correct this damage and showed that it's responsible for about 85% of what are termed 'last-resort' repairs. Technique could dramatically diminish hunger in Africa 01 July 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science Corn harvests on experimental plots and in farmers' fields in four East and Southern African countries have yielded striking results in long-term trials of an innovative witchweed-fighting technology developed by a Weizmann Institute scientist in collaboration with researchers at CIMMYT (the Spanish acronym for The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center). The new technology will be presented to seed producers, government representatives, regional scientists and regulatory agencies at a CIMMYT-sponsored meeting in Kisumu, Kenya on July 4–6, 2002. Bone marrow transplants may be improved 30 June 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have uncovered a mechanism that enables stem cells to exit the bone marrow into the blood circulation of healthy donors as well as patients suffering from leukemia, other malignancies and blood disorders. Published in the current July issue of Nature Immunology, the findings may lead to more efficient clinical stem cell transplantations. Weizmann Institute Scientists successful in global experiment for the prediction of protein-protein interactions 24 June 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science submitted three acceptable results for the three targets thus far presented by the Critical Assessment of PRediction of Interactions Challenge, an international experiment in which participants submit predictions of structures of protein-protein complexes prior to experimental determination. The participants were given three prediction targets in the first stage of the challenge, and sixteen teams from around the world submitted possible solutions. The Weizmann team, consisting of Dr. Miri Eisenstein of the Chemical Services Unit and Efrat Ben-Zeev, Alex Berchanski, Alex Heifetz and Boaz Shapira (students of Prof. Ephraim Katzir and Dr. Eisenstein in the Department of Biological Chemistry), was the only group to submit an acceptable prediction for each of the three targets. Dr. Eisenstein succeeded in a similar experiment as part of a Weizmann Institute team six years ago. Scientists identify a gene causing a fatal heart condition, common in an Israeli Bedouin Tribe 04 May 2002 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Sheba Medical Center has identified a gene causing polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, a fatal heart condition. Characterized by a fast and irregular heartbeat, seizures, and in certain cases, sudden death, PVT primarily affects young children. Scientists uncover the exact mode of action of five antibiotic drugs 25 October 2001 - Weizmann Institute of Science Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Germany's Max-Planck Society have discovered how five antibiotic drugs function by binding to the bacterial ribosome, the cell's 'protein factory', and shutting off all protein production. Proteins are the cell's primary component and the basis of all enzymatic reactions. Blocking their production kills the bacterium. Israeli scientists discover gene responsible for hereditary muscle disease prevalent among Jews of Persian descent 27 August 2001 - Weizmann Institute of Science Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and from Hadassah University Hospital have identified the gene that in its mutated form causes a degenerative muscle disease known as hereditary inclusion body myopathy, or HIBM. This disease is common in Jews from Iran and from the neighboring Middle Eastern countries, but it also occurs in non-Jews in different parts of the world. The findings are reported in the September issue of Nature Genetics. Brittlestars use crystal lenses to spot approaching predators 23 August 2001 - Weizmann Institute of Science Brittlestars of the species Ophiocoma wendtii form crystal lenses in their skeletons that allow them to spot approaching predators, according to a study reported in Nature on August 23. This unique 'visual' system is the first of its kind to be discovered in animals inhabiting the earth today. The discovery is a result of a collaborative study conducted by researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, from Bell Laboratories/Lucent Technologies in New Jersey, and from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Los Angeles, California. Vaccination following spinal cord injury: Innovative approach limits paralysis 15 August 2001 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists propose an innovative approach for preventing complete paralysis after partial spinal cord injury. The approach consists of boosting the body's natural immune mechanisms to improve the outcome of trauma. The team of Prof. Michal Schwartz of the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department has in the past already developed one immune-based therapy for the spinal cord, currently tested in humans by Proneuron Biotechnologies Ltd. That therapy is aimed at repairing the spinal cord after a complete injury. The new approach pursues a related but different therapeutic target: to limit degeneration after a partial spinal cord injury. The scientists report their latest results in the August 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Weizmann Institute scientists have elucidated means by which a plant substance blocks a key brain enzyme 27 December 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute researchers have revealed the exact nature of the 3-D interaction between galanthamine, a natural substance extracted from the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and the brain enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Their findings, appearing in the December 17 issue of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS Letters), may provide crucial information in designing a new family of Alzheimer's drugs. Protein teamwork drives damaged cells to self-destruct 12 December 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have recently deciphered part of the cellular events underlying apoptosis, programmed cell death. Their findings, published in Nature earlier this summer, provide important insights into cancer pathologies and their potential cures. Cells contain built-in suicide mechanisms, explains Prof. Yosef Shaul of Weizmann's Molecular Genetics Department. This process is vital to normal embryonic development and tissue maintenance. It is the body's means of ridding itself of damaged or surplus cells. Key progress by Weizmann Scientists in the race to unravel ribosomal structure 07 December 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science This explains why ribosomes have been the target of numerous biochemical, biophysical, and genetic studies. However, throughout nearly four decades of research, these pivotal biological units have stubbornly 'resisted' scientific attempts to reveal their detailed functional design. In order to examine microscopic structures scientists expose crystals of the material in question to high intensity x-ray beams, a method known as x-ray crystallography. However, the ribosome, a notoriously unstable giant protein complex, represents a daunting crystallographic challenge. To further complicate matters, it also lacks the internal symmetry and repetitions that eased the way to understanding the structure of other biological entities, such as viruses. Progress reported in developing compounds that mimic insulin for the treatment of type II diabetes 24 November 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Diabetic patients suffer from a metabolic disorder in which the insulin hormone responsible for allowing the passage of energy rich nutrients from the bloodstream into the body's cells does not function properly or at all. Diabetes afflicts 15 million Americans, and 90 percent of these cases are classified as type II diabetes. Type I diabetes is caused by a shortage of insulin production from cells in the pancreas. Type II diabetes is the result mainly of resistance or insensitivity of cells to insulin activity. One of the approaches to treating type II diabetes is to find a new chemical that will serve as a viable alternative to insulin and thus will not be affected by problems of insulin resistance. Weizmann Institute scientists have recently made significant progress in this area, which may one day lead to the development of a treatment that will considerably improve the quality of life of those suffering from type II diabetes. Scientists discover enzymes capable of duplicating damaged genetic material 16 November 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Genetic material (DNA) is damaged on a daily basis due to environmental factors, such as solar radiation and exposure to certain hazardous materials, as well as natural cell processes. This damage can leave chaos in its wake, scrambling or deleting the genetic 'letters' encoding an organism's traits. If left unchecked, the mutated DNA will continue to replicate, and may cause impaired protein production and disease. Weizmann Institute scientists develop a novel method for evaluating ultrathin films 25 September 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science For decades, thinking big has frequently meant pursuing smaller and smaller goals. Take ultrathin films for instance. Often less than 10-15 nanometers in width, ultrathin films are used in diverse applications, from optoelectronics to biological sensors. (A nanometer is roughly one 100,000th the width of a human hair.) A central requirement for performing these Lilliputian feats is accurate composition and structural analysis. Yet, 'looking inside' these films, which are often multi-layered, calls for highly sensitive probes. Most available techniques do not provide the depth information essential for evaluating layered structures. (Similarly, X-rays offer a spectacular glimpse into the human body, however determining the relative depth of individual structures is highly difficult.) Techniques devised to solve this problem are generally complicated and frequently damage the sample, distorting the results. Israeli research team discovers the gene for an hereditary disorder occurring most commonly in Ashkenazi Jews 30 August 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science A team of researchers from the Hadassah Medical Organization and the Weizmann Institute of Science has uncovered a gene causing Mucolipidosis IV (ML4), a rare hereditary disorder characterized by severe mental and motor retardation as well as vision abnormalities. This is one of the few cases in which a team composed entirely of Israeli scientists has discovered a gene for a genetic disease. Their findings will appear in the September issue of Nature Genetics. New molecule boosts stem cell survival 01 August 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute researchers have developed a molecule that allows blood stem cells, the body's most primitive, immature cells that originate in the bone marrow, to multiply without maturation in the test tube. This achievement, described in the August issue of the journal Blood, may improve bone marrow transplantation, in which stem cells are infused into a patient to replace defective or malignant marrow. The study may also advance gene therapy research. The new molecule was developed by Prof. Michel Revel and Dr. Judith Chebath of the Molecular Genetics Department, and its effects on blood stem cells were studied by Dr Tsvee Lapidot and graduate students Orit Kollet and Ronit Aviram of the Immunology Department. It's a perfect protein match 20 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Biochemist, turned protein matchmaker, Dr. Gideon Schreiber of the Weizmann Institute of Science and doctoral student Tziki Seltzer, took their fate to heart. Working with colleagues at the Biological Chemistry Department, they developed a computer algorithm which calculates the rate at which two proteins associate, using it to fashion proteins with increased affinity - of a hundred times or more. Their achievement, recently appearing in Nature Structural Biology, holds much promise for the pharmaceutical and food industries, since protein complexes are fundamental to many life processes. The heat is on... and measured 20 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Evaluating how temperature affects superconductor performance has become far more precise, thanks to a recent development by Weizmann Institute Scientists. Unique in their capacity to conduct electricity without resistance, superconductors may serve to transport electric currents across vast distances and can be used in a variety of industrial and transportation technologies. A considerable number of these innovations are based on the ability to manipulate the way in which superconductors are penetrated by magnetic fields. Feel the beat 20 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Scientists have long known that sensory information such as touch, vision, and hearing is converted into electrochemical impulses and channeled by neuronal pathways to respective sensory areas in the brain. The data, organized in the same spatial pattern as that obtained by the sensory organs, is then processed to divulge its encrypted messages. Solar technology breakthrough 06 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science An innovative solar power system was presented at the ISES congress. The system has been under development since 1996, within the framework of the US-Israel Science and Technology Foundation, by a consortium, which includes BOEING, ORMAT, and Rotem Industries in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute of Science. The initial technologies were developed within the solar consortium Consolar in the framework of MAGNET program of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The system makes it possible to power state of the art combined cycle power plants by both natural gas and solar energy. Gas fired power plants built today with provision for the addition of solar collectors will be usable in the future as solar powered power plants. When powered by solar energy, the efficiency of the plants will be much higher that of photovoltaic cells. Weizmann Institute Scientists develop a potential future treatment for Myasthenia Gravis 01 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute researchers have developed an effective treatment, administered through the nose, for a myasthenia gravis-like disease in rats, according to a report in the July 6 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The new approach used in the study may serve as a basis for treating myasthenia gravis in humans. 'More studies will be necessary before applying our approach in clinical trials, but we have good reason to believe that an effective treatment for human patients can now be developed,' said research team leader Prof. Sara Fuchs of the Institute's Immunology Department. Self-Healing discovered in a solar cell material 01 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Self-healing is normally the province of living creatures, but now a Weizmann Institute-led research team has discovered that it can occur in a semiconductor. This finding, presented in June at the European Materials Research Conference in Strasbourg and soon to be published in the scientific journal Advanced Materials, may help create better solar cells and other electronic devices. DNA becomes organized in bacteria that are subjected to various conditions of stress 01 July 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science DNA becomes remarkably organized in bacteria that are subjected to various conditions of stress, Weizmann Institute scientists reported in the July 1 issue of Nature. The tightly packed structure promotes the ability of the cells to withstand extreme environmental assaults such as oxidating agents and starvation. The finding may one day contribute to the development of more general methods against bacterial diseases. In addition, if a link is found between the mechanisms allowing bacteria to survive under stress, and those that render bacteria resistant against various chemical agents, chemotherapy could be efficiently used against pathological bacteria which have become resistant towards other methods. Weizmann Researchers find evidence that links a molecular mechanism to Huntington's disease 22 June 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann researchers have found evidence that an enzyme called transglutaminase may be the 'smoking gun' behind the deadly disease Huntington's disease. Their study is reported in the June 22 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Weizmann Institute Scientist designs the first general-purpose mechanical computing device 15 June 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science The first general-purpose mechanical computer designed for biomolecular and pharmaceutical applications has been developed by Prof. Ehud Shapiro of the Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The mechanical computer will be presented today at the Fifth International Meeting on DNA-Based Computers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Weizmann Institute particle detectors used to explore primordial matter in International Collider Project 14 June 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science The first collisions of particles that will allow scientists to study matter as it existed just after the Big Bang were observed today with the help of unique particle detectors designed and built at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The collisions marked the launch of the largest experiment of its type at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, intended to simulate the first stage in the creation of matter in the universe. This experiment, called PHENIX, involves some 450 scientists from 11 national groups, including the Israeli team headed by Prof. Itzhak Tserruya of the Weizmann Institute's Particle Physics Department. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute propose a new theory to the mystery of the origin of life 05 June 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science One of the greatest mysteries, which continuously fascinate many scientists worldwide, concerns the way by which life emerged on primeval Earth. The accepted notion is that prior to the appearance of living organisms, there was a stage of chemical evolution, which involved selection within inanimate chemical mixtures. This is thought to have eventually led to the crucial moment, when self-replicating molecules arose. As self-replication is a most fundamental characteristic of living entities, such an event is often defined as the birth of life. Gamma ray hide & seek 16 May 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Draping the earth and entire universe in a thin, ever-present veil, their origin remains one of the greatest puzzles of cosmology. However, the mystique of gamma rays, particles of light comprising the most energetic and penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation, may soon diminish thanks to research by Dr. Eli Waxman of the Weizmann Institute's Condensed Matter Physics Department together with Prof. Abraham Loeb of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Mechanism involved in causing colon cancer discovered at the Weizmann Institute 11 May 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute researchers have discovered a molecular mechanism that may be involved in causing colon cancer, according to a study reported in the May 11 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This research may one day contribute to the development of potential therapies for this type of malignancy and possibly for other types of cancer as well. The discovery of the new mechanism has solved two seemingly unrelated molecular mysteries. Blocking autoimmunity naturally 11 May 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile diabetes and psoriasis are all examples of autoimmunity, a condition in which the body attacks its own tissues. One way to treat such conditions is to use drugs that suppress the immune system across the board, but this is a drastic and potentially dangerous measure. Therefore, researchers are searching for selective autoimmunity drugs, which can bring the immune system under control by targeting specific mechanisms. Scientists control the properties of semiconductor devices using organic molecules 09 March 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have made an important step towards harnessing organic molecules to future electronics. Reported in the March 9th issue of Nature, their approach places common semiconductor-based devices, for the first time ever, under the control of organic molecules. Weizmann Institute Scientists block loss of eyesight in animals with a glaucoma-like disease 06 March 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute scientists have succeeded in stopping the progressive loss of eyesight in animals with a glaucoma-like disease. Their innovative study, reported in the March 6, 2001 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A., suggests that Copaxone, a drug developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science to treat multiple sclerosis, may also stop, or at least slow down, the loss of eyesight in people with chronic glaucoma. Heat-shock vaccine stops bacteria dead 01 March 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Autoimmunity, in which the body attacks its own tissues, has traditionally been viewed as spelling nothing but trouble. But now Weizmann Institute scientists have shown that it's possible to 'enlist' an autoimmune mechanism for a beneficial cause, fighting outside intruders such as bacteria. This new approach may lead to the development of improved vaccines for preventing various infectious diseases and possibly for treating cancerous tumors. Plugs for drugs promise mightier medicines 01 March 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Whether it's one pill several times a day or a self-administered injection, taking medicine frequently can be a major nuisance. Now Weizmann Institute scientists have developed a new approach that may prolong the action of many drugs, making it possible to administer them at much greater intervals without jeopardizing their effectiveness. Weizmann Institute scientists propose a model regulating cell adhesion 28 February 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science 'Hard times,' or more specifically, exposure to rigid environments, enhances the tendency of cells to form tight adhesions and communicate, according to a recent Weizmann Institute study published in the March issue of Nature Cell Biology. The findings reveal a new parameter regulating cell attachment, namely, the physical properties of the immediate surroundings. Bone marrow transplants improved thanks to new key mechanism underlying human stem cell migration 05 February 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science In bone marrow transplantation, a patient receives a transfusion of stem cells, which migrate to the patient's bone marrow and start producing new, healthy blood. But many transplants fail because, usually, very few stem cells make their way from the blood circulation into the recipient's marrow. Weizmann Institute Scientists devise an approach for Recruiting immune system response to partial spinal cord injuries 01 February 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Severing the spinal cord causes complete paralysis of the organs innervated by the central nervous system, from the point of injury downwards. In fact, even a partial injury of the spinal cord may cause complete paralysis. The main reason for this is that damaged fibers create a 'hostile environment' which harms other, undamaged fibers. As a result, even in cases of partial spinal cord injury, the damage continues to spread, intensifying the paralysis. Blocking the spread of damage may therefore save the nerve cells undamaged by the initial trauma, and with them, at least some of the patient's motor activity. This is what the Weizmann Institute scientists hope to achieve. Their findings may yield future measures for preventing radiation-induced health damages 27 January 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute researchers have recently demonstrated this principle's applicability to the art of scientific discovery. A decision on their part to change an experimental focus resulted in their capturing the first ever time-resolved 'movie' demonstrating how molecules break apart when exposed to synchotron radiation. Their findings, published in the January 18th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA may pave the way to improved techniques for studying biological molecules, as well as to pharmacological measures for preventing high-dose radiation damage, a common cause of cancer and birth defects. Functional MRI will enable non-invasive visualization of brain cortical columns 25 January 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science The accomplishment by Minnesota scientists, based on information gathered through optical imaging techniques innovated by Weizmann Institute scientists, should bridge the gap between neurophysiology and psychology by providing detailed insight into sensory perception and higher cognitive functions. Weizmann Institute Scientists discover: Amoebas use Midwives to reproduce 23 January 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Giving birth has never been easy. Nature seems to have decided that whoever wants to procreate should put in an effort. Sometimes the process of birth, the physical separation from offspring, is so difficult that a mother needs a helping hand. And humans are not alone in this trait. An interdisciplinary research team at the Weizmann Institute has discovered that 'midwives' also play a role in the microscopic world of amoebas. It is this collaborative birth process, reported in the March 21, 2001 issue of Nature, that has given amoebas an evolutionary edge. New understanding of a key control mechanism in the brain 13 January 2000 - Weizmann Institute of Science Weizmann Institute findings could provide new insights into a wide range of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, autism, and epilepsy. Despite more than a century of research on inhibitory neurons, very little is known on how this small population (10-20% of brain neurons) exerts its controlling effect on the brain. Pivotal for normal brain development, learning, and memory, it is not surprising that inhibitory neurons are involved in most neurological disorders. A recent study at the Weizmann Institute, published in the January 2000 issue of Science, reveals key principles underlying the design and function of this inhibitory system.

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