Letters & Articles

Dear Weizmann community,

I wish everyone a sweet and happy New Year—Shana Tova! Holidays are a time to reflect and consider that which is most dear to us. The power of our community is certainly very high on my list. Throughout the year, we are working toward the common goal of advancing science, with the understanding of its value to society and humanity and its inherently positive momentum toward clarity and truth. That common mission has a profound impact on society, strengthening society at home and worldwide in many ways.

Effecting excellence

One example of the effect a single individual can have on a community was marked this summer with the awarding of the President’s Award. The purpose of the award is to highlight a member of our scientific or administrative staff who has made a tangible impact on Weizmann science and community.

In July, Benny Pasmentirer, a member of the Weizmann community nearly five decades until retirement earlier this year, received the honor in a ceremony on campus. Benny first came to the Institute in 1976 as part of his studies toward a practical engineering degree, and stayed on in the Instrument Design Unit, eventually becoming Head of the Instrument Design Section in the Department of Physics Core Facilities. In that role, he designed and built engineering solutions for specific scientific needs. In this way, his impact across the Institute was pervasive. I congratulate Benny and thank him for his years of ingenuity and hard work.

Weizmann’s impact relates to science on a global scale as well. I am thrilled and proud that Prof. Yohai Kaspi received the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal of NASA, which was bestowed on him by the American space agency this week. This is one of the most prestigious honors granted by NASA. Prof. Kaspi, of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, was recognized for his extensive contribution to the Juno space mission to the planet Jupiter. He and his colleagues have contributed a cascade of new revelations about the largest planet in the solar system, and thus is expanding the boundaries of knowledge about outer space.

Also earlier this week, Prof. Rotem Sorek, in the Department of Molecular Genetics, was just awarded the highly distinguished Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award, given jointly by the Max Planck Society and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to scientists who work outside of Germany. The prize recognizes lifetime achievements in research—but I’m happy that Rotem still has a long career ahead of him!

Mazal tov to Yohai and Rotem!

The nature of basic science is that a revelation in one area may spill over into another—or many—areas. Take for example the latest findings from Rotem’s lab. Rotem investigates how bacteria resist viruses that infect them, or, in other words, the immune system of bacteria. Research from his lab revealed more than 100 new bacterial immune mechanisms that were completely unknown until recently. One of the big surprises from among his discoveries is that many important components of the human innate immune system evolved from ancient bacterial immune mechanisms, such that we can learn about human immunity from bacteria.

Most recently, Rotem’s lab identified a family of immune proteins that deplete cells of energy in response to viral infection, thereby preventing the virus from using the energy stored in the cell for its own replication. His team showed that this new mechanism exists not only in bacteria, but also in many animals. The growing body of important work coming from the Sorek lab on the interactions between bacteria and viruses could have implications for new antibiotics, vaccines and other immune therapies.  

More notable discoveries

In more news, hot off the presses: Prof. Yaqub Hanna’s stem cell research led to another major step forward toward the development of human embryo models, as reported in a study in Nature on September 6. He and his colleagues synthesized human embryos from stem cells, without sperm, egg, or uterus, growing them in the lab for 14 days. In doing so, Yaqub’s lab, also in the Department of Molecular Genetics, is paving the way for potential solutions for infertility, drug testing, and growth of tissues for transplantation—and opening up new vistas for the study of the first stages of embryonic development.    

In cancer research, Prof. Ayelet Erez approached the question of why and how cancer patients lose so much weight. Her lab, in the Department of Molecular Cell Biology, found that very early during the course of cancer, there is a decline in liver metabolism that results in increased availability of metabolites that support cancer growth. This leads to a decrease in synthesis of the most prevalent protein—albumin. Consequently, a cascade of events leads to “wasting syndrome,” a phenomenon of runaway weight loss in cancer patients that can’t be offset by high caloric intake. This finding could lead to new ways to target metabolic changes early in cancer onset, and improve outcomes in patients experiencing wasting syndrome.  

The renewal effect

When new principal investigators join our ranks, the process of constant renewal of our scientific workforce is underway. The continuous flow of fresh ideas and approaches enriches our research community and science overall.

Dr. Alexander Poddubny joined the Department of Physics of Complex Systems in June. Alexander and his family first set foot on campus in April 2022, as part of the Institute’s initiative to temporarily employ Russian and Ukrainian scientists affected by the war in Ukraine. His expertise in quantum optics was widely welcomed, and we are excited that he has agreed to stay and establish his own lab as a principal investigator. Alexander, who is from Russia, studies atom-photon interactions. Within the expanding field of quantum matter and computing, this field could reveal new ways in which information could be stored and transferred.

In August, Dr. Elena Meirzadeh joined the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science following a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University, where she was a recipient of the Weizmann Institute’s Israel National Postdoctoral Award for Advancing Women in Science. Elena, who immigrated to Israel with her family from Iran when she was 11 years old and only then began learning Hebrew, went on to get her PhD from the Feinberg Graduate School, where she was a Rothschild Fellow. Elena makes carbon nanomaterials that are structurally and functionally diverse and with potential applications for energy storage and organic electronics, including solar cells, photodetectors (light sensors) and other sensors. 

Turning a new leaf

While our DNA has not changed, we have rebranded the Institute to reinforce its enduring identity as an institution of curiosity-driven basic research. We have devised new language to describe who we are, and also aligned our logo and graphic design of our outward-facing products with modern standards.

We undertook this effort in order to appeal to new and larger audiences and to lift us onto par with other institutions in terms of the look and feel of our digital and physical materials. By now, you will have all seen the updated logo and design elements, and are integrating them into your e-mail signatures, stationery, websites, conference flyers, and any other relevant publicity material. You can look forward to other elements coming your way in the next few months, as we complete the transition to the new brand.

With all best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to you and your loved ones,  

Prof. Alon Chen