Letters & Articles
Dear Weizmann Institute community,
This Rosh Hashana, we look back on the past year—perhaps the most difficult one in Israel’s existence—with pain and sadness. As I write this letter, the conflict has entered a new stage in the north. My hope for the new Jewish year 5785 is for the immediate return of the all the hostages, and a swift and long-lasting end to Israel’s multiple-front conflicts. I believe I reflect the wishes of all of us for a resolution and the beginning of a process of healing. I wish everyone a Shana Tova.
I also want to express my gratitude to all of you for your hard work and resilience in the last year; I strongly believe that our collective commitment to our scientific mission keeps the Weizmann Institute strong and successful, which is precisely what is needed for the country at this time and moving forward.
We are about to mark a year since the tragic events of October 7, and at the Weizmann Institute we plan to hold a modest event that will allow us to remember the victims, honor the hostages, and express gratitude for all those on the war front who are protecting and defending Israel in crisis.
When serendipity meets science
Our shared mission of advancing cutting-edge science continues along its path of excellence. I’m happy to relay that our acceptance rate from the European Research Council in the Starting Grants category (for young scientists), in the most recent funding round, was exceptionally high. Impressively, eight out of 13 submissions were accepted, representing a 62% success rate. In comparison, the average rate across the EU in this category was 14% and 28% for Israeli institutions.
The root of this success, of course, is outstanding research—which often emerges from surprising and unexpected directions.
Just like the multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone emerged serendipitously from Weizmann scientists’ attempts decades ago to create a model for the disease—and instead found a cure for it—Prof. Eldad Tzahor and Senior Staff Scientist Dr. Rachel Sarig made a surprising discovery about the drug: it can heal damaged hearts. Driven by curiosity and knowing that Copaxone alters the composition of immune system cells and the proteins they release, thereby suppressing inflammation, the scientists wondered whether it would be possible to use the drug to see how it might trigger the immune system to improve heart function. They found that Copaxone reduces scar tissue formation after a heart attack and enhances the heart’s ability to pump blood, and also improves heart function in cases of chronic heart failure.
And in another unexpected outcome with major practical consequences: About a decade ago, Prof. Igor Lubomirsky of the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science noticed that some ceramics used in fuel cells exhibit unusual properties at room temperature, and wanted to find out why, without any practical application in mind. He recently discovered that a form of these ceramics—an alloy of cerium and zirconium oxides—could replace current materials used in a variety of devices, from home appliances like washing machines to medical ultrasound, which often contain lead and pollute the environment when they reach landfills. In contrast, his newly developed compound is lead-free and thus non-toxic.
Farewells and new beginnings
I am delighted to welcome Ruth Shoham as the new CEO of the Davidson Institute who started in her role on September 15. I wish Ruth the best of luck in her new position. And a special note of gratitude to Dr. Liat Ben-David for her many years of dedication in the CEO position.
The Davidson Institute has played a major role in offering science education programming to displaced children and families in the wake of October 7, in locations throughout the country—offering a source of intellectual focus, social engagement, and personal resilience at a deeply difficult time.
It was a special thrill to see the Clore Garden of Science open its doors to the public in mid-July, after a several-years-long process of reimagination and renewal. We had a festive formal launch in June in the presence of members of our community and the staff at the Davidson Institute, whose creative talents made the renewal of the Garden a reality. I’m certain that the new version will inspire new generations of children and families around science.
I would also like to thank Dr. Isaac (Tsachi) Shariv, CEO of Weizmann Institute of Science Assets and Development (Mul Nof) Ltd., who has moved on to new career horizons, for his years of dedicated service. Under his guidance, Mul Nof generated important real estate revenues for the Institute, thereby nourishing our scientific research. I’m happy to welcome Udi Kaplan into this role. Udi served for nine years as the General Manager of the National Library Construction Company, where he oversaw the Library’s spectacular rebuilding. I wish Udi the best of luck.
As announced last week, on Dec. 1, Prof. Yinon Rudich of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences will step down after six successful years as the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry. Prof. Milko van der Boom of the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science will pick up the torch as the incoming Dean. As of Oct. 1, the new chair of the Scientific Council is Prof. Nir Davidson of the Department of Physics of Complex Systems, who until now served as Vice Chair. A special thank you to Prof. Maya Schuldiner of the Department of Molecular Genetics for her dedicated work as Chair of the Council. I also welcome Prof. Tzachi Pilpel, a departmental colleague of Maya’s, as Vice Chair. Also, as of January 1, Prof. Roy Bar-Ziv from the Department of Chemical and Biological Physics will take over as Chair of the Council of Professors, following the leadership of Prof. Naama Barkai, the current Chair, also from Molecular Genetics.
I thank all these scientists for their leadership, and I wish the best of luck to those taking on new roles.
Awards and honors
We are delighted that Prof. Adi Shamir of the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics has been awarded the highly prestigious Wolf Prize, awarded by the Wolf Foundation, for his contributions to the mathematics behind cryptography, electronic commerce, and information security. Prof. Shamir a co-developer of the RSA algorithm and method, which changed the face of computer communication. The Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research for 2024, also awarded by the Wolf Foundation, was awarded to Dr. Yoav Livneh of the Department of Brain Sciences. And the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation of Germany awarded Prof. Ofer Firstenberg of the Department of Physics of Complex Systems its Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award.
Mazal tov to Adi, Yoav, and Ofer!
Welcoming new arrivals
Since my last letter, quite a few newly hired scientists have arrived on campus. In the spring, Dr. Tanita Wein joined the Department of Systems Immunology. Tanita investigates the mechanisms by which bacteria defend themselves against viruses—and how these mechanisms have evolved. Her work will play a role in our future flagship project in immunology, which is currently in development. Dr. Gal Vardi joined the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, where he is delving deep into machine learning from a theoretical standpoint—key to our growing body of artificial intelligence research. And Dr. Shifra Lansky joined the Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, where she will focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of proteins on cell membranes, looking at their structure, dynamics, and function at the single-molecule level.
More recently, Dr. Tal Iram joined the Department of Molecular Neuroscience, where she will investigate how the brain’s glia cells impact brain aging. Whereas cognitive aging is often attributed to neuronal vulnerability, the Iram lab will focus on the dysfunction of oligodendrocytes—which provide insulation to brain axons—as a key driver of cognitive decline.
Congratulations!
A hearty mazal tov to our new graduates of the Feinberg Graduate School! The commencement ceremony, usually held in June, took place on Sept. 10 because the start of the academic year was delayed as a consequence of the war. What makes this year’s achievement even more special is that many students overcame unprecedented hurdles: many Israeli students were called up to reserve duty, and some international students grappled with the challenges of returning to Israel in wartime and ensuring the continuity of their studies. We were inspired and moved by the remarks of our guest of honor, Eyal Waldman, 2024 Israel Prize recipient in entrepreneurship and technological innovation, whose daughter Danielle was murdered at the Supernova music festival on October 7. Representing the graduates, Shira Baum, who received her MSc, and Dr. Vivek Singh, who received his PhD, both gave personal accounts of their experiences in the last year.
The ceremony was a moving reminder of the cohesiveness and uniqueness of our campus community. Another wonderful moment was our July 2 “Science on a Summer’s Night” event, which brought together scientists and staff for an evening of layman science talks and good food. It offered a pleasant and intellectually invigorating respite amidst the challenges of the last year.
Professional excellence in the administrative sector is essential in ensuring the strength of our science. On September 9, we held our annual ceremony for the recipients of the Outstanding Employee Award, which was an opportunity for me to personally recognize 18 individuals who received the award this year and thank them for their hard work and dedication. They are: Orna Amar from Academic Educational Research; Ofira Haba Bahar from Chemistry; Paz Barnett from the Office of the Vice President for Innovation and Technology Transfer; Genia Brodsky from IT; Sharon Dar from Mathematics and Computer Sciences; Naomi Dicken from the Office of the Vice President; Alexey Gilin from Physics; Rony Leibovitz from Human Resources; Eitan Lutsky from Procurement; Hadar Meyer and Vitaly Golodnitsky from Biochemistry; Naomi Moses and Osnat Amram from Biology; Lihi Tam from Finance; Avi Vallach and Vera Madar from the Operations Division; Luba Vikhanski from Development and Communications; and Valentin Zabolotko from Construction and Engineering;
While the loss in the last year has been immense, Rosh Hashana offers an opportunity to look forward with optimism. And so, along those lines, I’ll close this letter with a celebration of life. The Weizmann Institute’s oldest living scientist, Prof. Emeritus Ora Kedem, just had her 100th birthday. This wonderful milestone was marked with a birthday party. Ora has an inspiring life story. With the late Prof. Aharon Katzir, she made key insights on biological membranes, which has become an expansive field in the decades since; she founded the Department of Membrane Research, precursor to the Department of Biological Chemistry. Mazal Tov Ora!
With all best wishes for a happier and sweeter Jewish New Year. Shana Tova!
Prof. Alon Chen