Centers and institutes

The Azrieli Institute for Systems Biology provides a platform for a large range of disciplines that apply holistic tools to comprehending biological phenomena, from genome architecture and function to model organism development and cancer.

The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research provides funding that supports the Sustainability and Energy Research Initiative (SAERI). Together, these entities encourage fundamental scientific research to explore new ways to create and use clean energy sources. Areas of exploration include solar energy, wind, and hydroelectric, geothermal energy, and biofuels.

The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science focuses on ensuring the continuity of scientific research and collaboration being carried out in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science.

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics focuses on understanding how particles get their mass, an historical challenge for physicists. Among other projects, the center funded Weizmann Institute scientists searching for the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator at the European Organization of Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases promotes research and understanding of the molecular basis of neurological diseases, including developmental disorders of the brain, e.g., fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome, as well as neurodegenerative diseases of the aging brain.

Braginsky Center for the Interface between Science and the Humanities provides funding for projects that focus on the intersection of science and humanities such as neuroscience and psychology; and chemistry and archaeology.

The Dimitris N. Chorafas Institute for Scientific Exchange supports international scientific conferences at the David Lopatie Conference Centre on the Weizmann Institute campus, with the aim of enriching intellectual exchange and solidifying the Weizmann Institute’s role as a world hub of scientific research.

The Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy supports research questions spanning across all realms of science – from physiology and biochemistry in cells, tissues, animals, and humans; to the structure and dynamics of chemicals and biomolecules; to studies of advanced and new materials. The Institute also develops methods for high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and data processing, as well as technologies for exploring related phenomena.

The Crown Human Genome Center supplies experimental and computational genetic information knowledge to the academic, medical, and biotechnology communities in diagnostics, agriculture, genetic diseases, drug development, and gene therapy. It is a vital part of the strategic infrastructure that has increased Israel’s capacity to use the vast information resulting from the worldwide Human Genome Project. With its many collaborators, the center also has been a major partner in conducting groundbreaking research to investigate the human genome.

The de Botton Center for Marine Science funds research on the oceans and, in particular, the Mediterranean Sea, toward an integrated understanding of the processes that govern the Sea’s interactions with the atmosphere and its biogeochemistry.

The André Deloro Research School of Physical Science is part of the charitable legacy of French builder and visionary, André Deloro and the Adelis Foundation he created. It provides enrichment and an extra level of support for graduate students in the physical sciences throughout their years at the Weizmann Institute’s Feinberg Graduate School.

The de Picciotto Cancer Cell Observatory in Memory of Wolfgang and Ruth Lesser offers Weizmann’s scientists services in the field of advanced optical imaging and image analysis, using the state-of-the art technologies in the field. It is a part of the Moross Integrated Cancer Center (MICC).

The Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition focuses on increasing plant productivity and nutritional quality through improved understanding of plant genetics, biochemistry, and physiology.

The Solo Dwek and Maurizio Dwek Research School of Chemical Science works hand in hand with the Faculty of Chemistry at the Weizmann Institute to enhance the education of graduate students in chemistry. It was created by two brothers, Maurizio and Solo and their families in 2008.

The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Institute for Brain Research supports research on human diseases at the molecular level including studies addressing biochemical mechanisms that underlie the major threats to human health, such as cardiovascular defects, cancer, and infectious diseases.

The EKARD Institute for Cancer Diagnosis Research, part of The Moross Integrated Cancer Center (MICC), provides a supportive framework for leading researchers working on novel ways to achieve early detection of cancer, which may help clinicians provide more accurate diagnoses and identify specific molecular signatures. Early detection and diagnosis of cancer can greatly improve the medical community's ability to control the outcome of therapy, offer the most effective treatment, and avoid useless and often harsh methods of combating the disease.

The Center for Experimental Physics fosters research in all areas of experimental physics, ranging from the most basic aspects of particle physics to experimental studies of basic material properties such as semiconductors and superconductors. Research also involves atomic, molecular, plasma and optical physics and interdisciplinary studies of the physics of biological systems.

This center provides a financial backbone required for transforming innovative projects that have strong translational potential from curiosity-driven basic science into more mature technologies, thereby increasing the likelihood of industry’s willingness to invest in their technology transfer and subsequent commercialization.

The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine is based at and managed by the Weizmann Institute. It offers multi-disciplinary teams of scientists, clinicians, biomedical and pharmaceutical companies the ability to conduct research involving genomics, protein profiling, bioinformatics, and drug discovery. The insights arising from this research are applied to the clinic for the benefit of human health.

The Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions advances understanding of the link between cognitive processes such as perception, action, memory and emotional regulation, and the multiple scales of spatio-temporal patterns of brain activity.

The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry supports research on physical chemistry and chemical physics requiring the purification of biological and chemical samples, imaging of specimens and animal models, investigations of contaminants in pharmaceuticals, and light microscopy studies.

The J&R Center for Scientific Research supports research grants in diverse fields of study and a variety of Institute-wide needs: equipment, the Feinberg Graduate School, the operation of common core facilities, and targeted departmental support. It plays an important role in the Weizmann Institute’s campus development activities, such as funding construction and refurbishment of labs for new scientists.

The Morris Kahn Institute for Human Immunology is dedicated to understanding acquired immunity, i.e. how the immune system protects the body from invading pathogens. The center focuses on investigating cellular and molecular interactions that underlie the antibody mediated immune response against infectious pathogens, in response to vaccination and during intestinal immune response. In addition, our scientists harness the emerging new findings for the design of immunotherapeutic strategies. By elucidating the cellular and molecular components involved in successful immune responses, we aim to pave the way for new approaches for manipulating the immune system and direct it against tumors.

The Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research advances research utilizing magnetic resonance (MR) and advancing MR technology. Institute scientists have made major inroads advancing theoretical work on the basic quantum mechanical principles underlying MR, devising a wide variety of new materials, research techniques and medical applications.

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center was established in 1972, following the tragic death of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski at the hands of terrorists, as a living memorial. The Center promotes activities in physical biology and macromolecular science and in such other areas of science that fall within the wide-ranging interests of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski, especially the impact of scientific and technological advances on human society.

The primary aim of the Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science is to train students at the PhD level in both the natural sciences and archaeology, enabling them to implement the most sophisticated analytical tools and methods in studies of ancient cultures based on their material remains.

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design supports scientific activities (including international conferences) focused on molecular design. In particular, the Center provides seed funding for research projects encompassing diverse aspects of molecular design, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary collaborations. Research supported by the Center includes, but is not limited to, development of functional materials based on metal–ligand coordination (van der Boom group), fluorescent molecular sensors for protein detection (Margulies group), polyoxometalate-based catalysts (Neumann group), stimuli-responsive molecules and materials (Klajn group), chemical reaction networks (with implications for synthetic biology and origins of life) (Semenov group), new sensors for magnetic resonance imaging (Bar-Shir group), pincer-type organometallic catalysts (Milstein group), sustainable materials self-assembled from small-molecule building blocks (Rybtchinski group), as well as development of new methods in computational quantum chemistry (Martin group), uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the function of retinal proteins (Sheves group), and computational design of biologically active small-molecule compounds (London group).

The Helen Kimmel Center for Planetary Science nurtures novel collaborations in planetary surface geology and geophysics, planetary geochemistry and exobiology, planetary atmospheres and climate, and extrasolar planets. It enables a graduate studies program in planetary sciences, and enables the Weizmann Institute to take a leading role in national and international space research initiatives.

The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure & Assembly advances research on the assembly of biological macromolecules into functionally active intracellular units and organelles. It supports research projects in nucleic acids and protein expression and purification, crystallization, and crystallographic data collection, the area in which Prof. Yonath’s research won her the Nobel Prize.

The Knell Family Center for Microbiology aims to promote the understanding of microorganisms and to harness this knowledge for the benefit of creating new tools to improve human health and our environment.

The Henry Chanoch Krenter Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Genomics enables the convergence of high-resolution bioimaging and genomics techniques toward a coherent picture of cancer’s ability to function, grow, evade treatment, and respond to treatment.

The Lorry I. Lokey Research School of Biochemical Science was established by Lorry Lokey of San Francisco, in 2007 for the benefit of graduate students working in biochemistry. It was the first of the five Research Schools created to support and enhance graduate education at the Weizmann Institute’s Feinberg Graduate School.

The Mantoux Institute for Bioinformatics uses innovative computational tools to help scientists efficiently and accurately analyze the reams of intricate information that modern, large-scale basic, preclinical, and clinical studies generates. This merger of biology and computing has become a major driving force in biological investigation worldwide.

The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology focuses elucidating the molecular structure of biological macromolecules, particularly proteins and nucleic acids; how they acquire their structures; and how alterations in their structures affect their function - an area of major importance to biologists because macromolecules carry out most of the functions of cells.

The Institute for Microbiome Research promotes the integrated application of immunology, molecular cell biology, and mathematical approaches to the examination of how microbial species, residing naturally in the intestinal tract, influence the incidence and progress of a host of human conditions and diseases. Built around the “Personalized Nutrition Project” and resting on intensive collaboration with clinical researchers, Institute activities have implications for the eventual design of personalized treatments for disorders including obesity and diabetes, inflammation, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research was inaugurated in 1988 to commemorate Dr. Cohn's major contributions to the scientific links between Germany and Israel. Through its activities, special attention has been given to promoting contacts between Israeli and German scientists.

The John von Neumann Minerva Center for the Development of Reactive Systems advances the development of complex reactive systems, mainly through the processes of modeling and analysis. Research concentrates on visual formalisms and supporting tools for modeling, and on powerful simulation and analysis methods. The center works closely with applications for industry; other projects include service-oriented computing, tactical simulators and health care processes.

The Minerva Center for Life under Extreme Planetary Conditions is devoted to understanding life in extreme conditions on solar system planets and beyond, studying the physical, geochemical, and biological aspects of the topic, and seeking to develop a framework for addressing questions at the forefront of the search for life in the universe.

The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems supports research on nonlinear dynamics and its applications including turbulent flows, theoretical and experimental investigations of pattern formations, and pattern selection and variability. These studies are applied to specific problems taken from astrophysics, geophysics and biology.

The Moross Integrated Cancer Center (MICC) works to unravel the complexity of cancer by harnessing the power of basic research to facilitate translation into the clinical arena in the quest for cancer prevention, early diagnosis and, ultimately, a cure. The overarching goal of the MICC is to move toward personalized cancer medicine, facilitating translational research by enabling the flow of insights from the lab and feedback from patient treatment and samples. The MICC includes six components: the Swiss Society Institute for Cancer Prevention Research, the Ekard Institute for Cancer Diagnosis Research, the Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research, The de Picciotto-Lesser Cancer Cell Observatory in Memory of Wolfgang and Ruth Lesser, the Weizmann-Brazil Tumor Bank, and the Kleinman Cancer Cell Sorting Facility.

The Irving and Cherna Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging is focused on enhancing the imaging capacities of the Weizmann Institute. The center encourages new initiatives for improving imaging techniques and capabilities and supports the purchase of new, state-of-the-art equipment and the upgrade of existing facilities.

The Center for New Scientists administers charitable gifts and endowments dedicated to helping young faculty members and researchers excel during their critical first years at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

The Perlman Institute of Chemical Sciences supports the regular maintenance and activities of the Perlman Chemical Sciences Building, established by the late Harold Perlman, a founding member of the Chicago Committee of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Through its support, scientists at the Department of Materials and Interfaces and the Department of Chemical Physics enjoy a modern research facility. Scientific research projects conducted at the Perlman Building are diverse and include, among other things, the development of advanced chemical nano-structures such as nanotubes; finding alternative energy sources and improving existing technologies for the production of sustainable energy; identifying theoretical models of cellular shapes and dynamics; and exploring advanced methods of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

The Center for Quantum Science and Technology promotes research on quantum mechanics and its application to critical challenges in physics, chemistry, optics, and engineering. Building on earlier discoveries about how matter behaves at the nanoscale, scientists associated with the Center are examining how complex quantum properties such as superposition and entanglement may make it possible to construct the powerful and massively efficient technologies of the future.

The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research was created to especially support the research of Prof. Tsvee Lapidot, Prof. Dov Zipori and Prof. Yair Reisner, dedicated to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The Dr. Scholl Center for Water and Climate funds projects on water and climate toward advancing an improved understanding of the global environment.

The Schwartz/Reisman Center for Intense Laser Physics is working on the basic challenges to realizing the potential of intense laser physics in a wide range of applications, from medical diagnostics to security screening.

The Center for Scientific Excellence oversees endowed funds and gifts to give grants to established researchers with exciting new ideas.

The David and Fela Shapell Family Institute for Preclinical Studies supports preclinical projects in which The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine (G-INCPM) is involved. The Shapell Family Institute forwards its goal by providing the needed equipment, manpower, and resources for conducting preclinical-related research at the G-INCPM.

The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences funds investigations involving complex inter-relationships among the major Earth systems and toward the discovery of novel, non-polluting energy sources.

The Swiss Society Institute for Cancer Prevention Research sponsors initiatives for a non-conventional approach to fighting cancer, by focusing on finding innovative and groundbreaking research methods and tools and by building an interactive community of scientists.

The Weizmann-Brazil Tumor Bank, part of the Moross Integrated Cancer Center (MICC), supports the preservation and an in-depth investigation of tumors in various stages of progression, both in vitro and in vivo. The facility helps Weizmann Institute researchers identify genes associated with tumor growth, thereby promoting the development of new strategies for cancer treatment.

The Willner Family Leadership Institute provides support for scientific research, education, and leadership development. Funding is used for the recruitment of young scientists and outfitting their labs, new research and technology initiatives, the purchase of scientific instrumentation systems, and science education.

The Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery unit serves Israeli researchers from universities, research institutes and biopharmaceutical companies, providing high throughput screening in order to support biomedical discovery and therapeutic and prophylactic molecules.

The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy promotes cancer research with a focus on its genetic components and toward developing new avenues for early detection of malignant processes and of novel therapeutic approaches.