Head Prof. Anat Yarden

Prof. Anat Yarden

Head

Prof. Anat Yarden

Office +972-8-934-4044

Email anat.yarden@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The Department of Science Teaching main interrelated missions are to advance the academic discipline of science and mathematics education, to enhance the quality and effectiveness of mathematics and science education in Israel, and to develop academic and practical leadership in science and mathematics education in Israel and overseas. The Department carries out educational research and development primarily for grades 7-12 in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences and life sciences, and in science and technology for junior high school. The Department targets both the general student population and those who are majoring in one or more of these disciplines. The Department carries out interrelated and continuous long-term academic activities, including research, development and implementation of innovative learning materials, pedagogical models, and teachers' professional development (PD). The Department has many avenues of collaboration with other departments on campus and with the educational system in Israel; it has a significant impact on science education research, practice, and policy in Israel and overseas.

As the Department is currently shifting from mainly textual teaching and learning materials developed in the Department to primarily digital platforms, the demand for techno-pedagogical support has increased tremendously in recent years. This shift allows the incorporation of new methodologies for both teaching and learning, as well as in the way research is carried out in the Department. The large amount of data on teachers’ and students’ performance accumulating in databases promote the development and use of new research methodologies. AI tools are currently being developed to improve both the teaching and learning that take place on these platforms, as well as to expand the Department’s research possibilities. These days Department is establishing a core facilities unit, entitled EduCore, that is expected to provide the needed services (e.g., software development, technological design, data science services, etc.) and to support both research and development in the various research groups, as well as other units and faculties at the Weizmann Institute that are in need of techno-pedagogical services.

Head Prof. Yuval Eshed

Prof. Yuval Eshed

Head

Prof. Yuval Eshed

Office +972-8-934-3693

Email yuval.eshed@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

Plants offer the world its only renewable resource of foods, alternative energy and biotherapeutic compounds. Plants have highly sophisticated short and long-term adaptive mechanisms to the environment as a result of the simple fact that they cannot alter their location during environmental change. Basic understanding of how plants react to the environment and why they grow the way they do are central to devising a rational approach to address three important global challenges, namely to secure more and healthier food, to develop novel plant-based products associated with biotherapeutics and to produce alternative energy resources in the form of biofuels. Research activities in the Department of Plant Sciences are associated with all of the above-mentioned global challenges and range from studies on the function and regulation of isolated genes to their interactive behavior in the context of the whole plant. We have developed extensive in-house genomic, bioinformatics and transgenic infrastructure that enables us to isolate novel genes by gene trapping, knockout or map-based cloning. Cloned genes are manipulated and studied by transgenic analysis to establish their potential in the whole plant. Our research as listed below integrates methodologies of molecular biology, protein modeling, genomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, system biology, genetics, biochemistry and physiology.
Harnessing light energy and energy transduction in the plant cell: Research is carried out on the basic biophysical phenomenon of photon absorption by chlorophyll through transduction of this energy to ATP and the regulation of energy flux by the plant redox state.
Adaptive response in the plant to the biotic and abiotic environment: Molecular mechanisms that drive the cellular response are investigated under environmental perturbation. Research is directed in understanding the elements that play a role in the recognition of pathogens and the subsequent mounting of plant defense responses as well as in the response of plants to abiotic stresses, such as salt stress.
Plant metabolism and growth: Research is centered around elucidating regulatory metabolic networks for production of essential primary and secondary metabolites as well as understanding gene expression and hormonal networks that control plant metabolism, growth, reproduction and productivity.
Plant genome organization: Molecular tools have been developed to examine the fluidity of the plant genome, as described by transposon element, and the evolution of polyploid plants.

Head Prof. Elisha Moses

Prof. Elisha Moses

Head

Prof. Elisha Moses

Office +972-8-934-3139

Email elisha.moses@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The Department of Physics of Complex Systems has research programs in fundamental and applied physics. Research in optics and atomic physics includes nonlinear optics, ultra fast optics and high harmonic generation, quantum optics, slow light, descrete optics, nano optics and nonlinear microscopy, laser cooling and trapping of atoms and ions, studies of Bose Einstein condensation, precision spectroscopy and quantum information processing. Theoretical and experimental research in soft condensed matter is concentrated on equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics, clustering of data, bioinformatics and systems biology, electrokinetics of ions and charged particles in low dielectric liquids, colloids, soft materials and complex fluids. Experimental and theoretical hydrodynamics concentrates on turbulence, spatio-temporal chaos, turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection, liquids at interfaces, droplet impact, sedimentation and dynamics of single micro-objects, such as polymers, vesicles, capsules and hydrodynamics of their solutions. Turbulence theory is developed in general and in applications to cloud physics. Classical and quantum chaos, statistics of nodal lines in quantum systems and turbulence are studied theoretically. Mathematical and computational methods for archaeological research are developed. Theoretical physical biology deals with modeling living information systems, their molecular components and the way they evolve. Experimental bio-physics deals with bio-molecules, neural cultures, neurophysics, physics of the brain, physics of bio-systems and decision making in ant colonies.

Head Prof. Ran Budnik

Prof. Ran Budnik

Head

Prof. Ran Budnik

Office +972-8-934-4462

Email ran.budnik@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics is engaged in both experimental and theoretical research, in various directions. These include elementary particle physics, field theory, string theory, theoretical astrophysics, observational astrophysics, particle astrophysics, relativistic heavy ion physics, molecular physics, nuclear physics, plasma physics, and radiation detection physics.

Head Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel

Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel

Head

Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel

Office +972-8-934-6058

Email pilpel@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The molecular basis of genetics and related biological processes are under investigation in our Department. The investigators approach these processes from the most reduced and reconstructed systems up to more systemic and computational analysis. Different organisms are employed including virus, yeast, Drosophila, mouse and human. These animal models and cell culture systems are used to study the mechanisms of;
a. Basic processes in gene expression, such as transcription, translation and protein degradation.
b. Cellular responses to various stimuli, such as cytokines, growth factors and exposure to DNA-damage.
c. Regulation of cell growth, senescence, differentiation and death.
d. Development; Mechanistic view of zygote to embryo transition and development of various organs, such as brain, muscles, bones and pancreas.
e. Genetic and acquired diseases such as cancer and virus infection. Embryonic stem cell biology, early development and advance human disease modeling.
f. Study of pluripotent stem cell biology and epigenetic reprogramming.
g. Computational and system biology. The function/evolution of genes and their diversification.

Head Prof. Leeor Kronik

Prof. Leeor Kronik

Head

Prof. Leeor Kronik

Office +972-8-934-4993

Email leeor.kronik@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

Activities in the Department span a wide range of topics from soft, composite and hard materials to energy research, nanoscience, and biological materials. A unifying theme is the study of material functionality and its relation to fundamental properties at multiple scales. These properties may be mechanical, structural, chemical, electronic, magnetic, optical, and more. Some examples are:

How do shapes and sizes of nm-sized particles affect their properties?

How can we tune the properties of solar cells by manipulating their material interfaces?

How does friction in knee and hip joints depend on polyelectrolytes that lubricate them?

How can we design self-assembling (bio)chemical systems?

THE RESEARCH IS BASED ON AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, and indeed the scientists bring complementary experience in chemistry and physics, including both theory and experiment.

Head Prof. Eldad Tzahor

Prof. Eldad Tzahor

Head

Prof. Eldad Tzahor

Office +972-8-934-3715

Email eldad.tzahor@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The molecular mechanisms underlying cell structures, dynamics and fate, and their involvement in embryonic development and cancer are among the primary topics of interest of the Department. These include studies on the mode of action of growth factors and the nature of signals triggered by them in target cells following binding to specific surface receptors. Growth regulation is also approached through the study of suppressor genes encoding such proteins as p53, which inhibit proliferation and drive cells towards differentiation or apoptosis. These studies, focusing on the mechanisms stimulate cell proliferation, differentiation, or death, can elucidate the basis for cancerous transformation in a large variety of systems. Overproduction or hyperactivation of growth-promoting systems was shown to have an oncogenic (cancer-causing) effect, and a similar process may be induced when growth-suppressor or apoptosis-inducing genes fail to function. The levels at which cell structure, activity and fate are studied in this department and the focus of these studies are many and diverse, including the characterization of soluble growth factors and their receptors, the nature of complex signal transduction pathways, the action of specific regulators of cytokine action, rearrangement of genes associated with oncogenic processes, and the properties of tumor suppressor and apoptosis promoting genes. Since such processes involve networks of interacting factors, we are also interested in mathematical modeling and computerized analysis of biological gene circuits.

In addition, there is broad interest in the molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion and their involvement in the regulation of cell fate. These studies include characterization of the basic rules underlying adhesive interactions, the binding of surface-associated adhesion molecules with the cytoskeleton, and the nature of growth- and differentiation-promoting signals triggered by adhesive interactions. Of special interest are proteins such as β-catenin, which play a crucial role in reinforcing cell-cell adhesions as well as triggering gene expression.

Head Prof. Omri Sarig

Prof. Omri Sarig

Head

Prof. Omri Sarig

Office +972-8-934-4305

Email omri.sarig@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The principal research interests of the department lie in the broadly understood areas of analysis, probability, algebra, and geometry.

Topics covered in Analysis include operator and matrix theory, spectral theory, linear and nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations, functional and harmonic analysis, ergodic theory and dynamical systems, control theory in its various manifestations, optimization, game theory, approximation and complexity of functions, numerical analysis, singularity theory and robotics.

Research in Probability theory covers random walks and graphs, motion in random media, percolation, random matrices, Gaussian fields and other probabilistic models in mathematical physics.

Areas of Geometric research include the structure of finite and infinite dimensional spaces, analytic, real algebraic and semi-algebraic geometry, typology of foliations and complex vector fields.

The Algebraic direction includes some aspects of algebraic geometry, geometric group theory, Lie Theory, representation theory, quantum groups, number theory, automorphic forms, ring theory, statistics of Young diagrams, algebraic combinatorics and enveloping algebras, invariants and crystals.

For the research done at our sister department, the Department of Scomputer Science and Applied Mathematics, see here.

Head Prof. Benjamin Geiger

Prof. Benjamin Geiger

Head

Prof. Benjamin Geiger

Office +972-8-934-3910

Email benny.geiger@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The immune system was originally recognized for its role in defense of the organism against pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. However, we have come to realize that the system not only reacts to exogenous pathogen attacks, but also to internal challenges posed by tissue remodeling, aging, metabolic unbalance and cancer.  Moreover, immune cells are also critically involved in normal developmental processes and the maintenance of adult homeostasis in light of innocuous and beneficial environmental challenges such as the microbiome. 

Research in the Department of Immunology addresses the challenge to understand contributions of immune cells to physiology and pathophysiology, with the aim to deepen our knowledge and develop new strategies for therapeutic intervention. Accordingly, our research spans a wide range from studying basic mechanisms of development, inter-cellular communication, cell trafficking and effector functions of immune cells to the definition of their specific roles in aging, autoimmune disorders, allergies and cancer. 

Department members investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying immune disorders, such as aging, immunodeficiencies, innate immunopathologies, autoimmunity, as well as infectious diseases. Using pre-clinical mouse models and patient samples, we develop novel therapeutic strategies including check-point blockade, immunotherapies and improved vaccination protocols. We develop and employ state-of-the-art approaches ranging from intra-vital imaging and conditional gene manipulation, to advanced bulk and single cell genomics and proteomics to uncover physiological and pathological roles of the immune system.

For more details on our exciting research projects and specific groups in the Immunology Department, please see our web page https://www.weizmann.ac.il/immunology/

Head Prof. Yinon Rudich

Prof. Yinon Rudich

Head

Prof. Yinon Rudich

Office +972-8-934-4237

Email yinon.rudich@weizmann.ac.il

Overview

The research in this department is dedicated to understanding the complex inter-relationships among the major Earth Systems and on the human impact on the Earth's environment and climate. In addition,  research is conducted on planetary atmospheres and planetary geomorphologies.

The Department's research activities have several general areas of activities. One focuses on water and includes hydrology, geochemistry, land-plant-atmosphere interactions, and oceanography. A second activity is in the use of stable isotopes for reconstructions of paleoclimatic and of biosphere-atmosphere dynamics, and a third is in the area of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, and cloud physics. The fourth area of research is in planetary sciences.   Our research requires knowledge of the interdependent components that together constitute the "environment", as well as a commitment to protect this environment by improving the manner in which air, water, land, and energy are utilized by humans. The Department is distinguished by the interactions among scientists from different backgrounds and expertise, which is critical for achieving a comprehensive understanding of the global environment and planetary sciences.

The department promotes international collaborations based on short- and long-term visits for research and training by scientists who complement existing expertise in the Department. The interdisciplinary nature of the Department is well reflected in the academic training of the research students. Their backgrounds vary from physics, chemistry, and mathematics through geology to biology. We encourage the participation of students who are interested in not only investigating in depth a specific subject but who are also interested in a broader and integrative approach to science.