Scientific Activities - Weizmann Institute of Science · Scientific Activities. Scientific...

The Weizmann Institute of Science

Scientific ActivitiesScientific Activities

Scientific Activities2003

Rehovot, Israel

Edited, Designed and Typeset byAviva Ovadia

Cover Design byShlomit Davidzon, Graphics Department

We wish to thank all the secretarial staff who worked on this project,without whose help this publication would not be possible.

Printed in IsraelBy Publishing Department

Weizmann Institute of Science

ISSN 0083-7849

Contents

Board of Governors viiScientific and Academic Advisory Committee xvOfficers of the Weizmann Institute xviiWeizmann Institute of Science xix

Faculty of Biochemistry

Faculty of Biochemistry - Overview 3Biological Chemistry 5Molecular Genetics 15Plant Sciences 23Biological Services 29Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis 31Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine 33Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research 35Crown Human Genome Center 37Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition 39Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics 41Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics 43Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology 45M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research 47David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research 49Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research 51

Faculty of Biology

Faculty of Biology - Overview 55Biological Regulation 57Immunology 65Molecular Cell Biology 73Neurobiology 87Veterinary Resources 93Helen and Norman Asher Center for Human Brain Imaging 95Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences 97Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Institute for Brain Research 99Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions 101Belle S. and Irving E. Meller Center for the Biology of Aging 103Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research 105Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology 107Women's Health Research Center 111

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Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy 113

Faculty of Chemistry

Faculty of Chemistry - Overview 117Chemical Physics 121Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 127Materials and Interfaces 131Organic Chemistry 135Structural Biology 141Solar Research Facilities Unit 147Chemical Research Support 149Center for Energy Research 157Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry 159Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research 161Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science 163Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design 165Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science 167Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly 169Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology 171Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center for Supramolecular Architecture 173Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences 175

Faculty of Physics

Faculty of Physics - Overview 179Condensed Matter Physics 181Particle Physics 187Physics of Complex Systems 195Physics Services 201Center for Experimental Physics 203Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics 205Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research 209Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics 213Maurice and Gabriella Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics 215Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems 217

Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science - Overview 223Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 225Mathematics 231Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science 237Ida Cohen Center for Mathematics 241Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems 243

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Feinberg Graduate School

Feinberg Graduate School 249Science Teaching 307Young@Science 315Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center 317

Institute-Wide Centers

Clore Center for Biological Physics 323Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research 325J&R Center for Scientific Research 327Center for New Scientists 329Center for Scientific Excellence 331Prospective Center for Systems Biology 333

Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs - Overview 337Academic Affairs Office 339

Appointments and Promotions 340Awards 342Honors 344Summer Science Program for Students 352Visiting Professors Program 353Weizmann Memorial Lectures 354Weizmann Professorial Chairs, CDCs and Fellowships 356

Research Grants and Projects Office 373Visiting Scientists Office 375

Division of Information Systems 377Division of Logistics and Research Services 387

Amos de-Shalit Foundation 391Davidson Institute for Science Education 393Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. 397

Weizmann Institute Activities on the Internet 399

The Board of Governors

Stuart E. Eizenstat*, Washington, DC, USA, Chair of the Board H. Thomas Beck*, Toronto, Ont, Canada, Deputy Chair of the BoardLawrence S. Blumberg*, New York, NY, USA, Deputy Chair of the BoardRobert J. Drake*, Wassenaar, The Netherlands, Deputy Chair of the BoardDame Vivien Duffield*, Geneva, Switzerland, Deputy Chair of the BoardProf. Michael Sela*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, Deputy Chair of the BoardS. Donald Sussman*, Greenwich, CT, USA, Deputy Chair of the BoardAbraham Ben-Naftali*, Tel Aviv, Israel, Chair of the Executive Council Oded Aboodi**, New York, NY, USA Ayala Zacks Abramov, Jerusalem, IsraelGary M. Abramson, N. Bethesda, MD, USASem Almaleh, Geneva, SwitzerlandSally Leafman Appelbaum, Scottsdale, AZ, USA (from November 2003)Prof. Ruth Arnon*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelProf. Zvi Artstein*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelHelen S. Asher, Chicago, IL, USARobert H. Asher*, Chicago, IL, USA, ex-officio member (also elected member)David Assia, Or-Yehuda, IsraelYehuda Assia*, Tel Aviv, IsraelProf. John M. Ball, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKProf. David Baltimore, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USAProf. Allen J. Bard, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USAHanan Bar-On, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel (deceased June 4, 2003)Robert G. Begam*, Phoenix, AZ, USARobert A. Belfer, New York, NY, USAProf. Haim Ben-Shahar, Tel Aviv, IsraelDr. Emile Benassayag, Paris, FranceMarshall Bennett, Chicago, IL, USAProf. Sir Michael V. Berry, FRS, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKMaks L. Birnbach*, New York, NY, USARené Braginsky, Zurich, Switzerland Frances Brody, Los Angeles, CA, USA

*Member of the Executive Council**Member of the Executive Council from November 2003

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L. Yehuda Bronicki*, Yavne, IsraelStanley Chais*, Beverly Hills, CA, USAProf. Ilan Chet*, President, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelJoseph Ciechanover, Tel Aviv, IsraelDoron Cohen*, Ramat-Gan, IsraelProf. Marvin L. Cohen, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USANorman D. Cohen*, New York, NY, USASir Ronald Cohen, London, UKProf. Mildred Cohn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USASamy Cohn*, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilLester Crown*, Chicago, IL, USAProf. Paul J. Crutzen, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz, GermanyDr. Hubert Curien, Paris, FranceProf. Constantine M. Dafermos, Brown University, Providence, RI, USALeslie L. Dan, Scarborough, Ont, CanadaThe Hon. Mrs. Janet de Botton, London, UKRaoul de Picciotto, Monte-Carlo, MonacoMeir de Shalit, Herzliya Pituach, IsraelHelen Diller, Woodside, CA, USAProf. Charles A. Dinarello, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USADr. Zvi Dinstein, Tel Aviv, IsraelIdo Dissentshik*, Tel Aviv, IsraelSonnie Dockser, Bethesda, MD, USAProf. Israel Dostrovsky*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelProf. Sidney D. Drell, SLAC, Menlo Park, CA, USAProf. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, USAProf. Aryeh Dvoretzky*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelRalph S. Dweck, Washington, DC, USAMaurice M. Dwek*, Geneva, SwitzerlandRobert Equey, Chêne-Bougeries, SwitzerlandMichael Federmann*, Tel Aviv, IsraelProf. Mitchell J. Feigenbaum, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USAProf. Sir Alan R. Fersht*, FRS, Cambridge University Chemical Laboratory, Cambridge, UKAlan A. Fischer*, Larchmont, NY, USAProf. Edmond H. Fischer, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAProf. Michael E. Fisher, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USAMichael R. Forman, Los Angeles, CA, USAWilliam Frankel, Philadelphia, PA, USALouise Gartner, Dallas, TX, USA (until November 2003)Moshe Gavish*, Tel Aviv, IsraelDr. Martin L. Gecht, Chicago, IL, USA

*Member of the Executive Council

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Mauricio Gerson, Mexico, D.F., MexicoMartin S. Gerstel*, Jerusalem, IsraelHenny Gestetner, OBE, London, UKDavid Ginsburg*, Washington, DC, USAFrançoise Glasberg, Paris, FranceProf. Michel E. Goldberg, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France Prof. Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA (deceased July 31,

2003)Bram Goldsmith, Beverly Hills, CA, USAAbraham M. Goldwasser*, Savyon, IsraelProf. Michael B. Green, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKScott Greenberg, Lincolnshire, IL, USA (from November 2003)Prof. Yoram Groner*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelProf. François Gros*, Academy of Sciences, Paris, FranceJoseph Gurwin, New York, NY, USAWilhelm Haas, Bonn, GermanyJoseph D. Hackmey*, Tel Aviv, IsraelGideon J. Hamburger*, Ramat-Gan, IsraelProf. Haim Harari*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelShimshon Harel, Herzliya Pituach, IsraelIrving B. Harris, Chicago, IL, USALilian Hertzberg, New York, NY, USAProf. Michael J. Higatsberger, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (deceased January 7,

2004)Josef D. Hollander, Herzliya Pituach, IsraelEphraim Ilin*, Tel Aviv, IsraelArmando Jinich, Mexico, D.F., MexicoDr. Yair Kadishay*, Ramat Hasharon, IsraelRoberto Kaminitz, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilShelly B. Kamins, Esq., Bethesda, MD, USA (from November 2003)Prof. Richard M. Karp, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAProf. Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelIsaac Kaul*, Ramat Hasharon, IsraelJames F. Kay, Toronto, Ont, Canada (until November 2003)Gershon Kekst*, New York, NY, USAMorris Kerzner, Toronto, Ont, CanadaHelen L. Kimmel*, New York, NY, USAMartin S. Kimmel*, New York, NY, USAProf. Michael W. Kirson*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, ex-officio member Derrick Kleeman*, Geneva, SwitzerlandPeter J. Kleeman*, London, UK


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Andrea Klepetar-Fallek, New York, NY, USAProf. Sir Aaron Klug, FRS, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, UKMarvelle Koffler, Toronto, Ont, CanadaMurray B. Koffler*, Toronto, Ont, CanadaProf. Walter Kohn, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USAArthur B. Konviser**, Toronto, Ont, Canada Prof. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAAlain Kostenbaum, Geneva, Switzerland Benzion Landa, Rehovot, Israel (from November 2003)Martha Laub***, Wilrijk-Antwerpen, BelgiumProf. Leon M. Lederman, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL, USA (until

November 2003)Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, FranceJonathan D. Leitersdorf**, New York, NY, USA Prof. Arnold J. Levine, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton, NJ, USAMorton Levine, Delray Beach, FL, USABarbara Levinson*, Palm Beach, FL, USACecil Lewis*, Geneva, SwitzerlandProf. Albert J. Libchaber, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USARobert B. Machinist**, Rye, NY, USAJoshua Maor*, Ramat-Gan, IsraelDan Mayer*, Zug, SwitzerlandRina Mayer, Tel Aviv, IsraelGurion Meltzer*, Tel Aviv, IsraelDr. Leora Meridor*, Petah-Tiqua, IsraelRoselyn Meyer, Aventura, FL, USAProf. David Mirelman*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelManfred D. Moross*, London, UKAndrew R. Morse*, Harrison, NY, USAJoseph G. Nissim*, Geneva, SwitzerlandDr. Joseph L. Owades, Sonoma, CA, USAMartin Paisner*, London, UKCharles I. Petschek, New York, NY, USAMorton Pickman, Boca Raton, FL, USA Prof. Philip A. Pincus, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USAProf. Alexander Pines, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USABruce G. Pollack, Armonk, NY, USA (from November 2003)Jeannette Pomeraniec, London, UKMoshe Porath*, Tel Aviv, Israel

*Member of the Executive Council**Member of the Executive Council from November 2003***Member of the Executive Council until November 2003

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Dan Propper, Petah-Tiqua, IsraelEitan Raff, Tel Aviv, Israel Prof. Alexander Rich, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, USAJohn H. Ritblat, London, UKBarrie D. Rose*, Toronto, Ont, CanadaProf. Jesse Roth, MD, FACP, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, NY, USALord Rothschild, GBE, London, UKProf. Samuel A. Safran*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, ex-officio memberProf. Bert Sakmann, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, GermanyRowland Schaefer***, Pembroke Pines, FL, USALeon Schidlow*, Sierra Vertientes, D.F., MexicoSara L. Schupf, New York, NY, USADavid Shapell, Beverly Hills, CA, USAProf. Carla J. Shatz, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USABarry Sherman, Weston, Ont, CanadaThe Honorable Sir David Sieff*, London, UK, Vice-Chair of the Executive CouncilDr. Maxine F. Singer*, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USADr. Jay A. Smith, Toronto, Ont, CanadaProf. Heinz A. Staab, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany

(until November 2003)Brian J. Steck, Toronto, Ont, CanadaLuis E. Stillmann, Mexico, D.F., MexicoLord Stone of Blackheath, London, UKDoron Tamir, Tel Aviv, IsraelMarvin Tanner, Saint-Laurent (Montreal), Quebec, CanadaEvelyn Tenenbaum, Bal Harbour, FL, USADavid I. Teplow, Waltham, MA, USA (from November 2003)Theodore H. Teplow*, Cambridge, MA, USABarry S. Townsley*, London, UKProf. Marc Van Montagu, University of Gent, Gent, BelgiumDr. Yossi Vardi, Tel Aviv, Israel Saul Waring, New York, NY, USAProf. Hans A. Weidenmüller*, Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, GermanyProf. Stephen Weiner*, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, ex-officio memberProf. Charles Weissmann, University College London, London, UKDr. Albert Willner*, Delray Beach, FL, USADr. Herbert Winter*, Zurich, SwitzerlandPeter M. Wolff, London, UKThe Rt. Hon. Lord Wolfson of Marylebone, FBA, London, UKRobert E. Woolley, Dallas, TX, USA

*Member of the Executive Council***Member of the Executive Council until November 2003

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Prof. Yosef Yarden, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, IsraelProf. Dr. Hans F. Zacher, Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches u. intern. Sozialrecht,

München, GermanyDr. Alejandro Zaffaroni, Zaffaroni Foundation, Mountain View, CA, USA (until November

2003)Dr. Felix Zandman, Malvern, PA, USAEugene M. Zemsky, Chicago, IL, USAUzi Zucker*, New York, NY, USARoy J. Zuckerberg, New York, NY, USASharon Zuckerman, Willowdale, Ont, Canada

The Founding Chairperson

The late Dewey D. Stone (served from 1949 to 1971)

Governors Emeriti

Prof. Duilio Arigoni, ETH Hönggerberg, Zurich, SwitzerlandProf. Fritz H. Bach, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAAmnon S. Barness, New York, NY, USAProf. Baruj Benacerraf, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAStuart A. Bernstein, Washington, DC, USAMarc Besen, Toorak, Victoria, AustraliaAlbert Bildner, New York, NY, USADr. Elkan R. Blout, Cambridge, MA, USAGerald Blumberg, New York, NY, USAPaul Borman, Southfield, MI, USAHarriet B. Brady, Chicago, IL, USA (deceased January 6, 2003)Joseph Brender, Point Piper, NSW, AustraliaEdgar M. Bronfman, New York, NY, USAHugh T. Cameron, Oakville, Ont, CanadaStanley S. Cohen, OBE, London, UKSir Zelman Cowen, East Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaProf. Jean Dausset, Human Polymorphism Study Center, Paris, FranceDavid L. Dennis, Toronto, Ont, CanadaProf. Samuel Devons, Columbia University, Irvington, NY, USASir Harry Djanogly, CBE, London, UKMelvyn A. Dobrin, Westmount, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaProf. Gerald M. Edelman, The Neurosciences Institute, San Diego, CA, USAProf. Manfred Eigen, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen-

Nikolausberg, Germany


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Prof. Gerald Estrin, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USAMarshall S. Ezralow, Calabasas, CA, USAProf. George Feher, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USASir David Frost, OBE, London, UKHerbert M. Gelfand, Los Angeles, CA, USAMozes B. Gitter, Herzliya, IsraelDr. Amnon Goldenberg, Tel Aviv, IsraelProf. Maurice Goldhaber, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, Long Island, NY, USADr. Carlos Goldman, Caracas, VenezuelaDr. Jacob E. Goldman, Umbanet Inc., Norwalk, CT, USARichard N. Goldman, San Francisco, CA, USARichard F. Goodman, New York, NY, USAJoel Greisman, Don Mills, Ont, CanadaShlomo Grofman, Tel Aviv, IsraelDr. George S. Hammond, Portland, OR, USADr. Niels Hansen, Bonn, GermanyYeheskiel Harmelech, Rehovot, IsraelDr. Hans-Hilger Haunschild, Bonn, GermanyHy Isenbaum, Toronto, Ont, CanadaJules R. James, Toronto, Ont, Canada (deceased June 26, 2003)Philip M. Kaiser, Washington, DC, USATeddy Kollek, Jerusalem, IsraelDr. Adia Konikoff, Geneva, SwitzerlandProf. Arthur Kornberg, MD., Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USAProf. Sir Hans L. Kornberg, FRS, Boston University, Boston, MA, USADov Lautman, Tel Aviv, IsraelProf. Joshua Lederberg, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USAProf. Leon M. Lederman, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL, USA (from

November 2003)William Levine, Chicago, IL, USAAndré Marcus, Monte-Carlo, MonacoProf. Paul A. Marks, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USAJohn J. Mason, Washington, DC, USAProf. N. Avrion Mitchison, FRS, UCL Medical School, London, UKHenri M. Monod, Paris, FranceProf. George D. Mostow, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAJackie Rosenfeld, OBE, London, UKDr. George Rosenkranz, Mexico, D.F., MexicoProf. John Ross, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USASamuel Rothberg, Peoria, IL, USADr. Aser Rothstein, Toronto, Ont, CanadaBarry Rymer, Alpharetta, GA, USA

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Jozef S. Schell, Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Köln, Germany (deceased April 18, 2003)

Prof. Harold A. Scheraga, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USAWalter E. Schoenfeld, Seattle, WA, USAProf. Melvin Schwartz, Ketchum, ID, USAJerome A. Siegel, New York, NY, USAWilliam H. Singer, Tucson, AZ, USAProf. Heinz A. Staab, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany

(from November 2003)Stephen L. Stulman, New York, NY, USAProf. Sir John M. Thomas, FRS, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKLord Weidenfeld of Chelsea, London, UKAdam Weis, Toorak, Victoria, AustraliaJay W. Weiss, North Miami, FL, USAAlan B. Weissman, Greenwich, CT, USAProf. Bernard Winicki, Neuilly/Seine, FranceAlejandro Zaffaroni, Mountain View, CA, USA (from November 2003)Zvi Zur, Zahala, Israel

The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee

Co-Chairs

Prof. Sir Alan R. Fersht, FRS, Cambridge University Chemical Laboratory, Cambridge, UKProf. Hans A. Weidenmüller, Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany

Prof. John M. Ball, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKProf. David Baltimore, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USAProf. Allen J. Bard, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USAProf. Sir Michael V. Berry, FRS, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKProf. Ilan Chet, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, ex-officio memberProf. Marvin L. Cohen, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAProf. Mildred Cohn, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USAProf. Paul J. Crutzen, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz, GermanyProf. Constantine M. Dafermos, Brown University, Providence, RI, USAProf. Charles A. Dinarello, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USAProf. Sidney D. Drell, SLAC, Menlo Park, CA, USAProf. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, USAStuart E. Eizenstat, Washington, DC, USA, ex-officio memberProf. Mitchell J. Feigenbaum, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USAProf. Edmond H. Fischer, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAProf. Michael E. Fisher, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USAProf. Patricia S. Goldman-Rakic, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA (deceased July 31,

2003)Prof. Michael B. Green, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UKProf. François Gros, Academy of Sciences, Paris, FranceProf. Richard M. Karp, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAProf. Sir Aaron Klug, FRS, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, UKProf. Walter Kohn, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USAProf. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAProf. Jean-Marie Lehn, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, FranceProf. Arnold J. Levine, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton, NJ, USAProf. Albert J. Libchaber, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USAProf. Philip A. Pincus, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USAProf. Alexander Pines, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USAProf. Alexander Rich, M. I. T., Cambridge, MA, USA

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Prof. Jesse Roth, MD, FACP, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, NY, USA (until November 2003)

Prof. Bert Sakmann, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, GermanyProf. Carla J. Shatz, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USADr. Maxine F. Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USAProf. Heinz A. Staab, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany

(until November 2003)Prof. Marc Van Montagu, University of Gent, Gent, BelgiumProf. Charles Weissmann, University College London, London, UK

Institute Officers

President Advisory Committee to the President
Professor Ilan Chet
Vice PresidentProfessor Samuel Safran

Vice President for International Affairs and Public Relations

Amy Matchen

Vice President for Technology TransferProfessor Haim Garty

Vice President for Administration and Finance

Yaacov Naan (until August 2003Gad Kober (from September 2003)

Senior Advisor to the President for Division of Information Systems

Professor Yigal Burstein

Senior Advisor to the PresidentHanan Bar-On (deceased April 2003)

Chairperson, Council of Professors Professor Stephen Weiner

Chairperson, Scientific CouncilProfessor Michael Kirson

Vice Chairperson, Scientific CouncilProfessor Varda Rotter (until September

2003)Professor Yehiam Prior (from October

2003)

Professor Lia AddadiProfessor Yigal Burstein (until June 2003)Professor Haim GartyProfessor David HarelProfessor Michael Kirson Amy MatchenProfessor David MirelmanYaakov Naan (until August 2003)Gad Kober (from September 2003)Professor Moshe Oren (until September

2003)Professor Benjamin Geiger (from October

2003)Professor Samuel SafranProfessor Yaron SilberbergProessor Stephen WeinerProfessor Yosef Yarden

The Feinberg Graduate School(chartered by the New York State Board of

Regents)

PresidentRobert Asher

ChairmanProfessor Melvin Schwartz

Founding ChairmanAbraham Feinberg (deceased)

SecretaryDavid Ginsburg

TreasurerAndrew Morse

Dean of the Feinberg Graduate SchoolProfessor Yosef Yarden

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Deans of the Faculties Head, Finance DivisionOsnat Wishnitzer

BiochemistryProfessor David Mirelman

BiologyProfessor Moshe Oren (until September

2003)Professor Benjamin Geiger (from October

2003)

ChemistryProfessor Lia Addadi

PhysicsProfessor Yaron Silberberg

Mathematics and Computer ScienceProfessor David Harel

Senior Administrative Officers

Academic Secretary and Head, Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

Dr. Boaz Avron

Head, Construction and Physical Plant Maintenance Division

Avraham Dines

Head, Human Resources DivisionYaacov Geva

Head, Division of Logistics and Research Services

Asher Bar-on

Chief Legal CounselGad Kober (until August 2003)Shulamit Geri (from September 2003)

Internal AuditorDoron Yonai

International Affairs and Public Relations - Senior Officers

Secretary of the AssociationIlana Eisen

Head, Publications and Media Relations Department

Yivsam Azgad

Director of Visitors CenterNavit Kopelis

Head, Donor Relations DepartmentGila Shmueli

Senior Advisor to the Vice President of International Affairs and Public Relations

Arie Zehavi

The Weizmann Institute of Science

The Weizmann Institute of Science, a center of scientific research and graduate study, islocated on a 1.2 square kilometer campus of lawns and sub-tropical gardens in the town ofRehovot on Israel's coastal plain, 22 kilometers south of Tel Aviv and 42 kilometers west ofJerusalem. The Weizmann Institute staff of 2,657 is made up of scientists, scientific technicalsupport staff, postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. students, M.Sc. students, and administrative staff. In2003, the Institute also played host to 329 visiting scientists and their families from 25countries and hosted numerous international scientific conferences and symposia, as well as awide range of other cultural and educational activities.

The story of the Institute begins in the ominous year of 1933 when - under the looming shadowof Nazism-Dr. Chaim Weizmann, Chemist and world Zionist leader, decided to found a centerof scientific research in what was then a small agricultural community in the British mandateof Palestine. The Jewish population of Palestine numbered less than 400,000; the countrylacked virtually all natural resources; industry was essentially non-existent; trade andcommerce were extremely limited. Furthermore, the Mandatory Government was inimical tothe effort to develop the Jewish national home, and the Arabs of Palestine were also clearlyand increasingly hostile to this effort. Nonetheless, an urgent question had to be answered:could the Jews of Palestine, struggling for self-definition and self-sufficiency, possibly absorbthousands-if not tens of thousands-of refugees from Nazism, assure them a livelihood, and stillcontinue the forward surge?

Because he was a scientist who had himself made significant contributions to organicchemistry and industrial fermentation, Dr. Weizmann was quick to appreciate that only theadvancement and wise utilization of science and technology could meet the needs of the time.A scientific tradition would have to be established; scientific methodology would have to belinked to the Zionist endeavor; a generation of researchers, their scientific standards set byinternational criteria, would have to be created. But vision is one thing and implementationanother. Fortunately, Dr. Weizmann found partners to back the vision. His friends, Israel andRebecca Sieff, decided to establish a research institute in Palestine that would bear the name oftheir son Daniel. In the spring of 1934, the Daniel Sieff Research Institute came into existence. Today the Institute is older and more venerable, but in 1934 it epitomized modernity. It housedtwo main branches of research, organic chemistry and biochemistry, and Dr. Weizmann's ownlaboratory. The blueprint called for other departments, among them optics and physics. In themeantime, the staff-in addition to Dr. Weizmann himself-included 10 full-time scientists (ofwhom six were from Germany and Austria) working on projects that gave pride of place toproblems connected to the country's economy: citrus, dairy, silk, and tobacco, as well as thesynthesis of chemical products of medical value.

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In 1939, World War II broke out; it was both natural and inevitable that the scientists of theSieff Institute would become deeply involved in the war effort, especially in the production ofpharmaceuticals for the Allied Forces in the Middle East. Dr. Weizmann's vision, however,went far beyond wartime exigencies. One day a Jewish State would be established; its fullacceptance-not to say its ability to survive-would depend, in the final analysis, upon the degreeof competence in the most demanding areas of modern life. So, throughout the war, theintellectual and scientific code being formed in Rehovot remained a central concern, designedto serve larger needs as they arose-which was sooner than anyone expected.

In 1944, the world still at war, Dr. Weizmann celebrated his 70th birthday. Meyer W. Weisgal-his close associate who was to become the Institute's third President and later its Chancellor-brought together, in New York, some of those who sought to pay tribute to Dr. Weizmann.Unsure of the most suitable present, they decided to ask Dr. Weizmann's advice. "I neednothing for myself," he said. "But if you wish, do something for the expansion of the DanielSieff Institute." The suggestion soon acquired new dimensions and developed into the multi-disciplinary complex called the Weizmann Institute. The planning began at once; eminentscientists throughout the world joined a committee charged with formulating a scientific policyfor the Institute-to-be, and in 1946 the cornerstone was laid in Rehovot.

War intervened again-this time, Israel's War of Independence. It was not until 1949 that theWeizmann Institute was completed; by then it reflected the transformation that had taken placein Palestine with the birth of the State of Israel. The Weizmann Institute of Science, formallydedicated on November 2, 1949, consisted of buildings housing 60 laboratories. Ninescientific fields were under investigation: organic and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry,bacteriology, optics, electronics, polymer research, isotope research, applied mathematics(including geophysics), and biophysics. The Wolfson Institute of Experimental Biology wasalready under construction, preparing for a tenth area of research, and the first of severalresidential quarters was being landscaped.

The increase in staff was enormous; some of the scientists had come from abroad, drawn to theInstitute by its growing reputation and by their desire to settle in the new State, and others wereyoung Israelis whom Dr. Weizmann had selected as his scientific heirs. It was decided thatdepartments would rise around outstanding scientists, and this has remained the guidingprinciple. Under the vigorous twin leadership of founding Board Chairman Dewey D. Stoneand Meyer W. Weisgal, the new Institute developed rapidly.

Although from the earliest days the scientists at the Institute had undertaken a substantial shareof the graduate training of the future generation of Israeli scientists, the formal academicauspices for their study resided in the two university-level teaching institutions of those years,the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) in Haifa.In 1958, the Institute, having decided that the time had come to assert its formal responsibilityfor its own graduate training program, established the Feinberg Graduate School. At the sametime, a joint Hebrew University-Weizmann Institute committee was set up to approve thetheses of Ph.D. students in both institutions. This arrangement remained in effect until 1971,when it was discontinued by mutual agreement. The first Ph.D. degree in the name of theWeizmann Institute of Science was conferred in 1964.

xxi

In 1959, the Yeda Research and Development Co. was founded. Yeda functions as acommercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Yeda initiates and promotes the transferto the global marketplace of research findings and innovative technologies developed by theinstitute scientists. Yeda was the first company of its kind in Israel. The Weizmann Instituteplayed a considerable role in the establishment of the Kiryat Weizmann Industrial Park,founded in 1970. Kiryat Weizmann (developed and managed by Africa-Israel InvestmentsLtd.) covers 40 acres and serves as the location for nearly 60 companies whose enterprisesmanufacture fine chemicals, aircraft instruments, environmental control apparatus, computer-associated components, medical instruments, synthetic membranes, immunochemicals, sera,and biological products such as monoclonal antibodies, interferon, growth hormones,bioengineered substances, and so forth. The Weizmann Institute is now involved in thedevelopment of another science-based industrial park adjacent to Kiryat Weizmann.

It is entirely typical of the Institute's continuing preoccupation with the future that itestablished, in 1968, the Department of Science Teaching, which has addressed itself seriouslyand professionally to educational reform in Israel. An energetic and imaginativeYoung@Science (formerly Youth Activities section) was developed for the encouragement ofscience-oriented youngsters. This section reaches out to more than 22,000 pupils annually witha variety of programs, ranging from weekly science clubs and summer science camps oncampus to new educational concepts that service extra-curricular school science programsnationwide. In 1999 the Clore Garden of Science, the first totally outdoor science museum wasopened to the public with over 50 interactive exhibits on a beautifully landscaped site. Itimmediately gained popularity with the Israeli public and received international recognition.

At present, nearly five decades after Dr. Weizmann's death, the Institute comprises 17departments, grouped into five Faculties: Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics,Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology, and one department attached to the Feinberg GraduateSchool. In recent years, in response to the evolving demands of modern research,interdisciplinary science centers have been created to promote collaboration throughout theInstitute on major contemporary problems. Forty have been established to date, and more areplanned.


Dean: David Mirelman The Besen-Brender Professor of Microbiology and Parasitology

Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir, Ph.D.(The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Institute Professor The Theodore R. Racoosin Professor of Biophysics


Dean: David Mirelman The Besen-Brender Professor of Microbiology and Parasitology

The Faculty of Biochemistry consists of three departments: Biological Chemistry, MolecularGenetics and Plant Sciences. The Faculty is also responsible for the activities of the BiologicalServices Department. A number of Research Centers operate within the different departments:Plant Sciences -- The Avron-Willstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis; TheCharles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology. The Harry and JeanetteWeinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research; the Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition.Molecular Genetics -- The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics; TheCrown Human Genome Center; The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research, (headed byProf. Yoram Groner in this Faculty), and the newly-established David & Fela Shapell FamilyCentre for Genetic Disorders Research. Biological Chemistry -- The Dr. Josef Cohn MinervaCenter for Biomembrane Research. In addition, the newly established Institute for MolecularMedicine, commemorating the late Y. Leon Benoziyo, is now operating under the auspices ofthe Faculty.

The number of research groups headed by a Principal Investigator during 2003 was 58. Thetotal scientific personnel was 433. This included 28 research assistants, 189 Ph.D. students, 58M.Sc. students , 51 postdocs, and 14 visiting scientists.

Members of the Faculty conduct investigations covering a wide range of research programsOne of the more exciting aspects of modern biological research, which is characterizing thepost genome era, is that basic questions at the molecular level can be studied in very diversesystems and the findings can become relevant also to other systems. For instance, the resultsobtained from the identification of genes involved in the development of an organ or a specifictissue in plants are frequently found to have similarities in mammalian systems. Thecharacterization of proteins involved in membrane transporters and how they discriminatebetween a wide range of molecules may contribute in the rational design of novel therapies forhuman malignancies.

The completion of the sequencing of the human genome as well as that of the genomes of otherorganisms represents a major scientific achievement and members of our Faculty havecontinued to significantly contribute to this worldwide effort. One of the challengesundertaken is to assign a function to specific genes isolated from human genetic diseases orother sorts of human pathologies and the use of knockout mice is very beneficial.

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4 Faculty of Biochemistry

Furthermore, findings on the mechanisms of DNA repair are shedding new light on theirconnection to the incidence of malignancies in populations exposed to mutagenic substances.

The availability of the complete Arabidopsis plant genome is also revolutionizing research.Plant genomes show a great degree of plasticity, so that the genetic variance within any oneplant species can be much greater than anything encountered within animal species. Membersof the Faculty have unraveled part of the reason for this rapid genomic evolution which is dueto the unique dynamic process of polyploidization. Another exciting area of investigation isthe genome organization of plant defense ‘sentinels’ and trying to understand how theyfacilitate the plants adaptability to a changing pathogen environment. It has repeatedlydemonstrated that finding answers in the molecular biology of plant cells contributes to that ofmore complex systems such as mammalian cells. Continuous progress in the Life Sciences is more and more dependent on the ability tointroduce modern equipment as well as the to increase the cooperation between scientists ofdifferent expertise. During 2003 we have expanded our use of the robotic DNA microarraytechnology which enables the identification of differentially expressed genes. We have alsoincreased our bioinformatics capabilities which allow the analysis of ever increasing amountsof genetic information as well as our proteomics capabilities using novel mass spectrometrybased microsequence analysis of isolated proteins. Our facility for transgenic animals wasexpanded and this will facilitate the in vivo study of the function of certain genes. We havealso established a modern facility for transgenic plants. Faculty members are continuing todevelop cooperation with scientists of other disciplines, and two young new faculty members,one with a background in bioinformatics and the other in developmental biology, haveestablished laboratories in our Faculty.

The worldwide competition in the Life Sciences is constantly increasing and in order tomaintain our competitive position we are constantly searching to recruit talented youngscientists and to continue to invest in the establishment of new facilities and the acquisition ofnew equipment.

Biological Chemistry

Zvi Livneh, Head The Maxwell Ellis Professor of Biomedical Research

The Department of Biological Chemistry is home to more than 25 research groups, whosescientific activities span several areas in the Life Sciences. The common thread is the study ofthe biochemistry of life. Emphasis is on the investigation of proteins, whether soluble ormembrane-bound, and their key biological functions. We seek a molecular understanding oftheir structure, function, and interaction with other factors. A variety of biochemical,biophysical and molecular biological methods are being employed, with much overlappinginterests and inter-group cooperation. Current research activities evolve around the followingsix foci of interest:

1. Protein folding, interactions with ligands and protein-protein recognition.

E. Katchalski-Katzir and his colleagues are investigating molecular mechanisms ofprotein recognition by examining interactions between specific proteins and peptidesselected from a random peptide library. In parallel they develop and apply a theoreticalprotein-protein recognition algorithm (docking). G. Schreiber and his coworkers studythe basic physico-chemical principles governing protein-protein interactions, and howthese relate to complex biological processes. The gained understanding is implementedin several medically relevant systems such as the binding of interferon to its receptor, aswell as in algorithm development. M. Wilchek and his group are studying the structureof avidin and its exceptionally high affinity to biotin. The avidin-biotin complex is beingutilized for a variety of new biotechnological applications. E. A. Bayer and hiscolleagues are studying the structure, architecture and biotechnological applications ofthe multi-enzyme cellulosome complex, its interactions with cellulose and other plantcell-wall polysaccharides. The group of D. Tawfik is interested in the mechanism andevolution of proteins, and enzymes in particular. They perform directed evolutionexperiments in the laboratory in real time, aimed at the creation of novel enzymes withtailor-made activities, including, various hydrolases and DNA-modifying enzymes.

2. Structure and function of ion channels, pumps, other transporters, viral envelopeproteins, and photosynthesis proteins.

Several groups are investigating proteins that form specific pores across the cellmembrane. E. Reuveny is investigating the molecular properties of a group of neuronalK+ channels and their interaction with G-proteins. Y. Shai's group is using a

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6 Biological Chemistry

multidisciplinary approach to study the principles involved in the insertion, assemblyand function of membrane proteins involved in infectious diseases, namely microbial(antimicrobial peptides) and viral infections (HIV/SIV gp41). These studies led to thedesign of novel antimicrobial and antiviral drugs with new modes of action. Nuclearpore complexes, multi-protein structures that transport macromolecules in and out of thenucleus, are being studied by Z. Reich. His work utilizes biophysical methods such asatomic force microscopy. H. Garty focuses on two themes in the regulation of iontransport, which participate in maintaining body salt and water balance. One is theepithelial Na+ channel, which mediates the aldosterone-dependent Na+ reabsorption inthe kidney and intestine, and the other is a new group of tissue specific regulators of theNa+/K+ ATPase, the FXYD proteins. S. J. D. Karlish and his co-workers are exploringthe structure, organization and regulation of the Na+/K+ ATPase. This ion pump plays acentral role in maintaining Na+ and K+ gradients across the cell membrane. Anotherfamily of transport proteins, which extrude toxins from cells, and hence pose a majorobstacle in cancer chemotherapy and antibiotic treatment, is being studied by E. Bibi.Other researchers are interested in photosynthesis and its relation to ion transport. Z.Gromet-Elhanan is studying the rotary mechanism of the photosynthetic F0F1 ATPsynthase, using genetically engineered hybrid bacterial/plant F1-core assemblies andsingle molecule analysis. S. Malkin's research deals with biophysical and physiologicalaspects of photosynthesis, in particular protection against photodamage in excess light.Physical methods such as photoacoustics, fluorescence and others are used and furtherdeveloped. The groups of U. Pick and A. Zamir are collaborating to elucidate themechanisms by which the green alga Dunaliella copes with extreme changes in externalsalinity and pH.

3. Mechanisms by which proteins and lipids are transported from their point ofsynthesis, sorted, and inserted into various organelles.

Studies related to this general problem in cell biology are being carried out in a numberof laboratories. E. Bibi and his co-workers are studying the role of the signal recognitionparticle (SRP) and other cellular components in the biogenesis of prokaryotic membraneproteins. They seek to identify new components of the machinery, and to understandinghow ribosomes target and associate with the membrane, and how membrane proteinsynthesis is regulated. Z. Elazar is investigating intracellular protein traffic in eukaryoticsystems. His work has led to the identification of new factors that couple transportvesicles to cytoskeletal elements. Delivery of lipids to the cell membrane and their rolein neuronal growth is being studied by A. Futerman and his colleagues, with particularemphasis on related diseases such as Gaucher, Tay-Sachs, and Niemann-Pick disease.Together with I. Silman and J. Sussman he recently solved the structure of cerezyme, theenzyme given to Gaucher disease patients. In addition, he is working on mechanisms ofceramide signaling and has characterized a gene family involved in regulating ceramidesynthesis.

Biological Chemistry 7

4. Signal transduction, and molecular pathogenesis.

Several researchers in the department are interested in problems related to signaltransduction, chemotaxis and pathogenesis. Michael Eisenbach’s group is investigating,at the molecular level, how bacteria navigate according to chemical cues (chemotaxis)towards nutritious substances and away from noxious ones, and how human sperm cellsare guided to the egg. In the recent year the group found that the guidance of sperm cellsis carried out in at least two steps: a long-range thermal guidance (thermotaxis) from thecooler sperm storage site in the female genital tract to the warmer fertilization site, and ashort-range step, carried out by chemotaxis to substances secreted from the egg. Thegroup of D. Wallach is studying mechanisms that control cell death. They have clonedand characterized several signaling proteins that are involved in the signaling for celldeath and inflammation by receptors of the TNF/NGF family and in its regulation.Retrograde signaling complexes which govern neuronal growth and regeneration arebeing investigated by Michael Fainzilber and his co-workers. They have identified newtargeting and scaffolding proteins that enable axon-cell body communication in neurons.D. Mirelman and his co-workers are characterizing regulatory mechanisms that controlthe expression of virulence factors in the human intestinal protozoan parasite,Entamoeba histolytica. Other studies, in collaboration with the group of M. Wilchek,focus on the therapeutic properties of the biologically active garlic molecule Allicin. Y.Shechter is exploring the mechanism of action of insulin, with emphasis on post-receptordefects in adipose and muscle tissues that lead to insulin-resistance, and thereforeconnected to Diabetes type II and obesity in humans. In addition he developedtechnologies to prolong the life-time of peptides and protein drugs in vivo, and atherapeutic approach for overcoming states of insulin resistance in NIDDM patients. R.Miskin is studying the plasminogen activation system, and is utilizing transgenicanimals to reveal biological roles of this system. Therapeutic and pathogenic signals ofthe cell membrane are being examined by M. Shinitzky in tumor cells subjected tohydrostatic pressure. In addition, he investigates the effect on differentiation in breastcancer cells and neuoronal cells of cyclic phosphates, signaling molecules that originatefrom phospholipid degradation. E. Shapiro' s group is using a high-level computerprocess description language, Stochastic Pi Calculis, to mathematically specify andsimulate signal transduction pathways. The overall goal of I. Chet's research is tounderstand molecular mechanisms by which opportunistic plant symbionts, withTrichoderma harzianum strains as the model organisms, induce resistance to variousplant pathogens.

5. Genome maintenance and function: DNA repair and gene expression.

Z. Livneh and his co-workers are exploring the molecular mechanisms of DNA repairand mutagenesis. They study DNA polymerases that are specialized in replicatingdamaged DNA with the concomitant production of mutations, as well as the role ofDNA repair in human cancer susceptibility. Recently they discovered that reducedactivity of the DNA repair enzyme OGG1 is a risk factor in lung cancer, and that thecombination of smoking and reduced OGG1 activity causes extra-susceptibility to thisdisease. Two groups are studying mechanisms mediating regulation of gene expression.


R. Dikstein and her associates are investigating the molecular mechanism oftranscription regulation by TAFs, a highly conserved group of proteins that together withTBP (TATA-binding protein) constitutes the transcription initiation factor TFIID. M.Walker and colleagues are studying specific expression of the insulin gene and othergenes in pancreatic beta cells, with a view to better understanding their function,development and involvement in diabetes. These studies may lead to novel treatments ofdiabetes.

6. Biolmolecular computers.

E. Shapiro and his team are investigating the engineering of computers made of biological molecules, and the application of such computers to the analysis and synthesisof information presented in biological molecules. They succeeded to construct a finiteautomaton made of biomolecules. The hardware of this finite automaton consists of shortsynthetic DNA and one or two enzymes, and the software is made of short syntheticDNAs.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/

Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Ilan Chet, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelMichael Eisenbach, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

The Jack and Simon Djanogly Professor of Biochemistry Haim Garty, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Professor of Biochemistry Steven J.D. Karlish, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The William D. Smithburg Professor of Biochemistry Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Institute Professor The Theodore R. Racoosin Professor of Biophysics

Zvi Livneh, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Maxwell Ellis Professor of Biomedical Research

David Mirelman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Besen-Brender Professor of Microbiology and Parasitology

Yechiel Shai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Harold S. and Harriet B. Brady Professor of Cancer Rrsearch

David Wallach, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelMeir Wilchek, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)

The Marc R. Gutwirth Professor of Molecular Biology

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/scientist/Eisenbach/home.html


Professors Emeriti

S. Roy Caplan, Ph.D., University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaDavid Danon, Ph.D., University of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandCarlos Gitler, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, United StatesZippora Gromet-Elhanan, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelOra Kedem, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelShmuel Malkin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelIsrael R. Miller, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelNathan Sharon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelAda Zamir, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Associate Professors

Ed Bayer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelEitan Bibi, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

Israel Zvulun Elazar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAnthony H. Futerman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Joseph Meyerhoff Professor of BiochemistryRuth Miskin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (retired June 2003)

The Lawrence G. Horowitz Professor of Cancer Research Uri Pick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Charles and Louise Gartner Professor Eitan Reuveny, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, United StatesGideon Schreiber, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelYoram Shechter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Charles H. Hollenberg Professor of Diabetes and Metabolic Research Meir Shinitzky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Olin-Sang Professor of Leukemia Research Michael Walker, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Marvin Myer and Jenny Cyker Professor of Diabetes Research

Senior Scientists

Rivka Dikstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Martha S. Sagon Career Development Chair

Michael Fainzilber, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelIncumbent of the Daniel E. Koshland Sr. Career Development Chair

Ziv Reich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Abraham and Jennie Fialkow Career Development Chair

Dan Tawfik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Elaine Blond Career Development Chair

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/scientist/Tawfik/Welcome_Page.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biology/open_day/book/eitan_bibi.pdf

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/scientist/Malkin/shmuel_malkin.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/caplanhome.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/Reuveny


Senior Staff Scientists

Carol Asher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMoshe Balass, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, IsraelRina Barak, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelTalia Miron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDaniel M. Tal, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Rivka Adar, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelElena Bochkareva, Ph.D., Institute of Protein Research, Academy of the USSR, Pushchino,

Russian Federation Stefan Leu, Ph.D., University of Berne, Switzerland (left September 2003)

Assistant Staff Scientists

Elena Ainbinder, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelElena Appel, Ph.D., Medical School, Novosibirsk, Russian FederationTamar Paz-Elizur, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYael Pewzner-Jung, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelAda Viterbo-Fainzilber, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Laura Altschuler, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaRuti Kapon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Consultants

Diana BachSteven Becker (left May 2003)Oren Bogin, Alamone Labs, Jerusalem, IsraelJacob A. Dan, Revivim Clinical Specialists, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left June 2003)Dov Gefel, Barzilay Hospital, Ashkelon, IsraelItzhak Goldwaser, Sol-Gel Technologics, IsraelAyelet Gonen, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, IsraelAlexander Heifetz, Predix Pharmacenticals Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel (left October 2003)Ruth MiskinWilfred Donald Stein, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left June 2003)Daniel Yam, Yamega Ltd., Rishon-Lezion, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Roman I. Aizman, Karolinska Inst., Stockholm, SwedenAmir Braunstein, Negev Industrials, Ramat-Gan, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~bctal


Anna Jurewicz, University of Lodz, PolandRoni Kasher, Hebrew University , Rehovot, IsraelEli Morag, Zephyr Proteomix, Kiryat-Shmona, IsraelMargherita Morpurgo, University of Padova, ItalyChristine Tuffereau, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Postdoctoral Fellows

Amir Aharoni, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelNoga Alagem, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelFabian Arditti, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYoav Barak, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYakov Blumenstein, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelJacques Bodennec, Ph.D., Claude Bernard University - Lyon I, FranceSwetlana Boldin-Adamsky, Ph.D.,M.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAmir Braunstein, M.D., University of Medecine & Pharmacy "Carol Davila", RomaniaFrancisca (Veronica) Bronfman Caceres, Ph.D., University of Leuven, BelgiumRosaria Buccoliero, M.D., Siena University, ItalyAlexander Feigel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelGil Fridkin, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelVarier Geetha Krishna, Ph.D., Cochin University of Science & Technology, IndiaYury Goldsab, Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelKay Gottschalk, Ph.D., Technical University of Munich, GermanyStephen Gould, Ph.D., University of Nottingham, United KingdomAsael Herman, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelTae Bong Kang, Ph.D., Konkuk University, KoreaRoni Kasher, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelDovi Kelman, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelIrene Kholmyansky, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelAndrey Kovalenko, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelRamalingam Krishnan, Ph.D., Madurai Kamaraj University, IndiaArthur Liberzon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDavid Nakar, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelRony Oren Benaroya, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelSergio Peisajovich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelTal Peleg - Shulmam, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelChristian Riebeling, Ph.D., Free University of Berlin, GermanyAvi Rimler, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelZiv Sevilya, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelHanshuang Shao, Ph.D., South China Tropical Agriculture University, ChinaMichal Shoresh, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelDavid Strugatsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelHaim Tsubery, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelWangxia Wang, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelIris Yedidia, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelLaiqun Zhang, Ph.D., China agriculture University, China


Research Students

Sheera Ada Julia AdlerAnat Afriat-Herskovits Noga AlagemNira Amar Liat Amir-ZilbersteinMichael Anbar Gali AradShlomo Avital Sharon AvkinDorit Avrahami Reut BartoovGad Beck Talya BelogusTehila Ben-Moshe Efrat Ben-ZeevAlexander Berchansky Shimon BershteinYonathan Caspi Silvia G. ChuartzmanEytan Cohen Galit Cohen-Ben-LuluShay Covo Asa EitanEphraim Fass Anat FrenkelDan Frumkin Maria Gabriella FuzesiAnna Gakamsky Leonid GaydukovDoron Gerber Moshe GoldsmithYury Goltsev Tanya GoncharovShlomit Hanz Alexander HeifetzShachar Iwanir Lior IzharHanna Jaaro Diego JaitinJaakov Kacher Alon KarpolUriel Katz Andrei KovalenkoNoga Dalia Kowalsman Noga Kozer G.Venkataraman Krishnan Premkumar LakshmananeLiat Levy Oded LewinsonOrna Liarzi Arthur LiberzonPazit Libros Yael LifshitzMoshit Lindzen Arik MakovitzkiAyelet Maor-Shoshani Adi MesikaReinat Nevo Ilit NoachNiv Papo Yakov PazSergio Peisajovich Avishay PelahDori Pelled Eran PerlsonOfer Rahat Akhil RajputParameswaran Ramakrishnan Ophir Rav-HonDana Reichmann Merav RevachGabriela Ridner Inbal RivenLaila Catalina Roisman Nir RubinsKelly Sackett Rona Sadja GertnerYael Sagi-Yoseph Neta Sal-ManRuth Scherz-Shoval Tzvia Selzer

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~joel

http://bioinfo.weizmann.ac.il/~danag


Hagit Shapiro Saroj ShekhawatHagai Shorer Nadejda SigalIndranil Sinha David StrugatskyMarianna Tcherpakov Selena TrajkovicTal Varsano Roberto VentrellaAdam Wasserstrom Orit Weiner-WolsteinNomy Wender Jianshe YanGanit Yarden

Administrator

Maanit Zibziner

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~bmsinha

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/roberto

Molecular Genetics

Adi Kimchi, HeadThe Helena Rubinstein Chair in Cancer Research

The department of Molecular Genetics focuses on molecular and genetic mechanismsunderlying basic biological processes occurring either in the context of the entire organism orat the level of single cells. A wide range of biological problems are being addressed in thefields of human genetics, development, cell biology, cancer, and structure/ organization ofgenes. Additionally, the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology, which are beingdeveloped in the department, provide novel powerful approaches to address some of thesebiological issues. The specific topics include developmental studies in Drosophila and mousemodel systems, a search for the molecular basis of a few human genetic diseases, the study ofapoptosis and cancer promoting genes, study of cytokines and their receptors, virus-hostinteractions, control of gene expression, protein trafficking, and the structure, organization andevolution of genes.

In the Drosophila system, the lab of Benny Shilo studies signaling by the EGF receptorpathway which regulates cell fate decisions at different stages of development. They found thatthe cardinal ligand in this pathway, Spitz, is activated by a specific cleavage which involvesthe participation of two other proteins, isolated by genetic screens, They also focus on thedevelopment of the tracheal system as a model for branching morphogenesis. Talila Volk's labstudies the molecular events leading to the generation of muscles and tendons duringembryonic development. They discovered the existence of a two-way communication patternbetween these cell types and further identified among the proteins that control tendon celldifferentiation two isoforms of RNA-binding proteins. In the mouse system, the lab of PeterLonai studies the role of FGF receptors in development. By Knocking out the FGF receptor 2gene and circumventing early defects, they showed that this receptor is required for limboutgrowth and lung branching morphogenesis. Moreover they found, by working withembryoid bodies, that FGF signaling via the Akt/PKB is connected to basement membraneformation.

The issue of human genetic diseases is confronted by several groups. The lab of. Orly Reinerstudies the lissencephaly disease which is a severe human brain malformation caused bymutations in either the LIS1 gene or the Doublecortin (DCX). By connecting LIS1 functionwith microtubule regulation and showing the existence of cross interactions between the twoproteins they provided the first mechanistic clue to their mode of action. Additionally, micedeficient in Lis1 display abnormal neuronal morphology and migration patterns which furtherexplains the severe brain defects in the patients. A long term approach undertaken in lab ofYoram Groner addresses how gene dosage produces the defects found in Down syndrome. For

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16 Molecular Genetics

this purpose, they cloned, characterized, and examined the expression of candidate genes andmodeled their gene-dosage in transgenic and knockout mice. An exciting target is the RUNXIgene, a transcription factor involved in human leukemias. The disruption of this geneobliterates definitive hematopoiesis and impairs the formation of vascular capillaries. JacquiBeckmann (together with Doron Lancet) focuses on genetic variation as a tool for thedevelopment of personalized medicine and for identifying chromosomal regions containingsusceptibility loci involved in defined traits. The capability to assess polymorphism in a largenumber of patients by genotyping SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) will open thepossibility to reveal genetically determined traits in multifactorial diseases.

Basic cellular processes are being approached from the molecular angle, both in mammaliancells and in yeasts, by several groups. The lab of Jeff Gerst utilizes yeast genetics to dissect theprocess of intracellular membrane trafficking and exocytosis. They focus on the role ofSNAREs, fusogenic proteins necessary for the steps leading to vesicle docking and fusion, andhave characterized the involvement of protein kinases and phosphatases and of interactingproteins in regulating their functioning. Work by the lab of Chaim Kahana dissects theregulation of intracellular polyamines. Due to their critical role in several fundamentalprocesses, multiple pathways such as biosynthesis, catabolism, uptake, and excretion tightlyregulate their intracellular concentration. Utilization of the yeast system has provided theidentification of new components critical for polyamine transport across the plasmamembrane. Work by the lab of Yosef Shaul dissects the molecular basis of virus-hostinteraction, focusing on the Hepatitis B virus which has a distinct type of life cycle. At earlyphases of infection, a multivalent mechanism of HBV attachment with synergistic interplayhas been characterized. In this system, the HBV regulatory protein, pX, plays an essential rolein infection. The lab of Ari Elson studies the role of two protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPepsilon and alpha) in cellular signaling and in mouse development. The oncogenic propertiesof PTP epsilon were unrevealed by the finding that cells from tumors induced by the Neuoncogene in PTP deficient mice appear less transformed and that this phosphatase is aphysiological activator of the Src kinase. Young PTP epsilon -null mice generated in the lab,exhibit hypomyelination of sciatic nerve axons suggesting that this enzyme regulatesperipheral nerve myelination. This is associated with increased phosphorylation and increasedactivity of voltage-gated potassium channels in Schwann cells.

Apoptosis, is another fundamental process in cell biology. Function-based genetic selectionswere developed and used in the lab of Adi Kimchi to identify rate limiting genes that controlthe complex molecular network of apoptosis. Half a dozen novel pro-apoptotic genes (DAPgenes) were discovered. The detailed structure/function studies of these genes, theidentification of substrates and interacting proteins, and analysis of their connection to precisesubcellular events, highlight critical parts of the apoptotic network. Loss or inactivation of oneof these genes (DAP-kinase) is implicated in cancer development. Cytokine signaling is anadditional studied theme. The lab of Leo Sachs continues their pioneering work on thecytokine mediated control of multiplication, differentiation and apoptosis of hematopoieticcells, and the ability to suppress malignancy of certain types of leukemic cells by inducingtheir differentiation. The lab of Michel Revel focuses on regulation and function of cytokineswith an emphasis on IL6 and interferon-. They developed new strategies to inactivate or toactivate receptors for the IL6 cytokine. A fusion protein of the soluble interleukin-6 receptor to

Molecular Genetics 17

interleukin-6 was found to stimulate myelin gene expression in vitro and of sciatic nerveremyelination. The chimera also enhances in vitro maintenance and proliferation of humanstem cells (CD34(+)CD38(-/low). The lab of Menachem Rubinstein focuses on regulation andfunction of two other cytokines and their binding proteins. They identified a secreted proteincapable of antagonizing IL18 and thus regulating the Th1 cytokine responses. Another studiedcytokine is the leptin whose effects on ovarian steroidogenesis and on angiopoietin-2expression in adipose tissues have been thoroughly investigated.

Genomic approaches are utilized in the lab of Doron Lancet to study the structure,organization and evolution of olfactory receptor genes. Processes of gene duplication,generation of pseudogenes and recombination can be traced, by comparing clusters ofolfactory genes in different organisms. The lab of Shmuel Pietrokovski focuses oncomputational and experimental analysis of protein sequences. Different algorithms aredeveloped to compare blocks of sequences for predicting protein motifs, identifying newfamily members, and relating protein structure to function. Functional and evolutionaryaspects of the intein family of proteins are being approached experimentally in the lab. NaamaBarkai uses computational approaches for analyzing biological networks in order to identifyprinciples that govern the design and function of those networks. One example is the networkof genes that mediates the patterning of the dorsal region in the Drosophila embryo. Theyfound that the patterning event is highly robust to changes in the levels of most of the key genecomponents. In another research direction they explore the genome-wide organization of thenetwork regulating gene expression by developing algorithms to analyze data obtained fromDNA expression chips.

Altogether the department combines structural genomic approaches with functional 'post-genomic' studies. Moreover, the work with multiple model organisms (i.e., yeast, fly, mouseand human) removes the species barrier and offers the opportunity to study a single biologicalprocess in several systems, thus benefiting from the various genetic and molecular tools thateach system provides.


Professors

Jacques S. Beckmann, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Hermann Mayer Professor

Yoram Groner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Dr. Barnet Berris Professor of Cancer Research

Adi Kimchi, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelThe Helena Rubinstein Professor in Cancer Research

Doron Lancet, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Ralph D. and Lois R. Silver Professor of Human Genomics

Michel Revel, Ph.D., University of Strasbourg, France (on extension of service)The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel and Freda and Edward M. Siegel Professor of Virology

Menachem Rubinstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Edna and Mickey Weiss Professor of Cytokines Research

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/scientists/rubinstein.html

http://bioinfo.weizmann.ac.il/genome_center/doron_lancet.html


Leo Sachs, Ph.D., University of Cabmridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (on extension of service) The Otto Meyerhof Professor of Molecular Biology

Yosef Shaul, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Oscar and Emma Getz Professor

Ben-Zion Shilo, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Hilda and Cecil Lewis Professor of Molecular Genetics

Professors Emeriti

Alvin M. Kaye, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United StatesErnest Winocour, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Jeffrey Gerst, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelChaim Kahana, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Jules J. Mallon Professor of Biochemistry Orly Reiner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelRabi Simantov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Andre Lwoff Professor of Neurogenetics Talila Volk, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Professor Sir Ernest B. Chain Professor

Senior Scientists

Naama Barkai, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelIncumbent of the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Career Development Chair

Ari Elson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Adolfo and Evelyn Blum Career Development Chair of Cancer Research

Shmuel Pietrokovski, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Philip Harris and Gerald Ronson Career Development Chair

Yitzhak Pilpel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelCenter for Complexity Science FellowshipIncumbent of the Aser Rothstein Career Development Chair of Genetic Diseases


Judith Chebath, Ph.D., University of Marseilles, FranceDitsa Levanon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDaniela Novick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/scientists/elson2.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/scientists/reiner2.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/scientists/gerst2.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/members/sachs.html



Edna Ben-Asher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelBatya Cohen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Nili Avidan, Ph.D., Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, United StatesShani Bialik, Ph.D., Division of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, United StatesTsviya Olender, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientist

Levana Ben-Simchon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contracts

Eyal Schejter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelOlga Golubkov, Ph.D., Institute of Plant Protection, Kiev, Ukraine

Engineers

Dalia Gurari-Rotman, Ph.D., University College, London, United Kingdom (retired August 2003)

Joseph Lotem, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Avshalom Elitzur, The Open University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelRuth Gross-Isseroff, Geha Hospital, Petach-Tikva, Israel Tsippora Iny SteinPavel KatsHilla Knobler, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel Ron Shamir, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Michael ShmoishClara Singer, Technostat Ltd., Nathanya, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Ilan Asher, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, IsraelShani BialikDavid Israeli, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, IsraelLi Li, Xian Xiang Public Health School , Henan, PR China


David Shafritz, A. Einstein College of Medicine, NY, U.S.A.Dalia Sthoeger, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel


Stella Aronov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelSven Bergmann , Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelShani Bialik, Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USAFrederic Coquelle, Ph.D., Paris-Sud University, FranceAmir Gamliel, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelGabriel Gerlitz, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelDevrim Gozuacik, Ph.D., Paris XI University, FranceClara Israel Singer, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelAnil Kumar Kamaraju, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelRan Kapri, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelAlon Levy, Ph.D.,M.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelHagit Niv, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelItsik Pe'er, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelAvital Regev, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelTamar Sapir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelOrit Shmueli, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelLiora Strichman-Almashanu, Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, USAHila Toledano-Katchalski, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelOrit Wolstein (Weiner), Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelItai Yanai , Ph.D., Boston University, USAMerav Yarmus, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelPei-Lin Zhang, M.D., West China University of Medical Sciences, China

Research Students

Daniela Bettina Amann Gil AmitaiGad Asher Efrat Assa-KunikMerav Ben-Yehoyada Michal CaspiAntonio De Padua Castillo Flores Yehudit CohenArie Cooper Gilad DoitshZohar-Mukamel Dor Ruslan DorfmanAvigdor Eldar Omri ErezOfer Fainaru Ester FeldmesserMilana Frenkel-Morgenstern Gilgi FriedlanderTania Fuchs Galina GabrielyAmos Gdalyahu Indraneel GhoshHava Gil-Henn Yoav GiladAlice Givoni Roni GolanShira Granot - Attas Sivan Henis-KorenblitAna Hernandez Vladimir Hurgin


Jan Hendrik Ihmels Daphna Joseph-StraussRon Kafri Amnon KorenJudith Kraut Hagit KrugMichal Lapidot Yoav LubelskyLea Marash Michael MarashShay Marcus Idan MenasheHelit Nabel-Rozen Alona NeinmarkOshrat Peretz Ziv PoratAmir Pozner Sharon ReefEran Reem Aderet ReichAdriana Reuveny Micah RobinsonDalia Rosin Amir SapirSivan Sapoznik Ofer SarigAyelet Schlesinger Gidon ShaniBarak Shenhav Galit ShohatTal Sines Einat SitbonShalom Guy Slutsky Arul SubramanianTamar Tal Zohar TiranHila Toledano-Katchalski Rachel TsruyaGloria Volohonsky Adina WeinbergerEilon Woolf Pei Lin Zhang

Administrator

Reuven Haran (until November 2003)Lea Marom (from December 2003)

Plant Sciences

Robert Fluhr, Head (until September 2003)

Gad Galili (from October 2003)The Bronfman Professor of Plant Science

Understanding how plants grow and react to the environment are central to our long-lastingendeavor to appreciate basic mechanisms that drive biological processes as well as to devisinga rational approach to secure more food, and food of better quality. This is important as plantsoffer the world the main renewable resource of foods, building material and energy. Plants asmulticellular organisms have developed highly sophisticated short and long-term adaptivemechanisms to the changing environment as a result of the simple fact that they cannot altertheir location during environmental change. Thus, the research activities in the Department ofPlant Sciences are centered around plant biology and its relation to the environment. Ourmodel systems study the function and regulation of isolated genes and their interactivebehavior in the context of the whole plant. To accomplish this we have developed extensive in-house genetic, genomic, bioinformatic and transgenic infrastructures that enable us to isolatenovel genes by gene trapping, knockout or map-based cloning. With the help of bioinformaticanalysis and our ability to transform whole plants, cloned genes are studied and manipulated inthe context of the whole organism.

A unique aspect of plant biology is the harnessing the energy of light, a subject of activeresearch in the department. This complex process, on which all life depends, begins with theabsorption of photons and transduction of that energy to biologically useful forms. The rapidkinetics of photon absorption starts with the pigment chlorophyll. The way this molecule isbuilt and embedded into its receiving proteins makes for a remarkably efficient light-conversion machine. Avigdor Scherz studies the quantification of atoms, groups and moleculesand their electro-negativity using metal substituted bacteriochlorophylls. The generation ofreactive oxygen species (ROS) by illuminating novel bacteriochlorophyll derivative s has nowfound its application in photodynamic therapy of tumors. Marvin Edelman, in collaborationwith Autar Mattoo (Beltsville, USA), studies the regulation of photosynthetic proteincomplexes, using transgenic Spirodela to analyze photophosphorylatio n of chloroplastmembrane proteins. Jointly with Vladimir Sobolev, Edelman is developing a structuralbioinformatics approach to molecular recognition, employing contact surface area andchemical properties of atoms concurrently to predict conformations of multiple amino acidside chains on a fixed protein backbone. Avihai Danon has shown continuous sensing of thestate of reducing equivalents generated by the light-reactions of photosynthesis in the

23

24 Plant Sciences

chloroplast. Light activates specific oxidation of a regulatory factor called RB60. OxidizedRB60 is then reduced proportionally to light intensity by electrons transferred fromPhotosystem I by a chain of oxidoreductase proteins. The reduced RB60 then influences thetranslation rate of mRNA through special RNA-binding proteins. His work implies that theseregulatory mechanisms are more universal than previously appreciated, and indicate thatregulatory proteins of the thioredoxin family exchange electrons along specific pathways inthe soluble compartments of the cell.

The features that distinguish plants from animals are not limited to photosynthesis. Plants aresessile, have rigid cell walls and have no fixed germline. This means that their developmentdiffers radically from that found in animals. Gideon Grafi's group showed that cellular de-differentiation has ramifications in chromatin structure. Dedifferentiation was accompanied byreorganization of specific chromosomal domain, modifications of histone H3 andredistribution of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1). Retinoblastoma protein was found toregulate the formation of heterochromatin sub domains, at least partly, via interaction withHP1.

Yuval Eshed recently opened a new lab studying development in plants in the Department.Plants lateral organs such as leaves and floral organs are formed from the flanks of uniquegroups of organized cells called meristems. Organ formation is highly regulated in time andspace partly through communication between the meristem and the already formed organs.Research in Yuval Eshed's lab focuses on the nature of such communication. Two types ofcommunication are the focus of Yuval’s group. The juxtaposition of the upper and lower sidesof leaves result in signaling inducing their expansion. And, the resulting asymmetric leafsignals back to the meristem to determine the position and timing of new leaf formation.

Transgenic crops as well as transgenic biocontrol agents are beginning to play an importantpart in the protection of plants from insect, disease, and weed problems. The group of JonathanGressel has recently demonstrated that engineering hypervirulence genes into biocontrolagents enhances their effectiveness in controlling weeds, and they are now stacking such genesto ascertain whether there is synergy. Often the crops or the biocontrol agents are closelyrelated to weeds or to pathogens of crops (respectively), and there is a likelihood of transfer ofgenetic material to these relatives. He and his colleagues have been developing the frameworkfor assessing the risks that this will happen on a case by case basis. More importantly, they arestudying ways to use genetic engineering, to detect and prevent the transfer or to mitigate theeffects of such transfer, when it occurs, as well as to ìbio-barcodeî transgenic organisms tofacilitate detection. The group is actively developing crops, biocontrol agents andagrotechnologies to facilitate control of parasitic weeds, in part with colleagues at CIMMYTin Mexico and Kenya. They have developed a technology of seed application of small amountsof weed killer to herbicide-resistant mutant maize that kills the parasite, on average triplingyields in infested areas, which has recently been handed over to local seed companies fordistribution to farmers.

Cultivated plants are especially prone to disease but, importantly, plants (especially the wildrelatives of cultivated plants) have inbuilt pathogen recognition molecules that are calledresistance genes. If the genes are present the plant will recognize the pathogen in the early

Plant Sciences 25

stages of infection and mount successful defense. Robert Fluhr's group used molecular genetictechniques to uncover the genes that are central for resistance to plant vascular diseases. Itturns out that many other plant resistance genes and innate animal resistance genes havecommon molecular features. Understanding their molecular architecture, structure-functionrelationships and evolution are crucial for planning rational approaches to plant-pathogenprotection. The rapid adaptive responses of plants to the biotic and abiotic environment dictatetheir success as organisms. One such response was shown in to include rapid activation ofreactive oxygen species produced by NADPH oxidase and the participation of a special classof aldehyde oxidases (in collaboration with Moshe Sagi; Ben-Gurion University of theNegev). Stress-related responses are multi-tiered and also affect alternative splicing. ALAMMER-type kinase originally isolated in the lab as a kinase whose activity is modulated byethylene was shown to localize to the nucleus and regulate alternative splicing of a particularsubset of transcripts.

Breeders of higher yielding crops have traditionally relied on assembling the best of what isavailable in nature into crop plants. But with the help of fundamental understanding of plantmetabolism, particularly amino acid synthesis, Gad Galili's group has shown that biosyntheticand catabolic pathways can be manipulated for enhanced production of essential amino acids.The production can be directed to special cells in the seeds. Research is directed intogenomics-based elucidation of complex regulatory networks linking between amino acidsmetabolism and other metabolic networks and regulatory processes that control seeddevelopment and germination. In addition, a new research has been initiated to elucidate howmetabolism in plant seeds interacts with and regulated by metabolic processes in vegetativetissues.

Bread wheat is a polyploid organism. Recently it was found by Moshe Feldman and AvrahamLevy that polyploidy induces rapid genetic and epigenetic changes affecting non-coding aswell as coding sequences. The mechanism involved in bringing about these changes as well asthe biological significance are currently under investigation. One mechanism of epigeneticregulation is the transcriptional activation of retrotransposons. As a result of this activationneighbor genes can be silenced (by antisense-mediated silencing) or activated. Coping withthe environment has both short and long-range implications. It has long been appreciated thateven the basic plant genome architecture, which dictates the most fundamental aspect of plantbiology is fluid and tends to change as a result of stress. Avraham Levy's group has developedtools to examine the mechanisms contributing to this fluidity. This includes the effect ofmobile genes on genome structure and expression, the effect and regulation of DNA repair andhomologous recombination.

Moshe Feldman (Emeritus) has recently developed a naturally modified wheat genome thatfacilitates hybrid wheat production. In addition, wild germplasm contains untapped usefulgenes that can be hybridized into the cultivated wheat. Special lines have been produced thatfacilitate the identification and mapping of useful qualitative and quantitative genes in wildwheat and transfer them to cultivated background.

The brief foray into the salient features of our research efforts show the integration ofmethodologies from genetics, physiology, biochemistry, structural botany, molecular biology

26 Plant Sciences

and protein modeling. What has become clear, is that investigating plants not only providesimportant starting points for their improvement but as an "outsider" organism their studypresents fresh scientific viewpoints in general biology.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Plant_Sciences/


Professors

Marvin Edelman, Ph.D., Brandeis University, Waltham, United StatesThe Sir Siegmund Warburg Professor of Agricultural Molecular Biology

Gad Galili, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Bronfman Professor of Plant Science

Jonathan Gressel, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States (on extension of service) The Gilbert de Botton Professor of Plant Sciences

Avigdor Scherz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Robert and Yadelle Sklare Professor in Biochemistry

Professors Emeriti

Dan Atsmon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelMoshe Feldman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelEsra Galun, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Avihai Danon, Ph.D., University of Arizona, Tucson, United StatesRobert Fluhr, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAvraham Levy, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Yuval Eshed, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Judith and Martin Freedman Career Development Chair

Gideon Grafi, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Staff Scientist

Vlad Brumfeld, Ph.D., University of Bucharest, Romania

Plant Sciences 27

Associate Staff Scientist

Vladimir Sobolev, Ph.D., Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Siberia, Russian Federation


Alexander Brandis, Ph.D., Lomonsov Institute of Fine Chemical Technology, Moscow, Russian Federation (until February 2003)

Olga Davydov, Ph.D., Rsearch Institute for Essential Oil Plants, Crimea, UkraineRon Vunsh, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Cathy Bessudo, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelHadas Peled-Zehavi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contract

Sergey Gerjon, Ph.D., Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

Engineer

Dvora Aviv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (retired September 2003)

Consultants

Alexander BrandisMichal Oren-Shamir, Volcani Center, Bet-Dagan, Israel (left December 2003)Aviva Konforty, Schneider Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, IsraelGenady Kostenich, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel (left January 2003)Eitan Millet

Visiting Scientists

John Alvarez, Monash University, AustraliaJihong Li, Chinese Acad . of Trop Agri , Chengxi , Haikou, PR ChinaMichael Mizhiritski, Frutarom, Haifa, IsraelMichael Mizhiritskii, Frutarom, Haifa, IsraelLuhua Song, Handu Central H., Hebei Province, PR ChinaMargarita R. Velcheva, Agricultural University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

http://sgedg.weizmann.ac.il/lpsobol

28 Plant Sciences


Hagit Ben-Meir, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelJianwei Gao, Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Sciences, ChinaDavid Kaftan, Ph.D., University of South Bohemia, Czech RepublicYael Katz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYan Li, Ph.D., Shandong Agricultural University, ChinaHadas Peled-Zehavi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAlexander Raskind, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAndrey Shirak, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelSilvia Slavikova, Ph.D., Institute of Cell Biology, AbroadYahel Vakrat - Haglili, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMoshe(Marc) Van Dyke, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelGuohua Xu, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelYouli Yao, Ph.D., Ehime University, JapanXiaohong Zhu, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Refael Aharon Hani Al-AhmadTal Alergand Cher AshtamkerIdan Ashur Shira AvitalSharon Ayal Mariana BaborEyal Blum Ofra ChenRakefet David Schwartz Eyal EmmanuelEran Eyal Aaron FaitNeta Filip Granit Rina GlozmanEran Goldberg Alexander GoldshmidtHege Hvattum Divon Boaz KaplanKhalil Kashkush Yael KatzOksana Kerner Hadar LessAlexander Levitan Laurence LibsEti Meiri Rafael NajmanovichHadas Ner-Gaon Irena PekkerVladimir Potapov Efrat RubinsteinIlan Samish Sigal Savaldi-GoldsteinHezi Shaked Galia ShyAsya Stepansky Yahel Vakrat- HagliliSarit Weissmann Leor WilliamsElizabeth Yehuda Roie YerushalmiAssaf Zemach Jing ZhaoXiaohong Zhu Yehudit Zohar

Administrator

Maanit Zibziner

Biological Services

Chaim Kahana, Head The Jules J. Mallon Professor of Biochemistry

The Department of Biological Services provides specialized facilities and services to morethan 700 scientists and students in areas of molecular biology, protein analysis, cell biology,bacteriology, and immunology. These services include DNA sequencing, protein sequencing,Mass spectroscopy analysis, oligonucleotide synthesis, peptide synthesis, biologicalcomputing, bioinformatics, cell sorting, antibody preparation, bacterial fermentation anddownstream processing, irradiation, and maintenance of electronic equipment andmicrocomputers. In addition, staff members of the Biological Services provide coursesthrough the Feinberg Graduate School on the use of the systems. The Biological ComputingUnit hosts the Israeli National Node (INN), which maintains a comprehensive collection ofDNA and protein databases and programs. The Bioinformatics Unit works together with theGenome Center to generate database-searching tools and import and provide access to a largenumber of genetic databases. The biological Services are actively involved in researchprograms in the area of bioinformatics, thereby contributing to the Genome Project. Most ofthe services are also available to scientists from other academic institutions and to the industry.Public databases are freely accessible through the Internet.

In 2000 a Maldi-Tof mass spectrometer was installed in the new mass-spectrometry unit andstarted to provide mass analysis of peptides, proteins and nucleic acids. We introduce now twonew mass spectrometers, i.e. API-3000 Triple Quadrupole and API-QSTAR Pulsar-iQuadrupole -TOF with o-MALDI source electrospray mass spectrometers. The DNA-chiplaboratory is providing standard service utilizing the pre-made arrays and in parallel efforts aremade to develop local DNA printing capabilities. A new DAPSAS computer, which wasinstalled last year, was activated.

Research Staff

Professor

Chaim Kahana1, Ph.D., The Weizmann Institute of Science The Jules J. Mallon Professor of Biochemistry

1Department of Molecular Genetics

29

30 Biological Services


Ora Goldberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelJaime Prilusky, Ph.D., National University of CordobaAharon Rabinkov, Ph.D., Leningrad Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry,

Russian Federation


Orith Leitner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAlla Shainskaya, Ph.D., Palladine Institute of Biochemistry, Ukraine Academy of Sciences,

Kiev, Ukraine Ayala Sharp, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIrina Shin, Ph.D., Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences,

Moscow, Russian Federation


Shifra Ben-Dor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelShirley Horn-Saban, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Vered Chalifa-Caspi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left August 2003)Ron Ophir, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Rehovot, Israel

Engineer

Marilyn Safran, M.Sc., Boston University, Boston, United States

Consultant

Leon Esterman

http://bioinfo.weizmann.ac.il/~lssafran/

http://bioinfo.weizmann.ac.il/resumees/vered_caspi.html

http://bioportal.weizmann.ac.il/staff/jaime_prilusky.html

The Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis

Avigdor Scherz, Director The Robert and Yadelle Sklare Professor in Biochemistry

The Minerva Foundation, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ) and the WeizmannInstitute of Science (WIS) established the Avron-Minerva center for Photosynthesis in 1995.The center was outset to promote research in the chemical, physical, technological andregulatory aspects of photosynthesis from the molecular to the global level. Importantly, theMinerva foundation has aided the global need for crops suitable to arid areas by establishing ahigh profile research in Israel in both at the fundamental and technological aspects of plantgrowth. To fulfil these goals the Minerva foundation has provided a generous gift for a newcenter in the HUJ, whose research aims include photosynthesis regulation. The new center wasmerged with the older, Wilstätter-Minerva center that was established earlier, in WIS, andoriginally aimed at understanding of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis.

The recent genomic revolution combined with the development of bio-informatics andproteomics, have opened a new frontier in the research of photosynthesis. It is possible now tointegrate data from the genotype to the phenotype levels utilizing a multi-disciplinary array ofmethodologies that deal with a broad range of questions in order to understand the molecularfoundation of the photosynthetic machinery as a whole, the clockwork of membrane andglobular protein formation, assembly and communication and the related adaptation of thephotosynthetic organism to the eco-system. Moreover, products and principle components ofthe photosynthetic machinery are now used for medicine (like in photodynamic therapy ofcancer) and nutrition (carotenoids).

Such progress requires the establishment of research arena which enables integrativeapplication of different disciplines to molecular, cellular and multi-cellular systems.

The activities of the Avron-Minerva center planed for coming years should implement andexploit these new developments. Thus, three major research lines have been selected: (1)photosynthetic protein complexes: Bio-synthesis, assembly into functional units, and cellularorganization into supra-structures; (2) acclimation of photosynthetic organisms toenvironmental stress: (3) development of novel technologies such as photodynamic therapy ofdifferent diseases using chlorophylls or bacteriochlorophyll and light, and production ofcarotenoids derivatives. The principles discovered here are applied to other research fields aswell.

31

32 The Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis

Following this rational, the center provides seed money for multidisciplinary researchprograms (1-3 years), international meetings and exchanges of German and Center's members.On the Israeli side, travel support is mainly provided to students and post-doc fellows.Research funds are limited to members of the center. Four new members have recently joinedthe center.

The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine

David Mirelman, Director The Besen-Brender Professor of Microbiology and Parasitology

During the year 2003 the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine (BIMM)intensified its scientific activities. The Steering Committee expanded the research support thatwas awarded to Weizmann Institute scientists with a view to promoting and encouraging noveland interdisciplinary research programs, with special emphasis on the elucidation of molecularaspects of a variety of diseases.

New grants were awarded to investigators studying the pathway by which immune cells areproduced in the body, to a group working on the gating of ion channels in mammalian cells andtheir role in diabetes, as well as to researchers investigating the role of polyamines in cellgrowth and cancerous processes, and trying to identify the genes that are responsible for theinduction of tumors. These recipients of grants represent a mixture of younger and moreestablished researchers, working on projects with a variety of clinical direction and addressinga wide variety of diseases.

Funds from the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine were also channeledtowards the acquisition of essential equipment and instrumentation, which enable ourresearchers to conduct experiments with state-of the art facilities in molecular medicine. Thisyear purchases included a new, extremely fast Fluorescent Cell Sorter, which is capable ofseparating stem cells, facilitating the investigation of the therapeutic potential of these cells formany diseases; a GammaCell 40 Irradiator, which enables the irradiation of laboratory animalsfor the study of malignancies and transplantation; and an Electroporator, which allows theinsertion of foreign genes into cells by short, high-energy electrical pulses. The equipmentwill benefit many groups, particularly those studying the molecular mechanisms that regulatethe expression of genes in normal and diseased cells.

BIMM also hosted during 2003 a number of leading world scientists who visited WeizmannInstitute laboratories and delivered lectures. The aim of this prestigious series of lectures is toenhance our international contacts and cooperation in Molecular Medicine.

The support provided by the BIMM is continuing to have a significant impact on theinvestigations of numerous groups at the Weizmann Institute, and this will continue to increasein coming years. At the end of 2003 I will be retiring and concluding my five-year tenure asDirector of the Benoziyo Institute. I wish to take this opportunity to express my personalgratitude to Mrs. Nella Benoziyo for her very generous support of the activities of the BIMM,and for her deep interest, wise advice, confidence and encouragement during all these years. It

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34 The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine

has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as Director of the Benoziyo Institute since itsinception, and I am certain that it will continue to flourish and innovate under the newDirector, Prof. Ben-Zion (Benny) Shilo of the Department of Molecular Genetics, who I amcertain will steer the Benoziyo Institute to future successes that will further enhance itsprestige and reputation beyond the scientific community.

The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research

Zvi Livneh, Director The Maxwell Ellis Professorial Professor of Biomedical Research

The Josef Cohn Center for Biomembrane Research was officially inaugurated in 1988 tocommemorate Dr. Cohn's major contributions to the scientific links between Germany andIsrael. The aim of the Center is to initiate and promote interdisciplinary scientific research ofprocesses involved in the transfer of information across membranes of living cells. This isachieved by provision of seed money for original and innovative research activities, byfellowships to young investigators in this field, and by supporting workshops on hot topics inthis field.

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The Crown Human Genome Center

Doron Lancet, DirectorThe Ralph D. and Lois R. Silver Professor of Human Genomics

The center has been inaugurated in 1998 in order to advance genome research at the WeizmannInstitute. The center addresses the challenges posed by the worldwide enormous progress inDNA sequencing of various genomes. This includes, in addition to the human and mousegenomes, also numerous model genomes, such as those of yeast, the nematode C. elegans, theDrosophila fruitfly. Also, plant genomes, e.g. that of of Arabidopsis are topics of inter-centercollaborative research at Weizmann.

The Center, in close collaboration with the Department of Biological Services, helps provideWeizmann scientists with the following infrastructure activities: 1) Large scale DNAsequencing of genomic segments, including the identification and purchase of genomic clones.2) DNA microarray technologies, including an Affymetrix instrument with photolithography-generated oligonucleotide arrays, which analyses mRNAs expression patterns or genomicmutations in thousands of genes from different species. In this scope, the GeneNote project,supported by the Abraham and Judith Goldwasser fund is aimed to discover the basic patternsof gene expression in human tissues over the entire genomic gamut of ~40,000 genes. 3)Computational genomics, including know-how on the utilization of the complete, diverselyannotated human genome sequence, as well as other completed genomes, in terms of genomicmaps and gene repositories. This includes access to external databases and internal datastructures such as GeneCards, GeneLoc, GeneAnnot and CroW21, a mapping toll for humanchromosome 21, in collaboration with Prof. Yoram Groner.

The Sequenom MassArray system for discovering and scoring human genetic variations(Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms - SNPs) is highly successful, and has been upgraded in2003 to allow pooling of hundreds of individuals. This technology is becoming a central topicof genomic research, aimed at understanding variations among individuals within a species. Apharmacogenetics project has been initiated through Yeda with Teva Pharmaceutical Industryand the Technion, based on this instrumentation. Nearly a dozen other collaborative projectsare aimed at understanding how small genetic variations culminate in causing diseases, fromcancer to schizophrenia, are also ongoing.

Gene discovery projects, performed in collaboration with medical establishments throughoutIsrael, have so far led to the discovery of 7 novel genes that underlie human inherited diseases.These include a gene for a mental retardation gene, mucolipidosis 4, a gene for musculardystrophy (HIBM), the PVT gene, whose mutations cause childhood heart failure, the USH3Agene that underlies a debilitating blidness-deafness condition and the CDA1 gene that causes

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38 The Crown Human Genome Center

an unusual hereditary anemia. This year, a gene for male sterility, CatSper2 has beendiscovered. The Center also harbors a program in evolutionary genomics, including theevolution of the sense of smell, whereby novel information on extreme genetic diversity hasbeen uncovered, relevant to the fragrance and flavor industry. Also, a program in prebioticevolution is ongoing, aiming at understanding early evolution on earth in terms of biochemicalnetworks. This computer-based approach is one of many links with the new realm of SystemsBiology, and the Genome Center is thus in close interaction with the newly inaugurated Centerfor Systems Biology at Weizmann, directed by Prof. Eytan Domany.

The Crown Human Genome Center activities receives support from the Crown Family, theAbraham and Judy Goldwasser Fund, the Israel ministry of Science and Technology (NationalKnowledge Center for Genomics) and from a Magneton project of the Ministry of Industry andTrade.

Home page: http://bioinfo.weizmann.ac.il/genome_center/

The Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition

Robert Fluhr, Director (until September 2003)

Gad Galili, Director (from October 2003)The Bronfman Professor of Plant Science

Increasing plant productivity and nutritional quality are a major human interest. The DobrinCenter provides a coordinating and supportive framework for various activities aimed atincreasing our understanding of the genetics, biochemistry, and physiological processes thatmay lead to improvements in crop plants.

During the past year, the Center supported novel approaches for the production of nutritionallyimproved plants, and reducing crop plants losses caused by biotic and environmental stresses.In addition, the Center has continued to provide support for the exchange of scientists and forthe participation of young scientists in international conferences that deal with plant nutrition.

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The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics

Adi Kimchi, Director The Helena Rubinstein Professor of Cancer Research

The functions of the center, which was established by the Forchheimer foundation of NewYork in January 1982, are to promote Molecular Genetics in general, and recombinant DNAtechnologies in particular, to probe into the molecular mechanisms of life processes as well astrain scientists in the development of biotechnology and biomedical industries based onMolecular Genetics.

The center has been instrumental in enlarging or establishing several scientific services incampus. Recent examples include the laboratory for the production of transgenic and knockout mice and participation of the center in establishing state of the art facilities for the analysisof DNA, including an automated DNA sequencing unit, advanced computer hardware andsoftware. This equipment allows molecular geneticists at the Weizmann Institute to participatein world wide studies on the human genome, to conduct functional studies on isolated genes,and perform genetic studies in invertebrate model organisms.

The center supports research in Molecular Genetics by allocating funds for promising andinnovative projects, as well as helping in the purchase of new equipment. In 2001, severalmajor projects were funded and the following equipment was purchased:

1. Under the auspices of the Center, we continued to support the pioneering work of Dr.Naama Barkai, who analyzes whole genome expression in yeast. A biological physicistwith a broad background in modeling biological processes, Dr. Barkai's comprehensiveand quantitative approach to genetic research enables her to organize and sift throughvast amounts of generated data, and to separate significant from insignificant bits ofinformation.

2. The Forchheimer Center also supported the research efforts of Prof. Peter Lonai, whostudies whole genome expression in mice, as well as the role of FGF (fibroblast growthfactor) receptors in patterning the extracellular matrix as the mouse embryo develops.Prof. Lonai has identified genes that are required for epithelial-mesenchymalinteractions. ("Epithelia," or epithels, are cell sheets covering our body's external andinternal surfaces, and make an overlay above more loosely-arranged cells calledmesenchyme.) His use of gene targeting for genetic analysis yields realistic answers as tothe "how, when and where" of specific gene function, in an organism which is relativelyclose to our own.

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42 The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics

3. In addition, the Center helped fund the research efforts of Prof. Chaim Kahana, whoinvestigates the role played by polyamines in cell growth control and cancerousprocesses. Utilization of the yeast system has provided the identification of newcomponents critical for polyamine transport across the plasma membrane.This issue isamong those being investigated in Prof. Kahana's laboratory.

4. Many reagents, especially DNA plasmids used for expression of genes in bacteria andmammalian cells, are utilized by the entire community of Molecular Geneticists at theWeizmann Institute. However, in many cases the same plasmids are purchased multipletimes, or scientists are not always certain which plasmid is best for a particular purpose.To overcome these problems, Dr. Batya Cohen, an experienced molecular biologistestablished a centralized plasmid collection. The details of this collection are availableon the web for Weizmann scientists, and Dr. Batya Cohen provides the desired plasmidsupon request. The center pays 25% of Dr. Cohen's salary.

5. The Forchheimer center has provided funds for the purchase of a new confocalfluorescent microscope for the department. The major advantage of this state of the artmicroscope is a laser allowing to detect separately the fluorescence of YFP in CFPproteins in live specimens. Thus, the dynamic localization of two differently taggedproteins or cells can be visualized. Studies at the department are focusing not only on theanalysis of these processes in cultured cells, but also on the visualization of processes inwhole live embryos of the fruit fly. A second laser in this microscope allows thesimultaneous staining of nuclei in fixed tissue, while a third laser detects redfluorescence.

The Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics

Yoram Groner, Director The Dr. Barnet Berris Professor of Cancer Research

The Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics was established by Gershon and Carol Kekst.The Center's main objective is to promote the investigation of medical aspects of genetics,with the aim of understanding the molecular mechanisms of life processes, and its subsequentapplication to medicine.

The Center provides financial assistance to investigators embarking on new projects in thefield of molecular medicine, as well as to cross-disciplinary research collaborations betweengroups from different departments. It also supports the organization of international and localconferences and workshops aimed at disseminating and promoting communication betweenresearchers in fields related to medical genetics. Funds are allocated to support the purchase ofnew equipment with the aim of upgrading the technical infrastructure of medical genetics atthe Institute.

The activities of the Center are coordinated by a steering committee, comprised of YoramGroner (Department of Molecular Genetics), Benjamin Geiger (Department of Molecular CellBiology) and Ben-Zion Shilo (Department of Molecular Genetics).

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The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology



The Lubin Center encourages research activities that contribute to the understanding of thebiology of crop plants, in general, and cereals, in particular. The Center promotesinfrastructure and methodology for the production of transgenic plants for research purposes.This year the Center supported research in plant development and cell cycle research whichhelped contribute to our understanding about how nuclear scaffolding facilitates regulation ofgene expression. Other projects include setting up experimental systems to understand theorigin of genes that were important for cultivation of cereals that will play an important part inour appreciation of how plants were domesticated.

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The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research


The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research, established in November 1998 with agenerous founding endowment made by the Manfred D. Moross Foundation, will be dedicatedto the promotion of excellent cancer research at the Weizmann Institute.

The M.D. Moross Institute aims to promote, facilitate and enhance cancer related research atthe Weizmann Institute. To this end the M.D. Moross Institute will work as an umbrellainstitute encompassing other Weizmann Institute centers and some major funds that areinvolved in cancer research, in order to achieve a campus-wide synergy in cancer research.

Cancer related research constitutes more than half of all Weizmann Institute activities in theLife Sciences, involving close to 50 groups (approximately 350 people). This breadth is aresult of the Institute's inherently interdisciplinary nature, and is a feature that is likely tobecome even more prominent in the years to come, as disciplines overlap each other's domainsand coalesce to create new areas of expertise. Seminal contributions of Weizmann Institutescientists often cannot be realized due to a hiatus in critical funding during the post-discoveryperiod. The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research will provide this timely and significantsupport.

The main areas of support include:

• Special support for the acquisition of new trans-disciplinary technologies aimed atencouraging research collaboration between different groups.

• Funding collaborative research projects between various cancer researchers at theWeizmann Institute, and between these scientists and clinicians at the Tel AvivSourasky-Ichilov Medical Center with the aim of translating basic Weizmann laboratoryresearch into clinical application in the hospital.

• Supporting scientists who have submitted or resubmitted large, ambitious research plansto significant external granting agencies, to cover their research expenses for the interimperiod between submission and acceptance.

• Life Science Colloquia in the field of cancer research, to which distinguished scientistsare invited to present an Institute-wide lecture on their research, and to spend a few dayson campus for meetings and discussion with faculty and students.

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The David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research


The David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research was established byDavid and Fela Shapell in honor of Jacob Shapell, their beloved grandson, to support researchon Down syndrome and other genetic disorders. The Center's main objective is to promote theinvestigation of molecular genetic aspects of Down syndrome and other genetic disorders,with the aim of understanding the molecular mechanisms by which altered genotype leads toaltered phenotype.

The Shapell Center provides financial assistance to investigators embarking on new projects inthe field of molecular genetics, as well as to interdisciplinary research collaborations betweengroups using the infrastructure of the Facility for Genetically Modified Animals (FGMA).Funds are also allocated to the purchase of new equipment with the aim of upgrading thetechnical infrastructure of FGMA.

The Shapell Center also supports the organization of international and local conferences andworkshops aimed at disseminating and promoting communication between researchers infields related to medical genetics.

The activities of the Center are coordinated by a steering committee, including Yoram Groner(Department of Molecular Genetics), Moshe Oren (Department of Molecular Cell Biology)and David Mirelman (Department of Biological Chemistry).

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The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research



A most pressing problem currently addressed by plant scientists throughout the world concernsnumerous natural and man-made environmental hazards, such as contamination of theenvironment by pesticides and herbicides, increased salinization of agricultural soils anddegraded water resources. The stability of man's environment is key to his steady social andtechnological progress. - Dealing with these and other problems is critical in planning futureenvironmentally-safe increases in crop yields in face of the growing demands of an expandingglobal human population.

The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center has devoted funds to research committed to thesetasks. The areas supported this year include plant protection against weeds and plant growthinfrastructure.

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Faculty of Biology

Dean: Moshe Oren (until September 2003)

Dean: Benjamin Geiger (from October 2003)The Professor Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

Michael Sela, Ph.D. (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Institute Professor The W. Garfield Weston Professor of Immunology

Faculty of Biology

Dean: Moshe Oren (until September 2003)

Dean: Benjamin Geiger (from October 2003)The Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

The Faculty of Biology is one of two faculties of Life Sciences at the Institute. Originally, thesister Faculty of Biochemistry concentrated on research at the molecular level, whereas theFaculty of Biology focused on the cell and organism level. Although this distinction has manyexceptions, the four scientific Departments of the Faculty of Biology dedicate their efforts tounderstanding biological processes in their normal and pathological settings. The efforts oftwo of our scientific departments are almost entirely oriented at organs or tissues. These are theDepartment of Neurobiology and the Department of Immunology, which concentrate on thenervous system and all aspects of the body's defense mechanisms, respectively. The researchgroups of the Department of Molecular Cell Biology are linked by a common interest infunction and structure at the cellular level. Our youngest department, Biological Regulation,was established at the end of 1995 as part of a reorganization in the Life Sciences. A largevariety of regulatory processes, including the transduction of biological signals at the cellularlevel and at the organism level is addressed by the Department's scientists.

Complementing the physical organization of the Faculty into Departments, interdisciplinaryResearch Institutes and Centers coordinate campus-wide research projects. The EinhornDominic Institute for Brain Research and its associated centers The Nella and Leon BenoziyoCenter for Neurosciences and The Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research ofHigher Brain Functions support and fortify studies of the most fascinating and least understoodorgan, the brain. The Yad Abraham Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy supports workaiming primarily to implement the basic knowledge generated at the Weizmann towards betterdiagnosis and treatment of cancer. Studies on aging, a major focus of interest in contemporaryWestern societies, are supported by the Meller Center for the Biology of Aging. Clinicallyimportant aspects of our immune system are also being explored: the Robert Koch Center forResearch in Autoimmune Disease is studying the consequences of malfunction of the immunesystem and is exploring ways to intercept such unwelcome processes, while the Rich Centerfor Transplantation Biology Research is supporting work aimed at increasing the success ofbone marrow transplantation in the treatment of cancer and other life threatening diseases. TheWillner Family Center for Vascular Biology supports the study of angiogenesis (new bloodvessel formation) and of functional aspects of our blood system.

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http://www.weizmann.ac.il/weiz/research/dean_biology.html

56 Faculty of Biology

The Faculty considers as its major aim to foster biological studies both at the organism and atthe molecular level, by using state of the art technologies. Accordingly, we are constantlystreamlining services that help research groups generate animal models, including gene-knockout and transgenic animals. In parallel, we seek to enhance our research activities thatuse sophisticated imaging methods, including digital light microscopy, functional MRI andEEG, to follow the function of cells, internal organs, tumors and the brain. In anticipation ofchanges in the directions of biomedical research in the 21st century, the Faculty is encouragingresearch in the field of biological physics and systems biology, bringing together researcherstrained in physics and in the life sciences.

Our other major challenge is to attract and recruit outstanding young scientists. In an age ofconstantly growing complexity of unanswered biological questions and ever increasingcompetition for discoveries, we consider it our shared responsibility to provide optimalconditions for the creativity of our promising junior faculty members.

Our only service Department, the facility for Preclinical Research, has recently undergonedramatic changes that bring the Weizmann Institute into the cutting edge of modern biologicalresearch. Both the new and the extensively renovated facilities host our laboratory animalsunder improved disease-free conditions and allow more efficient research of mammals. Ofparticular importance is the Facility for Genetically Modified Animals. This state of the artfacility is providing Weizmann Institute researchers with a powerful timely tool for developinganimal models of human diseases.

Biological Regulation

Hadassa Degani, Head The Fred and Andrea Fallek Professor of Breast Cancer Research

The regulation of processes responsible for the concerted action of cells, tissues, vascularnetworks and organs is being carried out in our department. Our studies include theidentification of signaling pathways involving hormones, growth promoting factors, as well asprogrammed cell death and survival factors. We also characterize specific receptors, targetcells, and the multiple mechanisms involved in the transduction of the signals throughcomplex intracellular networks. In these investigations we apply a diverse range ofmethodologies in different in vitro and in vivo systems: namely, biochemical, molecularbiology, and physiological methods in tissue cultures, organs and whole animals. We alsofocus on developing non-invasive imaging technology by the utilization of optical means, aswell as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). Since changes in theregulation of such processes are a cause for many human diseases (cancer, infertility, heartfailure, stroke etc.), we further apply our results to develop new modes of treatment, such as:drugs for pharmacological intervention, photodynamic cancer therapy and state of the artmeans for early detection and diagnosis.

This year, our lab focused on the development of new in vivo and ex vivo characterization ofmolecular, metabolic and physiologic parameters associated with the development,progression and metastasis of cancer, specifically breast and lung cancers. The studies wereperformed on human breast cancer and lung cancer cells as well as on orthotopic tumors ofthese cells implanted in experimental animals. We investigated the regulation of angiogenesisin breast and lung cancer, tumor vasculature function in terms of delivery and drainage, as wellas the development of interstitial fluid pressure and, hence, barriers to drug delivery. Inaddition we characterized the "cause and sense" of increased phosphocholine levels in breastand prostate cancer. We also continued clinical research that employed our dynamic contrastenhanced three time point (3TP) method. Two new topics were investigated: 1. The detailedresponse of breast cancer patients to chemotherapy and 2. the vascular properties of lungcancers. (Hadassa Degani).

Studies in our laboratory are directed at identification and characterization of molecular eventsthat regulate reproduction and early development. Of major interest is the control of themeiotic status of the mammalian oocyte. Attempts to disclose this issue include investigationof the gating mechanism of the gap junctions that mediate the communication of the inhibitorycAMP from the somatic cells of the ovarian follicle to the oocyte and the response of theovarian gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) to gonadotropins. Search for complementarymechanisms that ensure the efficiency of a timely alteration between meiotic arrest and

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58 Biological Regulation

resumption of meiosis include cloning and characterization of an oocyte-specific PKAanchoring protein (AKAP) responsible for sequestration of this enzyme and its possiblecalocalization with the oocyte phosphodiesterase, PDE3A. Potential downstream regulatorsthat are subjected to the PKA-mediated cAMP action are examined and their hierarchy isexplored. Specific interest is directed at the role of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) indegradation of such proteins, in particular, those that participate in regulation of chromosomesegregation. A list of ovarian and endometrial genes, the expression of which is upregulated inassociation with ovulation and implantation, respectively have been recently generated bysuppression subtructive hybridization (SSH) and microarray chip analysis. Further attempts tocharacterize and identify the specific function of a selected group of these genes are presentlyperformed. Our studies on implantation and early embryonal development are also directed atexploration of signals that control the extensive angiogenic response of the uterus to theimplantic embryo and its possible association with Cx43 expression. (Nava Dekel)

Our lab is focused on characterizing the role of BCL-2 family members in apoptosis. We aremainly exploring the function of the pro-death BID molecule, which acts in both themitochondria and the nucleus to regulate progression of the apoptotic process. In addition, weare studying the role of caspases (cysteine proteases) during atresia, a well-documentedapoptosis process, in which ovarian follicles are eliminated in-vivo (Atan Gross).

(i) The development of carboxy methyl derivatives of isoflavones as novel selective estrogenreceptor modulators (SERMs) with unique effects on the vascular, bone and uterus. Moreover,these novel compounds can serve as affinity tags for targeting cytotoxic compounds toestrogen sensitive carcinoma and (ii) the development of synthetic peptides, as a new familyof compounds with estrogen-like activity, (in collaboration with E. Katzir, Department ofBiological Chemistry, WIS). In addition, we are developing novel membrane impermeantprobes for the characterization ofputative membranal estrogen binding sites in vascular andbone cells (Fortune Kohen).

We are studying the molecular cell biology of caveolin-1 in human cancer cells. Specifically,we explore the role of caveolin-1 in mediating survival signaling of cancer cells that are deniedmatrix attachment or are exposed to genotoxic stress. In addition, we study the role ofcaveolin-1 and other constituents of lipid rafts in drug export, drug response and trafficking ofmultidrug transporters. Another topic of our research is the induction of caveolin expressionby PPAR- ligands and its relation to PPAR- -induced cell differentiation and drug resistance.In parallel studies we are trying to elucidate the functions of phospholipase D isozymes inyeast and mammalian cells by employing gene knockdown approaches. In addition, we aim toidentify molecular targets of phosphatidic acid using a novel phosphatidic acid analog andphosphatidic acid-binding domains. Finally, we have been exploring the possible use of novelsteroidal alkaloids in chemotherapy of multidrug resistant cancer and we are developing anovel method for engineering ligand-regulatable recombinant proteins for drug targetvalidation and generation of ligand-sensitive transgenic organisms. (Moti Liscovitch)

Application of MRI and optical imaging for elucidation of the regulatory pathways that controlthe recruitment of endothelial capillaries (angiogenesis), vascular maturation, and remodelingof the lymphatics. Studies aim to reveal the contribution and interplay between environmental,

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Biological Regulation 59

hormonal and growth factor mediated signaling pathways. Specific steps in the process aredetected by monitoring hemodynamic properties, vascular permeability and changes in theextracellular matrix. Vascular remodeling is followed in a range of biological modelsincluding reproduction, embryonic development, repair of ischemic injuries, tumorprogression and metastatic dissemination (Michal Neeman).

The photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocol for anti vascular treatment of tumors was furtherdeveloped and new sensitizers with improved properties were synthesized and tested. Themechanism of sensitizer uptake by target cells was investigated and superoxide was identifieda major intracellular cytotoxic ROS. Online light guidance by fMRI was further developed andthe protocol for diffusion imaging of tumor response to PDT was completed. The effectivenessof TOOKAD-PDT on drug resistant tumors was shown to apply also to other tumor modelsystems, supporting the generality of the phenomenon. Intravital microscopy studies on thehemodynamic basis of PDT-induced blood stasis was continued with new sensitizers towardselucidation of the underlying mechanisms. The mechanism of TOOKAD-PDT induced celldeath revealed as caspase independent. This work was done in collaboration with MichalNeeman, Dept. of Biological Regulation and Avigdor Scherz, Dept. of Plant Sciences. (YoramSalomon)

The characterization of the intracellular transmission of extracellular signals by seven distinctsignaling pathways: four MAP Kinase cascades (ERK, JNK, p38 and BMK) two PI3Kdependent cascades (AKT and S6K) and the PKA cascade. These studies included (i)identification of novel components, (ii) cross-talk between the distinct cascade, (iii)intracellular localization of components of the cascades, and are aimed to elucidate how thesignaling network formed by these signaling cascade regulate gene expression, proliferation,and differentiation (Rony Seger).

Ovulation in mammals is a preferable target for contraception and fertility regulation. Weinvestigate two of the ovulatory processes: (i) Oocyte maturation, including the differentialregulation and expression of phosphodiesterases in the germ cells and somatic compartmentsin the ovary; and the role of meiosis activating sterols (MAS). (ii) Follicular rupture atovulation and the involvement of proteolytic cascades (plasmin activating system, andcollagenases), eicosanoids and other paracrine regulators. In collaboration with MichalNeeman we examine the role of revascularization in uptake of transplanted ovarian fragmentsto allow restoration of fertility after chemo/radiotherapy (Alex Tsafriri).

Along with many researchers, we are fascinated by the simple biological question as to howembryonic cells know what fates to adopt, at the correct positions and appropriate times? Ourgoal is to understand how naïve embryonic cells eventually give rise to the intricate series ofmuscle, bone, and cartilage structures that form the embryo. While there is intensive crosstalkamong precursor cells, the details of this molecular 'language' are still unknown. We primarilyuse the avian embryo model system, which provides a powerful experimental system witheasy access to embryonic tissues both in vitro and in vivo. In addition to the chick embryo, themouse embryo is used as a genetic model to unravel the molecular underpinnings of the"cross-talk" between the naïve embryonic cells. The understanding of the fundamental


biology of embryonic stem cells, is expected to facilitate the development of effectiveapproaches to stem-cell therapy for the treatment of countless diseases (Eldad Tzahor).

Growth factors and their transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases play essential roles incellular proliferation and migration during both embryogenesis and oncogenesis. An exampleis the ErbB/HER family of receptors, which play an essential role in development of neuronaland epithelial cell lineages. The receptors are often over-expressed in tumors, whereas theligands are frequently inappropriately expressed, and both aberrations may predict poorprognosis. Biochemical analyses led to the realization that the four ErbBs and their manyligand growth factors form a layered signaling network. The network structure ensures robustsignaling, while maintaining stringent control and finely tunes the output. Especially potent areheterodimers comprising ErbB-2 and ErbB-3, because they simultaneously stimulate the Ras/MAPK cascade and the PI3K/Akt pathway. In addition, the heterodimer evades the restrainingeffect of receptor endocytosis, a process initiated by step-wise recruitment of two E3 ubiquitinligases called c-Cbl and Nedd4, and culminates in the degradation of active receptors in thelysosome. Another pathway leading to ErbB degradation is part of the cellular response tostress. This machinery controls ErbB-2/HER2 by recruiting another ubiquitin ligase calledCHIP.

Detailed understanding of the complex machineries underlying inactivation of oncogenicgrowth factor receptors holds promise for cancer therapy: antibody-induced receptorendocytosis effectively blocks some types of human cancer, and low molecular weight kinaseinhibitors that target ErbBs to destruction are currently tested in patients. The therapeuticpotential of these strategies, as well as their molecular bases are studied in our laboratory. Alsoinvestigated are novel pathways that restrain ErbB signaling. These effectors of the networkare typically over-produced subsequent to receptor activation, as part of a negative feed-backloop. We currently concentrate on effectors like Cbl, Src, Sprouty and Kekkon in the hope thattheir physiological mechanisms of ErbB restraining will inspire new therapeutic strategies(Yosef Yarden).


Professors

Hadassa Degani, Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, United StatesFred and Andrea Fallek Professor of Breast Cancer Research

Nava Dekel, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelThe Philip M. Klutznick Professor of Developmental Biology

Mordechai Liscovitch, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Harold L. Korda Professor of Biology

Yoram Salomon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Professor of Hormone Research

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Regulation/





Alexander Tsafriri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of Service)The Herman and Lily Schilling Foundation Professor

Yosef Yarden, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology


Michal Neeman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelRony Seger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Research Fellow

Fortüne Kohen, Ph.D., Brandeis University, Waltham, United States

Senior Scientist

Atan Gross, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelIncumbent of the Armour Family Career Development Chair of Cancer Research

Eldad Tzahor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientist

Edna Haran Furman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientist

Catherine Brami, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDalia Seger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Joseph Friedman, Kupat Holim, Petach-Tikva, IsraelEliezer Girsh, Barzilay Hospital, Ashkelon, IsraelIrit Granot, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, IsraelDov Grobgeld, Orbotech Ltd., Yavneh, Israel (left June 2003)Ariel Hourvitz, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, IsraelSarah KrauzReuven Reich, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left July 2003)Iris Schvartz, Webb and Associates, Patent Attorneys, Rehovot, Israel (left April 2003)Dalia Somjen, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel








Visiting Scientists

Gil Chernin, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, IsraelShai Elizur, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, IsraelNatalya Koudinova, Russian People's Friendship University , Moscow, RussiaEti Maman, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, IsraelReut Parness-Yossefo, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, IsraelItay Vardi, Meir Medical Ctr., Kfar Saba, Israel


Helena Ashkenazi, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelGal Gur-Shachar, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelNeeru Jain, Ph.D., University of Delhi, IndiaYael Kalma, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAriel Kaltchenko, Ph.D.,M.D., Chita State Medical Academy, RussiaGabriele Kerber, Ph.D., University of Giessen, GermanySarah Kraus, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelShlomi Lazar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMina Marmor, Ph.D., University of Toronto, CanadaMichal Ortal-Schwartz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelJulia Penso, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelYael Rosen, M.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelRachel Sarig, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Ido Amit Liat Ben-Yehoshua JosefsbSarit Bendetz-Nezer Xiumei CaoDana Chuderland Ami CitriMaya Dadiani Chetrit Hagit DafniIris Edry Galit EliyahuOran Erster Libbat FinkelYoav Gal Eran GershonEli Geva Assaf GileadDorit Granot Michal GrinbergShimon Gross Gal HaimovichYaron Hassid Tomer IsraelyIris Kamer Miriam KandliMenachem Katz Bose Skaria KochupurakkalMichal Kovo-Hasharoni Shlomi LazarOrit Leshem Gila LustigGalia Maik-Rachline Nimrod MarilGalit Mazooz Ohad MazorYaron Mosesson Shlomo Oved


Yael Paran-Peleg Vicki PlaksYehudit Posen Dina PreiseDana Ravid Ziv RavivChanan Rubin Sagit Sela-AbramovichMaria Shatz Yoav ShaulMaya Shelly Liora ShiftanKeren Shtiegman Xiaoqing TangLilach Tencer Herschkovitz Keren YacobiZhong Yao Yuval YungKeren Ziv

Administrator

Rachel Benjamin

Immunology

Zelig Eshhar, Head The Marshaal and Renette Ezralow Professor of Chemical and Cellular Immunology

The exponential growth of research activity in the life sciences has immunology in its center:The wide range of research activities in our Department covers a spectrum of studies inimmunology ranging from fundamental aspects of antigen recognition and intracellularsignaling to intercellular communication as well as immune-cell differentiation, migration andhoming. Naturally, the progress made in resolving the basic principles underlining the mode ofoperation of the immune system is also applied to furthering the understanding of its disorderssuch as autoimmunity and allergies, as well as to the design of new immunotherapeuticmodalities to fight cancer.

Among the different interesting advances made during the recent years is the effectivecollaborations that have evolved amongst several researchers of the Department in studyingthe relationship between migration and adhesion of immune cells and their regulation duringthe functional maturation of the immune system.

The activities of the different research groups are briefly summarized below:

R. Alon's studies focus on the molecular basis and cellular mechanisms by which vascularadhesion molecules (selectins, integrins and their respective ligands) operate to tether andarrest circulating leukocytes on vascular endothelium under shear flow. The group investigatesthe crosstalk between these adhesion receptors and chemokine receptors on recruitedleukocytes, facilitating their emigration to specific tissues both in normal and pathologicalimmune processes. A new focus of the lab is the role of mechanical signals, transduced toadherent leukocytes by shear flow, in the translation of biochemical signals from vascularendothelial cells into productive transendothelial leukocyte migration.

R. Arnon studies of antigenicity and vaccine development: Synthetic peptides and syntheticvaccines; Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, its suppression by basic copolymers ofamino acids and relevance to multiple sclerosis (collaboration with M. Sela, D. Teitelbaum);Exploitation of Copolymer 1 for additional applications including inflammatory boweldiseases; Use of Cop1 in the prevention of transplant rejection (collaboration with M. Sela). Inaddition she studies site-directed drug delivery, as well as cytotoxic T-cells efficacy in cancer.

A. Ben-Nun demonstrated new primary target antigens (MOG, MOBP and OSP) in multiplesclerosis and their implications for pathogenic processes and immune-specific therapy; Hestudies multi-epitope/multi-antigen-directed, altered peptides-mediated, immune-specific

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therapy of ‘complex EAE’ associated with multiple pathogenic autoreactivities. Themechanisms of T cell modulation; T cell receptor and ligand interaction in autoimmunedisease; Non-superantigenic bacterial toxins, T cell subsets and autoimmune diseases; Effectof encephalitogenic myelin-specific T cells and demyelinating antibodies on nerve conductionin the central nervous system in vitro and mechanisms of myelin/neuronal repair by adult stemcells.

G. Berke investigated the regulation of tumor immunity emphasizing tumor escape fromimmune attack. Along this line, he has addressed the regulation of expression and function ofthe death receptor Fas and its Ligand in tumors. He studied the binding to and activation oftumor specific T lymphocytes by tetrameric MHC – peptide complexes and showed directactivation of the lymphocytes by the bound tetramers. He developed a novel procedure todetermine tumor cell susceptibility to anticancer drugs. Finally, he provided evidence thathypoxia predisposes the heart to myocardial damage induce by the death receptor Fas, afinding with implication to the mechanism of myocardial damage following myocardialinfarction.

I.R. Cohen's research activities concentrate on the following topics: Autoimmune diabetes:Pathogenesis and clinical trials; Autoimmunity to hsp60 and the development of subunitvaccines against infectious diseases; Innate receptors for hsp60; Bio-informatics: antigen chip(with Eytan Domany), modeling languages (with David Harel, Amir Pnueli), and T-cellrepertoire chip; Regulation of immune inflammation by small carbohydrate molecules (withOfer Lider) and by lipoid molecules (with Meir Shinitzky); Autoimmunity to p53 and thedevelopment of systemic lupus erythematosus (with Varda Rotter).

L. Eisenbach: tumor progression results in the emergence of highly metastatic cellsdisseminating to distal organs. We are studying the interaction between malignant cells and thecellular immune system. In particular: a) Identification and characterization of human TumorAssociated Antigen (TAA) peptides derived from differentially expressed genes. Differentiallyexpressed genes are discovered through genomic methods (DNA chips, SAGE) or molecularmethods. TAAs from breast, colon, prostate and bladder tumors are the focus of our studies b)Design of anti-tumor peptide vaccines. c) Design of anti-angiogenic vaccines d) The role ofinterferon inducible genes in tumorigenesis e) Antigen presentation in tumor Immunity. f)Brain tumors (together with Prof. I. Cohen) g) Genetically manipulated tumor cell vaccines.

Z. Eshhar pursues the Immuno-gene therapy of tumors by redirecting effector lymphocytesusing chimeric receptors and focusing on human prostate and breast carcinoma models. Theprocess of homing of the genetically engineered lymphocytes, their fate, as well as the optimalgene transfer procedure are studied and optimized.

S. Fuchs studies immunoregulation of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG)and the relation between myasthenia gravis and acetylcholine receptor (AChR); Structure,function and signal transduction of dopamine receptors and their presence in peripheral tissuesin health and disease.

Immunology 67

S. Jung studies the in vivo origin and function of cells of the myeloid lineage with a specialfocus on dendritic cells (DC). Adoptive blood monocyte transfers aim at defining the role ofthis versatile leukocyte as precursor for myeloid cells in peripheral tissues, such as the lungand the brain. The role of DC in various complex immunological processes underlying healthand disease will be investigated using mouse models that allow the conditional ablation of DC.

T. Lapidot pursues the identification of cytokines, chemokines, stromal cells, proteolyticenzymes and adhesion molecules that mediate and regulate the migration and developmentalprogram of human stem cells, both normal and leukemic, in a functional in vivo assay as wellas the applications for human gene and cancer therapy. In particular, mechanistic insights intothe pleotropic roles of the Chemokine SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are investigated .

O. Lider studies how the immune system is operating under inflammatory conditions. Heanalyses the effects of cytokines on lymphocyte migration, cell surface adhesion receptorfunction. He is evaluating the enzymatic machinery required for leukocytes migration andexamines the capacities of these enzymes to generate natural low molecular weight inhibitorsof inflammation. He also studies the anti-inflammatory capacities of small peptides, generatedin-vivo by immune-cell enzymes.

E. Mozes studies, on the cellular-functional and on the molecular levels, the mechanismsunderlying the down regulation of a) myasthenia gravis (MG) by an altered peptide ligandbased on two myasthenogenic T cell epitopes of the human acetylcholine receptor and b)systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by a peptide based on the CDR of a pathogenic anti-DNAautoantibody. The role of regulatory T cells, cytokines and chemokines, costimulatorymolecules, various pathways of apoptosis and of molecules involved in signal transduction isinvestigated.

I. Pecht investigates the process of antigen recognition by immunoreceptors and themechanism of their signaling to the cell's interior. Specifically how the coupling between thesereceptors’ stimuli and cellular responses is initiated maintained and controlled. The modelemployed is that of mast cell response by secretion of inflammatory mediators and its Fcεreceptor coupled cascade. T-cell antigen recognition is the main system where theimmunological recognition and surveillance processes are studied. In addition, the ratherdifferent problem of internal electron transfer in proteins is investigated.

Y. Reisner investigates a new approach for tolerance induction, using megadose stem-celltransplants to overcome MHC barriers in sublethally irradiated recipients; the mechanism(s) oftolerance induction by different veto cells is investigated; also human/mouse chimera are usedto study the potential use of early embryonic kidney, pancreas and liver as a new source oftransplantation.

I. Schechter investigates the regulation of stage specific genes during the life cycle ofschistosome (the parasite causing bilharzia) by alternative splicing, a mechanism thatgenerates structural diversity causing changes in gene function at different developmentalstages, as well as the function of stage-specific proteins.

68 Immunology

M. Sela collaborates with E. Mozes on mechanism of action of peptides inhibitingexperimental myasthenia gravis, with R. Arnon and D. Teitelbaum on mechanism of action ofCopolymer 1, a drug against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis,with Ruth Arnon on its use in prevention of transplant rejection and with Y. Yarden onmonoclonal antibodies to ErbB2 and their respective B cell epitopes, their roles in potentialanti-tumor strategy.

I. Shachar studies homing, maturation and function of immature B cells. In order to fullymature and to participate in the humoral response, immature B cells first migrate into specificareas in the spleen, where they mature, while their arrival to other compartments is restricted.Her research is focused on the mechanisms controlling homing of immature B cells to thespleen and the differentiation to mature B cells in this compartment.


Professors

Ruth Arnon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of service) The Paul Ehrlich Professor of Immunology

Gideon Berke, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Isaac and Elsa Bourla Professor of Cancer Research

Irun R. Cohen, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School (on extension of service)The Helen and Morris Mauerberger Professor of Immunology

Zelig Eshhar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Marshall and Renette Ezralow Professor of Chemical and Cellular Immunology

Edna Mozes, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on Extension of service)The Heinrich G. Ritzel Professor of Immunology

Israel Pecht, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Dr. Morton and Anne Kleiman Professor

Yair Reisner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Henry H. Drake Professor of Immunology

Michael Sela, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelInstitute Professor The W. Garfield Weston Professor of Immunology

Professors Emeriti

Michael Feldman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelSara Fuchs, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Nechama Haran-Ghera, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelRoald Nezlin, Ph.D., Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian FederationIsrael Schechter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

http://www.iruncohen.ws

Immunology 69


Ronen Alon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research (until November 2003)

Avraham Ben-Nun, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Professor

Lea Eisenbach, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Georg F. Duckwitz Professor of Cancer Research

Tsvee Lapidot, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelOfer Lider, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Steffen Jung, Ph.D., Universitaet zu Koeln, GermanyYigal Allon FellowIncumbent of the Pauline Recanati Career Development Chair of Immunology

Idit Shachar, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelIncumbent of the Alvin and Gertrude Levine Career Development Chair of Cancer Research


Bilha Schechter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (retired August 2003)


Rina Aharoni, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAlexander Kalinkovich, Ph.D., Pirogov Moscow Medical Institute (PMMI), Russian

Federation


Esther Bachar-Lustig, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelLiora Cahalon, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelTali Feferman, Ph.D., Macquarie University Sydney, Sydney, AustraliaSara W. Feigelson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDmitry Gakamsky, Ph.D., Institute of Physics, Minsk, BelarusOrit Kollet, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelElias Shezen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Tamar Ben-Yedidia, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelRina Falb, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~lidima/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/immunology/JungPage.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/imm/LapidotPage.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/immunology/EisenbachPage.html

70 Immunology

Orly Perl, Ph.D., South-Bank University, London, United Kingdom (left December 2003)Miriam Rozner Paas, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left February

2003)

Engineers

Arieh Licht, M.Sc., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel (retired August 2003)Esther Tzehoval, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Ricardo BlankAlexander Brill, Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, IsraelBenjamin Dekel, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel (left June 2003)Gil Egozi, Nimarech Ltd., IsraelKarmi Geller-Bernstein, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel Amiela GlobersonValentin Grabovsky, Biokine Therapatics Ltd., IsraelMarina Izak, Hospital Hasharon, Petach-Tikva, IsraelMona Kidon-Jankovich, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel (left January 2003)Felix Mor, Rabin Medical Center, Belinson Campus, Betach-Tikva, IsraelAlpha PeledDaniela Ram, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, IsraelDvora Teitelbaum

Visiting Scientists

Sonia Berrih-Aknin, Marie Lannelongue Hosp., Le Plessis Robinson, FranceMyong Sool Do, University of Handong, KoreaOle Farver, Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, DenmarkJanos GergelyDavid Hassin, Hillel Yaffe Hospital, Hadera, IsraelEystein S. Husebye, University of Bergen, NorwaySteffen Jung, Yeshiva University Medical School, NY, U.S.A.Shaoling Ma, Henan Med. College, PR ChinaYotvat Marmor, Beilinson Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, IsraelShirly Oren, Ichilov Medical Ctr., Tel Aviv, IsraelSvetlana Porozov, Shaare Zedek Med. Ctr., Jerusalem, IsraelTatiana Rabin, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, IsraelMarc Rothenberg, University of Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A.Shmuel Schwartzenberg, Ichilov Medical Ctr., Tel Aviv, IsraelMiriam Souroujon, Open University, Tel Aviv, IsraelKai-Yun Zhu, Central South University , Changsha, PR China

Immunology 71


Revital Aricha (Geffen), Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelAbraham Avigdor, M.D., Ben-Gurion University, IsraelAruna Venkataratnam Badiga, Ph.D., Bharathidasan University, IndiaBenjamin Dekel, Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelOren Dwir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelPolina Goichberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYechiel Goldman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelRinat Goren, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelHilit Gur, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelIris Hecht, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelHagit Hoch-Marchaim, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelBasak Kayhan, Ph.D., Gazi University, TurkeyArkady-Avi Kotlyar, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelQibin Leng, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelJianping Liu, M.D., Hunan Medical University, ChinaDror Luger, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelPrasanta Kumar Maiti, Ph.D., Devi Ahilya University, IndiaGabriel Nussbaum, Ph.D.,M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USAOrly Perl, Ph.D., South Bank University, United KingdomSvetlana Porozov, Ph.D., Saratov State Medical University, RussiaFrancisco Javier Quintana, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelShlomit Reich-Zeliger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMiri Rozner-Paas, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDavid Stepensky, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelSigal Tavor, M.D., Sourasky University Hospital, IsraelNingshan Wang, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelBing Xu, Ph.D., China Guangzhou First Medical University, ChinaRina Zilkha-Falb, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Research Students

Jakub Abramson Lilach AgemyHila Amir-Kroll Fabian ArdittiGalit Arie Shraga AvinerEfrat Avraham Erez Bar HaimEmilia-Alina Barbu Shirly Becker- HermanHava Ben David Turgeman Alain BendavidTal Birnberg Guy CinamonIdo Cohen Michal CohenVered Daniel Ayelet DarBenjamin Dekel Smadar Even-Tov FriedmanLiat Flaishon Quintana Francisco JavierLilach Friedman Ofir Goldberger

72 Immunology

Hilit Gur Gili HartIris Hecht Tal IlaniJoy Kahn Helena KatchmanNathali Kaushansky Itai KelaLimor Landsman Sung Hyung LeeAriel B. Lindner Arthur MachlenkinVictoria Malina Oren MilsteinAvishai Mimran Dinorah MorvinskiNathalie Moyal - Amsellem Naama PeshesIsabelle Petit Jehonathan Haim PinthusTatyana Ponomariyov Shlomit Reich ZeligerAsya Rolls Cintia RoodveldtTomas Guido Rozenblum Sarit SamiraUri Sela Revital ShamriAmir Sharabi Shoham ShivtielIlya Sotnikov Asaf SpiegelDiana Starlets David SteinerIlan Volovitz Alexandra Zanin-ZhorovMing-Chao Zhong

Administrator

Nira Toledano (until August 2003)Pnina Carmi (from September 2003)

Molecular Cell Biology

Benjamin Geiger, Head (until October 2003)The Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

Varda Rotter, Head (from November 2003)The Norman and Helen Asher Professor of Cancer Rsearch

The molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying cell proliferation, differentiation,dynamics, and death, and their involvement in embryonic development and cancer are theprimary topics of interest of the Department. These include studies on the mode of action ofgrowth factors and the nature of signals triggered by them in target cells. Growth regulation isalso approached through the study of either tumor suppressors, such as p53, which inhibit cellproliferation and can drive cells towards differentiation or apoptosis or the characterization ofgrowth-activating genes and signaling networks. These studies also address the basis forcancerous transformation either due to deregulated growth or to failure to undergo apoptosis.Advanced gene screening techniques and the study of genetically modified experimentalanimals are used to identify and characterize specific genes which are involved in normal andmalignant growth. In addition, there is broad interest in the molecular mechanisms of celladhesion and motility and in their involvement in the regulation of cellular and embryonicmorphogenesis as well as in the spread of tumor metastases. These studies includecharacterization of the mechanism of adhesive interaction, the role of sugars in adhesiveprocesses, cell-cell interactions in the nervous system, the binding of surface-associatedadhesion molecules to the cytoskeleton and the involvement of cytoskeleton-bound adhesionsin cell motility and signaling. Recently, we have also addressed questions in developmentusing the zebrafish as vertebrate model organism for the study of the dopaminergic (DA)neural specification. Adaptation of this experimental model is expected to open new directionin development at large. The scope of topics is outlined below.

1. The regulation of cell growth and death

Cell proliferation and programmed cell death is studied by several research groups in thedepartment.

The laboratory of Doron Ginsberg is studying the E2F family of transcription factors,focusing on their role in controlling cell proliferation and viability. They have shown thatE2F regulates the expression of genes required for a number of distinct biologicalprocesses including cell cycle progression, programmed cell death (apoptosis) and thecellular responses to DNA damage. The regulation of some of these novel E2F target

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genes is currently characterized. In addition, the role of E2F in apoptosis and theresponses to DNA damage is being further studied.

Complexes containing E2F and RB, the product of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressorgene, function in repression of gene expression. Doron Ginsberg's group showed thatthese E2F/RB complexes mediate growth arrest and repression of critical mitoticregulators in response to DNA damage. The group of Doron Ginsberg is also studying the effects of oncogenes and tumorsuppressors on the RB/E2F pathway focusing on the effects of p53 and activated Ras onE2F activity. They found that activated Ras induces an increase in E2F-1 mRNA andprotein levels and the induced E2F-1 is transcriptionally active. These data indicate thatone of the molecular mechanisms underlying the collaboration between Ras and E2Finvolves a Ras-induced elevation of E2F-1 levels.

The group of Moshe Oren is studying the role of the p53 tumor suppressor protein in theregulation of growth inhibition and cell death induced by genome damage and byoncogenic stimuli. They have shown that p53 can mediate cell death by transactivatingthe transcription of target genes, as well as by transactivation-independent mechanisms.In some cases, the death process involves p53-dependent cleavage of the pRB tumorsuppressor and of the Akt kinase protein by a caspase protease.

David Givol's group is using DNA microarrays to analyze global gene expression inexperimental systems related to p53, cancer and stem cells. They analyzed several celllines with inducible p53 to understand its function as a transcription factor. They showeda distinction between direct and secondary targets of p53. They analyzed differencesbetween cell lines that do, or do not undergo p53-dependent apoptosis. This alloweddetection of Apaf-1 as a direct target of p53. Apaf-1 is central to the apoptosis process bycomplexing with cytochrome C and Caspas-9 to form the apoptosome which activatescaspases. They showed that p53 may cooperate with Zac-1 in transactivation of Apaf-1.They also analyzed the transcription profile of the inhibition of p53-driven apoptosis byIL-6 and other factors. In this study they could demonstrate that the transcription activityof p53 is not impaired significantly by IL-6 and the inhibition of apoptosis is due to IL-6activated genes which somehow inhibit apoptotic activity downstream, in-spite ofinduced expression of the p53 apoptotic pathway (collaboration). The p53 homologuegene p73, is known to activate p53 target genes but nevertheless is not involved in tumorsuppression as p53. Rather its importance is in brain developmental processes. Theycompared the transcription profile of induced p73 with that of induced p53, and wereable to show that p73 and p53 activate both common and distinct genes. The distinct p73activated genes are being explored for their importance in development. They wereshown to be direct targets of p73 by chromatin immunoprecipitation (collaboration).

Recently they analyzed the effect of UV irradiation on keratinocytes as a model fordevelopment of skin cancer. The results show several aspects of DNA damage, DNArepair and apoptosis as important steps in skin cancer formation. They are using nowgene expression profile to compare stem cells from different sources for common anddistinct genes between human ES cells, bone marrow and skin stem cells. It is assumed

Molecular Cell Biology 75

that the genes which are common to stem cells from various origins are important fortheir stemness properties.

Apoptosis in the mammalian ovary is studied by the group of Abraham Amsterdam,with a special emphasis on the selection of the dominant follicle and regression of thecorpus luteum. The investigation is focused on the complex crosstalk betweenhormones, growth factors, the extracellular matrix, oncogenes, survival genes and tumorsuppressor genes which determine cell fate. The lab explores the role of cell-cellcontacts, intracellular communication and organization and expression of thecytoskeleton, both during differentiation and apoptosis of granulosa cells, whichcomprise the main bulk of the ovarian follicle. Most recently Amsterdam's group isinvestigating the modulation of gene expression in these ovarian follicular cellsstimulated by gonadotropins, the major regulants of folliculogenesis, in order to identifynovel genes involved in the control of reproduction. They found that expression of anovel apoptotic repressor (ARC) which could protect mitochondrial destruction iselevated following gonadotropin stimulation and that granzyme like proteins, normallyreside in T cytotoxic lymphocyte and natural killer cells, are expressed and activated ingranulosa cells. Thus the apoptotic signals could bypass mitochondrial signalling forapoptosis, which can preserve their steroidogenic activity until complete celldestruction.

Another project of the Amsterdam's group is investigating novel markers for earlydiagnosis of ovarian cancer, and creating in vitro and in vivo models for ovarian cancerby injection of the cancer cells into the ovary. Two major aspects are investigated: a)Combined chemotherapy such as cisplatin and theophylin which were found tosynergize in inducing apoptosis in the cancer cells, reducing the side effects ofchemotherapy. b) The suppressive effect of short polypeptides, corresponding to sites onlaminin α and β chains, on tumor development and metastasis. This tumor regressioninvolves down regulation of the oncogene mdm2 and the survival gene BCL2. c) Mostrecently they found using DNA microarrays that gonadotropic hormones elevatedramatically the expression of tyrosine kinase growth factors and their receptors, elevatethe activity of specific oncogenes and tumor markers and attenuate the expression oftumor suppressor genes. Thus excess of gonadotropin in the circulation in menopausalwomen and fertile women in the case of treatment with exogeneous gonadotropins tostimulate their cycle and the ovulatory process (IVF patients), may elevate the risk forovarian, breast and other types of cancers.

Mesenchymal stromal cells in the bone marrow regulate hemopoietic stem cell renewal,adhesion, migration, differentiation and death. The group of Dov Zipori is studyingthese processes using in vivo and in vitro models with the aim of delineating the role ofmembers of the transforming growth factor (TGF)β superfamily in the regulation ofhematopoiesis. One such member, activin A, was found to be a negative regulator of Blymphocyte generation. The mode by which activin A affects its target cells involvedantagonism with interleukin (IL)-6. Since multiple myeloma cells strictly depend fortheir survival, IL-6 signaling, it was anticipated that activin A could be a useful means tocombat this incurable human disease. Studies performed by Dov Zipori, in collaboration


with Nehama Haran-Ghera, from the Department of Immunology, indicate thatmesenchymal cells, genetically modified to overexpress activin A, may be used as atherapeutic modality for multiple myeloma, in an animal models system. Theseexperiments overcame the complications of systemic administration of activin A.

Since little is known on molecules specific to the mesenchyme that mediate stromal cellfunctions, the research group of Dov Zipori in now involved in a gene discovery effortaimed at identifying novel proteins that account for the biological activities ofmesenchymal cells. An unexpected finding related to this gene discovery effort was thatthe T cell receptor (TCR) complex, expected to be expressed by T lymphocytes only, isfound in mesenchymal cells: primary mesenchyme, as well as mesenchymal cell clones,express T cell receptor (TCR)αβ mRNAs, lacking the variable region. Immunologicaland genetic evidence support the expression of a corresponding TCRβ protein.Additionally, mRNAs encoding TCR complex components including CD3 and ζ chainare present. The level of expression of the mesenchymal TCR, by mesenchymal cellclones, correlated with growth properties and tendency to form tumors, implyingassociation of mesenchymal TCR with cell growth control. This unexpected geneexpression pattern seems to be part of a general phenomenon related to stem cellplasticity: Stem cells express a large number of genes, at a low level, and are thus in a“stand by” state, ready to assume differentiation to many directions, without the need toactivate silenced genes.

2. The genetic basis for cancer

p53, the tumor suppressor gene that functions as the "guardian of the genome" plays apivotal role in "sensing" damaged DNA and in regulating critical decisions of whether acell should repair the damaged DNA or undergo apoptosis. Mutant p53 has lost theseactivities and thus permits the proliferation of cells which carry damaged DNA,eventually leading to their malignant transformation into cancerous cells. The research inVarda Rotter's laboratory focuses on two main issues: the deciphering of the functionof wild type p53 in the normal cell, and the understanding of how mutant p53 acts intumor cells. The combined results obtained from these two complementary researchdirections shed light on the basic mechanism of malignant transformation and suggestspossible new approaches for cancer therapy that involve p53-dependent genereplacement. It is well possible that in addition of p53 being associated with the initialsteps of recognizing damaged DNA; p53 also takes part in the DNA repair process itself.It appears that following genotoxic stress p53 functions as a modulator that determinesthe pattern of BER activity and apoptosis in a cell cycle specific manner. Interestingly,involvement of p53 in BER is independent of the transcriptional activity of the p53molecule. A relationship between p53 and the maintenance of genomic integrity is alsosuggested by the physical interaction between p53 and the Werner (WRN) helicase.Mutations in WRN are responsible for the Werner syndrome, a human disorderresembling premature aging. It is believed that WRN prevents premature aging byreducing the incidence of certain types of genomic damage.

The groups of Oren and Rotter are also studying the effect of p53 mutations on the


cellular response to chemotherapy. They have shown that particular human cancer-associated p53 mutations give rise to a protein that can inhibit the killing of tumor cellsby certain anti-cancer drugs. The group of Varda Rotter have shown that the ability ofmutant p53 to block apoptosis is dependent on its transcriptional activity. A core domainmutant p53 (143 Val to Ala) in which two N-terminal residues (22,23) essential fortransactivation were also mutated (Leu to Glu and Trp to Ser, respectively), wasexamined. While p53 containing the core mutation only, efficiently interfered with drug-induced apoptosis, further modification at the N-terminus abolished this blockingactivity. In addition, wild-type p53, mutated in the N-terminus (22,23), was unable toinduce apoptosis by itself. Nevertheless, it synergized with drugs in the induction ofapoptosis. This suggests that the integrity of the N-terminus is essential for both theactivity of wild-type p53 in apoptosis and for mutant p53 mediated block of drug-induced apoptosis. Thus supporting the notion that core p53 mutants act via amechanism of "gain of function". A related direction of studies is the mechanism ofcancer promotion by the mdm2 oncogene. Oren's group have found that mdm2 canblock p53-mediated apoptosis, and thereby prevent cancer cells from being killed.

Eli Canaani's laboratory is studying the molecular basis for human infant acuteleukemia. This neoplasm is triggered by a series of chromosome translocations resultingin the fusion of the ALL-1 gene to each of a variety of partner genes. One of the majorprojects was the application of DNA microarrays technology to identify targets for theleukemogenic ALL-1 fusion proteins. Such Analysis was recently completed, showingthat acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and myeloblastic (AML) leukemias with ALL-1rearrangements have unique transcription profiles involving genes associated withcancer. Moreover, in collaboration with Eitan Domany's group, application of statisticalmethodologies enabled subclassification of these leukemias into groups with distinctexpression patterns. In a second major project we have recently shown that the normalALL-1 protein is a histone methyltransferase and assembles a very large multiproteincomplex of around 30 proteins. Most of these proteins are components of knowncomplexes involved in chromatin alterations, transcription inhibition, or RNAprocessing. The assembled complex is subsequently recruited to promoters of targetgenes.

The research in Avri Ben-Ze'ev's group focuses on the integration between signaling bycell-cell adhesion and the regulation of gene expression. They study molecules of thearamadillo family of proteins, in particular β-catenin, since this unique molecule has adual role in the cell. On the one hand, it is a pivotal component of cell-cell adhesionslinking transmembrane adhesion receptors of the cadherin family to the cytoskeleton. Inaddition, β-catenin is a major component of the Wnt signaling pathway that regulatesdevelopmental processes, and its aberrant activation is common in colorectal cancer,melanoma, breast cancer and a variety of other cancers. The oncogenic activity of β-catenin is believed to result from constitutive activation of its target genes thus leadingto overt cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Consistent with this view, the Ben-Ze'evlab found that a key regulator of the proliferative stage in the cell cycle, cyclin D1, is atarget gene of the β-catenin signaling pathway and its expression is enhanced in coloncancer cells. Another effort of the Ben-Ze'ev lab is directed towards identifying novel


target genes (by DNA microarrays) of the β-catenin pathway that might be involved inits oncogenic activity. Recent studies have identified several such genes, among themNr-CAM, a cell adhesion receptor that was previously described only in the brain. TheBen-Ze'ev lab found that Nr-CAM is expressed in human melanoma at an advancedstage, but not in melanocytes and is also prevalent in human colorectal cancer tissue, butnot normal colon tissue. Expression of Nr-CAM in normal fibroblasts could confertumorigenesis and enhanced motility, and thus appears to be a key component in tumordevelopment that involves aberrant β-catenin activation. Since deregulated β-cateninsignaling and mutations in the major tumor suppressor p53, are often associated withcolon cancer, in collaboration with Moshe Oren and Benjamin Geiger, the Ben-Ze'evlab is addressing the cross talk between the β-catenin and p53 signaling pathways. Thesestudies have shown that deregulated β-catenin induces the accumulation of activatedp53, and activated p53 can downregulate the expression of β-catenin. The DNAmicroarray studies have also shown that -β−catenin induces the expression of PML, amajor component of nuclear bodies and a tumor suppressor that is mutated in 95% ofpromyelocytic leukemia patients. The expression of PML, similar to that of β-catenin,could elicit a tumor suppressive effect in certain human tumor cells. This apparentlyresults from the cooperation between PML, β-catenin and p300 in the activation ofgrowth suppressive genes. The molecular mechanisms that determine the conditionsunder which such tumor suppressive effects are induced by aberrant β-catenin activation,and the cross talk between the oncogenic and tumor suppressive responses elicited by β-catenin, are currently investigated.

3. Quantitative analysis of cell structure and dynamics

The cytoskeleton is anchored in the cell membrane at multiple sites, especially in regionsof cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions via a battery of transmembrane receptors andcytoplasmic cytoskeletal proteins. To characterize the molecular interactions andcomplexity in these regions, Zvi Kam and Benjamin Geiger have developed andapplied digital microscopic approaches, which provide quantitative information aboutthe distribution and dynamics of different adhesion- and cytoskeleton-associatedmolecules and characterized their inter-relationships. These studies indicated thatadhesion sites are highly diversified at the molecular level, with respect to theircomposition, dynamics and signaling capabilities. Using different approached for imagesegmentation and clustering they have been able to define new molecular sub-domainswithin cell-matrix adhesions, involved in the extension of adhesions or in their turn-over,and determine their specific roles in such processes as cell motility and assembly of thecytoskeleton. Zvi Kam had further developed novel tools for multidimensionalmicroscopy that enables to simultaneously detect and analyze spatial and temporalchanges in the 3-dimensional distribution of multiple molecules in cells and embryos.An automated version of such microscope is currently used for a genome-wide screeningfor genes encoding new components of adhesion sites or new modulators of cell motility.

4. Control of gene expression

The group of Moshe Oren is studying the regulation of p53 protein stability, which is


the major mechanism responsible for the in vivo modulation of p53 function. Theyfound that the proteolytic degradation of p53, which occurs through the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway, is largely controlled by the Mdm2 protein (product of the mdm2oncogene). The ability of Mdm2 to promote p53 degradation is controlled byphosphorylation events occurring on both p53 and Mdm2. Moreover, the activation ofp53 by β-catenin is mediated by another important tumor suppressor protein, known asARF.

Gad Yagil is using computer analysis of DNA sequences in prokaryotic and eukaryoticgenomes. Special binary DNA sequences are found to be highly over-represented in therecently completed chromosomes 21 and 22 of the human genome as well as in mostsequenced genomes. A role as DNA unwinding centers controlling gene expression ratesis proposed. A formal approach to biocomplexity has been formulated and applied to theanalysis of biopattern specification.

The laboratory of Uri Alon uses a combined experimental and theoretical approach toreverse-engineer genetic regulation circuits. Using the bacterium Escherichia coli as amodel system, they have developed GFP-based methods for assaying gene expression ona genomic scale. The aim is to develop the concepts and algorithms needed to map theregulation circuitry of an entire cell in terms of modular multi-gene systems andsubsystems and their interactions. The circuit diagrams are then tested experimentallyusing bacterial genetic methods. Current projects also aim at experimentally andtheoretically mapping protein circuitry in mammalian cells, using a novel proteomicsliving-cell array.

In order to understand the building blocks of complex networks, work in the Alon labdefined 'network motifs': these are patterns of connections that occur many timesthroughout the network, at numbers that are significantly higher than in suitablyrandomized 'control' networks. It was found that the transcription network of E. coli isbuilt of three types of network motifs. Each motif was found to have a unique role ininformation processing, such as filtering fluctuations in external stimuli or generatingtemporal expression patterns. The same motifs were then found in the transcriptionnetwork of yeast, as well as in higher organisms. Much of the experimental work in thelab is focused on understanding the function of the network motifs using accurate kineticgene expression measurements and theoretical models. Intriguingly, network motifs arealso found in other biological networks, such as the neuron synaptic connection networkof C. elegans. Similar motifs in transcription and neuronal networks may reflect similardesign aimed at information processing between sensory and motor components.

5. Transmembrane signaling by cytokines and growth factors

Yehiel Zick's group investigates insulin resistance Failure of target cells to respond toinsulin, a state known as insulin-resistance, is a major cause for pathologicalmanifestations associated with diabetes- an ever-increasing "epidemic of the 21stcentury". Yehiel Zick's group investigates the role of Ser/Thr phosphorylation as amolecular basis of insulin resistance. These studies revealed that agents that induce


insulin resistance such as TNFα, exploit phosphorylation-based negative feedbackcontrol mechanisms, otherwise utilized by insulin itself, to uncouple the insulin receptor(IR) from downstream effector proteins such as the IRS proteins, and thereby terminateinsulin signal transduction. These studies implicate PKCζ and its downstream targetsIKKβ as potential IRS kinases. These results may lead to potential pharmacologicalinterventions in disease states where this mechanism can be the underlying cause ofinsulin resistance, such as the prevalent form of obesity-induced diabetes.

To study the temporal and spatial communication of IRK with downstream effectors,attempts were made to identify novel elements involved in regulating IR trafficking. Itwas found that IR endocytosis occurs independent of phosphorylation of the IRSproteins, however, actin, ECM molecules, and annexin-II are key candidate players inregulating insulin receptor trafficking.

Galectin-8 A second aspect of Zick's group work involves studies of galectins, with aspecial emphasis on galectin-8, a secreted, surface-expressed mammalian lectin clonedby this group. The studies revealed that immobilized galectin-8 promotes cell adhesion,spreading, and migration, by forming protein-sugar complexes with integrins. Adhesionto galectin-8 triggers integrin-mediated signaling cascades including Tyrphosphorylation of FAK, Paxillin and P130cas; and activation of a Rho-family GTPases,MAPK and PI3K cascades. In contrast, soluble galectin-8 forms complexes withintegrins and fibronectin that negatively regulate cell adhesion. Such a mechanismallows local signals emitted by secreted galectin-8 to specify territories available for celladhesion and migration. Due to its dual effects on the adhesive properties of the cells andits association with fibronectin, galectin-8 might be considered as a novel type of amatricellular protein.

Secreted Galectin-8 induces the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors(CDKIs) p21 and p27 and negatively regulates cellular growth. Studies in progress areaimed at identifying the cell surface receptor that mediates the growth-inhibitory effectsof soluble galectin-8.

6. Cell adhesion and adhesion-dependent signaling

Several groups in the department investigate the structure, dynamics and signalingproperties of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions. In Benjamin Geiger's laboratory, themolecular mechanisms underlying the assembly of adhesion sites and their role in theorganization of the cytoskeleton are investigated. The Group is specifically studying theinvolvement, in adhesive interactions, of tyrosine phosphorylation events, mechanicalperturbation, cellular contractility and migration as well as the adhesion-dependentactivation of diverse signaling and oncogenic pathways. Together with Lia Addadi(Structural Biology) the Geiger group addresses the earliest stages in adhesive surfacerecognition. They demonstrated that adhesion consists of a fast and apparently directstep of surface recognition, mediated by hyaluronan, followed by more stableinteractions, mediated via transmembrane receptors of the integrin family. The assemblyof integrin-mediated adhesion during cell migration was shown to involve the sequential


recruitment of several adhesion-associated proteins, followed by cytoskeletalinteractions, induces by local contractile activity. Using micro- and nano-patternedadhesive surfaces the nature of local and global factors regulating the adhesiveinteractions is investigated. The roles of specific molecular constituents of matrixadhesions, as well as of local tyrosine phosphorylation of adhesion sites are studies usingspecific knock-out and RNA-inactivated cells, as well as the application of inhibitors todifferent signaling pathways. Cell adhesion is also studied in unique cellular systems,where cell-matrix or cell-cell adhesion have a particularly important physiological role,such as migrating endothelial cells, bone-resorbing osteoclasts, cadherin-associated cellsand the various cellular components of the outflow pathway in the eye, whose mal-function is involved in the development of glaucoma.

The group of Alexander Bershadsky is studying interplay between cell signaling, celladhesion, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Formation of integrin-mediated cell-matrixadhesions (focal adhesions) depends on coordinated activity of the cytoskeletal systemsthat is in turn regulated by small G-proteins of Rho family. Studies of Bershadsky groupshowed that a formin homology protein mDia1, a major target of Rho A, isindispensable for the focal adhesion formation, and at the same time strongly affectsmicrotubule dynamics. These results shed a new light on the mechanisms of cross talkbetween microtubules and focal adhesions. Studying the interrelationship between cell-cell adhesions formation and cell motility revealed that a cytoplasmic partner ofadhesion receptor cadherin known as p120 catenin (p120ctn) can control cell motility byactivating Rho family G-proteins, Rac and Cdc42, which in turn activate actinpolymerization, lamellipodia and filopodia formation and cell migration. p120ctn wasshown to localize to the dynamic actin arrays assembled in lamellipodia and associatedwith motile endocytotic vesicles. Overexpression of p120ctn led to increase in thevelocity of these vesicles, while reduction of p120ctn level by corresponding RNAi -diminished the vesicle velocity. Moreover, correlation was found between p120ctn leveland the cell migration activity. Thus, p120ctn may function as a link between cell-celljunction formation and cell motility regulation.

Yehiel Zick's group has shown that galectin-8, a secreted mammalian lectin, inhibitsadhesion of human carcinoma 1299 cells to plates coated with integrin ligands, andinduces apoptosis. Affinity chromatography over immobilized galectin-8 revealed that amajor galectin-8 binding-protein is α3β1 integrin. Furthermore, endogenous galectin-8,secreted from 1299 cells, forms complexes with α3β1 integrin. These findings suggestthat galectin-8 is a novel matricellular integrin binding-protein that modulatesinteractions of integrins with the extracellular matrix and thus regulates cell adhesionand cell survival.

The laboratory of Elior Peles focuses on several molecular aspects of myelinated axons,myelinating glial cells, and neuron-glia communication. The reciprocal interactionsbetween neurons and glial cells are crucial for many aspects of neuronal development.These interactions modulate fundamental processes that are required for the correctwiring of nerve cells and are involved in the coordinated differentiation of axons andmyelin-forming cells. This lab is studying the molecular mechanisms involved in the


development and maintenance of myelinated nerves. They study neuron-glia interactionsthat are mediated by the Caspr proteins, a family of novel cell recognition molecules,which link axons to their myelinated glial cells. These studies include characterization ofthe role of the different Caspr proteins during development using microscopiclocalization, identification of the molecular targets of these proteins that couple them tothe axonal cytoskeleton, development of transgenic and knock-out animal models andthe use of C. elegans as a genetic model to study the role of two Caspr-like proteins incell-cell interactions.

7. Molecular genetics of human diseases

Analysis of the structure, evolution and function of products of the dystrophin gene,which is defective in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is carried out by the groupof Uri Nudel and David Yaffe. Gene inactivation techniques are used to study thefunction of Dp71, the major non-muscle product of the DMD gene, and its possibleinvolvement in development and learning capacity. Cloning and analysis of thehomologous genes from sea urchin and drosophila have important implications withregard to the evolution of the DMD gene family and function of the DMD gene products.Additional studies are directed towards the prenatal diagnosis of DMD on the basis ofdystrophin expression in amniotic fluid and chorionic villi cells, and a project related tomuscle stem cells, the stability of the differentiated state and trans differentiation. Thepossible application of some of the findings for DMD gene therapy is being investigated.

In the laboratory of David Givol, a mouse model for achondroplasia was generated byintroducing the human mutation (glycine 380 to arginine) into the mouse FGFR3 by a"knock-in" approach using gene targeting. This resulted in dwarf mice that share manyfeatures with human dwarfism. David Givol's group found that the FGFR3 locus issensitive to the presence of neomycin selection marker (Neo) after gene targeting. Neocaused improper RNA expression and functional inactivation of the gene. Micehomozygous with targeted FGFR3 behaved like FGFR3 knockout phenotype with boneovergrowth due to the lack of properly spliced RNA. This bone overgrowth can beinhibited by constitutively active MEK1 indicating that regulation of bone growth byFGFR3 is mediated by the MAPK pathway. Removal of Neo by Cre/lox recombinationresulted in regain of FGFR3 mutant function and dwarfism.

Since the dwarf mice demonstrated a poor fertility, the function of the endocrine systemswas analyzed by Abraham Amsterdam and David Givol in collaborative efforts, bothin females and in males. Pituitary size was dramatically reduced in both sexes andsecretion of luteinization hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) wasclearly attenuated. The development of seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells wasinpaired in male, while follicular development was attenuated in the female, but theoocytes could resume their meiotic division in vitro. The incidence of apoptosis in thesomatic gonadal cells was clearly elevated in both sexes. Intracellular levels of p53 weredramatically elevated in the gonads, brain and other organs and tissues whereas theintracellular levels of mdm2 remained low. All dwarf animals suffered from


hypoglycemia. These finding suggest a functional connection between mutation of theFGF3R and induction of endocrine malfunction.

8. Mechanism of cellular patterning and specification

The group of Gil Levkowitz is utilizing zebrafish as vertebrate model organism fordopaminergic (DA) neural specification. These neurons are implicated in severalneurological-psychiatric illnesses and are specifically lost in Parkinson's disease. Thegroup is taking advantage of the amenability of zebrafish to genetic manipulations toidentify molecules that instruct immature DA neurons to survive and communicate withspecific brain areas. Recently, Gil Levkowitz and co-workers have undertaken a geneticapproach, that resulted in the molecular characterization of a zebrafish mutant, denotedtoo few (tof), in which the number of DA neurons is significantly reduced. tof’s DAdeficiency was due to a recessive mutation in the gene encoding for the Fezl zinc finger(ZF)- containing protein. tof/fezl was identified as an essential component in a novelpathway controlling the development of monoaminergic (dopaminergic andserotonergic) neurons in vertebrates. Currently, the Levkowitz group is attempting toidentify the molecular mechanism that underlie the too few/fezl gene. The group is alsoundertaking forward and reverse genetics approaches to identify additionalphysiological signals and tissue interactions that control fate decisions, migration,survival and target innervations of DA neurons.

Research Staff, Visitors and Students Professors

Abraham Amsterdam, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Joyce and Ben B. Eisenberg Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Cancer Research

Avri Ben-Ze'ev, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Samuel Lunenfeld-Reuben Kunin Professor of Genetics

Eli Canaani, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United StatesThe Harry Kay Professor of Cancer Research

Benjamin Geiger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Professor Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

Moshe Oren, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelVarda Rotter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Norman and Helen Asher Professor of Cancer Rsearch

Professors Emeriti

David Givol, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelDavid Yaffe, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/ligivol/index.html



Alexander D. Bershadsky, Ph.D., Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Joseph Moss Professor of Molecular Endocrinology

Zvi Kam, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelThe Israel Pollak Professor of Biophysics

Uri Nudel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Elias Sourasky Professor

Elior Peles, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Madeleine Haas Russell Career Development Chair (until November 2003)

Yehiel Zick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Marte R. Gomez Professor of Photosynthesis

Dov Zipori, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Joe and Celia Weinstein Professor

Senior Scientists

Uri Alon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMinerva Junior Research Group on Biological ComputationIncumbent of the Carl and Frances Korn Career Development Chair in the Life Sciences

Doron Ginsberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Recanati Career Development Chair of Cancer Research

Gil Levkowitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Janna Blechman, Ph.D., Moscow University, Moscow, Russian FederationTatiana A. Rozovskaia, Ph.D., Institute of Molecular Biology, USSR Academy of Sciences,

Moscow, Russian Federation


Dan Michael (Michalovitz), Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Engineer

Gila Tzur, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehotov, Israel (retired March 2003)

Consultants

Shmuel Evron, Wolfson Hospital, Holon, Israel (left March 2003)Janny Frankel, Assaf Harofeh Hospital, Tzrifin, Israel (left September 2003)Liat Nadar, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left May 2003)Shoshana Peller, Assaf Harofeh Hospital, Tzrifin, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/mcb/UriAlon


Visiting Scientists

Ido Ben-AmiOrit Blau, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Zrifin, IsraelAmir Cooper, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Zrifin, IsraelShai Efrati, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Zrifin, IsraelNahum Halperin, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Zrifin, IsraelJun-Yi Luo, Shandong Ctr. Of Disease Contol, PR ChinaEli Rimon, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, IsraelEinat Sadot, Vulcani Center, Beit Dagan, IsraelInbal Samuk, Assaf Harofe Hospital, Zrifin, IsraelMordechai Segal


Anat Bren, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelLetizia Carramusa, Ph.D., University of Palermo, ItalyMarie Chaussepied, Ph.D., Universite Denis Diderot, FranceJacob (Kobi) Cohen, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelYehudit Cohen, Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYossi Cohen, M.D., Hadasa Jerusalem College, IsraelYaron Daniely, Ph.D., New York University, USAAyelet David, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelJean-Eudes Dazard, Ph.D., University of Montpellier I, FranceErez Dekel, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelLeora Gollan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelChristoph Graf von Ballestrem, Ph.D., University of Geneva, SwitzerlandLior Greenbaum, Bar-Ilan University, IsraelJoachim Kirchner, Ph.D., Munich University, GermanyIrina Lavelin, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelElina Levina, Ph.D., Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, RussiaYifat Levy, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelTalia Marcus-Yarnitzky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAvraham Mayo, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelYael Paran, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelIsabelle Petit Fridman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelNina Raver-Shapira, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelGalit Rozenfeld-Granot, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelRavid Sasson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMaya Shelly, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelGalit Shenhar, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelGalit Tsabary, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelXinjiang Wang, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelEli Zamir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelJakob Zhurinsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel


Research Students

Suha Abu-Amara-Naffar Konstantin AdamskyKatya Arnold Jair BarEli Berkovich Shlomit BoguslavskySigalit Boura-Halfon Miriam CohenMaralice Elaine Conacci-Sorrell Neta ErezNoam Erez Konstantin FinebergNancy Gavert Leora GollanInna Grosheva Avia HerschkovitzTzippi Hershko Navit HeverIdo Horresh Irina IssaevaShalev Itzkovitz Shiraz KalirSmadar Lapter Ayelet LaronneYifat Levy Yanfang LiuChen Luxeenberg Shmuel ManganDevorah Matas Ron MiloMichael Milyavsky Neri MinskyVered Morad Yaara OfirReshmi Parameswaran Shirley PolagerSebastian Poliak Nitzan RosenfeldRavid Sasson Nir ShaniIgor Shats Ohad ShifmanAyelet Shmueli Alexander SigalIvo Spiegel Perry StambolskyXiaohu Tang Liat Topper HaklaiXinjiang Wang Lilach WeiszRonen Zaidel-Bar Amir ZalcensteinAlon Zaslaver Jakob ZhurinskyBaruch Zimerman Irit Zurer

Administrator

Nira Toledano (until August 2003)Pnina Carmi (from September 2003)

Neurobiology

Zvi Vogel, Head The Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

Research in Neuroscience in the Department of Neurobiology encompasses a wide variety ofsubjects, in areas including cellular and molecular biology, neuroanatomy, brain imaging(including functional magnetic resonance imaging; fMRI), physiology, pharmacology,psychophysics, and computational sciences. Nearly 20 groups of researchers carry out bothindependent studies and collaborative research with colleagues from within the Departmentand outside it.

The research of the various groups of the Department covers many topics, including:

• Analysis of the molecular and cellular basis of neuronal cell activity and synapticfunction. Imaging of neuronal activity underlying higher brain functions.

• Tracing and characterization of neuronal communication profiles.

• Characterization of the nervous system response to trauma and lesion; developingmolecular and cellular therapeutic agents.

• Determination of the underlying processes and mechanisms of vision, perception,learning, and memory in behaving rodents and primates.

• Computer modeling of brain function.

In the Neurobiology Department, the structure, function, development, and plasticity of thenervous system are studied at various levels of analysis, using different types of cell andexperimental animal models. The groups studying neuronal function at the molecular andcellular levels use mostly in vitro systems, ranging from non-neuronal and neuronal cell linesto primary neuronal and glial cells of cerebellar, hippocampal, and cortical origin. In manycases, the cells studied are transfected with genes of interest. These cell systems allow thestudy of the roles of various components of the nervous system, including cell surfacemembrane components, specific enzymes, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, growthfactors, neuroreceptors, lipid components, ionic channels, and cytoskeletal constituents.Algorithms for synaptic plasticity between neurons, and the role of ion channels in synapticinput and information processing, are also being studied. Injury models of nerve lesion andoxidative stress paradigms are applied to examine the principles of neural regeneration, rescuefrom ischemia and stroke, and apoptotic cell death and senescence.

87

88 Neurobiology

The groups studying the CNS at the system level are striving to understand the complexneuronal mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and sensory processing (vision, taste,smell), and to determine the relationship between brain and mind. Using track-tracingmethods, the rules governing the interconnections in the visual cortex are being unraveled.Behavioral studies focus on principles of learning and consolidation, cortical informationprocessing, learning disabilities, and addiction. Functional brain imaging of the human visualcortex is being studied by various techniques, including fMRI. Psychophysical approaches arebeing used to define processes involved in image segmentation, learning and memory skillacquisition, motor control, and language.

Neurobiology Department Home Page: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/


Professors

Yadin Dudai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Sara and Michael Sela Professor of Neurobiology

Irith Ginzburg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Sophie and Richard S. Richards Professor of Cancer Research

Amiram Grinvald, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Helen Norman Asher Professor in Brain Research

Yitzhak Koch, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of service) The Adlai E. Stevenson III Professor of Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology

Rafael Malach, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United StatesDov Sagi, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

The George Zlotowski Professor Michal Schwartz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Maurice and Ilse Katz Professor of Neuroimmunology Menahem Segal, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States

The Harry and Leona Levine Professor of Neurosciences Israel Silman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of

service) The Bernstein-Mason Professor of Neurochemistry

Vivian I. Teichberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Louis and Florence Katz-Cohen Professor of Neuropharmacology

Zvi Vogel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

Ephraim Yavin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Bee Wiggs Professor of Molecular Biology

Professors Emeriti

Uriel Littauer, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/labs/vogel/index.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/brain/grinvald/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadsec/test/www.weizmann.ac.il/~masagi

Neurobiology 89

David Samuel, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelIzchak Z. Steinberg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Ehud Ahissar, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Helen and Sanford Diller Family Professor of Neurobiology

Michail Tsodyks, Ph.D., L.D. Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics, Moscow, Russian Federation The Gerald and Hedy Oliven Professor in Brain Research

Senior Scientists

Ilan Lampl, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelSima Lev, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Incumbent of the Helena Rubinstein Career Development Chair Abraham Zangen, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel


Amos Arieli, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelEster Yoles, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel (left January 2003)


Eduard Korkotian, Ph.D., University of Yerevan, ArmeniaHamutal Slovin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Igal Nevo, Ph.D., University of Paris XI, France (until October 2003)

Special Contracts

Knarik Bagdasarian, Ph.D., Orbeli's Institute of Physiology of Armenian Academy of Science, Armenia

Shabtai Barash, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelAdela Juknat Geralnik, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Engineers

Daniel Goldian, B.Sc., Coventry University, Coventry, United KingdomNaama Rubin, M.Sc., University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/labs/vogel/index.html

90 Neurobiology

Consultants

Yael Adini (left May 2003)Alexander CoopermanPnina Green, Beilinson Hospital, Petach-Tikva, IsraelMichael Gutnick, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelSebastian HaidarleuMia Levite, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelLudmila Sleagun (left September 2003)

Visiting Scientists

Zeev Blumenfeld, Technion, Haifa, IsraelAnna Devor, Harvard University , MA, U.S.A.Tsafrir Loebl, Geha Psychiatric Hospital, IsraelXiaozhong Luo, University of HeibeiUri Polat, Vision Res. Inst., Rehovot, IsraelNava Rubin, NYU, Center for Neural Science, U.S.A.Mingsha Zhang, Xian Xiang Public Health School , Henan, PR China


Irit Akirav, Ph.D., Haifa University, IsraelAvraham Avital, Ph.D., Haifa University, IsraelMichal Besser, Ph.D., University of Munich, GermanyYoram Bonneh, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAline Desmedt, Ph.D., Universite Bordeaux 1, FranceDan Drai, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelIgor Goncharov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMatthieu Guitton, Ph.D., Universite Montpellier I, FranceRachel Katz-Brull, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelFaina Kuperstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDevorah Matas, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelIstvan A. I. Morocz, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USASree Kumar Ramachandran, Ph.D., Mahatma Gandhi University, IndiaLaura Sarudiansky, M.D., Hospita de Pediatria, ArgentinaOren Shriki, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelAlexander Sterkin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAdolfo Talpalar, Ph.D.,M.D., Ben-Gurion University, IsraelOrna Zagoory, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, IsraelMingsha Zhang, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Stella Aronov Yossi ArzouanRoee Atlas Hila Avidan

Neurobiology 91

David Backlash-Omer Amir BaharSharon Bakalash Pazit Bar-OnDmitri Bibitchkov Avital BitanMiriam Brodt Elena ButovskyOleg Butovsky Naomi CoslovskyNili Dahan Dori DerdikmanMark Eisenberg Ianai FishbeinJasmin Fisher Moshe FriedYonatan Ganor Roman GersnerSharon Gilaie-Dotan Ilan GoldbergMiri Goldin Anirudh GuptaUri Hasson Ehud HaubenJaime Heiss Ariel KamslerMikhail Katkov Tal KenetJonathan Kipnis Per Magne KnutsenTali Kobilo Maria KormanFaina Kupershtein Tal LaviYulia Lerner Dino LevyVladimir Litvak Alex LoebelOfer Melamed Armenuhi MelikyanTal Mizrahi Roy MukamelShmuel Naaman Noa OfenYair Pilpel Sonne PremingerJoseline Priya Ratnam Ester Miriam SchallmachTamar Debora Schirman - Hildeshei Hadas SchoriIftach Shaked Amalia Shalom GothilfRevital Shani Dahlia SharonGilad Silberberg Ronen SosnikJimmy Stehberg Debora SteinerAlexander Sterkin Anna SterkinMarcin Szwed Maria Toledo-RodriguezXiaolan Wang Yin WangEduard Yakubov Chunxiu YuMing-Sha Zhang Yaniv Ziv

Administrator

Shmuel Moshe (until June 2003)Michal Hirschberg (from November 2003)

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Veterinary Resources

Alon Harmelin, Head

The Department of Veterinary Resources provides services and facilities to the life sciencefaculties. The department has a staff of 55. Its activities include breeding and maintenance oflaboratory animals and the operation of specialized facilities.

Staff


Alon Bernstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAhuva Knyszynski, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (retired August

2003)


Rebecca Haffner-Krausz, Ph.D., University of London, London, United Kingdom


Raya Eilam-Altstadter, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Veterinarians

Alon Harmelin, BVsc. MRCVS, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, School of Veterinary Medicine, R.S.A., Diplomate Eclam

Ori Brenner, B.V.Sc., University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, School of Veterinary Medicine, Diplomate ACVP

Bella Finarov, D.V.M., Moscow Veterinary AcademyAlina Maizenberg, D.V.M., Latvia, Riga

Engineer

Lia Itzicovitch, M.Sc., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (retired August 2003)

Administrator

Kaduri Abudi

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/exp-anim-ctr/

The Helen and Norman Asher Center for Human Brain Imaging

Zvi Vogel, DirectorThe Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

The Center for Human Brain Imaging will utilize an ultra modern facility dedicated to theimaging and understanding of human brain function. The Center will support the operations ofthe most advanced neuroimaging technology available, including a 4-tesla f-MRI (FunctionalMagnetic Resonance Imaging) machine. This equipment will allow unprecedented researchand diagnostic inroads into the functions and malfunctions of the human mind.

Beyond its implications for basic science, however, the potential for clinical and biomedicalapplications based on this research is enormous. Initially, the f-MRI's high resolution as animaging tool will allow for much greater precision in mapping the brain (the f-MRI greatlyimproves upon existing technologies, for example, in locating and assessing the effects ofbrain tumors and tissue damage caused by cerebral events or head injuries). In the longer term,increased understanding of the causes of such mental disorders as depression, schizophrenia,autism, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, dementia and countless others, will lead tothe development of currently unimaginable diagnostic tools and treatment modalities.

With the physical facilities of the program now in place, and good progress towards theprocurement of its major equipment, the Center’s support of the f-MRI operations will enablethe translation of the potential of the f-MRI into scientific reality by fostering inter-disciplinaryresearch programs that combine several complementary approaches.

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The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences

Zvi Vogel, Director The Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences was established in 1978. Since itscreation, this center has been geared toward the promotion and support of studies of thenervous system at molecular, cellular, and multicellular levels. The Benoziyo Center supportsthe research of scientists in a wide range of fields at the Weizmann Institute, allowing them tounravel structure-function-activity relationships in the brain and to understand the complexneuronal mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and sensory processing (vision, taste,smell), as well as the relationship between brain and mind. Much time, intellectual effort, andfinancial resources still need to be devoted to further elucidate the mechanisms underlyingneuroplasticity, neurosignaling cascades, network patterns, memory, and cognitivepsychophysics. Solving the molecular basis of human brain disorders, such as Alzheimer'sdisease, is high on the list of priorities of the Benoziyo Center. The Center provides financialassistance to scientists initiating new projects and to some students in need of salaries. Inaddition, it provides a means for reknowned world neuroscientists to visit the WeizmannInstitute, and supports travel of students to international or local Neuroscience meetings.

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The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Institute for Brain Research

Amiram Grinvald, Director (until September 2003)The Helen and Norman Asher Professor of Brain Research

Zvi Vogel, Director (from October 2003)The Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

The Einhorn-Dominic Institute of Brain Research was inaugurated in November 1996. Amongits primary missions was the initiation of new activities in brain research at the WeizmannInstitute, particularly those requiring collaborations among several disciplines in severalfaculties. This year we focused on the planning of WIS new human brain imaging facility (F-MRI and Electroencephalography) and supported joint molecular and cellular brain research. The Einhorn-Dominic Institute policy is to encourage brain research in the Department ofNeurobiology and all other faculties at the Weizmann Institute of Science targeted at thestudies of higher brain functions. Funding decision are made by the Brain Research Institute'sad-hoc Committee. The Committee will assign higher priority to support multi-disciplinaryresearch collaborations among scientists from different departments and faculties at the WIS.The current policy is to provide a few large grants. Such support may be granted for a fewyears, depending on the research progress accomplished after the first year.

This year the Dominic Institute funds were allocated to five researchers: Yadin Dudai, EfraimYavin ,Ehud Ahissar, Misha Tsodyks, Henry Markram, Shabtai Barash and Amiram Grinvald. In addition the Institute also hosted a number of eminent scientists from around the world, whogave lectures in our weekly Seminars. Visiting lecturers came to our campus from FreiburgUniversity, The Hebrew University, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, New York University,Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Bar-Ilan University, Brandeis University and CornellUniversity.

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The Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions

Amiram Grinvald, Director The Helen and Norman Asher Professor of Brain Research

General Activities

Based on the decision of the WIS administration, during the year 2003, the Murray H. andMeyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions supported the research ofProf. A. Grinvald.

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The Belle S. and Irving E. Meller Center for the Biology of Aging

Zelig Eshhar, Director The Marshaal and Renette Ezralow Professor of Chemical and Cellular Immunology

The Center, established in 1979, aims to further research that will contribute to ourunderstanding of the fundamental biological processes related to the phenomena of aging andits pathology. Areas of research supported concentrate on the cellular interactions in theimmune system, and related aspects of the structure and function of the vascular system,connective tissues, the molecular genetics of differentiation, and the molecular basis ofmalignant transformation.

To achieve its aims, the Center provides support for individual research and, in addition,contributes to the infrastructure of interdisciplinary research facilities at the Institute. Thus, theCenter is supporting certain activities in the field of gene targeting and transgenic animals,which constitute powerful tools for studying the molecular basis of the immune system as wellas various disorders that are involved in the aging process.

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The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research

Yair Reisner, DirectorThe Henry H. Drake Professor of Immunology

The center supports the research of Prof. Tsvee Lapidot, Prof. Dov Zipori and Prof. YairReisner, dedicated to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Highlights of these studies last year were as follows:

Prof. Tsvee Lapidot

To obtain the healthy stem cells for transplantation - either from a healthy donor or from thepatient himself before or during treatment with chemotherapy - these cells must be"encouraged" to come out of the marrow into the bloodstream (in other words, they must be"mobilized"). To understand how this happens, we probed the turn of events in the bonemarrow and found that stem cells in the marrow are freed into the blood via an "anchorsaweigh" mechanism.

The findings put a key protein into focus – SDF-1. This protein had previously been found bythis and other research teams worldwide to anchor stem cells inside the marrow by activatingadhesion molecules (molecules that serve as "glue"). We now have found that SDF-1 must bedegraded for stem cell mobilization to take place and uncovered the underlying degradationmechanism. This finding which was published this year in the prestigious journal NatureImmunology, Is not only important for the understanding of the biology of stem celltransplantation but it may also lead to improved collection of stem cells for clinicaltransplantations.

Prof. Dov Zipori

Our studies on the interactions between hemopoietic cells and the organ me senchymal stromaindicate that transforming growth factor (TGF) cytokines are involved in the formation ofrestrictive microenvironments. Activin A, one member of the TGF family, was initiallyfound to cause apoptotic death of tumor B lineage cells. We have now found that activin Aspecifically restrains the differentiation of normal precursor B cells: activin A causedaccumulation of B lineage cells at early stages of differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. Thisrestrictive activity is not exerted on other hemopoietic lineages. The expression of such lineagespecific restrictive molecules may assure the control of adult pluripotent stem cells, whichoccur in multiple organs and tissue types, to prevent their differentiation into directions thatmay endanger the integrity of the tissue.

β

β

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Prof. Yair Reisner

Clinical studies continue with the implementation of our new approach, making use of ‘megadose‘ stem cell transplants, which enables the use of mismatched family members. Althoughwe have adequately shown the efficacy of this approach in more than 300 patients, it must beanalyzed properly, the same as for any new drug by formal multi-center clinical trials inEurope and in the USA, and we are presently in the middle of this important final step.

This month we are happy to launch a web site which will serve as a quarterly bulletin, showingupdate of clinical and scientific data for the benefit of patients and doctors who might beinterested in our approach. The site address is: http://www.haplo.org/index.php

In addition, we are focusing our efforts on a new application of stem cell transplantation forpatients with diseases that could be cured by transplantation but who are not at immediate riskfrom their disease and, therefore, should not be exposed to the current risky protocols. Thus,the challenge is how to overcome graft rejection following mild radiation or chemotherapybased protocols. To that end, based on encouraging results in the mouse model, we arecurrently developing new cell preparations which could be given in conjunction with the stemcells in order to facilitate engraftment of the latter cells under such safe conditions.

http://www.haplo.org/index.php

The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology

Hadassa Degani, Director Fred and Andrea Fallek Professor of Breast Cancer Research

The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology was officially inaugurated on November 3rd,1999. The Center was designed to focus on the regulation of key biological processes invascular systems such as blood, and on the identification of signaling molecules, theirreceptors, their target cells, and the mechanisms involved in the transduction of these signals.Since de-regulation of such processes are a cause for many human diseases (e.g., heart failure,stroke, and cancer), an effort is made to use our results to develop tools for early diagnosis ofthese ailments, and for the design of new drugs for pharmacological intervention.

Designed by Prof. Shmuel Shaltiel, who was the first Director of the Center, the long-rangegoals of the Center are: (i) to support innovative ideas, while still in their seeding stage, whenit is not yet possible to obtain financial support from conventional funding agencies; (ii) tonurture budding research of young outstanding investigators before their reputation isestablished; (iii) to finance research that requires an inter-disciplinary effort; (iv) to encouragecollaboration with hospitals and with other centers of excellence in Israel and abroad; (v) totrain doctoral and post-doctoral students in bioregulation and vascular biology.

The Center supported this year the scientific work of the following groups: Prof. HadassaDegani ($30,000) - "Angiogenesis in Breast Cancer - from Molecular Biology to diagnosticMRI and MRS": The onset, growth and spread of cancer have been characterized by molecularand cellular methods based mostly on extraction and cell-free analyses. Magnetic ResonanceImaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) allow to further explore, noninvasively, the anatomic,physiologic and metabolic characteristics of malignancy. We have performed studies aimed toelucidate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of tumor progression, invasion andmetastasis. New methodologies and algorithms to map tumor vasculature architecture andperfusion capacity were developed, using tracers (HDO), contrast agents and difffusion MRI.In addition, a method to measure the perfusion and metabolic fate of glucose and its mainproduct, lactate, was refined. These multiple techniques were applied to monitor progressionand metastasis of human breast cancer and prostate cancer implanted orthtopically in mice.The results revealed large inter- and intra- tumoral heterogeneity of the vasculature andhighlighted the necessity to image cancer at high spatial resolution. We also demonstrated thatthe vascular volume and flow show poor correlation in tumors, indicating an irregular structureof the capillary walls. Hormonal modulation of tumor progression using antiestrogens alteredthe vasculature properties, increasing the capillary permeability and affecting flow,presumably by modulating specific vascular growth and permeability factors. This treatmentalso modulated the metabolic fate of glucose and suppressed the rate of glycolysis. The clinical

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testing of the method that we have developed for breast cancer diagnosis (termed the 3TP MRImethod), which is based on mapping the vasculature permeability and cell density, has beenextended to additional medical centers. In the Hospital of Boca Raton, Florida, the protocolwas improved to include imaging of both breasts at the same time. Even in the presence ofcomplex breast enhancement, the 3TP method permitted accurate diagnosis of malignant andbenign lesions. The 3TP method has been recently adapted for prostate cancer diagnosis andclinical trials have been initiated in Israel.

Prof. Yosef Yarden ($30,000) Cell-to-cell interactions are essential for embryonic developmentand for a plethora of physiological processes in adulthood (e.g., wound healing).Along withhormones and neurotransmitters, growth factors are the major messengers of intercellularcommunication in mammals. Many growth factors bind trans-membrane receptors whosecytoplasmic domain initiates signaling by means of an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, andoncogenic processes often exploit growth factor signaling for malignant transformation. Anexample is provided by the ErbB family of receptors for the epidermal growth factor (EGF)and neuregulins: self-production of ligands (autocrine loops), truncated ErbB-1 variants andover-expression of ErbB-2 are frequently associated with virulent tumors, such as carcinomasand glioblastomas. Our past studies concentrated on understanding the layered structure of theErbB network of signaling and its positive regulators-- a group of adaptors and enzymes.Interestingly, a significant portion of the network is devoted to tuning of signals, a processaccomplished by a fine balance between positive and negative signaling pathways. Geneticevidence derived from worms and flies suggests that negative circuits were added to thenetwork relatively late in evolution, and they exhibit unexpected variation and complexity.Concentrating on negative mechanisms, we found that ligand-induced endocytosis anddegradation of active receptors is a major regulatory pathway involving not onlyphopshorylation, but also ubiquitination of receptors and associated molecules. Alongside,constitutive endocytosis and chaperone-mediated stabilization of kinase B9s conformation areessential for network maintenance. In addition, because ErbB proteins are asymmetricallyexpressed on the surface of neuronal and epithelial cells, multi-molecular complexesregulating post-synthesis sorting are important for signaling. In-depth understanding ofnetwork B9s desensitization may facilitate development of new cancer therapies. For example,antibody-induced endocytic removal of ErbB proteins is already in clinical use and drugsinterfering with kinase activity or chaperone B9s function are being tested on cancer patients.Identification of still unknown mechanisms that shut down oncogenic signal transduction willeventually expand the arsenal of therapeutic strategies.

Prof. Moti Liscovitch ($20,000) - "Rafts and Caveolae: Platforms for Launching SignalingCascades and Plasma Membrane Terminals for Drug Transport": Our work is directed towardsunderstanding the cell and molecular biology of phospholipase D and its role(s) in control ofcell growth, differentiation and function. We have been studying the cellular and molecularphysiology of eukaryotic phospholipase D isozymes, including their localization, mechanismsof activation and possible functions. Currently, we are engaged in identification and cloning ofa second yeast phospholipase D gene; we study the differential localization of mammalianphospholipase D isozymes in specific membrane microdomains; we investigate the possiblerole of phospholipase D2 in caveolae-mediated endocytosis and signaling; and we explore theaction(s) and target(s) of phosphatidic acid as a mediator of specific cellular events.

The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology 109

A second, related subject involves the role of caveolin in cancer multidrug resistance.Multidrug resistance severely impairs the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Several proteintransporters that mediate drug export have been identified, but additional adaptations appear tobe necessary for a full-fledged drug resistance. We have recently shown that caveolae and thecaveolar coat protein caveolin are dramatically up-regulated in multidrug resistant cancer cellsand that the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein is localized in caveolae-like domains. We arestudying the possible involvement of caveolin-dependent mechanisms in mediating drugresistance and the impact of high caveolin expression on the phenotypic transformation ofmultidrug resistant cancer cells. In addition, studies are underway aimed to elucidate themolecular basis for targeting P-glycoprotein, a multispan integral membrane protein, tocaveolae-like domains.

Prof. Michal Neeman ($20,000) - "Magnetic resonance imaging of angiogenesis": Remodelingof blood vessels is an integral and essential component of reproduction, development, woundhealing and cancer. The goal of our group is to define the regulation of specific elementsinvolved in the control of angiogenesis and their integration in vivo. For that end we developnon invasive MRI methods for mapping vascular expansion and regression, stabilization ofvessels by their maturation, adjustment of vessel permeability and the role of blood vesselsand proangiogenic factors in modification of the extracellular matrix and lymphatic function.Using these tools we monitor the kinetics of vascular remodeling in the live animal, duringnormal development, wound repair and cancer, and study the response to defined molecular,pharmacological or physical intervention aimed to suppress or stimulate angiogenesis. Overthe last year our effort included evaluation of the role of neovasculature in dormancy ofovarian carcinoma tumors, analysis of the role of hyaluronan in mediating adhesion andangiogenesis in the normal ovary and ovarian cancer and a study of the acute response toVEGF and the role of VEGF in lymphatic function.

The Women's Health Research Center

Varda Rotter, Director The Norman and Helen Asher Professor of Cancer Research

The Woman's Health Research Center is interested in promoting studies on gender -relatedphysiology and disorder leading to specific pathologies. The center, focused on issuesconcerning fertility, cancer and osteoporosis, is trying to bridge between between basicresearch and clinical studies. The center supports basic research in ovarian function, such asthe regulation of female germ cell development into an ovum, capable of fertilization andembryonic development. Any impairment in these processes may lead to infertility. Basicresearch in this area led to remarkable achievements in the development of assistedreproductive techniques and offers high hope improve human health through advances in stemcell research and therapeutic cloning. Another focus of the center are gender specificmalignancies. It is well accepted that various cancer types are greatly dependent on hormonalcontrol and thus better understanding of the relationship between gender specific tumors andhormones that may contribute to better diagnosis and therapy of such tumors. Support of thecenter of basic research on the structure and development of bones is directly pertaining to thedevelopment of osteoporosis and its potential cure.

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The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy

Benjamin Geiger, Director The Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy was established in1998 to promote cancer research, and in particular for the development of new avenues forearly detection of malignant processes and of novel therapeutic approaches. The Centersupports research projects focusing on the genetic basis for cancer, including thecharacterization of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and studies on the relationshipsbetween cancer and programmed cell death. Special attention is given to studies concerningthe relationship between malignant processes studied in vitro and in experimental animals andthose associated with human cancer. The Center promotes interdisciplinary studies combiningmolecular approaches at the cellular level with studies at the level of the intact organism.

The Center supported in 2003 studies on the regulation of p53 and its target genes in humancancer. It promoted development of new approaches for harnessing ovarian cancer and addressthe role of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion in cancer and in cancer metastasis.

The center is currently supporting a series of seminars organized by Prof. Dov Zipori on stemcell biology.


Dean: Lia Addadi The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professor

Israel Dostrovsky, Ph.D.(University of London)

Institute Professor The Agnes Spencer Professor of Physical Chemistry


Dean: Lia Addadi The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Chair

Department of Chemical Physics The department consists of theoreticians and experimentalists working at the interface betweenphysics and chemistry. The experimental research is focused, in general, on the understandingof the interaction of matter with different kinds of radiation or charged particles. The effect ofthe chemical environment on this interaction is investigated by methods such as magneticresonance, laser spectroscopy, electron tunneling, and electron transmission. Newexperimental techniques are developed and then applied to a variety of problems in chemistry,physics and biophysics such as catalysis, dynamics of molecules in confined space, enzymaticreactions, the study of protein folding through single molecule spectroscopy, and the study ofmolecules as possible candidates for electronic devices. The manipulation of chemicalreactions by lasers is studied both theoretically and experimentally and the effect of stronglaser fields on matter is probed. Extensive theoretical research is also devoted to thecomplexity of nature and non linear dynamics, reaction dynamics in condensed matter,electron transfer reaction in solutions and quantum optics.

Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

The research at the department is focused on understanding the complex inter - relationshipsamong the major Earth systems and between the human need for alternative energy source andthe consequent impact on the Earth's environment. The efforts are equally split between field/experimental work and theoretical studies.

The research into climate change and the atmospheric greenhouse effect takes severaldirections, including climate dynamics, oceanic circulation, paleoceanography and the studyof past climatic patterns, plant-environment interaction and atmospheric chemistry, earthsystem dynamics and geophysics. These topics are studies as the basic means to understandand predict global changes.

In Hydrology, the research activity has centered on combination of field and laboratory studieswith theoretical models to understand flow of water and chemicals from the ground surface,through the unsaturated zone into the geological saturated formations.

The Solar Energy research is focused on all aspects of using concentrated solar light. Itincludes the development of new hybrid solar thermal systems, solar fuels, concentrated

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photovoltaic systems and solar lasers. A technology transfer to the industry was initiated as aresult of this work.

Our main objective for the future is to develop scientific activities based on experimentalstudies providing the basis for integration of field observations into mathematical models. Thedynamic of the atmosphere and the lithosphere, environmental analytical chemistry, fieldhydrology, eco-physiology and climate prediction are among the main fields that we want todevelop in the near future.

Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Department of Materials and Interfaces of the Weizmann Institute of Science is aninterdisciplinary scientific unit composed of physicists, chemists and materials scientists. Acommon theme of much of the research done in the department is the design of materials fromelementary units with unique, pre-designed functionality. A complementary effort involvesthe understanding of the functionality of various materials, based on their supramoleculararchitecture. In addition to new insights in how materials properties can be understood fromtheir atomic, molecular and macromolecular composition and structure, this strategy permitsthe development of new high performance materials for numerous applications.

Some recent accomplishments include: charged polyelectrolyte molecules tethered to surfaces(polymer brushes) were shown to result in ultra small friction coefficients typical of livingsystems. Genetic circuit elements were constructed in vitro by engineering transcriptionalactivation and repression cascades, in which the protein product of each stage is the inputrequired to drive or block the following stage. Spontaneous enantio-selective polymerizationof polypeptides inside crystals was accomplished and its relevance to the origin of life washypothesized. Self-assembly of chains that can branch and form networks with branchingpoints (junctions) in gels, wormlike micelles, dipolar fluids, and microemulsions has beentheoretically studied. The mechanism of membrane fusion and formation of the nuclear porecomplex in eukaryotic nucleus has been elucidated. Extension of the constructivenanolithography into the micrometer-millimeter dimension range has been demonstrated. Newnanotubes from noble metals and from various layered compounds have been synthesized.New strategies towards the realization of molecular transistors were contemplated. Novelquasi-amorphous piezo-electric films were produced and their unique structure and propertiesstudied. The mechanical behavior of individual carbon and inorganic nanotubes was studiedoffering numerous applications. The relationship between superconductivity and the size oflead nanoparticles was determined; Dating of archeological lead artifacts using thesuperconductivity of this metal was undertaken. Chemisorption of cyanide moieties onto CdSenanoparticles surface was shown to increase the quantum confinement of the excitonwavefunction and hence to enhance theire optical properties. Electronic mapping of the crosssection of polycrystalline n-CdS/p-CdTe solar cells was performed and a model explainingtheir high efficiency was proposed.

Faculty of Chemistry 119

Research in the Department of Organic Chemistry

The areas of research in the Department of Organic Chemistry include synthetic andmechanistic organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry involving novel reactions fororganic synthesis; syntheses of physiologically active compounds; polymeric reagents; bondactivation studies; homogeneous catalysis by specifically designed metal complexes; selectiveoxidation catalysis by polyoxometalates; creation of organic films with desirable electronicand optical properties and the development of molecule-based technologies. Bioorganicchemistry includes the studies of plant antiviral agents; the molecular mechanism of action ofrhodopsin; artificial ion carriers and molecular sensors. Biological chemistry includes studieson structure, function, and mode of action of biologically active peptides and proteins;thermophilic enzymes; enzymes involved in DNA repair, DNA and RNA processing; andstudies of ordered, compact states of nucleic acids. Methods for very accurate ab initiocalculations of molecular properties are being developed and applied.

Department of Structural Biology

The Department is committed to research in the major areas of structural biology and isinvestigating biological systems from the atomic to the cellular level of organization. Theultimate goal is to obtain a complete picture of biological structures in their complexity, with acontinuity at all length scales, from Angstroms to millimetres. The structures of biologicalmacromolecules and their complexes are studied at the length scale of Angstroms by X-raydiffraction from crystals, and in solution by advanced spectroscopic techniques such as nuclearmagnetic resonance and EXAFS. Electron microscopy, electron tomography and atomic forcemiscroscopy are imaging techniques used that span the range between nanometers andmicrons, i.e. from single molecules to macromolecular assemblies and whole tissueorganization.

The elucidation of the relations between structure and function of key components in mainbiological pathways is one of the generalized goals of the research conducted in theDepartment. One such pathway is the translation of the genetic code from DNA to proteins. Ahighlight in recent years has been the continued progress in determination of differentstructures of the ribosome also in complex with antibiotics. These most significantachievements crown the titanic efforts of tens of years of research aimed at elucidating thestructure and mechanism of action of ribosomes. Ribosomes are giant particles composed ofRNA and more than 50 proteins that are the principal protein synthesis machinery of the cell.The mechanism of translation of the code into proteins is also investigated by X-raycrystallography of tRNA synthetases and their complexes. Additional research in this areaincludes work on helicases that unwind RNA and elucidation of the 3-D structure of DNA andof DNA-protein complexes. Work is also being carried out on chaperones and enzymes thatcatalyze disulfide bridge formation. These factors assist protein folding which constitutes oneof the last 'steps' in the pathway from DNA to functional proteins.

Structural and dynamical aspects of enzyme and protein function and recognition constituteanother focal point of activity. Examples are studies on the mechanism of acetylcholinesterase,a key enzyme in the transmission of nerve impulses, on proteins regulating membrane-fusion

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and virus entry into the cell and on metalloproteins. Antibody-antigen recognition is studiedusing NMR and the tools of molecular biology to unravel the energetic contributions of singleinteractions, and through antibodies interacting with monolayer and crystal surfaces.

Studies on the relations between organic and mineral components and between structure,function and mechanical properties of mineralised tissues including bone, teeth and shells, andon the nanomechanics of hearing, are performed over the whole range of hierarchicalorganizations. The development of new techniques in archeological chemistry providesinformation about human life conditions and technologies in prehistoric times .

The X-ray and NMR facilities are now state-of-the-art. A major upgrade in the electronmicroscopy facility has also taken place with the addition of two high resolution transmissionelectron microscopes and an environmental field emission scanning electron microscope.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemistry/

Chemical Physics

Daniella Goldfarb, Head

The research in the Department of Chemical Physics covers a wide range of interdisciplinarysubjects, combining the fields of chemistry, physics and biophysics.

New techniques are being developed in solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)spectroscopy for the study of mesoporous materials, polypeptides and proteins by ShimonVega. Solid and liquid state NMR techniques are also being developed for the investigation ofnew materials and of biological structure and dynamics by Lucio Frydman. NMR methods arealso used by Zeev Luz to investigate ordering and dynamics processes in condensed phases.Electron spin resonance (ESR) and double resonance spectroscopic (ENDOR) techniques aredeveloped and applied by Daniella Goldfarb for the characterization of metal active sites inporous inorganic catalysts and metalloenzymes and for the study of the formation mechanismof the mesostructured mesoporus materials.

Theoretical methods are being applied for the investigation of microscopic and macroscopicproperties of matter. Bimolecular reactions and dynamics in condensed phases, photoinducedprocess, spectroscopy and energy relaxation of polyatomic molecules are being studied by EliPollak. The fluorescence quenching by electron transfer assisted by diffusion and spinconversion in free ions, radicals and triplets production are being studied by Anatoly I.Burshtein within the original integral encounter theory, beyond the rate concept. Thecomplexity in nature and the scaling and geometry of turbulence advection are beinginvestigated by Itamar Procaccia. Fractal growth patterns were studied using iteratedconformal maps, thus solving some old open problems. Recent research considered fracture ofmaterial and drag reduction in turbulent flows.

Lasers and their interaction with matter are being investigated both theoretically andexperimentally. Light-matter interactions (quantum optics) and their applications for quantuminformation are being investigated theoretically by Gershon Kurizki in periodic structures,cavities, cold atom gases and condensates. Ilya Averbukh and Yehiam Prior study, boththeoretically and experimentally, various aspects of nonlinear optical interactions, includingexcitation and detection of atomic and molecular wavepackets prepared by shapedfemtosecond pulses, nonlinear optical interactions under the tip of a scanning near-field opticalmicroscope, femtosecond laser material processing and molecular alignment and orientationby strong laser fields, atom optics and atom lithography applications. Moshe Shapiro isinvestigating, theoretically and experimentally, the coherent control of chemical reactions andthe purification by optical means of racemic mixtures of optical isomers and the constructionof decoherence-free spaces for quantum computation. David J. Tannor is studying,

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122 Chemical Physics

theoretically, femtosecond control of chemical reactions, optimal control of laser cooling,design of pulse shapes for quantum computation, and dissipative quantum mechanics.

Ron Naaman is investigating the use of molecules as components in electronic devices andsensors. This includes studying the electronic properties of organized thin molecular films andinvestigating information transfer through them. Gilad Haran uses fluroescence and Ramanmicrospectroscopy to probe single-molecule dynamics, and study processes ranging fromprotein folding to adsorbate diffusion on nanoparticles.


Professors

Lucio Frydman, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaGuastalla Fellow

Daniella Goldfarb, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelGershon Kurizki, Ph.D., University of New Mexico

The George W. Dunne Professor of Chemical Physics Ron Naaman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Aryeh and Mintzi Katzman Professor Eliyahu Pollak, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

The Sam and Ayala Zacks Professor Yehiam Prior, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States

The Sherman Professor of Physical Chemistry Itamar Procaccia, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

The Barbara and Morris L. Levinson Professor of Chemical Physics Moshe Shapiro, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

The Jacques Mimran Professor David Joshua Tannor, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, United StatesShimon Vega, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Joseph and Marian Robbins Professor

Professors Emeritus

Zeev Luz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Associate Professor

Ilya Averbukh, Ph.D., USSR Academy of Science Russia, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Patricia Elman Bildner Professor of Solid State Chemistry

http://chemphys.weizmann.ac.il/~shapiro/home.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/cfprocac/home.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~prior

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/pollak/home.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/cinaaman/

Chemical Physics 123

Senior Scientist

Gilad Haran, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Benjamin H. Swig and Jack D. Weiler Career Development Chair


Peter Stern, Ph.D., The City University of New York, United States


Mark Keil, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, California, United StatesAbraham Kofman, Ph.D., Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Novosibirsk,

Russian Federation


Shifra Kababya, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAnna Pomyalov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contracts

Anatoly Burshtein, Ph.D., Siberian Branch of the Academy of Science, Russian Federation (retired September 2003)The Council of Higher Education Fellowship to Senior Immigrant Scientist

Victor Lvov, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk, Russian FederationAlexander Milner, Ph.D., Ukrainian Academy of Science, Ukrainian

Engineer

Naomi Raz, M.Sc., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

Consultants

Arie Bar-Haim, Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering, Tel-Aviv, Israel Ricardo BlankAnatoly BurshteinReuven Ianconescu-Scopus Network Technologies, Park Afek, Rosh-HaainRafael Poupko Avraham Rosenberg

http://lvov.weizmann.ac.il

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/peter

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/cfharan

124 Chemical Physics

Visiting Scientists

Gonzalo Angulo, Tech. University , Graz, AustriaElisabetta De Angelis, University of Rome, ItalyG.E. Hentschel, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.Dmitry Klochkov, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, RussiaGeorge Kordas, NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, GreecePetr Kral, University of Toronto, CanadaPerunthiruthy Madhu, Tata Inst. of Fund. Rese. Mumbai, IndiaBiswanath Mallik, Indian Ass. for the Cultivation of Science, Calcutta, IndiaJoachim Mathiesen, Niels Bohr Inst., Copehnagen, DenmarkIgor E. Mazets, Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, RussiaDuncan O'Dell, University of Sussex at Falmer, UKRuben Pasmenter, Royal Dutch Meteorological Inst., de Bilt, The NetherlandsDavid Petrosyan, IESL, FORTH, Heraklion, Crete, GreeceAvraham Rosenberg, Hebrew University , Rehovot, IsraelSantanu Sengupta, CSIC, Madrid, SpainMing-Liang Zhang, University of Antwerp (RUCA), BelgiumShesheng Zhang, Wuhan Transportation University, PR China


Felipe Javier Barra de la Guarda, Ph.D., Universite Libre de Bruxelles, BelgiumPatrick Carl, Ph.D., University of Iowa, USAAmir Goldbourt, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMiron Hazani, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelMikhail Jouravlev, Ph.D., Moscow State University, RussiaRamaswamy Kannan, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, IndiaEytan Katzav, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelNarasimhulu Kuppala Venkata, Ph.D., IndiaAdonis Vasile Lupulescu, Ph.D., Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaKotecha Mrignayani, Ph.D., University of Jabalpur, IndiaSophie Pellegrin, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, FranceSilvia Pizzanelli, Ph.D., Universita' di Pisa, ItalyJyotipratim Ray Chaudhuri, Ph.D., Jadavpur University, IndiaAnna Elizabeth Rhoades, Ph.D., The University of Michigan, USAAlexander Samokhvalov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDvira Segal, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelDmitry Shvarts, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelIoannis Thanopoulos, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology-ETH, SwitzerlandVasyl Tyberkevych, Ph.D., Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University, UkraineQun Zhang, Ph.D., University of Science & Technology of China, ChinaShesheng Zhang, Ph.D., Wuhan Transportation University, China

Chemical Physics 125

Research Students

Dafna Arieli Reit ArtziDebbie Baute Eran BouchbinderErez Boukobza Itai CarmeliRaanan Carmieli Yoram CohenZeev Fradkin Inbal FriedlerVladislav Gladkikh Amir GoldbourtYair Goldfarb Gil GoobesJulia Grinshtein Supratim Guha RayTamar Kustanovich-Flor Yosef Yehuda KuttnerMonika Leibscher Anders LevermannErel Morris Iftakh NevoYuri Paskover Dana PeledSharon Ruthstein Alexander SamokhvalovBoaz Shapira Timur ShegaiEilon Sherman Shlomo SklarzMark Vilensky Elena VinogradovKaiyin Zhang

Administrator

Varda Katzir

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/EPR_group/group/dafna.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/ssklarz

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~vilensky/

Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Aldo Shemesh, Head

The research at the department is focused on understanding the complex inter - relationshipsamong the major Earth systems and between the human need for alternative energy source andthe consequent impact on the Earth's environment. The efforts are equally split between field/experimental work and theoretical studies.

The research into climate change and the atmospheric greenhouse effect takes severaldirections, including climate dynamics, oceanic circulation, paleoceanography and the studyof past climatic patterns, plant-environment interaction and atmospheric chemistry, earthsystem dynamics and geophysics. These topics are studies as the basic means to understandand predict global changes.

In Hydrology, the research activity has centered on combination of field and laboratory studieswith theoretical models to understand flow of water and chemicals from the ground surface,through the unsaturated zone into the geological saturated formations.

The Solar Energy research is focused on all aspects of using concentrated solar light. Itincludes the development of new hybrid solar thermal systems, solar fuels, concentratedphotovoltaic systems and solar lasers. A technology transfer to the industry was initiated as aresult of this work.

Our main objective for the future is to develop scientific activities based on experimentalstudies providing the basis for integration of field observations into mathematical models. Thedynamic of the atmosphere and the lithosphere, environmental analytical chemistry, fieldhydrology, eco-physiology and climate prediction are among the main fields that we want todevelop in the near future.

Home Page: www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/


Professors

Israel Dostrovsky, Ph.D., University of London, London, United KingdomInstitute Professor The Agnes Spencer Professor of Physical Chemistry

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128 Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Eli Tziperman, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United StatesThe Barry Rymer Family Professor

Dan Yakir, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem at Rehovot, Rehovot, Israel

Professors Emeriti

Joel R Gat, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelMartin M. Halmann, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel


Brian Berkowitz, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelThe Sam Zuckerberg Professor

Jacob Karni, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United StatesYinon Rudich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Incumbent of the William Z. and Eda Bess Novick Career Development Chair (until October 2003)

Aldo Shemesh, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Scientists

Einat Aharonov, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United StatesYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Anna and Maurice Boukstein Career Development Chair

Hezi Gildor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Ruth Yam, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel


Elisabetta Boaretto, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelEyal Rotenberg, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelIrina Vishnevetsky, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

Engineer

Ruth M.J. Benmair, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Yury Alioshin, Hewlett-Packard Company, Rehovot, IsraelIsrael Carmi (left February 2003)Emanuel MazorHarvey ScherBruno Yaron, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~einata

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/People/Yinon-Rudich/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/solar_page.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/People/Brian

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~eli

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/Yakir/home-page.htm

Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 129

Visiting Scientists

Andrea Cortis, University Autonoma, Madrid, SpainEllen Graber, Vulcani Center, Beit Dagan, IsraelYochanan Kushnir, Columbia University , NYC, U.S.A.Jacob Yeheskel, Negev Nuclear Rese., Beer Sheva, Israel


Tareq Abu Hamed, Ph.D., Gazi University, TurkeyHagit Pninah Affek, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYosef Ashkenazy , Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelRudi Bertocchi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelYoujian Chen, Ph.D., Peking University, ChinaAndrea Cortis, Ph.D., Delft University of Technology, The NetherlandsIshai Dror, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelJose Marc Gruenzweig, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelDeborah Louise Hemming, Ph.D., University of Cambridge, United KingdomRegina Katsman, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelOren Levy, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelTongbao Lin, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, IsraelTamar Moise, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelEyal Rotenberg, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelBurkhard Wilske, Ph.D., Johannes Gutenberg University, Germany

Research Students

Hagit Pninah Affek Rudi BertocchiYuanfeng Cheng Simon EmmanuelAlla Falkovich Eli GalantiIlia Gelfand Hanna KleinGennady Margolin Kadmiel MaseykTamar Moise Hanita OvdatDavide Prosperi Naama Raz YaseefAya Schneider Mor Olga SingurindyKeren Treves

Administrator

Neomi Baumann

Materials and Interfaces

Reshef Tenne, Head

The Department of Materials and Interfaces of the Weizmann Institute of Science is aninterdisciplinary scientific unit composed of physicists, chemists and materials scientists. Acommon theme of much of the research done in the department is the design of materials fromelementary units with unique, pre-designed functionality. A complementary effort involves theunderstanding of the functionality of various materials, based on their supramoleculararchitecture. In addition to new insights in how materials properties can be understood fromtheir atomic, molecular and macromolecular composition and structure, this strategy permitsthe development of new high performance materials for numerous applications.

Some recent accomplishments include: charged polyelectrolyte molecules tethered to surfaces(polymer brushes) were shown to result in ultra small friction coefficients typical of livingsystems. Genetic circuit elements were constructed in vitro by engineering transcriptionalactivation and repression cascades, in which the protein product of each stage is the inputrequired to drive or block the following stage. Spontaneous enantio-selective polymerizationof polypeptides inside crystals was accomplished and its relevance to the origin of life washypothesized. Self-assembly of chains that can form networks with branching points(junctions) in gels, wormlike micelles, dipolar fluids, and microemulsions has beentheoretically studied. The mechanism of membrane fusion and formation of the nuclear porecomplex in eukaryotic nucleus has been elucidated. Extention of the constructivenanolithography into the micrometer-millimeter dimension range has been demonstrated. Newnanotubes from noble metals and from various layered compounds have been synthesized.New strategies towards the realization of molecular transistors were contemplated. Novelquasi-amorphous piezo-electric films were produced and their unique structure and propertiesstudied. The mechanical behavior of individual carbon and inorganic nanotubes was studiedoffering numerous applications. The relationship between superconductivity and the size oflead nanoparticles was determined; Dating of archeological lead artifacts using thesuperconductivity of this metal was undertaken. Chemisorption of cyanide moieties onto CdSenanoparticles surface was shown to increase the quantum confinement of the excitonwavefunction and hence to enhance their optical properties. Electronic mapping of the crosssection of polycrystalline n-CdS/p-CdTe solar cells was performed and a model explainingtheir high efficiency was proposed.

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132 Materials and Interfaces


Professors

David Cahen, Ph.D., Northwestern University, Evanston, United StatesThe Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Professor in Energy Research

Jacob Klein, Ph.D., University of Cambridg, Cambridge, United KingdomThe Hermann Mark Professor of Polymer Physics

Meir Lahav, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Margaret Thatcher Professor of Chemistry

Shimon Reich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)The Robert W. Reneker Professor of Industrial Chemistry

Israel Rubinstein, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelSamuel Safran, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States

The Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Professor Reshef Tenne, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelDaniel Hanoch Wagner, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

The Livio Norzi Professor

Professors Emeriti

Zeev Alexandrowicz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelJoseph Jagur-Grodzinski, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelLeslie Leiserowitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMoshe Levy, Ph.D., State University of New York, Syracuse, United StatesJoost Manassen, Ph.D., University of Amsterdam


Michael Elbaum, Ph.D., University of Washington, Seattle, United StatesGary Hodes, Ph.D., Queen's University of BelfastJacob Sagiv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Roy Bar Ziv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Beracha Foundation Career Development Chair

Ernesto Joselevich, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Dr. Victor L. Erlich Career Development Chair

Leeor Kronik, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelIncumbent of the Delta Career Development Chair

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/materials/ernesto/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/materials/LevyPage.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/wagner/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/fluids/SafranGroup/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/materials/Rubinstein

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/material/

Materials and Interfaces 133

Igor Lubomirsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Career Development Chair


Rivka Maoz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelRonit Popovitz-Biro, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIsabelle Weissbuch, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Alexander Vaskevich, Ph.D., Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, Moscow, Russian Federation


Rita Rosentsveig, Ph.D., Leningrad Technological Institute, Russian Federation

Special Contract

Ilija Zon, Ph.D., Academy of Science USSR, Moscow, Russian Federation

Consultants

Haim Grunbaum, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left June 2003)Gideon LevinAna Yaron Albu, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, IsraelElla Zak, Nanomaterials Ltd, Rehovot, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Abraham Ulman, Brooklyn Polytech. University , NY, U.S.A.Yao Feng Yuan, University of Zaragoza, Spain


Asa Hilton Barber, Ph.D., University of London, Imperial College, United KingdomYardena Bohbot-Raviv , Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelItamar Borukhov, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelDaniel (Janusz) Fidelus, Ph.D., University of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow, PolandDaphna Frenkiel-Krispin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelOlga Girshevitz, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelNir Gov, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelMark Greenberg, Ph.D., Technion, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/materials/idPopov.html

134 Materials and Interfaces

Hossam Haick, Ph.D., Technion, IsraelTao He, Ph.D., Institute of Chemistry, The Chinese Academy, ChinaStephanie Hoeppener, Ph.D., W.W.University of Muenster, GermanyNir Kampf, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelMichal Lahav, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelAmir Lichtenstein, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelLuqi Liu, Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Sciences, ChinaShantang Liu, Ph.D., Peking University, ChinaMahesh Menon, Ph.D., Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, IndiaJaya Parameswaran Nair, Ph.D., Barkatullah University, IndiaJose Geraldo Nery, Ph.D., Univ. of Sao-Paulo & Santa Barbara, USAAlice Nicolas, Ph.D., Universite Joseph Fourier, FranceIrit Ruach-Nir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelElla Zimmerman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Ovadia Abed Tali AquaIfat Ashiri - Kaplan Maya Bar SadanRonit Buller Amnon BuxbaumYaron Caspi Liraz ChaiIlanit Doron-Mor Irakliy EbralidzeDavid Ehre Ran EliashJamal Ghabboun Guy HedSari Katz Ronen KopitoFrieda Kopnov Aurelie Lachish-ZalaitDmitry David Lukatsky Rachel MalkaAlexander Margolin Doron NaveLior Nissim Uri RavivYaron Rosenfeld Hacohen Irit Ruach NirIrina Rubinsein Sven RuhleHanna Salman Adi SalomonShaibal K. Sarkar Christoph SchuffenhauerTali Sehayek Ilya ShlarInna Solomonov Ayelet VilanIris Visoly-Fisher Meni WanunuShira Yochelis Gov-Ary Qing ZhaoAnton Zilman

Administrator

Zelu Itzicovitch

Organic Chemistry

David Milstein, HeadThe Israel Matz Professor of Organic Chemistry

The research in the Department of Organic Chemistry spans a wide range of topics, includingsynthetic-, organometallic-, polymer-, biorganic-, biological- and computational chemistry.

Synthetic methods based either on sulfur-mediated sequential reactions or onintramolecularization of reactions by temporary sulfur connection have been developed byMario Bachi's group and applied to the synthesis of antimalarial peroxides and of neuroactiveamino acids. The particular properties of the Carbon to Sulfur bond and its aptitude toparticipate in homolytic chain reactions allows the integration of these two approaches in aunified strategy. Following this strategy, new stereoselective reactions, as for example, alkenylgroup translocation through tandem cyclization - elimination processes are being developedfor the synthesis of particular cis-substituted pyrrolidines.

Electron-rich complexes of transition metals, capable of insertion and activation of some of thestrongest bonds are being developed by David Milstein. The selective insertion of a metal intoa simple carbon-carbon bond presents new prospects for selective hydrocarbonfunctionalization. Activation of N-H and O-H bonds opens new directions for the selective useof ammonia and water. Facile activation of bonds to carbon by specifically-designedcomplexes has led to new catalytic reactions of significance to the chemical andpharmaceutical industries, including highly efficient carbon-carbon bond formation. A newapproach towards catalysis based on the ordering of metal complexes in thin films wasdemonstrated (with Meir Lahav, Materials and Interfaces). The use of metals for thegeneration, stabilization and controlled release of biologically relevant, unstable organictransients is being studied.

Soluble metal oxide clusters termed polyoxometalates are being investigated and developed ashomogeneous oxidation catalysts by Ronny Neumann. Polyoxometalates have the ability toactivate environmentally benign oxygen donors such as molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide,nitrous oxide and ozone. In the presence of hydrocarbons, selective oxidation reactions can becarried out. Catalytic oxidation reactions which are being investigated include the epoxidationof alkenes, the hydroxylation of alkanes, oxydehydrogenation of alcohols and other substratesand oxyhalogenation. Mechanistic and kinetic studies using a large variety of spectroscopicand chromatographic techniques allow the identification of active intermediates, thedetermination of different modes of activation of oxygen donors and the preparation ofimproved catalysts.

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136 Organic Chemistry

Hypericin is a highly potent anticancer agent with cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity. Anumber of hypericin analogs, which vary in their ability to enter into the cells and generatesinglet oxygen, have been synthesized by Yehuda Mazur and are being evaluated (with GadLavie, Sadick Hazan,Tel Hashomer Hospital).

Biological activity of visual pigments and bacteriorhodopsin is related to a photocycle duringwhich both the retinal and the opsin moieties undergo a series of structural changes. Themolecular changes and their correlation with the corresponding biological functions are ofprimary importance. The use of artificial pigments, model compounds and spectroscopicmethods by Mudi Sheves has resulted in the clarification of the role that single and doublebonds play in the photocycle; protein-chromophore interactions in the binding site; and therole of water and light in retinal protein activity.

In Abraham Shanzer's group the principles of Biomimetic Chemistry are being applied tomimic bioactive molecules with emphasis on natural iron-carriers that are recognized bymicrobial receptors and consequently transported into the living cells. When labeled withfluorescent markers, these carriers provide diagnostic tools. When linked to a cytotoxic agents,they are envisioned as a new generation of anti microbial agents. The molecular-basedtechnologies investigated by Avi Shanzer include: (a) preparation of molecules with desiredoptical, electronic and magnetic properties, and their assembly on gold surfaces (with IsraelRubinstein, Materials and Interfaces): (b) design and preparation of molecular based devicesacting as static and dynamic Molecular Switches for memory storage and Molecular Logic-Gates for performing logical operations.

The structure, function and thermal stability of thermophilic enzymes are being studied byYigal Burstein, aiming at understanding the mechanisms of adaptation of enzymes to extremeenvironment and for designing novel enzymes for biotransformations in organic chemistry. Afamily of highly homologous alcohol dehydrogenases that span the phenotypic range oftemperature in microorganisms, is investigated. Structural elements conferring thermalstability were identified and analyzed employing genetic engineering methods.

Chemical, biological and clinical studies of modulatory peptides including immunomodulatorantibacterial anticancer and neuroactive compounds are being carried out by Mati Fridkin.Novel technologies for drug delivery and stabilization have been developed and applied toseveral proteins (e.g. insulin, growth hormone, interferon), peptides (e.g. GnRH ,exendin ) andsmall molecules ( antibiotics and anticancer drugs ). The clinical-pharmaceutical potential ofseveral compounds are being evaluated. A novel approach toward Fe- chelation in relation toneuroprotection is being developed.

Design, synthesis, structure and function of aminoglycoside-arginine conjugates (AACs),novel HIV-1 inhibitors of viral entry and transactivation of the viral transcripts by Tat protein,are being studied by Aviva Lapidot aiming at understanding the mechanisms of inhibition ofthe diversity functions of Tat protein, which might be critical for anti-AIDS strategies. Thisnew class of components revealed antiviral activity in cell cultures and inhibited viral-host cellfusion, as well as binding to HIV RNAs. AAC inhibit neuroblastoma death caused by HIV-coat protein gp 120 - the major ethological agent for neuromal loss. Additionally the AACs

Organic Chemistry 137

inhibit bacterial RNase P activity and inhibit protein synthesis by blocking peptide chainelongation (with G.Borkow, Kaplan Hospital; J.Este, Spain; V.Gopalan, USA; J.Pelletier,Canada and G.Melino, Italy).

DNA organization and survival under stress is being studied by Avi Minsky. Morphologicalchanges that occur within living cells, following their exposure to various stress conditions arebeing studied by electron microscopy and X-ray scattering. Under such conditions, genomicDNA undergoes either a spontaneous or a protein-promoted phase transition into highlypacked and ordered structures in which the DNA molecules are sequestered and effectivelyprotected. A new and general mode of protection through biocrystallization is indicated. Thestructural properties of stress-induced DNA-binding proteins that are involved in thesestructural transitions are being studied. Ultrasensitive calorimetrical methods are used toassess the effects of the large intracellular crowding and viscosity upon the thermodynamicfeatures of interactions between macromolecules, such as DNA and proteins.

The group of Yossi Sperling is studying the structure and function in pre-mRNA processing ofsupraspliceosomes. These huge macromolecular assemblies contain, in addition to pre-mRNAs, all known components required for their post-transcriptional processing (capping,polyadenylation, editing and splicing). Hence, they can be regarded as representing the nuclearRNA processing machinery. A new mechanism that regulates splicing by affecting splice siteselection has been discovered. This discovery implies that the reading frame of mRNAs can berecognized in the nucleus prior to splicing. A model derived from structural studies ofsupraspliceosomes by electron microscopy is being developed to explain this unexpectedfinding. The computational chemistry group of Jan (Gershom) Martin is engaged both in thedevelopment of highly accurate ab initio computational thermochemistry methods (W1 andW2 theory) and in the methodology and applications of density functional theory, with aparticular focus on organometallic reaction mechanisms relevant to homogenous catalysis.Theoretical vibrational spectroscopy beyond the harmonic approximation and basis setdevelopment (the SDB-cc-pVnZ basis sets) are subsidiary research interests.

The team of Milko van der Boom who has joined the department recently working to createnovel films with desirable electronic and optical qualities. The formation of organic thin filmsis at the forefront of nanotechnology research. His team is hoping to replace today'sconventional inorganic materials with organic compounds, which would be much easier tomodify, thus offering far better, cheaper devices. The challenges of creating these films,however, are considerable - from effectively integrating custom-designed organic and metal-organic molecules into thin films, to creating materials that are highly ordered and smooth aswell as thick enough to efficiently convey optical signals.



Professors

Mario D. Bachi, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusaelm, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of service) The Charles and Charlotte Krown Professor of Medicinal Chemistry

Yigal Burstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)The Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Professor of Bio-Organic Chemistry and Malignant Diseases Research

Mati Fridkin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)The Lester B. Pearson Professor of Protein Research

David Milstein, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Israel Matz Professor of Organic Chemistry

Abraham Minsky, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Professor T. Reichstein Professor

Ronny Neumann, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Rebecca and Israel Sieff Professor of Organic Chemistry

Abraham Shanzer, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Charlotsville, United StatesThe Siegfried and Irma Ullmann Professor

Mordechai Sheves, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Ephraim Katzir-Rao Makineni Professor of Chemistry

Joseph Sperling, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Hilda Pomeraniec Memorial Professor of Organic Chemistry

Professors Emeriti

Valeri A. Krongauz, Ph.D., L.Y. Karpov Physical Chemistry Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation

Aviva Lapidot, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelDavid Lavie, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (deceased

September 2003)Yehuda Mazur, Ph.D., E.T.H, Zurich, SwitzerlandAbraham Patchornik, Ph.D., The Hebrew Univesity of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Associate Professor

Gershom (Jan) Martin, Ph.D., University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

Senior Scientist

Milko Van Der Boom, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYigal Allon FellowIncumbent of the Dewey David Stone and Harry Levine Career Development Chair

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/idBachi.shtml

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/burstein.shtml

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/idSheves.shtml

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/idSperling.shtml

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http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/vanderboom.shtml

Organic Chemistry 139


Rina Arad-Yellin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelAlexander M. Khenkin, Ph.D., Academy of Science, Russian FederationMoshe Peretz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Edward E. Korshin, Ph.D., Kazan State University, Russian Federation

Consultants

Vigalok Arkadi, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-AvivHerzel Ben-Hur, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, IsraelVirginia BuchnerShlomo DuklerAmihai EisenstadtAyelet Gonen, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelAlfred Hessner, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Amiram Hirshfeld, Nat. Police Headquarters, IsraelEdna Schechtman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Irving Listowsky, A. Einstein College of Medicine, NY, U.S.A.Harold Wittcoff, IBM Chem. Sys., U.S.A.


Daniel Boese, Ph.D., University of Cambridge, United KingdomSara Cohen-Krausz, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelSylvain Gatard, Ph.D., University Bordeaux I, FranceAndre Lucassen, Ph.D., University of Nijmegen, The NetherlandsSarbani Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, IndiaU. Kyaw Myo Naing, Ph.D., University of Yangon, MyanmarDan Piestun, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelShai Rahimipour, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelJayaraman Shobini, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Madras, IndiaAtindra Shukla, Ph.D., Bhavngar University, IndiaVeerappan Vijayabaskar, Ph.D., Madurai Kamaraj University, IndiaJing Zhang, Nanjing University, China


Research Students

Izik Bar-Nahum Eyal Ben-AriIrit Ben-Avraham Revital Ben-DanielOlena Branytska Revital CohenTali Dadosh David DangoorReto Dorta Tamar EliashJoseph Englander Guibao FanDaphna Frenkiel-Krispin Mark GandelmanEdi Goichberg Roman GoikhmanRivka Goobes (Konforty) Adina HaimovMark Iron Berith IsaacHagit Kornreich-Leshem Vered Lev-GoldmanGalia Maayan David MarguliesMichael M. Meijler Gal MeiriKeren Mevorat Kaplan Emanuel PerugiaKikkeri Raghavendra Maria ShoshanDorit Sloboda Rozner Alex Martin SzpilmanMaxym Vasylyev Haim WeissmannGalit Yahalom Eylon YavinUri Zadok Hailin Zheng

Administrator

Tiki Rosen

Structural Biology

Amnon Horovitz, HeadThe Carl and Dorothy Bennett Professor of Biochemistry

The Department is committed to research in the major areas of structural biology and isinvestigating biological systems from the atomic to the cellular level of organization. Theultimate goal is to obtain a complete picture of biological structures in their complexity, with acontinuity at all length scales, from Ångstroms to millimeters. The structures of biologicalmacromolecules and their complexes are studied at the length scale of Ångstroms by X-raydiffraction from crystals, and in solution by advanced spectroscopic techniques such as nuclearmagnetic resonance and EXAFS. In addition, imaging techniques that span the range betweennanometers and microns, such as electron microscopy, electron tomography and atomic forcemicroscopy, are being used to study single molecules, macromolecular assemblies and wholetissue organization.

The elucidation of structure-function relationships of key components in main biologicalpathways is one of the general goals of the research conducted in the Department. One suchpathway is the translation of the genetic code from DNA to proteins. A highlight of recentyears has been the continued progress in determination of different ribosome structures also incomplex with antibiotics. These significant achievements crown the titanic efforts of tens ofyears of research aimed at determining the structure and mechanism of action of ribosomes.Ribosomes are large particles composed of RNA and more than 50 proteins that are theprincipal protein synthesis machinery of the cell. The mechanism of translation of the codeinto proteins is also investigated by X-ray crystallography of tRNA synthetases and theircomplexes. Additional research in this area includes work on helicases that unwind RNA andelucidation of the 3-D structures of DNA molecules and DNA-protein complexes. Research isalso being carried out on molecular chaperones and catalysts of disulphide bridge formationthat assist protein folding which is the one of the last stations in the pathway from genes tofunctional proteins.

Structural and dynamical aspects of enzyme and protein function and recognition constituteanother focal point of activity. Examples are studies on the mechanism of acetylcholinesterase,a key enzyme in the transmission of nerve impulses, and on proteins regulating membrane-fusion and virus entry into the cell. Antibody-antigen recognition is being studied using NMRand molecular biology tools in order to unravel the structural basis and energetics of theseinteractions. Antibody-antigen recognition is also being studied using antibodies that interactwith monolayer and crystal surfaces.

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http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Structural_Biology/

142 Structural Biology

Studies on the relationships between organic and mineral components and between structure,function and mechanical properties of mineralized tissues including bone, teeth, shells andmany others, are performed over the whole range of hierarchical organizations. Thedevelopment of new techniques in Archeological Chemistry provides information abouthuman life conditions and technologies in prehistoric times.

The X-ray and NMR facilities are state-of-the-art. A major upgrade was recently made in theelectron microscopy facility with the addition of two high resolution transmission electronmicroscopes and an environmental field emission scanning electron microscope.


Professors

Lia Addadi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professor

Jacob Anglister, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Joseph and Ruth Owades Professor of Chemistry

Zippora Shakked, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Helena Rubinstein Professor of Structural Biology

Joel L Sussman, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United StatesThe Morton and Gladys Pickman Professor in Structural Biology

Stephen Weiner, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United StatesThe Walter and Dr. Trude Brochardt Professor of Structural Biology

Ada E. Yonath, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Professor

Professors Emeriti

Henryk Eisenberg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelWolfie Traub, Ph.D., University of London, London, United KingdomEdward Trifonov, Ph.D., Moscow Physico-Technical Institute, Russian Federation


Amnon Horovitz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Carl and Dorothy Bennett Professor of Biochemistry

Karol A. Muszkat, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (retired December 2003)The Henry and Bertha Benson Professor

Mark Safro, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Lee and William Abramowitz Professor of Macromolecular Biophysics

http://www1.weizmann.ac.il/sb/idcards/idamnon.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~joel

Structural Biology 143

Irit Sagi, Ph.D., Georgetown University, Washington, United StatesIncumbent of the Robert Edward and Roselyn Rich Manson Career Development Chair (until November 2003)

Senior Scientists

Deborah Fass, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United StatesIncumbent of the Lilian and George Lyttle Career Development Chair

Itay Rousso, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Ilana Agmon, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (left March 2003)Shira Albeck, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYoav Peleg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelTamar Unger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Harry-Mark Greenblatt, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelNaama Kessler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelBrenda Mester, Ph.D., University de la Republica, UruguayAnat Zaytzev-Bashan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Orly Dym, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMaggie Kessler, Ph.D., University of North London, United KingdomDawn Mae Wong, Ph.D., University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom (left December

2003)

Special Contract

Dmitry Tworowski, Ph.D., Pyatigorsk State Pharmaceutical Academy, Pyatigorsk, Russian Federation

Consultants

Anat Argaman, Ran-Ramot Biotech Incubator, Tel-Hashomer, Israel (left April 2003)Adam Ben-Shem, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelSimone Botti, Biostrx Ltd., Ramat-Gan, IsraelFelix Frolow, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left Augudt 2003)Yehuda Goldgur, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/sb/faculty_pages/Fass/home.html

144 Structural Biology

Ron Shahar, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelSariel Shalev, Haifa University, Haifa, IsraelRon Unger, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Tamar Auerbach, DESY, Hamburg, GermanyDebbie Bartfeld, Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelFrancesco Berna, University of Rome, ItalyJohn Currey, University of York, UKGiuseppe Falini, University of Bologna, ItalyDorothy Godfrey-Smith, University of Melbourne, AustraliaMiriam Hasson, Purdue University , W. Lafayette, IN, U.S.A.Nina Moor, Russian Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, RussiaFred Naider, CUNY, Staten Island, IslandGiovanni Verri, University of Ferrara, Italy


Igor Berezovsky, Ph.D., Russian Academy of Sciences, RussiaEmanuel Blumenzweig, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelYael Diskin Posner, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelSilvina Federman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMerav Geva-Melamud, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDerk Joester, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, SwitzerlandIlan Levy, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelDalia Rivenzon-Segal, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelRemo Rohs , Ph.D., Freie University, GermanyEdwin Harold Rydberg , Ph.D., The University of British Columbia, CanadaRuth Shahack-Gross, Ph.D., Washington Art & Sciences, USAOhad Shifman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDawn Mae Wong , Ph.D., University of Salford, United KingdomOfer Yifrach, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Barak Akabayov Adi Bahar-EliyahuDavid Baram Deborah BartfeldZohar Biron Boris BrumshteinJordan Chill Ilit Cohen-OpriOded Danziger Hay DvirRivka Elbaum Eran FinkelGabriel Frank Yael Fridmann-SirkisZiv Gefen Merav Geva-Melamud

Structural Biology 145

Bat Ami Gotliv Galit Greber-KafriEinav Gross Arnon HennDiana Huttner Yakov KipnisOded Kleifeld Olga KoganCameel Makhoul Orna ManRoni Mashiach Fabio NudelmanErez Pyetan Sabine QuadtSefi Raz Osnat RosenGabriel Rosenblum Avraham Olivier SamsonLuana Scheffer Netta SelaMichal Sharon Liat Shimon-RagolerRoy Sirkis Ariel SolomonOded Suad Raz ZarivachPaul Zaslansky Tzviya Zeev Ben-Mordehai

Administrator

Tiki Rosen

Solar Research Facilities Unit

Jacob Karni, Scientist-in-Charge

Michael Epstein, Head

A main project of the Unit is the 73-m2 hyperboloidal reflector, which was completed andannexed to the Solar Tower at around 40 m above the ground in 1999, and is now beingutilized for beam-down optics. The heliostats on the field concentrate the solar energy on thetower reflector, which directs this energy down to the ground through a funnel-likeconcentrating device (compound parabolic concentrator - CPC). This is the world largest non-imaging secondary concentrator. It is aimed at providing approximately 600 kW of solarenergy concentrated to a level of 4500 kW/m2.

The bench-scale thermochemical reactor tests, aimed at the development of a high-temperaturesolar system for the production of hydrogen and zinc via solar carbothermal reduction of zincoxide, were accomplished after four consecutive years of arduous efforts. The results laid thebasis to the SOLZINC project supported by the European Commission to upscale the system.The project is aimed at production of about 50 kg/hr zinc dust to be used for electrode materialfor zinc/air batteries. The project is a collaboration with Swiss, French research teams andSwedish and German industries. An extensive experimental study was undertaken in order to determine the capabilities andlimitations of the Tornado flow configuration as a gasdynamic method for protection of a solarreactor quartz window against destruction caused by deposition of incandescent solid particleson its surface. The dependence of the Tornado flow characteristics on Ekman number has beendemonstrated and the value of the transition Ekman number was established, beyond which theregular Tornado configuration degenerates into a diffuse flow pattern.

In the framework of the project of production of hydrogen and carbon black by solar thermalsplitting of methane, the study of enhanced absorption of radiation in the gas in the reactionzone by seeding of fine solid particles has been intensified. A simulation test program ispresently being conducted in the laboratory. Gas flowing in a Tornado configuration in thesolar reactor model is seeded with carbon black powder, which is entrained in a secondary gasstream. The objective of these tests is the establish an envelope of parameters, such as mainand carrier gas flowrates, carbon black injection speed, appropriate location of carbon blackinjection port and angular coordinates of the injected carbon black carrier stream, for whichsuccessful seeding of gas inside the reactor cavity can be accomplished without any powderdeposition on the reactor window.

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148 Solar Research Facilities Unit

The solar reforming of low hydrocarbons with steam to produce synthesis gas was successfullycompleted. The results were used to submit a new proposal to the EU/FP6 to modify andupgrade the system. The proposal was accepted and the new project will start in 2004 incollaboration with other research institutions and industries in Europe.

Two other projects supported by MONI were successfully completed. One was aimed at thedevelopment of high temperature ( >1000oC) reforming catalyst based on Ru/Al2O3 and thesecond is gasification of biomass (cellulose was used as a simulant) dispersed in a continuousphase of molten salt (a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates).

Staff

Professor

Jacob Karni 1, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States


Akiba Segal, Ph.D., Jassy University, Romania


Roman Adinberg, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian FederationAlexander Berman, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

Engineers

Rami Ben-Zvi, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelMichael Epstein, B.A., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelItzhak Levy, B.A., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (retired November

2003)Doron Lieberman, M.Sc., Ben-Gurion Univesity of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Abraham Kogan, Technion, Haifa, IsraelYeshayahu Levy, Technion, Haifa, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellow

Rakesh Kumar Karn, Ph.D., Banaras Hindu University, India

1Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/solar_page.html

Chemical Research Support

Mordechai Sheves, HeadThe Ephraim Katzir-Rao Makineni Professor of Chemistry

Chemical Services, comprising seven major units, offers advanced and routine facilities foranalytical and preparative chemical techniques to Institute scientists. Each unit is headed by aResearch Fellow or a Staff Scientist and is operated by qualified technical staff. Thedevelopment program for Chemical Services and its mode of operation is supervised by UsersCommittees and by scientific advisers.

The NMR Unit (People in Charge: Raphael Poupko and Peter Bendel)

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Unit comprises four laboratories equipped with highresolution Fourier transform NMR spectrometers ranging from 250-500 MHz. The low-fieldNMR instrument (Bruker WH-250) is used primarily for routine identification and standardwork with small organic molecules. The Bruker AMX-400 system was upgraded during 1998to the "Advance DMX" version. It includes three probes: A selective 5 mm proton probe withhighest sensitivity for biological systems and 2D measurements; a 5 mm automatic QNPprobe, switchable by computer for 1H, 19F, 31P and 13C nuclei, and a 10 mm multinuclearprobe covering the range Ag to P. It mainly serves scientists in the Department of OrganicChemistry and provides a modern facility for their analyses. The high-field NMR instrument,Bruker AM-500, was used mainly for specialized research, including 2D NMR andbiologically oriented work. The instrument is equipped with dedicated NMR probes for 1H,2H, 13C, 15N, and 31P measurements, as well as for "inverse" experiments, and a 13C CP-MASS probe.

In addition, a Bruker 400-DMX widebore spectrometer is used for NMR microscopic imaging.Spectroscopic capabilities include 1H and broad band multi nuclei probes and an automaticQNP probe, switchable by computer. Imaging is provided by two systems: a microscopy probeincludes actively shielded gradients (up to 200 G/cm) with 5 mm rf coils for 1H, 1H/13C and1H/31P. A microimaging probe with actively shielded gradients (up to 20 G/cm) includes a 5cm birdcage 1H coil and is used for imaging samples of 5 mm-3 cm (including small mice).NMR measurements can be performed with cardiac or respiratory gating. The spectrometer isused mainly for research in biology for non-invasive physiological and metabolicmeasurements of small samples.

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150 Chemical Research Support

The Biospec laboratory contains an NMR spectrometer (Bruker) based on a 4.7 Tesla magnetwith a 30 cm horizontal bore. The system was upgraded during 1996 to the "Advance DBX"version with fully broadband dual-channel operation, self-shielded gradients and anassortment of resonators and surface coils with active coil detuning for crossed-coil operation.The system performs NMR spectroscopy and imaging experiments on animals, plant systemsand other large and heterogeneous samples and specimens. It is being used by researchers fromthe Chemistry and Biology faculties for investigating tumors implanted in mice, models forangiogenesis of tumor blood vessels, spinal cord vessels, spinal cord damage and its treatmentin rats, and characterizing flow and transport in porous media in three-dimensional rockfracture models.

The 800 MHz high-resolution spectrometer (Bruker, DRX Avance-800) provides access to thehighest magnetic field currently available of commercial spectrometers, enabling state-of-the-art high-resolution experiments for macromolecular structure determination. The accessoriesinclude a multi-nuclear TXI probe with z gradient (15N, 13C, 1H, 5mm), a multi-nuclear QXIprobe with x, y and z gradients (15N, 13C, 31P, 1H, 5mm), and two solid-statte MASS probescovering both low and high multi-nuclear frequency ranges.

The ESR Unit (Person in Charge: Lev Weiner)

The Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Unit is equipped with a Bruker ER 200 D-SRCspectrometer (9.5 GHz, X band). The various measurement techniques of radicals andparamagnetic ion in a solid state and in solutions is available at a wide range of temperatures.

The ESR Unit provides consultation and training for scientists interested in techniques for thedetection and quantitation of oxidative stress in chemical and biological systems.

A novel spin-tapping technique has been developed for quantitating and monitoring thekinetics of appearance of short lived reactive oxygen species and carbon-centered radicals inchemical, photochemical and biological systems. The technique can also be used to distinguishbetween the various reactive oxygen species, which include superoxide and hydroxyl (OH)radicals, as well as singlet oxygen (1O2). The ESR technique is applicable to stronglyscattering and stained systems, such as organ homogenates and cell cultures.

A novel ESR approach has been developed for the quantitative determination of sulfhydrylgroups (down to 10-12 moles) in chemical and biological systems.

The Mass-Spectrometry and Chemical Analysis Unit (Person in Charge: AryeTishbee)

The Chemical Analysis Laboratory, provides training, consultation and method developmentfor separation, purification, and isolation of a wide range of organic compounds by GasChromatography, Mass Spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC),Amino Acids, Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry, and Micro RAMAN analysis, units.

Chemical Research Support 151

The Micro RAMAN unit provides micro Raman measurements, using 780 nm and or 633nmlaser excitation, magnification range from x5 to x100, for a verity of samples, includingtemperature controlled stage with operating range of - 200 to + 500 Celsius.

Available equipment: Renishaw Micro Raman Imaging Microscope Controlled via a PC basesoftware, with temperature control, moving xyz stage, dual lasers 633 and 780nm, and Grams2c spectral manipulation software.

The Mass Spectrometry Unit provides mass spectra for the determination of molecular weightsand structure elucidation of organic compounds up to 4000AMU including labile metalcomplexes, and for Peptides and proteins up approx. 40,000AMU Detection limit approx. 50pg.

Analyses of complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds up to 1000 AM with, systempeak matching and library search and MS/MS capability. Detection Limit approx. 10pg.

Available equipment: HPLC - MS Micromass ZMD 4000 Mass Spectrometer equipped withESI and APCI probes for Electrospray and APCI analysis. Connected to a MassLynx datastation. High Sensitivity GCQ Polaris Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer with MS/MScapabilities for volatile compound, connected to Xcalibur data station equipped with NISTLibrary search capabilities.

The Amino Acid Analyzer Unit provides qualitative and quantitative Analysis of protein andpeptide hydrolyzates. Detection Rage of 100-3000 pmoles, using OPA and FMOC pre columnderivatization, monitoring at UV, using reverse phase separation. Detection range of 5 - 3000pmole using AccQ.Tag pre column derivatization and monitoring Fluorescent emission.

Available equipment: Waters PicoTag Work Station for gas phase Hydrolysis Hewlet Packard1090 HPLC equipped with Diode array Detector and autoinjector with a PC basedChemstation database, utilizing Amino Quant chemistry for the analysis. Waters 2690Alliance HPLC equipped with fluorescence and Diode Array detectors and autoinjector ,utilizing AccQ.Tag and or Pico Tag chemistries for the analysis of Hydrolizates and somephysiological Amino acids.

The Atomic Absorption unit provides Analysis for a verity of elements in sensitivity of fewmg/L depending on the analyte, a wide range of lamps is available for different elements. BothFlame and Graphite Oven atomizers are available.

Available equipment: Perkin Elmer 5100 atomic absorption unit equipped with HGA Graphitefurnace, and PC based gem software to control the instrument.

The X-Ray Crystallography Unit (People in Charge: Linda Shimon and Ellen J.Wachtel)

The Unit for X-ray Crystallography offers facilities for advanced chemical, biochemical,physical, and geophysical research. The service provides crystal structure solution and


refinement of atomic parameters, training for users interested in crystallographic computingand consultation for growing crystals suitable for X-ray analysis. The measurements of organicand organometallic materials are performed either at LN or ambient temperatures using aNonius KappaCCD diffractometer mounted on a FR590 generator Mo radiation.Measurements may also be performed on a Nonius Mach3 Kappa diffractometer mounted on aFR590 generator with Cu radiation. Inorganic materials are measured on a Rigaku AFC5R 4circle diffractometer mounted on a Rigaku RU300 rotating anode with Ag radiation.

Macromolecular crystallographic measurements are made on two systems. One, a state-of-the-art R-Axis4++ image plate detector mounted on a Rigaku rotating anode generator equippedwith Osmic confocal focusing mirrors. This system is also outfitted with a 2-theta stageallowing high resolution data collection. The second system is an R-AxisIIc image platedetector mounted on a Rigaku rotating anode generator with Osmic confocal mirrors. Bothsystems are equipped with Oxford cryostream cooling systems for low temperaturemeasurements.

The Low Angle X-Ray Scattering Laboratory is intended for use by scientists studying thesolution structure of macromolecules or partially organized systems, such as microemulsions,liquid crystals, and natural and synthetic polymeric fibers. A modified Rigaku low-anglecamera used in conjunction with a one-dimensional linear position sensitive detector isprovided for isotropic materials; a Searle camera with Franks optics and an Imaging Platedetector is used for samples displaying anisotropic patterns. Software is provided forcalculating Guinier fits and Patterson-like functions and for the Hayter-Penfold method fordetermining structure factors for macroion solutions. Simple modeling programs are alsoavailable.

The X-Ray Powder Diffractometry Laboratory makes available for general use the Rigaku D/Max-B automated powder diffractometer interfaced to a DECpc 433dxlp computer.Attachments are provided for high temperature measurements and automated handling of largenumbers of samples. A variable temperature cell for capillary specimens is also available. TheIBM software package includes peak finding, unit cell constant determination and SEARCH/MATCH with the on-line Powder Diffraction File database.

Spectroscopy Unit

Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy consists of a Nicolet 460 single beam infrared Fourier transformspectrophotometer (FTIR) fully operated by a Nicolet computer (512K RAM, 13" high-resolution color monitor) equipped with two internal 3.5 inch disk drives for programming anddata storage. The optical bench provides a maximal resolution of 2 cm-1 over the completespectral range from 4000 to 400 cm-1 and contains a sample compartment built especially forintroducing various IR accessories, such as gas cell, ATR, and so forth. This equipment issuitable for a large variety of analytical IR applications, offering high sensitivity andphotometric accuracy and computerized data manipulation capabilities.


In addition, the Spectrometry Unit provides facilities for measuring optical absorption, opticalrotatory dispersion (ORD) and circular dichroism (CD) at a wavelength range of 180-1000 nmand at a temperature range of -190_C to 70_C.

Available equipment: Aviv Model 202 spectropolarimeter, UV-visible diode arrayspectrophotometer, Beckman DU-7500.

The Unit for Radioactive Counting provides facilities for scintillation counting of -radioactive sources. The unit is equipped with a Beckman Model LS7500 -scintillationcounter.

The Surface Analysis Unit (Person in Charge: Sidney Cohen)

The surface analysis group provides the means for a variety of surface-sensitivemeasurements. These include chemical composition of the exposed atomic layers, atomicscale surface topography, electronic and mechanical surface properties, and detection ofadsorbed molecules.The various units of this group are housed in two laboratories and includefacilities for rudimentary sample preparation and cleaning, such as ozone cleaner, clean hood,and so forth.

The Ultrahigh Vacuum Unit is a multifaceted system for surface analyses at pressures below10-9 torr. The main analysis chamber includes a Kratos Axis HS photoelectron spectrometer,which detects elements and determines their chemical state on the surface at depths up to 3 nmwith sensitivity of 0.1%. The system includes an ultraviolet lamp for valence bandmeasurements, monochromator for high resolution work, ion gun for sputtering the surface,and flood gun for insulating samples. In addition, an electron gun for performing electronenergy loss spectroscopy has been installed. A second vacuum chamber attached to theanalysis chamber contains a VG Low Energy Electron Diffractometer to determine the surfacecrystalline state, and scanning tunneling microscope (Omicron) for atomic-scale structure.

The Scanned Probe Microscopy Unit contains three separate scanning tunneling/scanningforce microscopes (Digital Instruments Nanoscope, NT-MOT P47/LS and TopometrixTMX2010) that enable determination of surface topography and mechanical and electricalproperties at resolutions ranging from tens of microns down to atomic scale. Liquid cells and agas inlet allow working in different media and under controlled humidity.

The Surface-Sensitive Infrared Unit consists of a Bruker IS66 Fourier Transform InfraredSpectrometer fitted with both DTGS and MCT detectors for a range of system throughputs.The stardard KBr beamsplitter can be switched with a Mylar beamsplitter, allowing access tothe far IR spectral region (down to 150 wavenumbers). Surface studies are enhanced by theuse of a grazing angle external reflection attachment and attenuated total reflectionattachment, both of which enable obtaining clean spectra of a single monolayer in minutes.

ββ


Electron Microscopy Unit (Person in Charge: Konstantin Gartzman)

The staff of the Electron Microscopy Unit provides analytical services to all of the departmentsof the Weizmann Institute and other institutes, and helps scientists to carry out their ownresearch using the units equipment. The unit provides on-the-spot practical training in electronmicroscopy and sample preparation.

For general applications, there are two scanning (SEM) microscopes, one of them with a newmicromanipulator and Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) imaging system, and dedicatedfor materials science and another Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) withField Emission Gun (FEG) that provides high resolution imaging for both biology and materialscience in high and low vacuum environment, one transmission (TEM) instrument, equippedwith a cryo-holder for low-temperature work. There are also three general elemental analysisfacilities (EDS - energy-dispersive analysis of electron-induced X ray fluorescence) attachedto these three microscopes. One more high resolution TEM dedicated to material science isable to obtain images with atomic resolution and is equipped with Electron Energy LossSpectroscopy tool for analytical purposes. For samples of biological interest there are threemore TEMs, two of which are equipped for low-temperature applications as well as havingdigital slow-scan cameras (CCDs) for low-dose work. The newest cryo-capable TEM alsoincludes a completely computer-controlled sample stage and high-resolution CCD, forautomated tomographic applications. In addition, various pieces of auxiliary equipment forsample preparation are available in the unit. These include polishing apparatus, dimpling andion milling machines, sputter, and physical evaporation apparatus, a critical point dryer, andseveral ultramicrotomes. The EM unit is also equipped for conventional as well as low-temperature preparation of biological samples and immuno-labeling. There is equipment forcryo-applications such as high-pressure freezing, cryo-plunging, freeze substitution and cryo-sectioning. Image processing facilities include Unix workstations, and several Macintosh andPC computers, with advanced software for image analysis, 3-D reconstruction andvisualization. A laser optical bench allows for quantitative analysis of negatives, and there isone high-resolution scanner for digitization of images.

The Molecular Modeling Unit (Person in Charge: Miriam Eisenstein)

This unit offers diverse modeling services to many groups in the Chemistry and Biologyfaculties. These include homology modeling and fold recognition for proteins, protein-proteindocking and ligand-protein docking, conformational analysis of organic molecules, DNA/RNA-ligand interactions and analysis of macromolecular assemblies. The available equipmentis a Silicon Graphics Indigo-II-Extreme work station. Several different computer programs andpackages are in constant use: The MSI Biosym package for display, homology modeling andenergy minimization, Encad for energy minimization and molecular dynamics, Chem-3D+ andModel for conformational analysis of organic molecules, Emol for accurate interaction energycalculations for organic molecules, Molfit for docking large biological molecules, Dock forligand-protein docking and Profit for fold recognition.


Staff

Professor

Mordechai Sheves1, Ph.D., The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Ephraim Katzir-Rao Makineni Professor of Chemistry

Senior Research Fellow

Arye Tishbee, Ph.D., University of Houston, Houston, United States


Peter Bendel, Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, United StatesHagai Cohen, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelSidney Cohen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMiriam Eisenstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelKonstantin Gartsman, Ph.D., Physical Technical Institute, Russian FederationEugenia Klein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelLinda J.W. Shimon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelVera Shinder, Ph.D., Moscow University, Biochemical Institute, Academy of ScienceEllen J. Wachtel, Ph.D., Yale University, New Haven, United StatesLev Weiner, Ph.D., Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, Russian FederationSharon G. Wolf, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Leonid Konstantinovskii, Ph.D., Rostov University, Rostov on Don, Russian FederationTali Scherf, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Shirley Daube, Ph.D., University of Oregon, Eugene, United StatesYishay Feldman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelVeronica Frydman, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaGrigorii Leitus, Ph.D., Metallurgy Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian

Federation


Haim Rozenberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelEyal Shimoni, Ph.D., ETH, Zurich, Switzerland

1Department of Organic Chemistry

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/surflab/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/surflab/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Chemical_Services/EM_Unit/sharon.html


Special Contract

Tatiana Rubinova, Ph.D., Domsk Technical University, Domsk, Russian Federation (left April 2003)

Engineer

Alexander Yoffe, M.Sc., University of Tashkent, Russian Federation

Visiting Scientist

A.I. Shushin, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, Russia

Postdoctoral Fellow

Claude Nogues, Ph.D., CNRS, France

The Center for Energy Research

Jacob Karni, Director

The Energy Research Center was established in 1980 to promote and encourage research in allaspects of energy-related research. Energy research covers a broad range of disciplines, and allthe Faculties in the Institute are involved. The basic philosophy of the Center is to keep thevarious energy projects within the framework of the departments in which they originated aslong as possible and to promote close contact between scientists working in the various fields,thereby encouraging innovation.

The Center provides facilities shared by all the research groups, holds seminars anddisseminates information.

Most of the energy research work done in the Institute is related to the exploitation of solarradiation. There are research projects in the direct conversion area, in thermal electricitygeneration, in thermally driven chemical processes, and in photochemistry.

Within the commissioning of the Canadian Institute for the Energies and its Solar ResearchFacilities Unit, and the operation of the Schaeffer Solar Furnace, it became possible to carryout many new projects.

Solar fuels

Research on the gasification of carbonaceous materials was continued. In this program,concentrated solar light is used for gasification of low value materials like heavy oil, coal andurban waste. At high temperature of the solar receiver, the carbonaceous materials are reactedwith Zn oxide to produce CO and Zn vapor. The reaction products are then reacted with waterto produce hydrogen and recover the Zn oxide.

High temperature receivers

A new generation of receivers that can reach higher temperatures by direct heating ofcompressed gas is being developed. The goal of the research is to achieve temperatures above2000°C. These receivers will be used in the future to operate a new generation of thermalmachines or chemical systems that are now under development.

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Novel solar optical systems

The goal of this project is to achieve peak solar concentrations above 20,000 in solar centralreceiver systems. This goal will be achieved by closed loop continuous tracking of the sun byheliostats, improved imaging optics and new concepts of nonimaging optics. High peak solarconcentration will improve the performance of existing solar thermal systems, and will allowin the future achieving higher temperatures with the newly developed solar receivers.

Solar-pumped lasers

Work on solar-pumped lasers continued. The focus of the present research is to develop phaseconjugate mirrors for high power solar lasers to improve beam quality that will support in thefuture transmission of high power lasers, and communication in space systems. In anotherresearch, gas phase solar molecular dimer lasers are being developed. These lasers will be thefirst generation of tunable directly pumped solar lasers.

Technology transfer to industry

The following major activities took place during last year:

An industrial consortium, with four Israeli industries and two universities, which wasestablished in 1995 as part of the MAGNET Program of the Israeli Ministry of Industry for theindustrialization of the solar technologies that were developed under the framework of theEnergy Research Center, completed its successful second year of operation. The goal of theseprojects is to develop the technologies of small- and large-scale solar thermal and solarphotovoltaic electric systems, and solar lasers.

An industrial consortium based on the cooperation between American and Israeli industrieswas formed under the framework of the Joint Israeli-American Commission for AdvancedTechnologies. The goal of this project is to develop solar thermal plants based on the conceptof the solar reflective tower.

An industrial consortium based on cooperation between Israeli and European organizationswas established under the Fourth Framework Program of the European Union. The goal of thisorganization is to develop advanced solar-assisted systems that will use synthesis gas obtainedby solar reforming to operate gas turbines and fuel cells.

The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry

Daniella Goldfarb, Director

The Fritz Haber Center supports various activities in Physical/Chemical Physics. The supportof the Center is given directly to research groups to help initiate new endeavors and forongoing activities. The support is usually dedicated to the purchase of new scientificequipment, upgrade of operating laboratories and extension of existing experimental systems.

In 2002/2003 the Center supported the following activities:

1. Magnetic resonance activities were supported through (i) partial support for thepurchase of a new high resolution NMR consol for the development of rapid scan, oneshot, multidimensional NMR spectroscopy, (ii) a modification of a MAS NMR probefor high resolution proton NMR in solids, and (iii) partial support for the purchase of anew RF amplifier for pulsed electron-nuclear double resonance experiments.

2. The purchase of a laser for a new single molecule imaging microscope, based on totalinternal reflection and is used to study protein folding and dynamics of single moleculeson surfaces.

3. Purchase of equipment needed for preparation of thin polymer coatings. This is used forsample preparation for transmission surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy.

4. In the project of phase and frequency scanning for coherent control ofphotodissociation was supported by the purchase of a dye laser scanning and fastacquisition systems.

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The Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research

Lia Addadi, Director The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professsor

The Institute was established in November 2000 with a generous founding endowment madeby the Ilse Katz Foundation. The Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry is the Director.

The Institute is dedicated to the promotion of excellent research in the fields of materials andmagnetic resonance at the Weizmann Institute. Both fields represent to date spear points oftechnologically advanced interdisciplinary research, encompassing topics ranging frommedicine to physics, through chemistry and biology. Large investments are required ininfrastructure and instrumentation, including support for the personnel responsible for thelaboratories. This is the main focus of the Ilse Katz Institute. In addition, the Ilse Katz Instituteencourages and supports young investigators committed to advanced research in any field ofmaterials and magnetic resonance.

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The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science

Stephen Weiner, Director Dr. Walter and Dr. Trude Borchardt Professor of Structural Biology

Archaeology is the study of ancient cultures based on the material remains that have survivedthe ravages of time. This represents a most challenging objective that requires on the one hand,some of the most sophisticated analytical tools available, and on the other hand a keenunderstanding of human culture and history. This blend of science and humanities is unique.Israel's geographic location at the cross-roads between Africa, Europe and Asia, and itsrelatively mild climate, are two of the main reasons why this small country is so well endowedwith a wonderfully rich archaeological record.

The achievements of the archaeological community of this country over the last 80 years havecontributed enormously to the overall knowledge of past human culture. The last 40 yearshave, however, witnessed a shift in the way archaeological research is practised. There is anincreasing use of the scientific method, along with a dependence on more and moresophisticated analytical capabilities. This trend in turn has exasperated a situation that exists inIsrael, and almost all western countries, namely that archaeologists are educated in thefaculties of humanities, yet the practice of archaeology in many respects is most suited to thenatural sciences.

This situation prompted the Weizmann Institute to establish the Kimmel Center forArchaeological Science, with its primary aim for the forseeable future being the training ofstudents at the PhD level in both the natural sciences and archaeology. In November 1997, theCenter was formally established in a newly renovated building on the campus designed by thefamous architect, Mendelsohn. At present 5 PhD students are enrolled in the program.

The Center's resources are used primarily for fellowships and modest research funds for PhDstudents participating in the program. Some of the research topics currently being investigatedare domestication of wheat using both modern and ancient DNA, ethno-archaeological studyof the Maasai in Kenya to develop better means of identifying archaeological sites occupied bypastoralists, the structure and preservation of charcoal from archaeological sites, the study ofauthigenic minerals that form in the sediments of prehistoric caves as a means ofreconstructing the paleochemical environment within ancient sediments, and the developmentof chert mining in prehistory using cosmogenic isotopes. The Center also supports themaintenance and upgrading of the technological infrastructure required for archaeological

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164 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science

research at the Institute. The main campus facilities currently used for archaeological research,include the Radiocarbon Laboratory, an ancient DNA laboratory, a laboratory forarchaeometallurgical research, electron microscope facilities for imaging and elementalanalyses, Raman and infrared vibrational spectrometers, and the Accelerator MassSpectrometry beam line in the Pelletron accelerator. The Center also supports scientificexchanges with foreign scientists, and holds weekly meetings and seminars for scientificcommunication.

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The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design

David Milstein, Director The Israel Matz Professor of Organic Chemistry

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design was established in November2000. It is aimed at the design and synthesis of organic and organometallic molecules of novelproperties and at the development of new synthetic methodology. Cooperation betweenscientists working on various aspects of these areas is strongly encouraged.

The Center deals with the following topics:

1. The design and synthesis of novel metal-binding coordination compounds with specialchemical properties.

2. Development of methodology for the synthesis and structural modification of organiccompounds of importance for the pharmaceutical- and fine chemical industries.

3. Development of novel molecular catalysts for efficient, selective and environmentallyfriendly processes of high industrial and academic interest.

4. Development and application of theoretical calculations of molecular properties andcomputational studies of the reactivity of organic and organometallic molecules.

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science

Reshef Tenne, Director

Objectives: The objectives of the Helen and Martin Kimmel center for Nanoscale Science is toencourage research in this burgeoning scientific discipline in general, and to help establish thelinks between molecular biology and nanoscale science, in particular; Another objective of thecenter is to promote education of young researchers who will be the future generationscientists in this field.

Means: To achieve these goals, the center supports the Helen and Martin Kimmel NanoscaleLaboratories (NL) in the basement of the Perlman building, which include clean rooms;molecular biology laboratories, and auxiliary laboratories for the characterization andmanipulation of nanomaterials. It further supports laboratories engaged in nanomaterialssynthesis and their characterization, and the activity in computations of nanomaterials. Duringthis first year of operation, the NL have been completed and its scientific and technical staffhas been recruited. The JEOL 6400 scanning electron microscope (SEM) was moved to theNL and an electron beam lithography system was installed on it.

Highlights of the scientific activities during this year: Research into the growth andproperties of carbon nanotubes was undertaken. The Frontier Orbital Theory and theWoodward Hoffman rules were used to explain the difference in the chemical reactivity ofmetallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes (E. Joselevich, Angew. Chem. Intl. Ed. inpress). The force required to separate a carbon nanotube from a solid polymer matrix has beenmeasured by performing reproducible nanopullout experiments using atomic forcemicroscopy. The separation stress is found to be remarkably high, indicating that carbonnanotubes are effective at reinforcing a polymer (A.H. Barber et al. Appl. Phys. Lett., 82, 4140(2003)). Nanotubes made of gold nanoparticles were synthesized by using porous aluminamembrane as a template (M. Lahav et al., Angew. Chem. Intl. Ed. 42, 5575 (2003)). Nanotubesof the misfit compound SnS2 and SnS were obtained by laser ablation of a SnS2 target (S.Y.Hong et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 10470 (2003)). The impact resistance of WS2 nanotubeswas established in a collaboration with the laboratory of Sir Prof. H. Kroto (Y.Q. Zhu et al., J.Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 1329 (2003)). This work suggests numerous applications for suchnanotubes, especially in high strength nanocomposites. Cell-free genetic circuit elements wereconstructed in a transcription-translation extract. For this purpose transcriptional activationand repression cascades were engineered, in which the protein product of each stage is theinput required to drive or block the following stage ( V. Noireaux, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 100,12672 (2003)).

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The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly

Ada E. Yonath, Director The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Professor

The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly,established in 1988, aims at encouraging research at the molecular level on frontier scientificproblems concerning the assembly of biological macromolecules into functionally activeintracellular units and organelles. The center is fully responsible for the following aspects ofbio-macromolecular structural research: nucleic-acids and protein expression purification,crystallization, crystallographic data collection and data evaluation facilities, computingstations and visualization units. It also shares responsibility for the molecular-NMR laboratoryas well as other functions of the chemical and biological services. In addition, it provides themeans for the upgrading and the maintenance of key inter-departmental common facilities.

Funds are being divided into the following categories:

a. Purchasing, installation and development of state-of-the-art sophisticated equipment tobe used for the investigation of structural aspects of life sciences. The methods supportedare cryo and ambient-temperature X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, EMimaging and time-resolved experiments at the micro-second limits.

b. Supporting the biocrystallographic laboratory. This is a common facility for large scalepreparations of sensitive biological materials in purity allowing high performance ofcrystallographic analysis and/or NMR studies.

c. Sponsoring structural aspects of the Human Genome Project.

d. Funding selected programs of an outstanding quality, albeit premature and/or risky to befunded by the common agencies.

e. Assisting in activities of young scientists as well as of more experienced new comers.

f. Providing means for the organization of conferences, seminars courses and symposiadealing with aspects of structural biology; facilitating short and long term visits ofleading scientific figures as well as post doctoral fellows. Facilitating the attendance of

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170 The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly

graduate students in workshops and advanced courses, carried out in Israel and/orabroad. The center also stimulates interactions with experts with specific skills in thearea of structural biology.

g. The upgrading, maintenance, development and repair of the existing instrumentation ona regular basis and by emergency calls.

The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology

Ada E. Yonath, Director The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Professor

The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology, established in 1980, encouragesresearch and cooperation among scientists working in this area. The Center operates by (a)direct grants to selected research projects, especially those that attempt to solve significantalbeit risky problems; (b) participation in providing biological, chemical, and crystallographicservices, in purchasing equipment and in improving experimental facilities; and (c) sponsoringseminars, symposia, short-term visits and the participation of young scientists in schools,workshops and meetings.

A significant part of the funds are allocated for the maintenance of the laboratory for biologicalstructure determination. Support was also given to Chemical and Biological Services.

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The Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center for Supramolecular Architecture

Reshef Tenne, Director

The Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Center for Supramolecular Architectures was founded in 1995 topromote interdisciplinary research in the field of condensed matter chemistry and physics.

The activity comprises experimental and theoretical studies in the field of structure andfunction of thin organic films, and other soft architectures (such as micelles, vesicles andmembranes) related to the material sciences, as well as inorganic-organic nanocomposites andmesoporous materials.

The Center supports collaborative studies among German and Israeli scientists, in general, andof young scholars, in particular. This is done by holding joint seminars, winter schools, andshort exchange visits of graduate and post-doctoral students.

A 3rd joint workshop between young Israeli and German scientists on "Functional MolecularArchitectures", supported by the Center was held on October 4-7, 1999, in Kaput, Germany

The 4th student workshop of the Center on "Molecular, Interfacial and Biological Aspects ofMesostructure" was held in Kibbutz Mashabei Sade, Israel 1-4 April 2001.

A 5th student workshop on the theme “Advances in Materials and Interfaces”, will take placein Naurod, Germany in 9-11 April 2003.

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The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences

Aldo Shemesh, Director

The Center began operating in 1993. Its main goals are to promote, coordinate, and supportresearch on the environment in the Institute in general, and in the Department ofEnvironmental Sciences and Energy Research in particular.

Last year the Center supported the purchase of a state of the art, multiple computing processor/server (four processor ES40 666Mhz alpha machine, from Compaq/Digital). This computer isused to investigate Ocean-atmosphere dynamics. It is used to study climate phenomena bothfrom El Nino, which is on a scale of a few years, and from glacial-interglacial cycles that occurevery 100,000 years. Our group is also involved in an attempt to insert observations from thePacific Ocean into an El Nino model, in order to improve prediction skills, and to predictglobal warming.

Another large scientific project that was supported by the Sussman Family Center is the YatirForest Project. We exploit Israel's geographic location in a climate transition zone, betweenarid and semi-arid, and use a forest ecosystem at the edge of the Negev desert as a model formonitoring and investigating the effects of climate on forest activity. This study is part of alarge scale, global effort to better understand the influence of plants and the land biosphere onthe rate of rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide and, consequently, global warming.

A new unit, Gas Bench II, was purchased with the aid of Center funding, and was connected toour continuous flow mass spectrometer. This new equipment enables us to delve into reallyexciting research on coral reefs. Recently, a phenomenon called coral bleaching has raisedconcerns about the deteriorating conditions in the world's oceans and the implications for lifeon our planet. The process of coral bleaching exposes the white calcium carbonate skeletons ofthe coral colony, due to the loss of their symbiotic algae from the tissues of polyps. Using ournew GasBench, we are engaged in the study of reconstructing stress conditions in corals. Weconduct this research on corals that were retrieved from Japan and the Seychelles Islands, andhope to get a better understanding of the isotopic manifestation of environmental parameterson coral response.

The Center also supported the absorption of a new senior scientist in the field of Geophysics. Itprovided a partial support to establish a state of the art computing capacity for geophysicalproblems in the field of Earthquake and Rock Mechanics.

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176 The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences

Other activities supported by the center are:

1. Scientific conference organized by the department students that brought togetherstudents of all fields of Environmental Sciences in Israel from all Institutions.

2. Negev Planning: Environmental Reserves, Urban Complexes, Production areas andInterconnected Scenery Roads. In this project environmental planning emphasizingnatural heritage assets of the Central Negev were planned and presented to theGovernment for implementation during the Negev planning for year 2020.

3. Two post-doctoral fellows that are operating the tower site at Yatir, collecting the datanecessary for both field and laboratory experiments.

The Center will continue to allocate funds both for the acquisition of new equipment, and forindividual research projects. Applications for individual research projects and/or smallequipment can be made at any time.

Faculty of Physics

Dean: Yaron Silberberg The Harry Weinrebe Professor of Laser Physics

Haim Harari, Ph.D.(The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Institute Professor The Annenberg Professor of High Energy Physics

Faculty of Physics

Dean: Yaron Silberberg The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser Physics

The Faculty of Physics consists of three departments: Department of Physics of ComplexSystems, Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Department of Particle Physics. Theresearch in the faculty is conducted by 45 faculty members, about 80 graduate students andabout 40 post doctoral fellows and visitors.

The research in the faculty covers a wide range of experimental and theoretical areas. Theexperimental effort combines studies of solid state and semiconductor physics,superconductors, plasma, radiation detection physics, nuclear and molecular physics,hydrodynamics and optics. In addition, the faculty is involved in large scale high energyexperiments done at accelerators in Brookhaven, Geneva and in Hamburg. This activity iscarried out by some 20 experimental groups operating within the faculty, most of whichestablished and developed during the last decade. The faculty is now engaged in plans toextend its activity in optics and laser physics, and to enter into new areas such as experimentalastrophysics.

Theoretical studies at the faculty cover areas like high energy physics, string theory,mesoscopic systems, interacting electron systems, equilibrium and non-equilibrium statisticalphysics and astrophysics.

In addition, a new interdisciplinary direction of research, biologically oriented physics, hasbeen developed within the faculty. Several research groups are engaged in theoretical andexperimental studies in this exciting direction in cooperation with groups from other faculties.

The faculty hosts The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics, The Joseph H.and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research, The Minerva Center for NonlinearPhysics of Complex Systems, The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics.A new Center for Experimental Physics has been established last year.

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Condensed Matter Physics

Israel Bar-Joseph, Head The Jane and Otto Morningstar Professor of Physics

Research in our department covers a broad range of subjects in condensed matter physics andin astrophysics. It can be broadly divided into three main groups: Experimental CondensedMatter Physics, Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Theoretical Astrophysics.

Experimental Condensed Matter Physics:

The group consists of five faculty members whose research interests include transport in low-dimensional systems, interacting electrons in high magnetic fields, scanning probemeasurements, optical spectroscopy and superconductivity. An important part of this activityis conducted within the Braun center for sub-micron research, which provides state of the artfabrication and measurements facility. The experimental activities in more details are:

Israel Bar-Joseph: - Optical spectroscopy of interacting electrons in high magnetic field (with V. Umansky

and Hadas Shtrikman). - Near field spectroscopy of neutral and charged excitons (with M. Rappaport, V. Umansky

and Hadas Shtrikman). - Transport through nano-particles and molecules (with A. Yacoby and J. Sperling).

Moty Heiblum: - Controlled dephasing of electrons –‘Which Path’ type Experiments (with D. Mahalu, V.

Umansky and H. Shtrikman). - Statistics of fractional charges in the fractional quantum Hall effect regime (with V.

Umansky and D. Mahalu). - Phase measurements of Electrons (with D. Mahalu and H. Shtrikman). - Growth of High Purity Semiconductors by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (with V. Umansky).

Dan Shahar: - The fractional and integer quantum Hall effects and related phenomena. - Electronic transport of inorganic nanotubes (with R. Tenne). - The superconductor-insulator transition in two-dimensional films and one-dimensional

wires.

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182 Condensed Matter Physics

Amir Yacoby: - Electrostatic imaging of the local electronic properties of a two-dimensional electron gas

(with D. Mahalu and H. Shtrikman). - Transport in quantum wires.(with V. Umansky).

Eli Zeldov: - High-temperature superconductivity.- Vortex dynamics.- Vortex matter phase transitions.- Magneto-optical imaging.

Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics:

This research direction in the department includes six theorists and focuses on theory of low-dimensional systems, covering a broad range of research areas such as correlated electrons,dephasing phenomena, quantum noise, field theory in condensed matter, the fractionalquantum Hall effect and large N interacting matrix model. The theoretical activities in moredetails are:

Alexander Finkelstein:- Metal-insulator transition in two dimensional electron systems; large N approach- Highly correlated electrons; superconductivity near the quantum critical points.- Spintronics devices for spin manipulations.

Yuval Gefen: - Non-equilibrium and quantum noise.- Electron-electron interactions in finite quantum systems.- Tunneling of fractionally charged quasi-particles- Spin effects in quantum dots and mesoscopic conductors - this is related to the emerging

field of Spintronics.- Berry phase and geometric effects in mesoscopic systems, including dissipative and

"environmental" effects. This has important implications in the fast developiong field of quantum computing.

Joe Imry:- Electronic dephasing in mesoscopic systems (with Y. Levinson). - Low-temperature dephasing, the special effects of low energy (e.g. two-level) modes

(with Z. Ovadyahu and A. Schiller, HU). - Effects of interaction on localization, on single-electron resonances and A-B

interferometers (ABI) . Theory of the effect of external radiation and interactions on the ABI (with A. Aharony and O. Entin-Wohlman, TAU and BGU).

- Mesoscopic superconductivity, including very small grains (with Y. Levinson and Y. Oreg).

- Quantum noise and shot noise (with Y. Levinson).

Condensed Matter Physics 183

Shimon Levit: - Large N interacting matrix models. - Statistics of quasiparticle and quasihole levels in small interacting disordered systems -

quantum dots.- Controlled decoherence in mesoscopic systems.- Coupled dephasor-dephasee pairs. - Non classical light - squeezed photons, nano-optics, microcavities. - Semiconductor optics with non classical light.

Yuval Oreg: - Disordered superconductors in low dimension.- Field-theory in condensed matter.- Luttinger liquids and multi-channel Kondo effect. - Many body effects in nano-scale systems (e.g small quantum dots).

Ady Stern: - The fractional quantum hall effect.- Coulomb drag in low dimensional systems.- Transport in novel materials (e.g., p-wave superconductors).

Theoretical Astrophysics:

This research direction in the department consists of four members who study a range ofproblems in astrophysics such as black holes, modified Newtonian dynamics, Gamma rayburst and high energy astrophysics. The activities in astrophysics in more details are:

Tal Alexander: - Super-massive black holes in galactic centers.- Gravitational lensing effects in the Galactic Center.- Stellar dynamics and tidal effects near a black hole.

Moti Milgrom: - Underlying theories for the modified dynamics. - Black holes at the center of galaxies.- High energy astrophysics.- Phenomenology of galaxy dynamics. - Quark Stars (with V. Usov).

Vladimir Usov:- Explosion Induced by Gamma-Ray Bursters (with M. Milgrom).- Quark Stars (with M. Milgrom). - Physical processes in relativistic electron-positron plasma.- Physical processes in very strong magnetic fields.


- The theory of nonthermal radiation from compact astronomical objects (pulsars, white dwarfs, gamma-ray bursters, etc.).

- Hydrodynamics and high-energy physics of colliding stellar winds in binary systems.

Eli Waxman: - High energy astrophysics.- Gamma-ray bursts: origin and underlying physics.- Ultra-high energy cosmic-rays. - High energy neutrinos from astrophysical sources.- Non-thermal processes in the inter-galactic medium.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/condmat/


Professors

Israel Bar-Joseph, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Jane and Otto Morningstar Professor of Physics

Alexander Finkelstein, Ph.D., Landau Institue, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Charles and David Wolfson Professor of Theoretical Physics

Yuval Gefen, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelMordehai Heiblum, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States

Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics Yoseph Imry, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Max Planck Professor of Quantum Physics Shimon Levit, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Harry Kweller and Kathleen Kweller Professor of Condensed Matter Physics Mordehai Milgrom, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Isidor I. Rabi Professor of Physics Vladimir Usov, Ph.D., Space Research Institute, Moscoe, Russian FederationEli Zeldov, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

The David and Inez Myers Professor


Ady Stern, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelEli Waxman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelAmir Yacoby, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Incumbent of the Gertrude and Philip Nollman Career Development Chair

Senior Scientists

Tal Alexander, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/condmat/alexander.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~waxman

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/fnsup/home.html

Condensed Matter Physics 185

Yuval Oreg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Louis and Ida Rich Career Development Chair

Dan Shahar, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United StatesIncumbent of the Corinne S. Koshland Career Development Chair


Hadas Shtrikman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelVladimir Y. Umansky, Ph.D., Academy of Science of the USSR, Leningrad, Russian

Federation


Fausi Abed El Al, Ph.D., Technical University of Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, GermanyYuri Myasoedov, Ph.D., Franko Lvov State University, UkraineDaniel Rohrlich, Ph.D., Institute for Theoretical Physics, SUNY, Stony Brook, United States

Special Contracts

Denis Golosov, Ph.D., Rutgers University, New Jersey, United StatesVadim Shofman, Ph.D., Academy of Science of the USSR, Leningrad, Russian (left June

2003)

Engineers

Igor Bolbatov, M.Sc., University of Tashkent, Russian Federation (left June 2003)Diana Mahalu, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelOlga Raslin, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelMichael Shneiderman, M.Sc., University of Tashkent, Russian FederationNahum Stern, M.Sc., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Amnon Aharony, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelOrah Entin, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelGregor Jung, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, IsraelEvgene Kanzieper, Holon Academic Institute of Technology, Holon, IsraelKonstantin Kikoin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, IsraelYehoshua LevinsonYigal Meir, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, IsraelEfrat Shimshon, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Yunchul Chung, University of Oxford, UKSergey Dickmann, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, Russia

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/fnsup/idcards/youri.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/condmat/shtrikman.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/condmat/oreg.html


V.F. Gantmakher, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, RussiaDafna Guetta, Observatorio Astrofisico Arcetri, Firenze, ItalyLaurent Ibgui, Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelMikhail Kiselev, University of Wurzburg, GermanyKathryn Moler, Stanford University, U.S.A.Peter Silvestrov, University of Leiden, NederlandUri Sivan, Technion, Haifa, IsraelAlgirdas Suziedelis, Semiconductor Physics Institute, Vilnius, LithuaniaFelix Von Oppen, Free Univ., Berlin, GermanyXavier Waintal, CEA Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, FranceFrancis Williams, SPEC Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France


Satyajit Banerjee S., Ph.D., University of Mumbai, IndiaSambandamurthy Ganapathy, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, IndiaShahar Hod, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelEugene Kanzieper, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelAlon Marcus, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelEros Mariani, Ph.D., University of Hamburg, GermanyJens Martin, Ph.D., University of Tuebingen, GermanyFabien Portier, Ph.D., Universite Paris VI, FranceSujit Sarkar, Ph.D., Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, India

Research Students

Ophir Auslaender Michal AvinunNurit Avraham Rafi BistrizerVitaly Braude Uri GavishEran Ginossar Sarah GoldbergYoav Gordin Eytan GrosfeldJavier Groshaus Dmitry GutmanTal Hazak-Verdene Clovis HopmanShahal Ilani Andreas JohanssonUri Keshet Maxim KhodasEedo Mizrahi Izhar NederAssaf Pe'Er Einat PeledAmir Sagiv Eran SelaArkady Shechter Alessandro SilvaDavid Sprinzak Hadar SteinbergMichael Stern Basile VerdeneYosef Yayon Oren Zarchin

Administrator

Tomer Hansen

Particle Physics

Itzhak Tserruya, Head The Samuel Sebba Professorial Professor of Pure and Applied Physics

The Department of Particle Physics is composed of several groups which have inter-relatedresearch directions.

In Experimental Physics, we have groups in High Energy Physics, Heavy Ions, MolecularPhysics, Nuclear Physics, Plasma Physics and Radiation Detection. In Theoretical Physics, wehave activities in Particle Physics and Field Theory, as well as Many Body Theory andQuantum Mechanics.

The Department has a total of 16 tenured faculty members, 8 experimentalists and 8 theorists.We also have 2 professors on extension of service and 9 professors emiriti.

Experimental High Energy Physics: OPAL, ATLAS, and ZEUS

The group which includes Giora Mikenberg, Ehud Duchovni, Eilam Gross and DanielLellouch, participates in the OPAL experiment run at the LEP collider at CERN, Geneva. Thegroup is mainly involved in the search for the Higgs boson and for supersymmetric particles.The group also participates in the ATLAS experiment which is being constructed by 1900collaborators in 144 institutes around the world. ATLAS will study proton-proton interactionsat the Large Hadron Collider LHC at CERN.

The group led by Uri Karshon and including also Yehuda Eisenberg, participates in the ZEUSexperiment run at the HERA accelerator which provides e-p collisions at the DESY laboratoryin Hamburg. The group is specifically involved in the analysis of the production of heavyquarks (charm and beauty), the measurement of the gluon density in the proton and the studyof the photon structure, in particular its charm content.

Heavy Ions: the CERES and PHENIX Experiments

Led by Itzhak Tserruya, the group includes also Zeev Fraenkel and Ilia Ravinovich. The mainactivity of the group is focused on the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy IonCollider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. RHIC is a collider dedicated to the studyof QCD and in particular high density QCD via heavy ion collisions. PHENIX is designed tomeasure all potential signatures of the phase transition leading to deconfinement and chiralsymmetry restoration expected to take place in these collisions. As part of its contribution to

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188 Particle Physics

the PHENIX detector, the group is responsible for the innermost set of pad chambers, calledPC1, that are essential elements of the charged particle tracking system. The group is involvedin several analyses with emphasis on the measurement of low-mass electron-positron pairs andis carrying out a comprehensive R&D effort to upgrade the PHENIX detector with the additionof an HBD (Hadron Blind Detector) to allow such a measurement.

The CERES/NA45 (Cherenkov Ring Electron Spectrometer) experiment is devoted tostudying the production of low-mass electron-positron pairs in heavy-ion collisions at theCERN SPS. The analysis of data taken with an upgraded spectrometer in order to elucidate theintriguing excess of low-mass pairs previously observed by CERES in central Pb-Aucollisions, is near completion.

Molecular Physics

Led by Daniel Zajfman, the group works in the field of molecular astrophysics, ion trapping,cluster physics and laser and electron induced processes. Experiments are being carried outboth at the ion trap laboratory at the Weizmann Institute, and at the Test Storage Ring, locatedat the Max-Planck Institut, Heidelberg, Germany. The experiments study the internal dynamicsof few body molecular systems, in connection with the characterization of interstellar clouds.State to state reactions are studied using three dimensional imaging techniques. Also, non-linear dynamics of ions in trap is studied using the linear ion beam trap.

Experimental Nuclear Physics

Led by Michael Hass, the group also includes Gvirol Goldring. Measurements are carried outin two major areas: a) Nuclear Structure and electromagnetic moments in nuclei with extremevalues of isospin as exist far from the valley of stability. Among them are tilted-foilmeasurements of electromagnetic moment of ground states and isomeric states at the REX-ISOLDE (CERN) post-accelerator facility, studies of isomeric levels at GANIL and MSUusing fragmentation reactions and the investigation of nuclear parity-violation at GSI. b)Nuclear-astrophysics experiments such as measurement at the 3 MV VDG accelerator of the7Be(p,)8B and 3He(4He,) 7Be cross sections that are essential for understanding the issue ofsolar-neutrino oscillations and mass. Nuclear astrophysics experiments at REX-ISOLDE areplanned for the near future. Such nuclear astrophysics measurements may become feasible inIsrael in the near future with the commencement of construction of the high-current, 40 MeVdeuteron accelerator, SARAF, at Soreq. (In collaboration with Dr. Dan Berkovits).

At the Koffler Accelerator, in collaboration with Prof. Michael Paul of the Hebrew Universityin Jerusalem, experiments are carried out on the production and identification of radioactivenuclide that are of interest in Nuclear Astrophysics, such as 44Ti and 7Be, using AcceleratorMass Spectrometry (AMS).

Plasma Physics

Led by Yitzhak Maron, the subjects of research include nonequilibrium plasmas under highenergy density and in the presence of strong electric and magnetic fields. Investigations of the

Particle Physics 189

particle flow, non-thermal particle-energy distributions, temporal and spatial evolutions ofmagnetic and electric fields, and radiation transport. Investigations are based on high-resolution spectroscopic diagnostics in the visible, UV, VUV, and X-ray regions. Theoreticalaspects include effects of dense plasmas on atomic levels, radiation-plasma interaction, spectraunder oscillating electric and magnetic fields, spectral-line shapes in plasmas, atomic-physicsmodellings, and magnetohydrodynamics. Applications are related to inertial confinementfusion, Z-pinch physics, laser-produced plasmas, high-current switching, X-ray lasers, X-raysources, X-ray lithography, and space physics. The plasma laboratory collaborates with majorinstitutions and universities in Europe and in the U.S., and hosts worldwide young researchersand scientists.

Radiation Detection Physics

The work led by Amos Breskin and including Rachel Chechik, Sergei Shchemelinin and SanaShilstein, involves study of radiation interactions with gas and solid matter and thedevelopment of novel methods to exploit the secondary charges created in these interactionsfor radiation detection. This permits conceiving fast and accurate advanced radiation imagingdetectors equipped with novel electron multipliers and efficient radiation converters, such asphotocathodes for ultraviolet and visible light, and X-ray and neutron converters. The researchprogram includes both experimental investigations and theoretical modeling. An importantactivity is the development of modern detection concepts for nuclear and particle physics,synchrotron radiation, material science, medicine and radio-biology. New methods areinvestigated in improving the detectability of small cancer tumors, early detection of prostatecancer and in quantifying and understanding the causes of radiation damage to DNA.

Theoretical Particle Physics

Led by Yossi Nir, subjects include phenomenology of supersymmetric theories; grandunification; CP violation, especially in B decays; neutrino masses and oscillations;baryogenesis and leptogenesis.

Field Theory

The work of Doron Gepner is centered around two subjects: 1) Solving the quantum fieldtheory associated with manifolds of exceptional holonomy: minimal models associated withthe so called ShatashviliVafa algebra are investigated and smooth nonorbifold constructionsare realized in analogy with the Gepner construction. 2) Realizing pseudo conformal fieldtheories: these have the same fusion rules as known affine or bosonic theories, but differentmodular matrix. All pseudo bosonic theories and also some of the pseudo affine theories canbe realized. The plan is to realize all affine theories by using multi-para fermions.

The work of Yitzhak Frishman includes various subjects in non-Abelian gauge theories,perturbative and non-perturbative. Extending previous works on the spectrum of QCD2, the2D analogue of meson-baryon scattering has been investigated. Semi-classical methods havebeen used, perturbing around classical soliton solutions, within the strong coupling limit. Inthe case of several flavors, a potential which depends on the momentum of the incoming


particle was derived. It turns out that only elastic scattering occurs, with no resonances. Thetransmission and reflection amplitudes were computed. The case of one flavor yields areflectionless potential. The treatment has been extended to include the case of any coupling,not just the strong coupling limit. A set of coupled equations was obtained, with appropriaterelativistic potentials, ready to be solved numerically.

The work of Ofer Aharony involves field theories, string theories, and the recently discoveredrelations between them along the lines of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Particular interest isin the study of string theory duals for non-conformal field theories like QCD, in understandingnon-gravitational non-local field theories (such as "little string theories") and in finding ageneral non-perturbative definition for string theory / M theory.

The work of Micha Berkooz includes String Theories, Gravity, Field Theories, and theirinterplay. It currently focuses on non-perturbative aspects of these theories such as basic non-perturbative definitions of String Theory/Gravity, UV/IR relations, strong coupling phasetransitions, strongly coupled string theories, string theories without gravity, black holes, thequantum behavior at singularities of spacetime, and the cosmological constant. Anotherinterest is in phenomenological aspects of String theory in particular in the astro-particlecontext.

Many Body Theory

Michael Kirson works on nuclear models, within the general framework of interacting many-body systems, and on applications of algebraic methods to the study of simplified models ofstrongly-interacting many-body systems. Recent work has concentrated on issues of nucleonpairing in nuclei, especially near the N = Z line and in connection with even-even ground statesystematics.

Quantum Mechanics

The work of Shmuel Gurvitz includes Multi-dimensional tunneling; quantum measurementand decoherence; Zeno effect; deep inelastic scattering.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/particle/


Professors

Amos Breskin, Ph.D., University of Grenoble, FranceThe Walter P. Reuther Professor of Research in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy

Yitzhak Frishman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)The Amos de Shalit Professor of Theoretical Physics

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~fnfrishm/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Breskin.htm


Haim Harari, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelInstitute Professor The Annenberg Professor of High Energy Physics

Uri Karshon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Max and Anne Tanenbaum Professor of Nuclear Physics

Michael W. Kirson, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United StatesThe Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Professor

Moshe Kugler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Isabelle and Samuel Friedman Professor of Theoretical Physics

Yitzhak Maron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Stephen and Mary Meadow Professor of Laser Photochemistry

Giora Mikenberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelThe Lady Davis Professor of Experimental Physics

Yosef Nir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelItzhak Tserruya, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

The Samuel Sebba Professor of Pure and Applied Physics Daniel Zajfman, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Simon Weinstock Professor of Astrophysics

Professors Emeriti

Abraham E. Blaugrund, Ph.D., State University of UtrechtYehuda Eisenberg, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United StatesZeev Fraenkel, Ph.D., Columbia University, New York, United StatesGvirol Goldring, Ph.D., University of London, London, United KingdomHarry J. Lipkin, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United StatesAvraham S. Rinat, Ph.D., University of AmsterdamIgal Talmi, Ph.D., E.T.H., Zurich, SwitzerlandZeev Vager, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelZeev Zinamon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Ofer Aharony, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Joseph and Celia Reskin Career Development Chair

Micha Berkooz, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Piscataway, United StatesIncumbent of the Recanati Career Development Chair of Energy Research

Ehud Duchovni, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDoron Gepner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelEilam Gross, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelShmuel Gurvitz, Ph.D., Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, Russian

Federation Michael Hass, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Murray B. Koffler Professor

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Hass.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/gurvitz.htm

http://eilam.weizmann.ac.il

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Gepner.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/duchovni.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/zinamon.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Vager.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Talmi.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/rinat.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Lipkin.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Goldring.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Fraenkel.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Eisenberg.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Blaugrund.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Tserruya.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/ftnir/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/mikenberg.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/maron.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/kirson.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/karshon.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/zajfman.htm



Rachel Chechik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelVladimir Fisher, Ph.D., Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Moscow, Russian FederationDaniel Lellouch, Ph.D., University of Paris VI, Paris, France


Vladimir A. Bernshtam, Ph.D., Donetsk State University, Donetsk, UkraineIlia Ravinovich, Ph.D., Yerevan Physics Institute, ArmeniaSergei Shchemelinin, Ph.D., Leningrad UniversityAlexander Starobinets, Ph.D., The Institute of High Current Electronics, Russian Federation

Special Contracts

Boris Khachaturov, Ph.D., Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russian Federation (left February 2003)

Sana Shilstein, Ph.D., Giredmet, Moscow, Russian Federation (left December 2003)Vladimir Smakhtin, Ph.D., Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Novosibirsk, Russian

Federation

Engineers

Eliahu Elias, B.A., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelDonald Hochman, Ph.D., SUNY, Stony Brook, United States

Consultants

Yosef BabichencoItzhak Ben Akiva, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelEli Cheifetz, El-Mol Technologies Ltd., Rehovot, IsraelShmuel Elitzur, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Amnon Fisher, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelAmnon Fruchtman, Center for Technology Education, Holon, IsraelAmit Giveon, The Hebrew University of Jerusaelm, JerusalemYuval Grossman, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (left July 2003)Marek Karliner, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left May 2003)Edmond KlodzhBarak Kol, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelEran Nardi, Nachal Soreq, Yavne, IsraelYaron Oz, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelYael Shadmi, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelAmit Weingarten, Nova, Rehovot, IsraelPaul Michael, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left June 2003)Nelly Segal, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelNatan Weiss, ELRA, Ashdod, IsraelGustavo Wolf, CERN, Switzerland

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~ravini/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/dl.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~detlab


Refael YaariJacob Zonnenschein, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Itzhak Ben-Itzhak, Kansas State University , Manhattan, KS, U.S.A.Daniella Bigatti, Cath. University of Louvain, BelgiumRichard Chasman, Argonne Nat. Lab., IL, U.S.A.Volker Dangendorf, Physics Research Lab., Braunschweig, GermanyVictor Granatstein, University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A.Shaul Hanany, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S.A.Dipali Pal, Cyclotron Ctr., Calcutta, IndiaMurray Peshkin, Argonne Nat. Lab., IL, U.S.A.Daniel Savin, Columbia University , NYC, U.S.A.Lev Shekhtman, Budker Inst. for Nuc. Phys., Novosibirsk, RussiaAlexander Tanklevsky, CERN, Euro. Org. For Nuclear Rese., Geneva, SwitzerlandLeonid Vainshtein, Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow, Russia


Ron Arad, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelLagy Baby Thundiyam K., Ph.D., Bangalore University, IndiaS. Nara Singh Bondili, Ph.D., TIFR, Mumbai University, IndiaRamy Doron, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelNadav Drukker, Ph.D., Princeton University, USAAnand Kumar Dubey, Ph.D., Institute of Physics, IndiaBartomeu Fiol, Ph.D., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USAUlrich Fricke, Ph.D., University of Hamburg, GermanyLeonid Gladilin, Ph.D., Moscow State University, RussiaChristiaan Michael Hofman, Ph.D., University of Utrecht, The NetherlandsCorinne Leloup, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelErnesto Lozano-Tellechea, Ph.D., Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, SpainDebsankar Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., University of Calcutta, IndiaYukinori Nagatani, Ph.D., Nagoya University, JapanShesansu Sekhar Pal, Ph.D., Utkal University, IndiaMichael Riveline, Ph.D., McGill University, CanadaJoan Simon Soler, Ph.D., Universitat De Barcelona, SpainEvgeny Stambulchik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelPalle von Huth, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelHengda Zhang, Ph.D., China Academy of Machinery Science & Technology, ChinaSuijian Zhou, Ph.D., Institute of High Energy Physics, China


Research Students

Yaron Emanuel Antebi Alexander CherlinAdi Diner (Naaman) Guy Y. GartyLev Gregorian Tamar KashtiAmit Klier Alexandre KozlovEyal Kroupp Michael KupperArie Melamed-Katz Alexander MilovDirk Michael Moermann Dmitry OsinAssaf Patir Gilad PerezGuy Raz Peter RenkelEvgeny Stambulchik Daniel StrasserKonstantin Tsigutkin Tomer VolanskyLidija Zivkovic

Administrator

Kobi Ben-Shmuel

Physics of Complex Systems

Adam Schwimmer, HeadThe Ruth Epstein Recu Professor of Theoretical Physics

Elisha Moses is an experimentalist studying :

Neuro-Physics:

1. Living linear neural networks.

2. Interaction of neurons with electromagnetism

3. Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Bio-Imaging:

1. Optical brain imaging

2. Wet scanning electron microscopy

Motor Assemblies and Cytokinesis:

1. Cooperative division ("midwives")

2. Bi-phasic cytokinesis

3. Modeling molecular motor assemblies

4. Crosslinkers and acting filament length distribution

Joel Stavans` group is currently engaged in studies of the interaction of proteins and DNAusing single-molecule techniques, and the behavior of genetic networks in bacterial cells.Research on protein-DNA interactions has focused on (a) the physics of motor proteincomplexes inducing branch migration in cruciform DNA, an essential intermediate formedduring recombination and DNA repair processes and (b), on the interaction of long DNAmolecules and proteins associated with the bacterial chromosome or nucleoid. These studiesare conducted using single-molecule elasticity techniques as well as fluorescence resonanceenergy transfer (FRET) at the ensemble and single-pair level. The group is also characterizing

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196 Physics of Complex Systems

and modelling the properties of the dynamical response of small genetic networks in bacterialcells, in both large populations and single cells. Experiments are currently being carried out on(a) the SOS response, elicited as a result of genome damage and (b) the lambda phage geneticnetwork, one of the paradigms of computation in molecular biology.

Victor Steinberg's group is studying nonlinear dynamics in various systems. This year theyworked on several projects: (i) Elastic turbulence and Batchelor regime of mixing in dilutepolymer solutions; (ii) Single polymer dynamics in a random flow; (iii) Pattern selection anddynamics in Rayleigh-Benard convection in SF6 near its critical point in very large aspect ratiocells; (iv) Convective turbulence in SF6 near its gas-liquid critical point; (v) Developing ofnew acoustic detection technique of vorticity distribution in turbulent flows; (vi) Microfluidicswith polymer solutions. Significant progress has been made in the first subject: The neweffective method of mixing of viscous fluids, based on the elastic turbulence, was suggested. Itturns out that this regime of mixing maybe quantitatively described by the Batchelor model,one of two models of turbulent mixing which were solved analytically. It was the firstexperimental verification of numerous predictions based on this model. New project on asingle polymer dynamics in a random flow was started. Using fluorescent microscopy for longlambda phage and T2 DNA molecules they were able to follow a single DNA molecule inlaminar and turbulent flows. Together with the group of Prof. A. Warshawsky fromDepartment of Organic Chemistry they developed, tested and used a new fluorescent probe forPAAM high molecular weight polymer molecules. It is the first time that the fluorescentvisualization was conducted for artificial polymers. In Rayleigh-Benard convection theyobserved new pattern selection mechanism which shows up in reentrant hexagons due to non-Boussinesq effect at various Prandtl numbers in the range between 20 and 40. This systemprovides us an opportunity to reach also extremely large Rayleigh numbers and studydeveloped turbulence as a function of Prandtl number that was impossible with other systems.This year we conducted measurements of thermal boundary layer in a wide range of Ra and Prnumbers. New project on acoustic detection of vorticity and particularly vorticity distributionin von-Karman swirling turbulent flow between two discs was started. First result on soundscattering from a single vortex and simultaneous measurements by a conventional particleimage velocimetry technique was obtained.

Eytan Domany's research turned in the last few years towards problems that lie near theinterface between physics and other disciplines; Clustering of Data and other topics inBioinformatics. He also maintains a certain level of activity in Statistical Mechanics, where hetries to understand the structure of the low temperature phase of short-range spin glasses. Innearly all aspects of his work computers play a central role. Clustering techniques are used tostudy a variety of biological data. In particular, DNA expression profiles obtained from genechips are analyzed. We collaborate with several Weizmann research groups from LifeSciences, with labs at other Israeli institutions and hospitals, and also with groups from the USand Europe, on analysis of their gene expression data. Our main interest is in analysis of dataobtained from several kinds of cancer. Our activities range from rigorous mathematical workon on searching for binding sites of transcription factors through development of novel toolsand their algorithmic implementation, to their application to analyze data obtained by ourcollaborating labs. We also use clustering for classification of protein structures.

Physics of Complex Systems 197

Gregory Falkovich studied the entropy production in systems far from equilibrium.

Daniel Kandel's research focuses on the physics of thin films and membranes. In the thin filmarea, he has studied growth and decay processes of structures on crystalline films, usingkinetic models of step flow as well as continuum descriptions of surface evolution. In addition,he has investigated elastic relaxation in epitaxially grown strained films. He has alsotheoretically studied shape instabilities induced by inclusions in membrane vesicles. Thiswork is relevant to the experimental work of the group of Joel Stavans.

David Mukamel's group is active in the general area of statistical physics. In particularextensive studies of collective phenomena far from thermal equilibrium have been carried out.Models corresponding to phase separation, wetting and roughening transitions, and coarseningprocesses have been introduced and studied. Equilibrium collective phenomena are alsoinvestigated in various contexts. The denaturation and unzipping phase transitions of DNAmolecules have been analyzed. Peculiar phenomena which are characteristic of systems withlong range interactions (such as gravitational systems) have also been investigated.

In Uzy Smilansky's group, research on Quantum Chaos evolves around the following topics:Quantum graphs - spectral statistics, scattering and trace formulae. The morphology of nodallines of billiards wave functions and the number of nodal domains are investigated, with twoaims: To establish a criterion of quantum chaos, and to determine the extent by whichknowledge of the nodal set determines the billiard shape. We have still some interest in thefollowing subjects: Conditions for hyperbolicity for billiards on surfaces with constantcurvatures. Quantization of billiards in homogeneous magnetic fields, and the density ofexterior and interior edge states. The classical and quantum spectral duality.

Nir Davidson's group develops new techniques for laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms.They are studying new optical traps that are based on repulsive light forces, in whichspontaneous emission of photons is suppressed. Such traps provide long atomic coherencetimes and hence enable extremely accurate spectroscopic and dynamical measurements,including observation of chaotic motion of ultra-cold atoms in optical "billiards". They arealso conducting experiments in a Bose-Einstein condensate including measurements of itszero-temperature excitation spectra its ground state properties and its coherence.

Asher A. Friesem and his group are conducting basic investigations on non-conventionalelements based on diffractive and planar optics, on the resonance behavior of grating-waveguide structures, on the performance of special phase elements inside laser cavities, andon new optical architectures for a variety of applications. These investigations are leading tonew laser configurations, highly advanced optical arrangements for displays, high-speedelectro-optic devices and special biological and chemical sensors.

Yaron Silberberg and his group are studying ultrafast and nonlinear optics. Using femtosecondoptical pulses, they study how the shape of these pulses affects the interaction between thelight and atoms or molecules. In particular, this year the group investigated how shaped pulsescan be used in nonlinear laser spectroscopy. In another effort, the group investigates thenonlinear microscopy - using femtosecond pules in biological microscopy. The group has


developed a new type of microscope based on third-harmonic generation and it tests it onvarious types of biological specimens. Finally, the group also works on soliton physics, andcontinues its studies of discrete solitons in waveguide arrays.

Adam Schwimmer continued to study various aspects of Quantum Field Theory and Stringtheory and their interrelation. In particular the group studied the relation between ConformalField Theories appearing on the boundary of AdS type space-times and the String Theorydescription in the bulk. The role played by the stringy Solitons ("D-branes") in holographictheories was elucidated.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/complex/complex.home.html


Professors

Eytan Domany, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United StatesThe Henry J. Leir Professor

Gregory Falkovich, Ph.D., Novosibirsk State UniversityAsher A. Friesem, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States (on extension of

service) The Peter and Carola Kleeman Professor of Optical Sciences

Elisha Moses, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelDavid Mukamel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Harold J. and Marion F. Green Professor Adam Schwimmer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Ruth Epstein Recu Professor of Theoretical Physics Yaron Silberberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Harry Weinrebe Professor of Laser PhysicsUzy Smilansky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Wolfgang Gentner Professor of Nuclear Physics Victor Steinberg, Ph.D., Laboratory of Critical Phenomena, Moscow, Russian Federation

The Harry de Jur Professor of Applied Physics

Professors Emeriti

Ephraim H Frei, Ph.D., University of Vienna, AustriaShmuel Shtrikman, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (deceased

November 2003)


Nir Davidson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelIncumbent of the Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Career Development Chair (until November 2003)

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~fnmoses

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/fnstein/homepage/frameset.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~feyaron

Physics of Complex Systems 199

Daniel Kandel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelJoel Stavans, Ph.D., University of Chicago, United States

Special Contracts

Yuri Burnishev, Ph.D., Ural Branch of the USSR Academy of Science, Russian Federation (left April 2003)

Michael Meyklyar, Ph.D., State Institute of Applied Optics, Kazan, Russian Federation

Engineer

Rostyslav Baron, Ph.D., Institute of Low Temperatures, Kharkov's, Russian Federation

Consultants

Ido Kanter, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, IsraelErez Hasman, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (left September 2003)Yossi KedmiEliezer Rabinovici, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelShmuel Starobinets, Israel Aircraft Ind, Israel (left October 2003)Victor Weiss, El-Op, Rehovot, Israel (left July 2003)

Visiting Scientists

Thomas Dittrich, Nat. University of Colombia, Santa Fe de Bogota, ColombiaJean-Pierre Eckmann, CERN, Euro. Org. For Nuclear Rese., Geneva, SwitzerlandMartin Evans, University of Edinburgh, ScotlandGeorg Foltin, University of Dusseldorf, GermanySven Gnutzmann, Free Univ., Berlin, GermanyMichael Golub, Holo-Or Ltd, Nes-Ziona, IsraelDavid Kutasov, University of Chicago, Il, U.S.A.Roberto Morandotti, University of Quebec, Varennes, CanadaVladimir Rittenberg, University of Bonn, GermanyMichael Stepanov, Russian Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, RussiaNorman Zabusky, Rutgers University , NJ, U.S.A.


Himanshu Agrawal, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, IndiaNandor Bokor, Ph.D., Technical University of Budapest, HungaryLiat Ein-Dor, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelAlexander Fouxon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelNir Friedman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelAnna Gribun, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelNavot Israeli, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/~fekandel


Sven Werner Helmut Lubeck, Ph.D., Gerhard Mercator Universitat, GermanyPradeep Kumar Mohanty , Ph.D., Allahabad University, IndiaAlejandro Gabriel Monastra, Ph.D., Universite Paris - Sud, FranceSankara Narayanan, Ph.D., Gujarat UniversityRevital Pery Shechter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelThomas Polack, Ph.D., Ecole Polytechnique, FranceIdit Saragusti, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelBernhard Schnurr, Ph.D., University of Michigan, USANiels Sondergaard, Ph.D., Northwestern University, DanemarkStephan Yves Thiberge, Ph.D., Institut Non-Lineaire - Universite de Nice, FranceIlan Tsafrir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Roee Amit Mikkel AndersenDafna Ben-Eli Tsafrir David BironIlan Breskin Teodor BurgheleaYochay Danziger Barak DayanNirit Dudovich Leon EisenHagai Eisenberg Helen Rachel Eisenberg GoltenVardit Elkhouse Alexander FeigelOfer Feinerman Alexander FouxonEugene Frumker Hilah GalSergiy Gerashchenko Gad GetzTzahi Grunzweig Amiel IshaayaShimshon Jacobi Vasiliy KantslerAriel Kaplan Tsvi KatchalskiNadav Katz Erel LevineNava Levit-Binnun Daniel MandelikDan Oron Roee OzeriAvi Pe'Er Assaf RotemEitan Rowen Dror SagiShahar Seifer Liran ShimshiEran Tal Ekaterina TeitelbaumIlan Tsafrir Shuki VardiDvir Yelin Or Zuk

Administrator

Israel Gonen

Physics Services

Daniel Zajfman, Head Simon Weinstock Professor of Astrophysics

The Physics Services, comprising of five different units, offers advanced services in particleaccelerators, electronics, data acquisition, vacuum and cryogenics, thin films and mechanicalworkshop. These units provide services to the scientific groups throughout the institute as wellas to various external users. The structure of the Physics Services is:

1. Accelerator Laboratory (Prof. M. Hass, in charge)Operation of the 14 MV Pelletron accelerator and the 2 MV VDG accelerator

2. Electronics and Data Acquisition (Dr. L. Levinson, in charge)DAQ solutions to research problems Electronics design and construction Repair of sophisticated electronic instrumentsReal-time DAQ software

3. UHV, cryogenics and thin films (Dr. M. Rappaport, in charge)Consultation and design for experimental systems Thin films deposition: evaporation, sputtering, electron-gun, rolling

4. Data acquisition (Dr. E. Segre, in charge)Consultation and design of on-line data acquisition, image processing, etc...

5. Mechanics workshop (Y. Asher, in charge)

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/services.html

Staff

Associate Professor

Daniel Zajfman1, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelSimon Weinstock Professor of Astrophysics

1Department of Particle Physics

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http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/zajfman.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/services.html

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Oded Heber, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelLorne Levinson, Ph.D., Brown University, Providence, United StatesMichael Rappaport, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States


Enrico Segre, Ph.D., University of Turin, Turin, Italy

Engineer

Alexander Roich, M.Sc., Technological Institute for Electricity and Communication, Tashkent

Consultant

Michael Paul, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left June 2003)

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Center for Experimental Physics

Yaron Silberberg, DirectorThe Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser Physics

The Center for Experimental Physics was established in 2002. The main emphasis of theCenter is to foster high-level research in all areas of experimental physics. The Center supportsexperimental efforts through human-contact activities, such as experimental physicists visitingfrom abroad and post-doctoral trainees working with different experimental groups in theInstitute. The Center also supports, partially or fully, small topical meetings and workshops. Italso supplies, in special emergency cases, partial help for the purchase and maintenance ofequipment.

The research in Experimental Physics at the Weizmann Institute ranges from the most basicaspects of particle physics, usually carried in major facilities abroad, through experimentalstudies, at the Faculty laboratories, of basic material properties such as semiconductors andsuperconductors; of atomic, molecular, plasma and optical physics, to interdisciplinary studiesof the physics of biological systems.

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics

Giora Mikenberg, Director The Lady Davis Professor of Experimental Physics

Although the universe in which we live looks very complex, with a large variety of differentmolecules and forces that binds them together, it is commonly assumed that shortly after themoment of creation the universe was a much simpler place. In particular, it is believed thatonly a single (unified) force existed. During the expansion of the universe its temperaturedropped and the unified force was split into the four forces we know today (gravitation,nuclear, electromagnetic and the weak force which drives the radioactive decay). First viablemodels of the unification concept were suggested about 25 years ago and were experimentallyconfirmed some 15 years ago. A major consolidation of this concept was later done at LEP, theLarge Electron Positron accelerator situated at CERN. Virtually all of the present knowledgeabout the fundamental particles and their interaction is included in a model named 'StandardModel. In spite of its spectacular success and its incredible predictive power, the StandardModel cannot be the ultimate theory of particles and their interactions. Few fundamentalmeasurements are still to be done and few crucial questions are still to be answered. Thefollowing projects that are supported by the Benoziyo center, address some of the morefundamental aspects of the Standard Model.

Physics at LEP

Major among the missing ingredients of the Standard Model is the existence of the predictedHiggs boson which give rise to mass, and the prediction of the existence of a whole family ofnew particles which are connected to regular particles by a new type of basic symmetry ofnature (Supersymmetry). With the closure of the LEP accelerator, the largest accelerator in theworld, a wealth of data has been accumulated at the highest energy of e+e- collisions. A groupof Weizmann scientists has taken part in one of the four large LEP experiments - OPAL.Although no new particles, that are predicted by the Standard Model have been found, inparticular the so called Higgs Boson, whose mass limit was set at 115GeV, the group islooking for hints of deviations of the data from the Standard Model, which could be used as aguidance to search in future accelerators, including possible unconventional signs of theexistence of s-particles, which are predicted by Supersymmetry. Our team at OPAL alsopursued searches for signs of these particles.

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Physics at HERA

The Weizmann Institute HERA group is an active member of the ZEUS experiment, which isrun by a big international collaboration. The data is taken at the HERA accelerator at DESY,Hamburg, which is a unique high-energy electron-proton (e-p) collider. The group isspecifically involved in analyzing production of the heavy quarks charm and beauty. Bystudying the production of pairs of charm or beauty quarks in high-energy e-p collisions onecan infer the density of the gluons within the proton. The interaction between the electron andproton takes place by exchanging a particle that is responsible for the electric force - thephoton. Heavy quarks can also be produced in e-p collisions when a parton in the protoncollides with a parton in the exchanged photon. The study of these processes sheds light on thepartonic structure of the photon, in particular its charm content. Accurate tests on thepredictions of the theory of the strong force, QCD, are performed in a new regime, which wasnever explored before.

Physics with Heavy Ions: The CERES and PHENIX Experiments

An exciting prediction of QCD, the currently accepted theory of strong interactions, is theexistence of a transition from normal matter into a new state called the Quark-Gluon-Plasmawhich is the strong force equivalent of the electromagnetic plasma. It is believed that theuniverse underwent such a transition some ten microseconds after the big bang when thetemperature was roughly 10 000 higher than the temperature at the center of the sun. Thesetemperatures can be reached today in the laboratory, in collisions of heavy nuclei, like lead orgold, accelerated to ultra-relativistic energies using modern accelerators. The Weizmann groupis engaged in a highly original experiment called CERES running at CERN and speciallydesigned to identify and study this primordial state of matter. The results of the CERESexperiment seem to hint at modifications of particle properties (like mass and/or width) as aprecursor of chiral symmetry restoration, a phenomenon predicted to occur together with theformation of a Quark-Gluon-Plasma. To further elucidate this exciting finding the grouphasextended its activities to the new and more powerful accelerator called RHIC (the RelativisticHeavy Ion Collider) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. Together with scientists fromother countries, the Weizmann group has constructed a novel detector called PHENIX, one ofthe two major detectors operating at RHIC. RHIC has started regular operations in the summerof year 2000, opening a new era and new horizons in the study of nuclear collisions atunprecedented high energies, and offering the best ever conditions to detect the phasetransition and to measure the properties of the Quark-Gluon-Plasma. First indications that sucha state has been reached, have been obtained during 2003, with strong participation of theWeizmann Scientists.

Preparations for LHC

The LEPaccelerator has been taken out of its tunnel and a new machine - the Large HadronCollider (LHC) will start to be installed. The LHC is expected to start operating in 2007delivering proton beams of 7 TeV each. The new machine will host two large detectors -ATLAS and CMS. The Weizmann group, together with the Technion and Tel-Aviv groups andwith seven groups from Japan and China, is constructing the forward muon trigger system of

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the ATLAS experiment. The system is based on the innovative Thin-Gap Chamber, which wasdeveloped at Weizmann. By now more 1600 large area detectors, out of the 2500 that areplaned, have already been built in our newly built laboratory (Mexico). The muon triggersystem will play a crucial role in increasing the ability of the ATLAS detector to discover theHiggs boson and the various SUSY particles. It is predicted that the LHC will provide adecisive test of the Standard Model and some of its extensions.

A major milestone in the preparatory work for the ATLAS Experiment was achieved during2003, where a full sector of the End-Cap MUON Trigger system was tested under realisticconditions, at the interaction frequency of the LHC machine. The full system, including thequasi-final trigger electronics performed as required for the needs of the new machine, with anefficiency exceeding 99%.

Furthermore, the preparations for the Physics analysis for the new machine have continued at ahigh rate, and in a simulation exercise where new particles were included in simulated data,Weizmann scientists managed to find them. Out of the 170 Institutions that constitute theATLAS Collaboration, only two groups succeeded in this task: Cambridge University in theUK and the Weizmann Institute Group, showing that they are ready to explore the newpossible discoveries at the new machine.

The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research

Mordehai Heiblum, Director Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics

Research activities at the Center are concentrated on fabrication and investigation of smallsemiconductor structures. The energy spectrum, interactions, and dynamics of electrons inthese structures are strongly affected by the reduced dimensions. The structures are grown bystate-of-the-art molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), patterned using very high resolution electronbeam writing system and processed using advanced techniques.

Research at the Center is conducted by a staff of approximately 30 people, organized in threescientific groups (headed by Israel Bar-Joseph, Moty Heiblum, and Amir Yacoby), and ahighly skilled professional team. Major research activities are directed toward studying thetransport properties of electrons and holes in a large parameter range: from DC to microwavefrequencies, from a temperature of a few milliKelvin above absolute zero to room temperature,and from zero to extremely high magnetic fields. Another research effort is directed towardstudying the optical properties, with continuous waves or with short optical pulses, of two-dimensional electron gas and of highly excited one-dimensional wires. An important facet ofthe research at the Center is the development of new confining structures and the fabrication ofvery pure material.

The activity at the Center also involves application-oriented research. The Center was alsochosen to be a Large Scale Facility by the European Union, receiving resources to host manyscientists from Europe for periods up to three months.

Here are some of the scientific projects conducted by the different groups:

Controlled Dephasing of Electrons (which path experiments)

By observing with a sensitive detector the path an electron chooses to take interference of theelectronic waves vanishes. A biased Quantum Point Contact (QPC) in close proximity to anAharonov-Bohm ring interferometer induces dephasing (destruction of interference) and iseasily controlled by the QPC. Phase detection as well as current detection are being exploited.Dephasing in the Kondo regime is being studied. [Michal Avinun-Kalish, Yunchul Chung(Post Doc), Diana Mahalu, H. Shtrikman, Vladimir Umansky, and Moty Heiblum].

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Statistics and charge of Fractional Charges

The charge of the quasiparticles in the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) regime had beenpredicted to be a fraction of the electronic charge. Via shot noise measurements this chargewas measured in the FQHE regime at a filling factor 1/3 and was found to be e/3 as predicted.More recently charges e/5 and e/7 were measured at filling factors 2/5 and 3/7, respectively.However, at extremely low temperatures, spontaneous bunching takes place and charges e/3,2e/5, 3e/7 were found at filling factors 1/3, 2/5, 3/7 respectively. [Yunchul Chung (Post Doc),Vladimir Umansky, Diana Mahalu, and Moty Heiblum].

Coherence and Phase Measurements in Mesoscopic Systems

An interferometer functioning in the IQHE regime, based on edge states transport, wasconstructed. It is an electronic analog of the optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer. It has a highsensitivity and high visibility (~62%), and is going to be a useful tool to study coherent effectsunder extremely high magnetic fields. [Yang Ji (Post Doc), Yunchul Chung (Post Doc), FabienPortier (Post Doc), Izhar Neder, Diana Mahalu, Vladimir Umansky and Moty Heiblum]

Local Thermodynamic Probing of the two Dimensional Electron and Hole Gases

We use a single electron tarnsistor as a local electrostatic probe to study the underlying spatialstructure of the metal insulator transition (MIT) in two dimensions (2D). Our localcompressibility measurements reveal a striking microscopic evolution from a continuousliquid phase to a discrete insulating phase. In contrast to the continuous compressible phase,the new discrete phase consists of microscopic charge configurations that are surrounded bythe liquid phase and are compressible only at discrete values of the local density. The discretephase appears already on the metallic side of the MIT and when the density is lowered itsvolume increases on account of the continuous phase. The individual charge configurations,that comprise the discrete phase, are found to interact via quantum mechanical tunneling andvia mutual Coulomb interaction. (Shahal Ilani, Ph.D. student, Katya Teitelbaum, Ms.c. student,Diana Mahalu, Hadas Shtrikman, and Amir Yacoby).

Tunneling Spectroscopy of One Dimensional Conductors

We have studied experimentally the tunneling conductance of a 1D wire in two differentgeometry's using the cleaved edge overgrowrth method. The first consists of tunnelingbetween two parallel 1D wires that are separated by a 6nm barrier. Conservation of energy andmomentum in the tunneling process restricts current flow to very specific values of the relativevoltage between the wires and external magnetic field. We will show that our measurementsprovide a direct way of measuring the detailed dispersion relation, E(k), of the electrons in thewires. In the second geometry we have measured the low temperature conductance of a one-dimensional island embedded in a single mode quantum wire. The tunneling is through asingle state of the island. Our results show that while the resonance line shape fits thederivative of the Fermi function the intrinsic line width decreases in a power law fashion as thetemperature is reduced. This behavior agrees quantitatively with Furasaki's model for resonant

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tunneling in a Luttinger liquid. (Ophir Auslaender, Ph. D. student, Vladimir Umansky, andAmir Yacoby).

Near field spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum wells

We have measured the near-field photoluminescence (PL) of semiconductor quantum wells atlow temperatures. We used the PL lines of the neutral and negatively charged excitons as ameasure for the local quantum well width and the local charge, respectively. We found theformation of elongated charged stripes along the [1 0] crystal orientation, which are arrangedin a quasi-periodic structure. We also investigated the behavior of the fluctuations in thequantum well width. We found that these seemingly random well-width fluctuations actuallyexhibit well-defined order --- strong long-range correlations appearing laterally, in the plane ofthe QW, as well as vertically, between QWs grown one on top of the other. We show that thesefluctuations are correlated with the commonly found mound structure on the surface. (Y.Yayon, Ph.D student, M. Rappaport, V. Umansky and I. Bar-Joseph)

Transport through nano-particles and a single organic molecule

We launched a new research program aiming at investigating transport through nano-objects:metal or semiconductor nano-clusters and organic molecules. An important step in realizingthis object is finding a reliable technique of contacting these very small objects. We haveintroduced novel approaches for both forming a nano-gap and for attaching electrical contactsto the nano-object. The main idea in the nano-gap formation is to control the gap size with sub-nanometer precision using a structure grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Using this approachwe have demonstrated the formation of 5-50 nm gaps. In addressing the issue of contacting asingle molecule we have used gold clusters to form a dimmer structure, in which a singleorganic molecule is connected in each end to a gold cluster. We have succeeded in trapping thedimmer between metal electrodes and measured electrical transport at low temperatures. (R.Krahne, post-doctorant fellow, T. Dadosh and Y. Gordin, Ph. D students, H. Shtrikman, A.Yacoby, J. Sperling and I. Bar-Joseph).

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The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics

Uzy Smilansky, Director The Wolfgang Gentner Professor of Nuclear Physics

The Albert Einstein MINERVA Center for Theoretical Physics was established in 1980 withthe generous donation of an endowment fund from the Bundes Ministerium für Forschung undTechnologie (BMFT) of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the joint committee forGerman Israeli Scientific Cooperation (Minerva). The main emphasis of the Center is to fosterhigh level research in theoretical physics, while promoting cooperation among German andIsraeli theorists. The Center supports human contact activities, such as theoretical physicistsvisiting from abroad and consultants working with different theory groups in the Institute. TheCenter also supports, partially or fully, small topical meetings and workshops. Naturally, mostof the activity of the Center is related to research projects based at the Faculty of Physics, butconsiderable support has also been lent to appropriate projects in the Faculty of Chemistry and,to a lesser extent, in the Faculty of Mathematics. The support from the Center plays animportant role in almost all the research in theoretical physics at the Institute.

Visiting Theoretical Physicists

During 2003 we supported 38 visitors who came to the Institute to collaborate and to givelectures. The visitors came from Germany (13), United States (11), England (3), France (1),Switzerland (1), Italy (1), Canada (2), and The Netherlands (1), Colombia (1), Russia (2),Denmark (1) and Austria (1).

The Advisors (Associate Membership) Program

The advisors are theoretical physicists, with appointments in other academic institutes inIsrael, who come to the Weizmann Institute for up to 1 day per week for part or the whole ofthe academic year. They collaborate with scientists from the Weizmann Institute and givelectures here. Much joint work results.

In 2003, three advisors were in the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, seven in theDepartment of Particle Physics, and two in the Department of Complex Systems. The advisorsfor Condensed Matter Physics were Prof. Ora Entin-Wohlman from Tel Aviv University; Dr.Konstantin Kikoin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Prof. Yigal Meir, Ben-GurionUniversity. The advisors for Particle Physics were Dr. Yosef Babichenko; Prof. Amit Giveon,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Barak Kol, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Dr.Yael Shadmi, Technion; Prof. Yaron Oz, Tel Aviv University, Dr. Yuval Grossman, Technion;and Prof. Shmuel Elitzur, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The advisors for ComplexSystems were Prof. Eliezer Rabinovici, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and Prof. IdoKanter, Bar-Ilan University.

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The Center supported three conferences:

Frontiers in Condensed Matter Physics, Russian Israeli Conference - Shoresh, Jerusalem, 19/10/2003 - 24/10/2003

National Astrophysics Seminar Series - Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 26/02/2003

FRISNO-7, French-Israeli Symposium - Les Houches, France, 16/02/2003 - 21/02/2003

The Maurice and Gabriella Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics

Yoseph Imry, Director The Max Planck Professor of Quantum Physics

The Maurice and Gabriella Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics was established in 2001.Fueled by the success of the research on Mesoscopic Physics, the main goal of this center is topromote theoretical research in Nanophysics. This is the small-size end of the mesoscopicregime. The fundamental interplay of the microscopic quantum mechanical behavior and theenvironmental degrees of freedom will be studied in both equilibrium and nonequilibriumaspects. Primary examples of systems on which these studies are relevant are nanofabricateddevices such as quantum dots and conducting lines as well as novel molecules such as carbonnanotubes. The electronic conducting (and perhaps superconducting), thermal, magnetic andoptical properties of such systems will be addressed. While this research is concerned withbasic Physics, it is relevant to, for example, future electronic and optical applications.

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The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems

Itamar Procaccia, Director The Barbara and Morris L. Levinson Professor

The Center was established jointly by the Technion and the Weizmann Institute. It maintainsstrong links with the Max Planck Institute for Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden. TheCenter supports the activities of three groups at the Weizmann Institute.

Hydrodynamics, Turbulence and Pattern Formation-Theory

1. Turbulence. Our research in the last few years concentrated on understanding theuniversality of turbulence, with a focus on the "anomalous" exponents that characterizethe scaling properties of correlation functions and structure functions. We had threemajor lines of progress, in each of which we have achieved significant results. First,anomalous scaling was related to the existence of "Statistically Preserved Structures",which remain invariant (on the average) on the background of the turbulent flow. Suchinvariant functions are responsible for the observed anomalous exponents that weremysterious for decades to turbulence researchers. Now we can identify them aseigenfunctions of eigenvalue 1 of appropriate operators. Second, we have presented asystematic and accurate approach to peeling off anisotoropic contribution from turbulentstatistical objects. We showed how each anisotropic sector exhibits its own set ofanomalous exponents which are universal. This way we have settled long standing issuesrelated to the decay of aniostropy as a function of length scale and Reynolds number.Finally we have addressed the problem of drag reduction in turbulence by polymericadditives, and have begun to unravel the mechanism of this mysterious phenomenon.

2. Fractal Grourth. We considered Laplacian growth and Diffusion Limited Aggregates(DLA). By constructing conformal maps from the unit circle to the fractal patterns weobtained dynamical equations for the conformal maps, allowing us to solve for theinteresting patterns that evolve in these systems. We understood completely Laplaciandynamics and developed a theory of DLA which is able to predict all the multifractalproperties from first principles. In particular we have offered a convergent calculation ofthe fractal dimension of DLA, settling a long standing question whether it is fractal ornot (it is).

In the last year we have developed the dynamics of conformal maps to problems offracture of brittle materials. We have solved the quasi-static fracture problem and aremaking progress in dynamic fracture.

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Hydrodynamics, Turbulence and Pattern Formation-Experimental

During the past years the main progress has been on the following projects :

1. Spatio-temporal chaos in Rayleigh-Benard convection in very large aspect ratio cells in agas near the gas-liquid critical point was studied. This unique system gave us thepossibility to discover new spiral and target defect chaotic state, coexisting up- anddownflow hexagons, labyrinth state and more. We studied in detail part of these newinstabilities and patterns in close collaboration with theorists from Bayreuth University,Germany, Profs. F. Busse and W. Pesch.

2. Nonlinear interaction of first and second sound waves and possible wave turbulencestate were studied in superfluid helium. Meantime just one mechanism of the waveinteraction, namely parametric generation of the second sound by first one, wasinvestigated. After its theoretical prediction about 20 years ago, it was first observed byus experimentally. New technology of the second sound detection by superconductingbolometers evaporated on glass fibers was developed. Two unexpected effects wereobserved: intermittent nature of the second sound and sudden drop of the second soundamplitude at large values of the first sound amplitude far away from the threshold.Universality of amplitude fluctuations in a wide range of the control parameter above theinstability threshold was established and explained by four-waves indirect interaction ofthe second sound waves via the first sound. Amplification of the second sound by thefirst one and an effect of phase conjugation for the second sound were found. However,theoretically predicted wave turbulence for the nonlinearly interacting second soundwaves was not observed.

3. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of the role of elastic stresses inhydrodynamics of polymer solutions. In particular we studied the role of viscoelasticityon stability and pattern selection in Couette-Taylor flow of a dilute polymer solution. Wesucceeded to vary the solution elasticity by three orders of magnitude, and in this way toget the complete stability diagram of this flow from pure inertial case of Newtonian fluidtill very elastic flow. New type of patterns were observed and characterized, in particularnovel localized stationary vortex pairs state was discovered. Their properties andinteraction, as well as the mechanism of the elastic instability were quantitatively studiedin details. As a continuation of these studies we discovered new turbulent state, coinedby us the elastic turbulence, which occurs at negligible values of Re and large values ofDe. It results just from elastic nonlinearity and driven by the elastic forces in 3Dcomplex how. Further studies of 3D complex viscoelastic flows will help to reveal themechanism of turbulent drag reduction.

4. Turbulent convection was studied in a gas SF6 near the gas-liquid critical point. Thisunique system provides us an opportunity to reach extremely large Raleigh numbers (upto 1015) and to study the Pr dependence over an extremely wide range in the samesystem. The existence of the critical fluctuations provided us the possibility to perform

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laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements of the velocity field in a rather widerange of the closeness to the critical point. Using this novel technique developed in ourlaboratory, we studied statistical properties of the velocity field in a wide range of Reand Pr numbers. Together with the local temperature and global heat transfermeasurements it provided us complete information about convective turbulence.

5. Appearance and dynamics of shock sound waves in a gas near the gas-liquid criticalpoint was investigated. It is a first step towards the acoustic turbulence problem. Theonset of wave resistance due to generation of surface waves is still ongoing project.Quantum vortex nucleation and detection were investigated as a first step to futureexperimental program. Dynamics of topological defects in nonequilibrium structure wasfurther investigated as a continuation of our joint efforts with the theoretical group ofProfs. L. Kramer and W. Pesch from Bayreuth University, Germany.

Quantum Chaos - Theory

The main problem in "quantum chaos" is to reveal the quantum mechanical implications ofclassical chaos. Chaotic dynamics - a generic property in classical physics, leave universalfingerprints in quantum physics, which are unraveled by the on going research in "quantumChaos". The results are relevant and applicable in Mesoscopics, Atomic, Molecular andNuclear physics. As a matter of fact, "quantum chaos" appears in all problems where wavepropagation is studied in the short wavelength limit. Thus, "quantum chaos" is also studied inacoustics, electromagnetic propagation, cavities etc. The observation which brought "quantumchaos" to the focal point of modern theoretical physics, was the intimate connection betweenthe distributions and statistics of many quantum observables, and the underlying classicaldynamics. More precisely, it was found that the predictions of random matrix theory, aminimum-information statistical approach, accurately reproduce the properties of simplequantum systems, as long as the underlying classical dynamics is chaotic. In this way, theergodicity which is the hallmark of classical chaos is extended into the quantum domain. Inour recent research we contributed to this effort along the following lines:

1. The semiclassical approximation and the interior-exterior duality. Some years ago wedeveloped an alternative approach to the quantization of bounded systems, usingscattering theory. It is based on an intimate relationship between the bounded (interior)problem, and a properly constructed scattering (exterior) problem. We extended thisapproach to the discussion of edge states in magnetic billiards, where both the exteriorand the interior spectra are discrete. In this case, the duality implies pair-wisecorrelations between eigenstates and very prominent spectral correlations across theboundary which separates the exterior from the interior. Presently we generalize thisapproach and use it in new contexts, such as the quantization of the Laplacians forcompact Riemannian manifolds without boundaries.

2. Quantum graphs. In the quest for the simplest quantum systems which display spectralfluctuations which are reproduce by random matrix theory, we proposed quantum

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graphs, for which an exact trace formula exists, and the "classical dynamics" was shownto be mixing. An extensive test of the spectra of simple graphs have shown an excellentreproduction of various statistical measures derived from random matrix theory.Moreover, the derivation of spectral correlation functions can be reduced to the solutionof combinatorial problems. With this insight, the applicability of random matrix theoryfor graphs was theoretically established to better degree than hitherto achieved in anyother system. Various other problems of interest, such as isospectrality (which relates tothe question- "Can one hear the shape of a graph?"), quantum irreversibility (dephasing)and nodal structures of wave functions on graphs are also studied.

3. The statistics and structure of nodal domains. Real wave functions (in 2d for simplicity)vanish along lines which separate domains where the wave function has a constant sign.The properties of the sets of nodal lines and nodal domains are sensitive to theunderlying classical dynamics. We revived the interest in this aspect of "quantum chaos"by introducing a new statistical measure for the distribution of the number of nodaldomains. We derived the universal features of this distribution for quantum integrableproblems, and conjectured its behavior for chaotic ones.


Dean: David Harel The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics

Aryeh Dvoretzky, Ph.D.(The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Institute Professor


Dean: David Harel The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics

The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science consists of two departments: theDepartment of Mathematics, and the Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics. In actuality, we carry out research in three categories: pure mathematics, appliedmathematics, and computer science.

There are no clear-cut lines separating these areas, and many projects span more than one ofthem. The research itself ranges from abstract and very theoretical considerations withinmathematics and computer science, through using and applying mathematics and computerscience in other sciences, to their application in concrete industrial developments. It is not easyto divide the faculty members into well identified research groups, as there is a large overlap inresearch interests and expertise, an overlap that in turn contributes to the strength of theFaculty. Thus, the best way to see what is done in the Faculty is to read the research summariesprovided in our Faculty brochure for each of the departments and for each individual scientist.

The Faculty also hosts the Carl F. Gauss Minerva Center for Scientific Computation, the IdaCohen Center for Mathematics, the John von Neumann Minerva Center for Verification ofReactive Systems, and the Moross Laboratory for Vision Research and Robotics.

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Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Shimon Ullman, Head The Ruth and Samy Cohn Professor of Computer Sciences

Research in computer science encompasses theoretical studies on the foundations of computerscience, experimental aspects of computer science, computer vision and robotics, and thestudy of information processing by biological systems, theoretical biology and bio-informatics. On the theoretical side, topics include computational complexity, cryptography,algorithms, distributed computing, methods for system verification, specification anddevelopment, logics of programs, combinatorics and number theory, combinatorial games,information retrieval, and numerical analysis. Experimental research includes the developmentof concurrent languages, visual languages, and programming environments. The study ofvision, robotics, and motor control includes both theoretical and experimental components. Wehave expanded our activity at the interface of biology and computation by adding a program inbio-informatics, and studying computations by biological machinery and modeling andanalysis of biological systems.

Research in applied mathematics includes two main themes. The first is the basic study ofapplied mathematics and the development of new mathematical tools of general applicabilityin science and engineering. The second theme is the use of mathematical techniques toelucidate phenomena of interest in the natural sciences, such as biology, medicine, andphysics.

Complexity theory deals with classifying computational problems by the amount ofcomputational resources they require, in particular the number of processing steps and thememory required for their solution. One recent focus is on the complexity of approximation,that is, investigating whether efficient approximation algorithms exist for problems that areinherently complex. Some problems were found to exhibit a threshold phenomenon: for aparticular ratio of approximation there is a transition from inefficient to efficientapproximation. Other work establishes lower bounds on the complexity of models ofcomputation, including Boolean circuits, communication complexity, and length of proofs.

Cryptography deals with methods for protecting the privacy, integrity, and functionality ofcomputer and communication systems. The research activities on the area range fromproviding firm foundations to the construction of such methods to providing actualconstructions for specific needs. Correspondingly, research in Cryptography ranges from veryabstract (or theoretical) to very applied (or concrete). The full range of these activities isrepresented in the Department of Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science.Recent directions include the design and analysis of practical cryptosystems, the development

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226 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

of session-key generation based on passwords, the study of new types of zero-knowledgeproofs and of the complexity of secure function evaluation.

Randomness: Finding methods that allow a deterministic process to simulate randomness, andusing randomness for solving computational problems, including computer communicationapplications, and protecting privacy in information exchange over computer networks.

Program verification: Research on the automatic verification of computer systems, includingdigital circuit design, reactive and real-time systems, and reactive systems. Current researchincludes the synthesis of reactive modules, automatic verification of multi-process systems,and specification methods that combine transition systems with temporal logic.

System specification: Research on languages for the modeling and simulation of complexreactive systems. Work focuses on visual formalisms, based on topological and geometricconstructs. It includes the semantics and implementation of Statecharts, an object-orientedversion of Statecharts, and a new language for inter-object message specification, called LSC's(live sequence charts). Related work is on the layout of diagrams, such as undirected graphsand blob/window hierarchies.

Distributed computing and communication networks: Work in this area includes the design ofefficient communication patterns and efficient transmission of information between sites in anetwork.

Vision: Object recognition: developing methods for recognizing objects, such as faces or cars,from their images.

Aids for the visually impaired: Using computer vision methods to help the visually impaired.

Visually guided navigation: using vision to guide mobile robots and robotic arms to reach adesired position.

Video analysis and application: using video analysis to handle and manipulate informationfrom multiple video cameras imaging the same scene (either simultaneously or at differenttimes). Video enhancement, video indexing and browsing (e.g., over the internet),compression (for storage and transmission), video-based surveillance and monitoring, andmulti-media applications.

Motor control and robotics: Movement control in biological and robotic systems: studying theprocesses of motion planning and control in biological systems and the strategies employed bythe brain in the planning, execution and control of multi-joint movements and different motortasks, such as reaching, pointing, grasping and drawing. Studies of movement generation inflexible biological and robotic arms.

Motor learning and adaptation: Investigating the rules that govern skill acquisition andlearning in humans, and developing learning algorithms and architectures for robotic systems.

Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 227

Movement disorders research: In collaboration with neurologists we investigate andcharacterize the motor impairments manifested in neglect patients, Parkinson's disease patientsand other movement disorders.

Scientific computing: Developing new efficient methods for solving equations that appear inmany natural problems. Solving the mathematical equations that describe natural phenomenain physics, chemistry, and other branches of science, is often a formidable computation task.We are involved in developing more efficient computational methods with possibleapplications in diverse areas, such as fluid dynamics, medical imaging, image processing,astrophysics, and others. One major direction is the development of hierarchical methods thatapproximate the problem in space and time simultaneously on several resolution levels.Another direction is the analytic estimation of the errors caused in the computation by discretecomputer calculations, and developing methods for controlling such errors.

Dynamical systems, partial differential equations and applications: We develop and usedynamical systems approach and PDE tools to analyze nonlinear evolution equations whicharise in diverse fields of interest. The applications include fluid mechanics, geophysics,chemical reactions, combustion theory, nonlinear fiber optics, lasers, elasticity, biologicalmodels and control theory. Our research lies at the interface between rigorous applied analysisand physical applications. Current projects that deal with finite dimensional systems includestudying the motion of particles in optical traps (billiards), various aspects of mixing in fluidflows, models that arise in nonlinear optics and the dynamics of certain models in biology.Some of these projects contribute to the understanding of basic underlying structures ofnonlinear Hamiltonian systems. Projects which deal with infinite dimensional systems includethe study of complex nonlinear phenomena, such as turbulent flows and the long-termbehavior (global attractors) to nonlinear dissipative partial differential systems, such as theNavier-Stokes equations, reaction-diffusion systems and other related systems. The dynamicsof such dissipative nonlinear PDE models involves a wide spectrum of temporal and spatialscales. This often makes it prohibitively expensive computationally. We approach thischallenging problem by developing reliable reduced approximate PDE models, which arepossible to implement computationally and to be validated rigorously, for the relevant spatialand temporal scales.

Biology and computation: bio-informatics, computational aspects of olfaction, computation bybiological machinery, and the modeling, animation and analysis of biological systems.

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il


Professors

Achi Brandt, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service)The Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Professor of Applied Mathematics

Uriel Feige, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~achi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~feige


Tamar Flash, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United StatesThe Dr. Hymie Moross Professor

Oded Goldreich, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IsraelThe Meyer W. Weisgal Professor

Shafrira Goldwasser, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United StatesDavid Harel, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States

The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics Moni Naor, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States

The Judith Kleeman ProfessorDavid Peleg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Norman D. Cohen Professor of Computer Sciences Amir Pnueli, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Estrin Family Professor of Computer Science Ran Raz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelAdi Shamir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

The Paul and Marlene Borman Professor of Applied Mathematics Edriss Titi, Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington, United States

Ma’of Fellowship Shimon Ullman, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States

The Ruth and Samy Cohn Professor of Computer Sciences

Professors Emeriti

Ari Ben-Menahem, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United StatesAviezri S. Fraenkel, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, United StatesIsaac M. Horowitz, Ph.D., Polytechnic Institute of BrooklynAlexander Lerner, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences of USSR, Moscow, Russian FederationPhilip Rabinowitz, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United StatesLee A. Segel, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States


Ronen Basri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMichal Irani, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelDaniel Michelson, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelVered Rom-Kedar, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United StatesEhud Shapiro, Ph.D., Yale University, New Haven, United States


Dorit Ron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel


Meirav Galun, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelValery Ilyin, Ph.D., Kiev State University

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~udi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~vered/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~daniel

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~irani

http://www.cs.weizmann.ac.il/~ronen

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~lee

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~fraenkel/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~shimon

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~amir

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~peleg/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~naor

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~harel

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~shafi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~oded/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~tamar

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~ranraz

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Engineers

Yorram Kalef, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Rehovot, IsraelLeah Mory Rauch, M.Sc., Weizmann Institute of TechnologyOded Smikt, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (retired August

2003)

Consultants

Yonit Kesten, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, IsraelOrna Lichtenstein, Center for Technological Education, Holon, IsraelBilha Sandak, IndependentWilliam Silverman (left July 2003)

Visiting Scientists

Nathan Dinar, Israel Inst. of Bio. Rese., Nes Ziona, IsraelOren Livne, IDF, IsraelAnna Melnikov, University of Haifa, IsraelBernhard Schatz, University of Munich, GermanyRon Shamir, Tel-Aviv University, IsraelDmitri Vainchtein, University of California at Santa Barbara, U.S.A.


Aya Aner-wolf , Ph.D., Columbia University of New York, USASigal Berman, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, IsraelReuven Cohen , Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, IsraelRavi Duggirala, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IndiaJasmin Fisher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelIgor Gejadze, Ph.D., Moscow Aviation Institute, RussiaGuy Sella, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelElad Shahar , Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelRonen Shaltiel, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelAmir Shpilka, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelYonatan Wexler, Ph.D., U. of Maryland, USAMark Zlochin, Ph.D., Technion, Israel

Research Students

Adi Akavia Ayelet AkselrodTamarah Arons Boaz BarakEvgeniy Bart Yaakov BenensonArmin Biess Eran BorensteinChen Brestel Liran Carmel

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~ayelet

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~tamarah

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~boaz

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~kobi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~armin

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~boren

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~chen

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~liran

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~bill

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~billie

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~yonit

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~leah


Yaron Caspi Roman DovgardSol Efroni Michael ElkinYuval Emek Boris EpshteinAlexey Etin Dana FismanJason Friedman Darya FrolovaRima Gandlin Yaara GoldschmidtDan Harnik Tzvika HartmanIyad Eil Hasan Suwan Yehuda HassinTal Hassner Alexander IlieshAron Inger Na'Aman KamAlexander Klimov Shimon KoganYehuda Koren (Kornweitz) Amos KormanHillel Kugler Michael LangbergDavid Lehmann Nissan Lev-TovRaya Leviathan Yehuda LindellGregory Linshiz Rami MarellyEran Ofek Nir PitermanFelix Polyakov Anna RapoportYoav Rodeh Alon RosenSitvanit Ruah Avital Sadovski-SadotIlia Safro Bernard SarelYaakov Setty Eli ShechtmanEliezer Shochat Denis SimakovEran Tromer Michel Vidal-NaquetGera Weiss Ehud WiederLihi Zelnik-Manor

Administrator

Raanan Michael

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~caspi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~sol

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~yuvale/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~etinalex

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~dana

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~jason

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~yaarag

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~tzvi

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~hassner

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~kam/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~ask

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~kugler

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~rami

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~erano

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~nirp

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~felix

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~gannar

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~safro

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~elishe

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~deniss/

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~tromer

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~michel

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~gera

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~uwieder

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~lihi

Mathematics

Gideon Schechtman, Head The William Petschek Professor of Mathematics

The principal research interests of the Department lie in the two general areas of mathematicalanalysis and its applications, and of algebra, mainly representation theory, algebraic geometry,and number theory. Topics covered in analysis include the structure of finite and infinitedimensional spaces, operator and matrix theory, function theory on the plane, graphs andRiemann surfaces, spectral theory, several aspects of probability, and some applications ofstatistics, linear and nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations, harmonic analysis,dynamical systems, control theory in its various manifestations, optimization, game theory andmathematical economics, approximation and complexity of functions, numerical analysis,singularity theory, and robotics. The algebraic direction includes some aspects of algebraicgeometry, representation theory, quantum groups, combinatorics, number theory, automorphicforms, ring theory, and enveloping algebras. Although the approach taken is primarily that ofpure mathematics, some of the research leans toward possible applications. Listed below is asample of some of the specific topics that the department's members have pursued lately or areinvolved in now.

Algebraic geometry: Study was continued on integration on p-adic analytic spaces. It wasshown that every smooth p-adic analytic space can be provided with an algebra of locallyanalytic functions which includes all analytic ones, satisfies the uniqueness property, andcontains local primitives of all closed one-forms with coefficients in the algebra. It was alsoshown that this algebra contains a full set of local solutions of any unipotent differentialequation and, as a consequence, one constructs the parallel transport of the local solutionsalong a path.

Automorphic forms: First, work was continued on the boundedness in vertical strips of L-functions that appear in constant terms of Eisenstein series; one question studied was whetherthe boundedness is really a product of complex function theory. Second, topics were exploredabout how Riemann's zeta function, and its generalizations, depends on Riemann's originalideas.

Banach spaces: The geometry of finite and infinite dimensional normed spaces and mapsbetween them is investigated, particularly the classification of Banach spaces under Lipschitzand uniform homeomorphisms, and under Lipschitz and uniform quotient maps. Some newtight isomorphic embedding results, particularly for finite dimensional subspaces of Lp, wereobtained.

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232 Mathematics

Combinatorics: The study of various permutation-statistics on thesymmetric groups and onrelated groups - continues. New refinements and extensions of MacMahon's classical equi-distribution theorem are found, relating that sub-area of Enumerative-Combinatorics to thesub-area of Shape-Avoiding-Permutations.

Differential and integral operators: The well-known asymptotic formulas for the Heat Kernelon the Heisenberg Group (for small time) are not uniform near the conjugate line. In particularthe power laws are different for generic points and conjugate points. We establish an integralformula whose Laplace asymptotics clearly show how the asymptotic law is deformed as oneapproaches the conjugate line. The sub-Riemannian nature of the geometry dictatesapplication of the Hamiltonian formalism (on the cotangent bundle) rather than the moreconventional approach involving connections on the tangent bundle.

Game theory and mathematical economics: Costs of time and negotiations were incorporatedinto a dynamic system leading to the Nash bargaining solution for cooperative games.Algorithms for calculating concave utility functions when the choice set is finite are given, andtheir geometric nature as well as their relation to well-known duality constructions is clarified.

Dynamical systems: Coupled slow and fast ordinary differential equations were examined viasingular perturbations analysis. Attention was paid to the structure of switching betweenmanifolds of equilibria of the fast motion. Invariant measures of multi-valued dynamics werecharacterized.

Hilbert 16th problem and related areas: A general theorem was proved on the number of zerosfor functional fields obtained as Picard-Vessiot extensions of the field of meromorphicfunctions. Using an explicitly derived system of Picard-Fuchs differential equations, this resultis applied to Abelian integrals, giving a first constructive solution of the infinitesimal Hilbert16th problem (in the hyperelliptic case).

Deep relations between Hilbert's problem (as well as another closely connected one -Poincare's Centre-Focus problem) and several fields in Classical and modern Analysis andAlgebra have been found. Among them Generalized Moments, Several Complex variables,Composition Algebra and D-modules. These promising relations are now investigated.

Operator theory and Matrix Function theory: The theory of the holomorphic deformation ofrational matrix functions is developed. Applications to the Schlesinger differential system aredone.

A simple connection between Riccati equations and finite dimensional reproducing kernelKrein spaces was established and then exploited to resolve a number of interpolation andfactorization problems. Related zero and pole cancellation problems were also explored. Theinvestigation of inverse problems for canonical integral and differential system continued. Inparticular, a parameterization of the set of all solutions to an inverse input impedance problemwas given under reasonably general conditions and applied to the inverse spectral problem.Explicit formulas were derived for a number of examples. The class of strongly regular deBranges spaces was introduced and explored.

Mathematics 233

Optimization and control: The control of coupled slow and fast motions was examined. Themodel is of singular perturbations with, possibly, measure-valued variables representing thelimit of the fast variables. Design of switching modes between manifolds of equilibria orinvariant measures of the fast dynamics were examined. The possibility to ignite impulses ofthe slow dynamics was demonstrated. The limit occupational measures of controlled dynamicswere examined utilizing general convexification techniques.

Probability and geometry: Several subjects relating probability and geometry of sets in finitedimensional space or in discrete structures are investigated. These include problems pertainingto Statistical Physics; in particular, percolation, random walks on diverse geometricalstructures, and the study of convex sets in high dimensional Euclidean space.

Representation theory and related topics: This concerns the representation theory of algebraicgroups, enveloping algebras and quantum groups -- specifically, at present, the determinationof semi-invariants for parabolic subalgebras, the analysis and quantization of hypersurfaceorbital varieties and the decomposition of Demazure crystals and their module theory.

Another direction is a study of enveloping algebras of classical Lie superalgebras and theirmodules. Shapovalov determinants for Q-type algebras were computed. This allows todescribe the centres of their enveloping algebras using a method of Kac.

For both associative and Lie algebras with polynomial identities, the study of theircodimension growth is continued, via the applications of the representation theory of theSymmetric groups.

The Vershik-Kerov representation theory of the infinite symmetric group, together withProbability and with the Theory of Symmetric Functions, are applied to the study ofcombinatorial identities.

Spectral theory of differential operators: A partial differential operator appearing in Physics asa model of an irreversible quantum system was investigated in detail. The operator involves areal parameter (the "coupling constant") in a rather unusual way, so that the standardapproaches do not apply to the study of its spectral properties. They strongly depend on thevalue of the coupling constant and exhibit some unusual properties.

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il


Professors

Zvi Artstein, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Hettie H. Heineman Professor of Mathematics

Vladimir Berkovich, Ph.D., University of Moscow, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Matthew B. Rosenhaus Professor of Biophysics

Aryeh Dvoretzky, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelInstitute Professor

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~vova

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~zvika

234 Mathematics

Harry Dym, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States (on extension of service)The Renee and Jay Weiss Professor

Stephen Gelbart, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United StatesThe Nicki and J. Ira Harris Professor

Anthony Joseph, Ph.D., University of OxfordThe Donald Frey Professor

Yakar Kannai, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Erica and Ludwig Jesselson Professor of Theoretical Mathematics

Victor Katsnelson, Ph.D., Kharkov University, KharkovThe Ruth and Sylvia Shogam Professor

Amitai Regev, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Herman P. Taubman Professor of Mathematics

Gideon Schechtman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe William Petschek Professor of Mathematics

Sergei Yakovenko, Ph.D., Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian FederationThe Gershon Kekst Professor

Yosef Yomdin, Ph.D., Novosibirsk State University, Russian FederationThe Moshe Porath Professor of Mathematics

Professor Emeritus

Michael Solomyak, Ph.D., University of Leningrad

Associate Professor

Itai Benjamini, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Scientist

Maria Gorelik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelYigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Frances and Max Hersh Career Development Chair

Consultants

Joseph Bernstein, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelVladimir Hinich, University of Haifa, Haifa, IsraelElena Litsyn, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, IsraelAnna Melnikov, Center of Technological Education, Holon, IsraelAndrei Reznikov, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, IsraelNina Roytvarf (left June 2003)Victor Zalgaller

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~itai

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~solom

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~yomdin

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~gideon

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~regev

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~kannai

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~joseph

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~gelbar

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~dym

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~yakov

Mathematics 235

Visiting Scientists

Alexey G. Aksenov, Moscow Inst. of Phys. & Tech., RussiaDamir Arov, S. Ukrainian University , Odessa, UkraineMoshe Bar, Harvard Med. School, MA, U.S.A.Edward Bierston, University of Toronto, CanadaAlex Eremenko, Purdue University , W. Lafayette, IN, U.S.A.Gennady Feldman, Inst. for Low Temperature Physics, Kharkov, UkraineWilliam B. Johnson, Texas A&M University, U.S.A.Vitali Liskevich, University of Bristol, UKSergey Naboko, University of St. Petersburg, RussiaShahar Nevo, Bar-Ilan University, IsraelOlexandr Skarkoviychuk, Nat. University of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine


Dmitry Kalyuzhniy-Verbovetz, Ph.D., Karazin National State University, UkraineGady Kozma, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelClaire Moura, Ph.D., Universite Paul Sabatier, FranceBoris Noyvert, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelDan Romik , Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelIlya Tyomkin, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, IsraelYulin Zhao, Ph.D., Peking University, China

Research Students

Gideon Amir Omer AngelYevgenia Apartsin Yuri BazlovLimor Ben Efraim Dan BernsteinMikhail Blinov Ilan DeganiDvir Kleper Polyxeni LamprouOlga Maleva Emanuel MilmanElena Perelman Tamar SeemanMichael Temkin

Administrator

Raanan Michael

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~romik

The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science

David Harel, Director The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics

Introduction

The endowment of the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and ComputerScience was established in May 1996. It has been designated to provide long-term, securefinancial support for the entire spectrum of research activities of the Faculty. As theendowment accrues over the next few years, it will enable our scientists to expand existingprojects or pursue new initiatives in areas which seem to hold great potential for futuredevelopment.

General Aims

One significant aim of the Belfer Center is to support visits to the Institute campus of the besttalents in mathematics and computer science, including short-term visiting lecturers, as well aslonger-term researchers, both from Israel and abroad. One notable part of this effort is supportfor the prestigious Pekeris Lecture, which is organized by the Faculty in memory of itsfounder, Prof. Chaim Pekeris. The lecture is given annually by a leading mathematician orcomputer scientist, at the Faculty's invitation. Another aim of the Center is to supportworkshops and conferences organized by Faculty scientists and taking place on or off campus.Parts of the funds of the Center are used to purchase computing equipment, such as personalcomputers, servers and communication equipment, thus updating and improving our ability tocommunicate with the world at large and to carry out our computerized research with state-of-the-art means.

The Center plans to initiate activities that do not normally fall under the day-to-day activitiesof the Faculty, such as visits of groups of scientists to work on joint projects not necessarilyrepresented by current efforts of the Faculty, and advanced courses to be given by outsiderswhose fields are not necessarily represented within the Faculty. We hope thereby to increaseour visibility and to attract more outstanding students, thus contributing the overall quality andimpact of our work.

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238 The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science

Major Activities 2003

In the 2003 fiscal year, the Belfer Institute sponsored many programs and projects. Here welist the main ones only:

1. The 2003 Pekeris Lecture, delivered by Prof. Judea Pearl of the University of Californiaat Los Angeles, 8 June, 2003, "Reasoning with Cause and Effect".

2. Support for scientists: Dr. Anna Melnikov, Dr. Maria Gorelik, Prof. Ron Shamir.

3. Travel support for the following postdoctorates and doctoral students: Dr. RonenShaltiel, Dr. Olga Maleva, Yuri Bazlov, Rima Gandlin, Gregory Linshitz, Ilan Degani,Lihi Zelnick-Manor, Liran Carmel, Naaman Kam, Avital Sadovsky-Sadot, Zvi Hartmen,Hillel Kugler, Ehud Wieder, Eran Tromer, Alexander Klimov, Adi Akavia, RomanDovgard, Tamar Seeman.

4. Housing support for Dr. Ronen Shaltiel and Dr. Aya Aner-Wolf.

5. Support for a long list of guests, including: Prof. Jane Hubbard, Prof. Michael Stern,Prof. Claude Bardos, Prof. Alexander Ram, Prof. Oksandr Skarboviychuk, Prof. AlexeiBelov, Dr. A. Gogoschvili, Dr. Dmitry Vainchtein, Dr. Dmitry Turaev, Dr. Amir Shpilka,Dr. David Lehmann, Dr. Robert Krautgamer.

6. Advisory and consultation support for Prof. W. Stein, Dr. Bilha Sandak.

7. Support for Computer System Operator: David Avi.

8. Support for new equipment (mostly workstations for students) and continual upgradingof communication equipment and ongoing supplies.

9. Continued support for the Faculty Library including enriching our book collection.

10. Support for professional business lunches and to seminar lecturers, including a toast forProf. Adi Shamir on being a co-recipient of the 2003 Turing Award.

11. Salary support for students: Daniel Cohen and Shlomit Zarchi.

12. Support for student membership in the IMU (Israel Mathematical Union).

13. Support with renovations of The Faculty Lounge.

14. Continued support with renovations to student rooms.

15. Support with professional publishing of the Proc. ICME'03.

16. A new student travel fund has been established.

The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science 239

Future Plans

This year we have made a change in the way larger activities will be supported. A smallcommittee of three people has been set up, which includes the two Department Heads and theHead of the Teaching Committee. Larger requests (from around $5,000 up) will be submittedby faculty members to them, and their recommendations will be considered for approval bythe Director of the Belfer Institute. This mechanism will serve to help support actual scientificactivities within the faculty, as well as requests for student scholarship support, and support forworkshops and conferences organized by members of the faculty. It will also help supportlonger term visitors. All this intended to offset the fact that other budgets available to scientistsare being cut, because of the increasingly tougher financial situation in the country, in general,and in the Institute, in particular. The formation of the three-person committee will help makethe best decisions for the faculty regarding usage of non trivial amounts of money from theBelfer Institute.

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The Ida Cohen Center for Mathematics

David Harel, Director The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics

The Ida Cohen Center for Mathematics finances support for across-the-board activities withinthe Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. Most of the fund is divided up and givento the two department heads to supplement their regular budgets. For further details and thedescription of activities in the Departments, please see the various scientific descriptions.

The Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems

Amir Pnueli, Director Estrin Family Professor of Computer Science

The Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems was established in December1998, thanks to a generous endowment from the ministry for Science and Technology (BMFT)of the Federal Republic of Germany, through Minerva, the joint committee for German-Israelicooperation.

The mission of the center for verification is to advance and promote the state of the art offormal verification of reactive systems until it is transformed from an academic discipline witha few success stories into a working practice that will take its right place within industrialprocesses as a standard stage in the development life-cycle of reactive systems.

Our plans for accomplishing this long-range and ambitious goal are based on a three-prongedapproach, consisting of • An extensive basic and applied research program for the development of new paradigms

and tools for formal verification, emphasizing compositionality, abstraction, and othertechniques for model reduction.

We will mainly focus on deductive verification techniques and ways for merging them withalgorithmic approaches such as symbolic model checking.

• Education: the development of a verification engineering methodology and curriculum atdifferent levels of academic training.

• Consultation, education/training, dissemination, and interaction with Israeli, German, andinternational industry.

The currently active research projects are: 1. Deductive verification of hardware designs. As part of a plan for checking the feasibility of

deductive verification of hardware, we focus on architectural features with high degree ofparameterization and regularity, concentrating on the out-of-order execution (OOOE) com-ponents of modern micro-processors. We verified first a basic design for OOOE and arecurrently extending it with additional features, such as in-order retirement, speculation andbranch prediction, and memory access.

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244 The Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems

2. Algorithmic verification of hardware designs. Complementing the deductive approach, wealso investigate algorithmic approach for verification of similar designs. We focus on theuse of uninterpreted functions for representing the design and apply techniques such assystematic annotation, and instantiation by small but adequate concrete data domains.

3. Model checking, abstraction, and composition in a linear framework. Traditionally, modelchecking and the associate techniques of abstraction and composition were developed in abranching-time framework. We have launched a program for reformulating these tech-niques in a linear framework.

4. Translation validation. Wishing to ensure the absolute correctness of a code generator in asafety-critical context, we developed a method, implemented by the code validation toolCV which, following every run of the code generator, verifies that the object program pro-duced by the generator is a correct implementation of the source. Currently, we study theextension of this method to deal with highly optimizing compilers, in particular compilerswhich are targeted to particular processor architectures, including EPIC architectures.

5. Uniform verification of parameterized systems. Many systems that require verification canbe viewed as parameterized in the sense that they consist of identical modules intercon-nected in different ways, where the parameter is the number of processes or the intercon-nection configuration. We investigate methods for algorithmic verification of such systemsthat will establish their correctness for all values of the parameters. As part of this effort,we have constructed the automated systems TLV[P], which verifies networks in which theprocesses are arranged in a row or along a ring, and TLV[T] verifying networks with a treeinterconnection scheme.

Education for Verification

Besides the graduate courses in verification which are standardly given at the WeizmannFeinberg school, we actively participated in the preparation and running of undergraduatecourses for verification.

In the center of Technological Education in Holon, which is a college training computerscience students which will take their place in industry, one of our affiliates has constructed acourse in verification with minimal pre-requirements of logic and automata theory, and hands-on experience in verification. This involved significant modifications and enhancements to ourprincipal user-programmable verification tool TLV.

Another undergraduate course which will be presented at the department of communication atBen Gurion University is in preparation.

The Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems 245

Training and Consulting for Industry

The Minerva Center for Formal Verification of Reactive Systems maintains continuous con-tacts with several Israeli companies and plans to extend these to companies outside Israel.

We made a special effort to invite attendants from industry to the series of courses on verifica-tion given at the Weizmann Institute.

We continuously interact with the local branch of Intel about our hardware verification (andabstraction) work.

Other consulting contacts are maintained with the companies Verisity, and Perfecto Technolo-gies, which became interested in applying techniques of formal verification in the develop-ment of their software.


Dean: Yosef YardenThe Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology


Dean: Yosef Yarden The Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology

Ami Shalit, Director and Academic Secretary

Founded in 1958, the Feinberg Graduate School serves as a training ground for futuregenerations of creative researchers and scientific leaders. The student body also contributes tothe atmosphere of intellectual stimulation and challenge at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Operating under charters granted by both the State of Israel and by the Board of Regents of theState of New York, the Feinberg Graduate School confers Master of Science (M.Sc.) andDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in the Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, PhysicalSciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Science Teaching. A total of 291 newstudents were accepted during the academic year 2002/2003 (October 1, 2002 – September 30,2003); of these students, 143 were accepted to the M.Sc. program and 148 to the Ph.D.program.

The Graduate Studies Program

Admission to the Graduate School is based upon a student's previous academic record, andletters of recommendation from former teachers. In addition, there may be a personal interviewwith faculty members who assess the candidate's abilities and skills.

Once accepted, the student is exposed to a wide range of activities, including lecture courses,teaching laboratories, and individually guided study. The extensive facilities of the WeizmannInstitute, including the central computer system, are available to all students. The Institute'ssenior staff forms the teaching faculty. With a Ph.D. student-teacher ratio of approximately2:1, each student receives considerable individual attention.

Feinberg Graduate School students are required to attend courses and undertake anindependent research project at the Weizmann Institute. This project is supervised by theirfaculty advisor and by a small committee of experts in the relevant field who examine theresearch proposal, evaluate its feasibility, and monitor the progress of the student. Finally, thestudent submits a thesis for an evaluation; when approved, the appropriate degree is granted bythe Scientific Council of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

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250 Feinberg Graduate School

Multidisciplinary programs of study have been instituted in Biological Physics, Molecular andStructural Biology, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (with separate tracks forBiology and for Mathematics & Computer Science). Special programs are also available inEnergy and Environment, and in Archeological Sciences.

Policy

The scientific and educational policy of the Feinberg Graduate School is directed toward thepromotion of academic excellence. Emphasis is placed on maintaining a high level ofinstruction, with particular attention given to exceptionally bright and creative students. Theseare encouraged to enroll in a special program leading directly to the Ph.D. degree (without theneed to submit a Master's thesis). Feinberg School students may be allowed to take specialcombinations of courses and to participate in summer schools, workshops, and conferences,both in Israel and abroad. In addition, the regular curriculum is enriched by the inclusion ofprominent visiting scientists who teach at the School.

A distinguishing feature of the School is its practical approach to teaching, with a strongemphasis on laboratory work. Teaching laboratories in the Life Sciences and in Physics ensurethat new students acquire skills in basic experimental procedures. A large number of moreadvanced courses in laboratory techniques are offered as well. To expose new students to aswide a variety of research projects as possible, the School conducts a rotation program thatenables first year M.Sc. students to spend three ten-week periods in different Institutelaboratories. This enables them to make informed decisions regarding the research area inwhich they wish to specialize.

The official language of instruction at the Feinberg Graduate School is English, which enablesforeign students to take part in all the School's programs. This, as well as the inclusion offoreign visiting scientists in the teaching program, contributes to an international atmosphere.

Financial Support

As a matter of policy, students accepted to the School receive a scholarship covering tuitionand living expenses. The scholarships are supported by the following funds: (a) the John F.Kennedy Memorial Foundation; (b) the Levi Eshkol Fellowships, administered by the IsraelMinistry of Science and Technology; (c) the Clore Scholars Program; (d) the Planning andBudgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education in Israel; and (e) the Dr. Jacob IslerFoundation. In addition, there are approximately 300 individual supporters whose generositysponsors the studies of graduate students at the School.

For many years, the Feinberg Graduate School has been the recipient of financial support fromthe United States through the Agency for International Development (AID), within theframework of the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program. The 2002/2003AID grant was $900,000. AID funds are used to purchase a significant portion of the scientificequipment and literature needed by students for their advanced research projects.

Feinberg Graduate School 251

Structure

The Feinberg Graduate School's academic activities are conducted and supervised by Boardsof Studies in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences and Science Teaching. Thosewho head the Boards of Studies, together with the Head of the Postdoctoral FellowshipsProgram and the Dean, form the Steering Committee of the School. A student representativeparticipates in deliberations of the Steering Committee when relevant topics are discussed.

Heads of Boards of Studies:

Prof. Uriel Feige - Mathematics and Computer Science Prof. Shimon Levit – Physical Sciences Prof. David Cahen – Chemical Sciences Prof. Elior Peles – Life Sciences Prof. Bat-Sheva Eylon – Science Teaching

Fields of study and multidisciplinary programs include:

Mathematical Sciences:

• Mathematics

• Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

• Bioinformatics: Mathematics and Computer Science track

Physical Sciences:

• Physics

• Applied Physics

• Biological Physics

Chemical Sciences:

• Chemistry (Physical, Theoretical, Molecular, Materials Science, Nanosciences, Environmental Sciences)

• Structural and Molecular Biology

• Computational Chemistry

Life Sciences:

• Biology (Cell, Molecular, Neurobiology, Immunology, Plant Sciences, BiologicalRegulation, Molecular Genetics)

• Computational Biology and Bioinformatics


Science Teaching:

• Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Earth and EnvironmentalSciences, and Biology

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

A Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, headed by Prof. Menachem Rubinstein, is alsoadministered by the Graduate School. The Program currently provides about sixty donor-funded stipends per year for postdoctoral fellows. These stipends are awarded for periodswhich run from 1-3 years. In addition, the Graduate School helps administer the prestigiousKoshland Scholars Program for distinguished postdoctoral fellows. A significant number ofother postdoctoral fellowships are available through grants that are administered by individualscientists.

Ongoing Programs

Efforts are made to attract the best Israeli students to the Feinberg Graduate School byconducting open-house days, student-targeted seminars, and a summer program forprospective students. This is facilitated by the School's presence on the Internet, where awealth of information is available (http://www.weizmann.ac.il/feinberg). The Schoolencourages the admission of qualified foreign students from around the world. The number offoreign students at the Graduate School in 2002/2003 was 126, a significant number of whomare from developing countries.

Services to Society

The Feinberg Graduate School bears academic and administrative responsibility for four othereducational programs: the Science Teaching Department, Young@Science, "Perach", and theAharon Katzir Center.

The Science Teaching Department, headed by Prof. Abraham Arcavi, is responsible for thedevelopment of curricula for primary and secondary schools, with special emphasis oncurriculum implementation. The Department hosts a variety of in-service training programsand seminars in mathematics, physics, chemistry, the environment, computer science, and thelife sciences. These accomplishments have earned it national and international recognition (fordetails, see the section on the Science Teaching Department).


Ph.D. Degree Recipients - Graduation Ceremony 2003

Name Title of Thesis Advisor/s Depatrment Konstantin Adamsky

The function and regulation of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase b (RPTPb)

Prof. Elior Peles Molecular Cell Biology

Hagit Pninah Affek

Isoprene emission from plants: physiological role and isotopic composition

Prof. Dan Yakir Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Stella Aronov Tau mRNA localization in neuronal cells: identification of 3'UTR Cis-acting signals and trans-acting protein factors

Prof. Irith Ginzburg Neurobiology

Shlomo Avital Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence by carotenoids in a micellar model system

Prof. Shmuel Malkin Biological Chemistry

Jing Bao Mechanisms controlling endocytic sorting of epidermal growth factor receptors

Prof. Yosef Yarden Biological Regulation

Erez Bar Haim The hunt for novel tumor associated antigen peptides of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder; antigen presentation to T cells in vivo

Prof. Lea Eisenbach Immunology

Deborah Bartfeld Structural studies of the Runt domain of the RUNX1 transcription factor and its DNA binding site

Prof. Zippora ShakedDr. Linda Shimon

Structural Biology

Adi Ben Zeev - Brann

Ceramide signaling downstream to NGF and the p75NTR in cultured hippocampal neurons

Prof. Anthony Futerman Biological Chemistry

Liat Ben-Yehoshua Josefsb

Regulation of the meiotic cell cycle by protein degradation

Prof. Nava Dekel Biological Regulation


Alain Bendavid Functional analysis of single-chain chimeric T cell receptors in transgenic mice

Prof. Zelig Eshhar Immunology

Alexander Berchansky

Construction of supra-molecular assemblies via molecular docking

Prof. Ephraim Katchalski-KatzirDr. Miriam Eisenstein


Rudi Bertocchi Solar-radiation to thermal energy conversion in a non-isothermal particle laden gas flow at very high temperatures

Prof. Jacob Karni Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Gil Blander The Werner syndrome protein in the DNA damage response

Prof. Moshe Oren Molecular Cell Biology

Mikhail Blinov Center and composition conditions for the Abel Equation

Prof. Yosef Yomdin Mathematics

Liora Bogin-Berkowitz

Characterization of vascularity and hormonal regulated angiogenesis in human breast cancer

Prof. Hadassa Degani Biological Regulation

Vitaly Braude Coupling effects in multi-layered systems

Prof. Ady Stern Condensed Matter Physics

Ronit Buller Bimetallic arrays and nanoparticles

Prof. Meir LahavProf. Leslie Leiserowitz


Miriam Carmi Assessing the change process of high school chemistry teachers during and after participating in a leadership program

Dr. Ruth Ben-ZviProf. Avi Hofstein

Science Teaching

Yaron Caspi Sequence-to-sequence alignment

Prof. Michal Irani Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Yehudit Cohen Drosophila sponge and SCAR - elements that bridge signal transduction pathways and cytoskeletal organization

Dr. Eyal Schejter Molecular Genetics

Eyal Comforti Fractional charges and unique statistics in the quantum Hall regime

Prof. Mordehai Heiblum Condensed Matter Physics


Alexandros Damalas

Deregulated b-catenin activates the p53 pathway


Rakefet David Schwartz

Genetic and developmental characterization of plant-mycorrhiza symbiosis

Prof. Gad Galili Plant Sciences

Ruslan Dorfman Identification of novel components - Elbow/Noc and stripe in Drosophila tracheal development

Prof. Ben-Zion Shilo Molecular Genetics

Reto Dorta Low valent, late transition metal complexes with sulfoxide and nitrogen ligands

Prof. David Milstein Organic Chemistry

Tamar Eliash Cation - Protein interactions in bacteriorhodopsin

Prof. Mordechai Sheves Organic Chemistry

Michael Elkin Constructions of (1+e,b)-spanners for general graphs

Prof. David Peleg Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Omri Erez Studies on the mechanism of polyamine toxicity and transport

Prof. Chaim Kahana Molecular Genetics

Dimitri V. Fisher Density effects on the energy level populations and transport coefficients in plasmas

Prof. Yitzhak Maron Particle Physics

Jasmin Fisher Insights into the mechanisms underlying T cell-mediated neuroprotection in injured central nervous system tissue

Prof. Michal Schwartz Neurobiology

Yael Fridmann-Sirkis

The role of allosteric communication in GroEL in its in vivo and in vitro function

Prof. Amnon Horovitz Structural Biology

Tania Fuchs The mammalian olfactory subgenome analysis

Prof. Doron Lancet Molecular Genetics


Eli Galanti Dynamics and predictability of ENSO. A study using the hybrid-coupled model and the adjoint method

Prof. Eli Tziperman Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Shilpa Gandre Studies on degradation of ornithine decarboxylase and antizyme

Prof. Chaim Kahana Molecular Genetics

Merav Geva-Melamud

Antibody recognition of chiral organized surfaces

Prof. Lia Addadi Structural Biology

Hava Gil-Henn Search for physiological substrates of protein tyrosine phosphatase Epsilon

Dr. Ari Elson Molecular Genetics

Miri Goldin Mechanisms of plasticity in cultured hippocampal neurons

Prof. Menachem Segal Neurobiology

Leora Gollan Axon-Glia interactions mediated by Caspr in myelinated nerve

Prof. Elior Peles Molecular Cell Biology

Yury Goltsev Novel approaches to identification of signaling molecules activated by receptors of the TNF/NGF family, and their application to the study of cFLIP/CASH

Prof. David Wallach Biological Chemistry

Gil Goobes Solid state NMR measurements using spectral selective techniques

Prof. Shimon Vega Chemical Physics

Rivka Goobes (Konforty)

Crowding and contextual effects on DNA-DNA interactions

Prof. Abraham Minsky Organic Chemistry

Rinat Goren The molecular basis for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by galectin-8

Prof. Yehiel Zick Molecular Cell Biology

Galit Greber-Kafri

Allostery in chaperonins Prof. Amnon Horovitz Structural Biology


Dmitry Gutman Shot noise and electron-electron interactions

Prof. Yuval Gefen Condensed Matter Physics

Yehuda Hassin Design issues in distributed computing: routing in the plane and probe complexity in quorum systems

Prof. David Peleg Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Ehud Hauben Beneficial immune interventions in spinal cord traumatic injury: autoimmune neuroprotection

Prof. Michal Schwartz Neurobiology

Iris Hecht Regulation of T cell behavior and activation in an inflammatory-related, signal rich environment

Prof. Irun R. CohenProf. Ofer Lider

Immunology

Alexander Heifetz

Development of methods for protein-protein rigid body docking

Prof. Ephraim Katchalski-KatzirDr. Miriam Eisenstein


Arnon Henn Biophysical and structural studies of the DEAD/H box RNA helicase DbpA

Prof. Irit Sagi Structural Biology

Ghil Jona Global regulation of transcription machinery in the yeast S. cerevisiae

Dr. Ofer Gileadi Molecular Genetics

Anil Kumar V.S.G. Kamaraju

Signaling pathways involved in the growth control and transdifferentiation of melanoma cells by an IL-6 receptor -IL-6 chimera

Prof. Michel Revel Molecular Genetics

Yael Katz Influence of the 3'UTR on RNA binding of proteins that mediate light regulated translation of chloroplast psbA mRNA

Prof. Avihai Danon Plant Sciences

Rachel Katz-Brull

Choline in breast cancer and in the aging brain: multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies



Tal Kenet Possible substrates of internal representation: the dynamics of cortical states, and their influence on single spikes

Prof. Michael TsodyksDr. Amos Arieli

Neurobiology

Michal Kovo-Hasharoni

The cAMP - PKA signal transduction pathway: expression and regulatory role throughout oogenesis


Venkataraman Krishnan

Defining the initial steps of sphingolipid metabolism in mammalian cells

Prof. Anthony Futerman Biological Chemistry

Tamar Kustanovich-Flor

A study of atomic bond tensions in simple liquids and glasses

Dr. Zeev Olami Chemical Physics

Shlomi Lazar The biochemical linkage between cAMP and the MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade in rat oocytes resuming meiosis


Yael Levi-Kalisman

Biological control of calcium carbonate mineralization: structural approach

Prof. Lia AddadiProf. Steve Weiner

Structural Biology

Yifat Levy The molecular basis for modulation of cell adhesion and cell growth induced by galectin-8

Prof. Yehiel Zick Molecular Cell Biology

Yinon Y. Levy Characterization of the mechanisms and signaling pathways by which insulin induces hypoxia target genes

Prof. Menachem Rubinstein

Molecular Genetics

Arthur Liberzon Molecular mechanisms of regulation of gene expression by IPF1

Prof. Michael Walker Biological Chemistry

Yehuda Lindell On the composition of secure multi-party protocols

Prof. Moni NaorProf. Oded Goldreich

Computer Science and Applied Mathematics


Ariel B. Lindner Esterolytic antibodies: mechanistic studies and novel methodologies

Prof. Zelig Eshhar Immunology

Dmitry David Lukatsky

Charge fluctuation and correlation induced interactions in membranes and thin films

Prof. Sam Safran Materials and Interfaces

Michael Marash A role for phosphorylation in SNARE function and exocytosis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Prof. Jeffrey Gerst Molecular Genetics

Rami Marelly Specifying and executing behavioral requirements: the Play-In /Play-Out approach

Prof. David Harel Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Hannah Margel Learning about "materials" in junior high school: development of curriculum materials, and a longitudinal study of students' conceptions

Prof. Bat-Sheva EylonDr. Zahava Scherz

Science Teaching

Devorah Matas Involvement of wild-type and mutant p53 in drug-induced apoptosis

Prof. Varda Rotter Molecular Cell Biology

Michael M. Meijler

Synthesis and targeting of bioactive siderophore analogs:from pro-hydrophilic iron chelators to therapeutic transporters

Prof. Abraham Shanzer Organic Chemistry

Eti Meiri Studying of the roles of protein disulfide isomerase-like proteins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and in physcomitrella patens

Prof. Avihai Danon Plant Sciences

Tamar Moise Reactive Uptake by Organic Surfaces and Liquids. A study of the heterogeneous chemistry of major tropospheric oxidants with proxies for organic aerosols: Kinetics, mechanisms and products

Prof. Yinon Rudich Environmental Sciences and Energy Research


Yaacov Nissim- Kobliner

On the construction of efficient cryptographic protocols

Prof. Moni Naor Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Boris Noyvert Unitary represenations of superconformal W-algebras and manifolds of exceptional holonomy

Prof. Doron Gepner Particle Physics

Michal Ortal-Schwartz

Iron-deficiency induced proteins in the halotolerant alga Dunaliella Salina

Prof. Uri PickProf. Ada Zamir


Guy Patchornik Exploring the energy transduction mechanism of Na,K-ATP using the ATP-Fe complex as a specific affinity cleavage reagent in ATP-Mg sites

Prof. Steven Karlish Biological Chemistry

Yakov Peter Oxidative stress in the etiology of ataxia telangiectasia: a mouse model

Prof. Yoram Groner Molecular Genetics

Isabelle Petit Regulation of hematopoietic stem cells migration by the chemokine SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4

Prof. Tsvee Lapidot Immunology

Constantin Cristian Popa

Relaxation with measure-valued functions in dynamics and approximation

Prof. Zvi Artstein Mathematics

Amir Porat Intra-golgi protein transport: regulation of by a 56 kDa selenium-binding protein, calcium and cholesterol

Prof. Zvulun Elazar Biological Chemistry

Uri Raviv Monomeric and polymeric fluids under confinement

Prof. Jacob Klein Materials and Interfaces

Aderet Reich Positive and negative regulation of the Drosophila EGF receptor

Prof. Ben-Zion Shilo Molecular Genetics


Dalia Rivenzon-Segal

Characterization and hormonal regulation of glycolysis in breast cancer; MRS/MRI studies


Yaron Rosenfeld Hacohen

Synthesis of transition metal dihalide nanoparticles, fullerene-like structures and nanotubes

Prof. Reshef Tenne Materials and Interfaces

Michael Rozantsev

Multigrid solver for 4D quantum chromodynamics equations

Prof. Achi Brandt Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Sitvanit Ruah Algorithmic and deductive techniques for verification of infinite-state systems

Prof. Amir Pnueli Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Boris Rybtchinski C-C and C-H bond activation with late transition metals

Prof. David Milstein Organic Chemistry

Yuval Sagiv Isolation and characterization of GATE-16, a member of a novel ubiquitin-like family, involved in intracellular protein trafficking processes

Prof. Zvulun Elazar Biological Chemistry

Hanna Salman Nuclear import of DNA Prof. Michael Elbaum Materials and Interfaces

Ravid Sasson The role of glucocorticoids on ovarian granulosa cell steroidogenesis and apoptosis

Prof. A. Amsterdam Molecular Cell Biology

Smadar Schreiber Photodynamic therapy based on bacteriocholophyl derivatives: Modes of action and tumor therapy

Prof. Yoram SalomonProf. Avigdor Scherz

Biological Regulation

Tzvia Selzer Rational design of faster associating and tighter binding protein complexes

Prof. Gideon Schreiber Biological Chemistry


Meir Shamay Transcription regulation and hepatocarcinogenesis by hepatitis B virus

Prof. Yosef Shaul Molecular Genetics

Dahlia Sharon Dynamics of neuronal population activity during visual processing of location and orientation

Prof. Amiram Grinvald Neurobiology

Antonina Silkov Generation and analysis of transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative mutant of TAFII105

Dr. Rivka Dikstein Biological Chemistry

David Sprinzak Coherent effects and decoherence in quantum dots

Prof. Mordehai Heiblum Condensed Matter Physics

Evgeny Stambulchik

Calculation of spectral line broadening in plasma

Prof. Yitzhak Maron Particle Physics

Alex Martin Szpilman

Synthesis and reactions of antimalarial endoperoxides

Prof. Mario Bachi Organic Chemistry

Tamar Tal Characterization of two Drosophila cytoskeletal elements: 1. Bottleneck-an F-actin binding and restructuring protein required for proper execution of cellularization. 2. The Drosophila Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homolog (Wsp)- functional domains essential for its developmental role

Dr. Eyal Schejter Molecular Genetics

Hila Toledano-Katchalski

Protein tyrosine phosphatase e : modes of action and functional implication in cellular signaling

Dr. Ari Elson Molecular Genetics


Ilan Tsafrir Shape instability of membranes with anchored polymers under geometric constraints

Prof. Joel Stavans Physics of Complex Systems

Yahel Vakrat- Haglili

The photophysical and photochemical processes in photodynamic therapy (PDT) intiated by bacteriochlorophyll derivatives (Bchl-Der): novel second generation sensitizers

Prof. Yoram SalomonProf. Avigdor Scherz

Plant Sciences

Ayelet Vilan Metal/Monomolecular organic layer/GaAs junctions: preparation and controlling their electrical transport properties

Prof. David Cahen Materials and Interfaces

Xinjiang Wang Mdm2-dependent regulation of tumor suppressor p53


Orit Weiner-Wolstein

The role of TAFII105 in transcriptional control of lymphoid cells

Dr. Rivka Dikstein Biological Chemistry

Eylon Yavin Novel applications of hydroxamic acid derivatives in light-induced processes and as iron chelators

Prof. Abraham Shanzer Organic Chemistry

Dvir Yelin Third-harmonic generation microscopy

Prof. Yaron Silberberg Physics of Complex Systems

Alla Zak Synthesis and properties of pristine and alkali metal intercalated MoS2/WS2 fullerene-like nanoparticles

Prof. Reshef TenneProf. Shimon Reich


Sigalit Zchut Cold acclimation in Dunaliella: association with freezing tolerance and glycine-rich, RNA binding protein induction

Prof. Uri Pick Biological Chemistry


Xiaohong Zhu Regulatory role of bifunctional lysine-ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase enzyme of lysine catabolism in plants

Prof. Gad Galili Plant Sciences

Dror Zur Filling-in of disrupted visual input - measurement, modeling, and visual aids

Prof. Shimon Ullman Computer Science and Applied Mathematics


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M.Sc. Degree Recipients - Graduation Ceremony 2003

Name Advisor/s Field of Study Depatrment

Asmahan Abu-Arish Prof. Michael ElbaumDr. Sharon Wolf

Chemical Sciences

Materials and Interfac

Sheera Adar Prof. Zvi Livneh Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Nira Amar Prof. Zvulun Elazar Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Ben-Zion Amarant Prof. Daniel Zajfman Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Idan Amit Prof. Uriel Feige Mathematics and Computer Science

Computer Science anApplied Mathematics

Tali Aqua Prof. Ron Naaman Chemical Sciences

Chemical Physics

Ifat Ashiri - Kaplan Prof. Reshef Tenne Chemical Sciences


Gili Assaf Prof. Amos Breskin Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Hila Avidan Prof. Michal Schwartz Life Sciences Neurobiology

Efrat Avraham Prof. Lea Eisenbach Life Sciences Immunology

David Backlash-Omer Prof. Amiram GrinvaldDr. Hamutal Slovin

Life Sciences Neurobiology

Oriel Banne Prof. Daniel Kandel Physical Sciences Physics of Complex S

Maya Bar Sadan Prof. Shimon Reich Chemical Sciences


Olga Belenkiy Dr. Shmuel Pietrokovski Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Eyal Ben-Ari Prof. David Milstein Chemical Sciences

Organic Chemistry

Dan Bernstein Prof. Amitai Regev Mathematics and Computer Science

Mathematics

Zohar Biron Prof. Jacob Anglister Chemical Sciences

Structural Biology

Rafi Bistrizer Prof. Ady Stern Physical Sciences Condensed Matter Ph

Neta Cagan Prof. Avihai Danon Life Sciences Plant Sciences

Yaron Caspi Prof. Joel Stavans Physical Sciences Physics of Complex S


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Yonathan Caspi Dr. Shmuel Pietrokovski Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Eden Chlamtac Prof. Uriel Feige Mathematics and Computer Science


Silvia G. Chuartzman Prof. Yehiam Prior Life Sciences Chemical Physics

Max Chvalevsky Prof. Ronen Basri Mathematics and Computer Science


Naomi Coslovsky Prof. Yitzhak Koch Life Sciences Neurobiology

Tali Dadosh Prof. Joseph SperlingProf. Israel Bar-Josef

Chemical Sciences

Organic Chemistry

Vered Daniel Prof. Lea Eisenbach Life Sciences Immunology

Aliza Dayan Prof. Nir OrionProf. Nathan Aviezer

Science Teaching Science Teaching

Aviv de-Morgan Prof. Anthony Futerman Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Ady Ecker Prof. Shimon Ullman Mathematics and Computer Science


Asa Eitan Prof. Eitan Bibi Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Lev Faivishevsky Prof. Shimon Ullman Mathematics and Computer Science


Yuval Filmus Prof. Uriel Feige Mathematics and Computer Science


Eran Finkel Prof. Lea Eisenbach Life Sciences Immunology

Ram Fishman Prof. Micha BerkoozProf. Ofer Aharony

Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Roman Fishman Prof. Mark Safro Chemical Sciences

Structural Biology

Maksim Frenkel Prof. Ronen Basri Mathematics and Computer Science


Dan Frumkin Prof. Avraham Levy Life Sciences Plant Sciences


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Mika Gabel Prof. Tamar Flash Mathematics and Computer Science


Hilah Gal Prof. Eytan DomanyProf. David Givol

Life Sciences Physics of Complex S

Sharon Ganor Prof. Ofer Lider Life Sciences Immunology

Eran Ginossar Prof. Shimon Levit Physical Sciences Condensed Matter Ph

Sarah Goldberg Prof. Daniel Zajfman Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Yaara Goldschmidt Prof. Achi BrandtProf. Irun R. Cohen

Mathematics and Computer Science


Arnon Grafit Prof. Irit Sagi Life Sciences Structural Biology

Shira Granot - Attas Dr. Ari Elson Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Olga Grinchtein Prof. Amir Pnueli Mathematics and Computer Science


Tzahi Grunzweig Prof. Nir Davidson Physical Sciences Physics of Complex S

Shlomit Hadad Dr. Anat Yarden Science Teaching Science Teaching

Dani Halevy Prof. Adi Shamir Mathematics and Computer Science


Rinatte Hami Prof. Yoram SalomonProf. Avigdor Scherz

Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Gili Hart Dr. Idit Shachar Life Sciences Immunology

Aron Inger Prof. Shimon Ullman Mathematics and Computer Science


Berith Isaac Prof. Abraham Minsky Chemical Sciences

Organic Chemistry

Lior Izhar Prof. Zvi Livneh Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Genady Joffe Prof. Amitai Regev Mathematics and Computer Science

Mathematics

Ron Kafri Prof. Doron Lancet Life Sciences Molecular Genetics


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Yohai Kaspi Prof. Eli Tziperman Physical Sciences Environmental Sciencand Energy Research

Nadav Katz Prof. Nir Davidson Physical Sciences Physics of Complex S

Eran Keydar Prof. Uriel Feige Mathematics and Computer Science


Malka Kitayner Prof. Zippora Shaked Life Sciences Structural Biology

Per Magne Knutsen Prof. Ehud Ahissar Life Sciences Neurobiology

Shimon Kogan Prof. Uriel Feige Mathematics and Computer Science


Limor Landsman Prof. Ben-Zion Shilo Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Ido Leichter Prof. Ronen Basri Mathematics and Computer Science


Ronen Levy Dr. Naama Barkai Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Hila Levy (Eldar) Prof. Irith Ginzburg Life Sciences Neurobiology

Alex Loebel Prof. Michael Tsodyks Life Sciences Neurobiology

Rosemarie Macion Prof. Joel SussmanProf. Israel Silman

Life Sciences Structural Biology

Orna Man Prof. Doron Lancet Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Lea Marash Prof. Adi Kimchi Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Roni Mashiach Dr. Deborah Fass Life Sciences Structural Biology

Helena Medvedovsky Dr. Idit Shachar Life Sciences Immunology

Neri Minsky Prof. Moshe Oren Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolog

Einat Mizrahi Dr. Anat Yarden Science Teaching Science Teaching

Shahar Molshanski-Mor Prof. Eitan Bibi Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Yaron Mosesson Prof. Yosef Yarden Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Hani Neuvirth Prof. Ran RazProf. Gideon Schreiber


Fabio Nudelman Prof. Meir Shinitzky Chemical Sciences


Roy Opperman Prof. Avraham Levy Life Sciences Plant Sciences


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Matti Oron Prof. Jacob KleinDr. Rachel Yerushalmi-Rozen

Chemical Sciences


Yuri Paskover Prof. Yehiam Prior Chemical Sciences

Chemical Physics

Oshrat Peretz Prof. Jeffrey Gerst Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Vicki Plaks Prof. Yoram SalomonProf. Michal Neeman

Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Sarah Polak Dr. Zahava ScherzProf. Ehud Shapiro


Dina Preise Prof. Yoram Salomon Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Eugene Prosso Prof. Ehud Duchovni Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Anna Rapoport Prof. Yakar Kannai Mathematics and Computer Science

Mathematics

Osnat Ravid Amir Prof. Eytan Domany Life Sciences Physics of Complex S

Sharon Reef Prof. Adi Kimchi Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Dana Reichmann Dr. Shmuel Pietrokovski Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Adriana Reuveny Prof. Talila Volk Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Naomi Rosen Prof. Doron Lancet Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Gabriel Rosenblum Prof. Irit Sagi Chemical Sciences

Structural Biology

Nitzan Rosenfeld Dr. Uri Alon Physical Sciences Molecular Cell Biolo

Assaf Rotem Prof. Henry Markram Physical Sciences Neurobiology

Mor Rubinstein Dr. Naama BarkaiDr. Ofer Gileadi

Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Niva Russek Prof. Moshe Oren Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolo

Sharon Ruthstein Prof. Daniella Goldfarb Chemical Sciences

Chemical Physics

Avital Sadovski-Sadot Prof. Doron Lancet Mathematics and Computer Science

Molecular Genetics

Ilia Safro Prof. Achi BrandtProf. Uriel Feige




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Ilan Sagiv Dr. Dan ShaharDr. Ziv Reich

Physical Sciences Condensed Matter Ph

Neta Sal-Man Prof. Yechiel Shai Life Sciences Biological Chemistry

Anat Samuel Prof. Yadin Dudai Life Sciences Neurobiology

Ofer Sarig Dr. Naama Barkai Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Roiy Sayag Prof. Eli Tziperman Physical Sciences Environmental Sciencand Energy Research

Rachel Segev Prof. Bat-Sheva EylonDr. Edit Yerushalmi


Shai Senderovich Prof. Varda Rotter Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolog

Yaakov Setty Dr. Uri AlonProf. Ran Raz



Eli Shechtman Prof. Michal Irani Mathematics and Computer Science


Barak Shenhav Prof. Doron Lancet Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Liran Shimshi Prof. Asher Friesem Physical Sciences Physics of Complex S

Sophie Shnaper Prof. Yechiel Shai Chemical Sciences


Denis Simakov Prof. Ronen Basri Mathematics and Computer Science


Tal Sines Dr. Ari Elson Life Sciences Molecular Genetics

Perry Stambolsky Prof. Varda RotterProf. Moshe Oren

Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolog

Hana Stein Dr. Rina HershkovitzDr. Alexander Friedlander


Eran Tromer Prof. Adi Shamir Mathematics and Computer Science


Tomer Volansky Prof. Yosef NirProf. Micha Berkooz

Physical Sciences Particle Physics

Adam Wasserstrom Prof. Henry Markram Life Sciences Neurobiology

Liat Yakir Prof. Yosef Yarden Life Sciences Biological Regulation


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Ronen Zaidel-Bar Prof. Benjamin Geiger Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolo

Tzviya Zeev Ben-Mordehai

Prof. Joel SussmanProf. Israel Silman

Chemical Sciences

Structural Biology

Assaf Zemach Dr. Gideon Grafi Life Sciences Plant Sciences

Keren Ziv Prof. Michal Neeman Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Julia Zonis Prof. Alexander Bershadsky

Life Sciences Molecular Cell Biolo


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Prizes for Ph.D. and M.Sc. Students 2003

The John F. Kennedy Prize

The Elchanan E. Bondi Memorial Prize

The Dov Elad Memorial Prize

The Gad Resheff Memorial Prize

The Giora Yoel Yashinski Memorial Prize

The Daniel Brenner Memorial Prize

The Lady Anne Chain Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisors Department Boaz Barak Prof. Oded Goldreich Computer Science and Applied MathematiKhalil Kashkush Prof. Moshe Feldman

Prof. Avraham LevyPlant Sciences

Roee Ozeri Prof. Nir Davidson Physics of Complex SystemsSebastian Poliak Prof. Elior Peles Molecular Cell Biology

Recipients Advisor/s Department Iris Visoly-Fisher Prof. David Cahen Materials and Interfaces

Recipients Advisor/s Department Elena Vinogradov Prof. Shimon Vega Chemical Physics

Recipients Advisor/s Department Nirit Dudovich Prof. Yaron Silberberg Physics of Complex Systems

Recipients Advisor/s Department Rami Marelly Prof. David Harel Computer Science and Applied Mathemati

Recipients Advisor/s Department Xiaohong Zhu Prof. Gad Galili Plant Sciences

Recipients Advisor/s Department Amir Goldbourt Prof. Shimon Vega Chemical Physics


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The Esther Helinger Memorial Prize

The Haim Holtzman Memorial Prize

The Menashe Milo Memorial Prize

The Dean's Prize for Ph.D. Students

The Dean's Prize for M.Sc.Students

Recipients Advisor/s Department Dafna Arieli Prof. Daniella Goldfarb Chemical Physics

Recipients Advisor/s Department Oded Kleifeld Prof. Irit Sagi Structural Biology

Recipients Advisor/s Department David Biron Prof. Elisha Moses Physics of Complex Systems

Recipients Advisors Department Anat Afriat-Herskovits Prof. Eitan Bibi Biological ChemistryOren Dwir Prof. Ronen Alon ImmunologyMichael Elkin Prof. David Peleg Computer Science and Applied MathematiGuy Y. Garty Prof. Amos Breskin Particle PhysicsAlessandro Silva Prof. Shimon Levit Condensed Matter Physics

Recipients Advisors Department Asmahan Abu-Arish Prof. Michael Elbaum

Dr. Sharon WolfMaterials and Interfaces

Dan Bernstein Prof. Amitai Regev Mathematics

Naomi Coslovsky Prof. Yitzhak Koch Neurobiology

Gili Hart Dr. Idit Shachar Immunology

Berith Isaac Prof. Abraham Minsky Organic ChemistryMatti Oron Prof. Jacob Klein

Dr. Rachel Yerushalmi-Rozen


Osnat Ravid Amir Prof. Eytan Domany Physics of Complex SystemsSharon Ruthstein Prof. Daniella Goldfarb Chemical PhysicsEli Shechtman Prof. Michal Irani Computer Science and Applied Mathema


The D. N. Chorfas Prize

The Wolf Foundation Prize

Tomer Volansky Prof. Yosef NirProf. Micha Berkooz

Particle Physics

Tzviya Zeev Ben-Mordehai

Prof. Joel SussmanProf. Israel Silman

Structural Biology

Assaf Zemach Dr. Gideon Grafi Plant Sciences

Recipients Advisors Department Nirit Dudovich Prof. Yaron Silberberg Physics of Complex SystemsIris Visoly-Fisher Prof. David Cahen Materials and Interfaces

Recipients Advisors Department Uri Keshet Prof. Eli Waxman Condensed Matter PhysicsGuy Raz Prof. Yosef Nir Particle PhysicsUri Zadok Prof. Mordechai Sheves Organic Chemistry


Post Doctoral Fellowships for 2003

The David Aftalion Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Research

The Edith and Edward F. Anixter Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Jean-Jacques Berreby Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neurobiology and Brain Research

The Dov Biegun Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Sir Charles Clore Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Gina and Leon Fromer Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship

Elina Levina Molecular Cell Biology Jakob Zhurinsky Molecular Cell Biology

Pradeep Kumar Mohanty Physics of Complex Systems

Igor Goncharov Neurobiology

Jasmin Fisher Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Yoav Barak Biological Chemistry Jean-Eudes Dazard Molecular Cell Biology Erez Dekel Molecular Cell Biology Sambandamurthy Ganapathy Condensed Matter Physics Tao He Materials and Interfaces Yael Kalma Biological Regulation Gady Kozma Mathematics Michael Riveline Particle Physics Sujit Sarkar Condensed Matter Physics Andrey Shirak Plant Sciences Jayaraman Shobini Organic Chemistry

Noga Alagem Biological Chemistry


The Dr. Adele Gecht Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Research

The Goldberg Family Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Research

The Harold and Jean Grossman Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research

The Arthur Kaplan Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Edmond I. and Lillian S. Kaufmann Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Koret Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Koshland Scholars Program

The Dr. Saul and Rose Mackoff Postdoctoral Fellowship

Maya Shelly Molecular Cell Biology

Abraham Avigdor Immunology

Julia Penso Biological Regulation

Guohua Xu Plant Sciences

Yonatan Wexler Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Navot Israeli Physics of Complex Systems

Sven Bergmann Molecular Genetics Jacques Bodennec Biological Chemistry Nir Gov Materials and Interfaces Yukinori Nagatani Particle Physics Ronen Shaltiel Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Itai Yanai Molecular Genetics

Devrim Gozuacik Molecular Genetics


The Sadie, Moses and Harry Marks Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Pacific Theatres Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Louis L. and Anita M. Perlman Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Dr. Robert G. Picard Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physics and/or Electronics

The Maurizio Pontecorvo Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research

The Hughes and Sheila Potiker Postdoctoral Fellowship in Autoimmune Disease Research

The Stephen M. Reich Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research

The Helena Rubinstein Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences and Cancer Research

Anat Bren Molecular Cell Biology

Amir Aharoni Biological Chemistry Ramy Doron Particle Physics Avraham Mayo Molecular Cell Biology

Orit Wolstein (Weiner) Molecular Genetics

Shahar Hod Condensed Matter Physics

Ziv Sevilya Biological Chemistry

Oren Dwir Immunology

Neeru Jain Biological Regulation

Tamar Sapir Molecular Genetics


The Sara Lee Schupf Women and Science Fellowship

The Golda and Dr. Yehiel Shwartzman and Sara & Haim Medvedi Families Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Marcus and Lily Sieff Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Norman Sosnow Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Ann Abrams Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Anne Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Dewey David Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Harry K. Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Hugh David Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

Galit Shenhar Molecular Cell Biology

Dan Drai Neurobiology

Ishai Dror Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Asael Herman Biological Chemistry

Stella Aronov Molecular Genetics

Adonis Vasile Lupulescu Chemical Physics

Sergio Peisajovich Biological Chemistry

Jing Zhang Organic Chemistry

Revital Pery Shechter Physics of Complex Systems


The Reva G. Stone Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung Postdoctoral Fellowship in Experimental Physics

The Weizmann Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship in Electronics Research

The Phil Zacharia Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Aron Zandman Postdoctoral Fellowship in Organic Chemistry

Atindra Shukla Organic Chemistry

Bernhard Schnurr Physics of Complex Systems

Nir Friedman Physics of Complex Systems

Joan Simon Soler Particle Physics

Sylvain Gatard Organic Chemistry


Scholarship Awards

Ph.D. Scholarships in Perpetuity

The Jacques and Gisella Anavy Scholarship Established in 1983 by Jacques and Gisella Anavy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recipient: Revital Cohen, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen Scholarship Established in 1974 in Dr. Anfinsen's honor by the Washington Committee for theWeizmann Institute of Science, Washington, DCRecipient: Shirly Becker-Herman, Department of Immunology

The Eda and Leon Asseo Scholarship Established in 1988 by Eda Asseo, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Gal Haimovich, Department of Biological Regulation

The Jacob and Sonia Hager Axelrad Endowed Doctoral Scholarship Fund in CancerResearch Established in 1999 through a bequest of Sonia Hager Axelrad, New York Recipients: Ami Citri, Department of Biological Regulation; Galit Eliyahu, Departmentof Biological Regulation; Judith Kraut, Department of Molecular Genetics; GaliaMazooz, Department of Biological Regulation; Dana Ravid, Department of BiologicalRegulation; Nir Shani, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Thomas Ayers Scholarship in Energy Research Established in 1994 by Thomas Ayers, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Robert Ventrella, Department of Environmental Sciences and EnergyResearch

The Lillian Baker Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Lillian Baker, Hallandale, Florida Recipient: Einav Gross, Department of Structural Biology

The Florence and Theodore Baumritter Scholarship Fund for Russian Students Established in 1991 by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Baumritter, Boca Raton, Florida Recipient: Tatyana Ponomaryov, Department of Immunology

The J. Myron and Zachary Michael Bay Scholarship Established in 1979 by Jerry Adler and friends, The Magen David Wine Corporation,Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Sol Efroni, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Bayer Corporation Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1996 by the Bayer Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recipient: Amos Gdalyahu, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Becker Family Fund Scholarship Established in 1975 through a bequest of Louis Becker, New York Recipient: Gil Amitai, Department of Molecular Genetics


The Mollie Freeman Becker Scholarship Established in 1971 by Mrs. Samuel Becker, Newton, Massachusetts Recipient: Guy Hed, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Shlomo Beilitz Scholarship Established in 1979 through a bequest of Shlomo Beilitz, Ra'anana, IsraelRecipient: Hadar Steinberg, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Abraham Berman Scholarship Established in 1966 through a bequest of Abraham Berman, South Africa Recipient: Roy Mukamel, Department of Neurobiology

The Joseph W. and Emily J. Bernstein Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Amber Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Joy Kahn, Department of Immunology

The Dr. Henri H. Birnbaum Scholarship Established in 1979 through a bequest of Dr. Henri H. Birnbaum, New York Recipient: Sharon Ayal, Department of Plant Sciences

The Abraham H. Blank Scholarship Established in 1979 by Myron Blank, Des Moines, IowaRecipient: Avia Herschkovitz, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Alex and Yudas (Yetta) Bloom Scholarship Established in 1971 by Philip Bloom, New YorkRecipient: Revital Ben-Daniel, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Alan I. Bluestein Scholarship Established in 1990 by Milton J. Bluestein, Palm Beach, FloridaRecipient: Einat Peled, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Alejandro y Dinorah Margounato Blum Scholarship Established in 1986 by the Leon and Elena Blum Foundation, Montevideo, Uruguay Recipient: Liat Flaishon, Department of Immunology

The Joseph Brainin and Sally Brainin Scholarship Established in 1967 in honor of Joseph and Sally Brainin by the American Committeefor the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Avishai Mimran, Department of Immunology

The Melva and Martin Bucksbaum Scholarship for Biomedical/Cardiovascular Research Established in 1996 in honor of Melva Bucksbaum and in memory of her husbandMartin by family and friends, Des Moines, IowaRecipientYael Lifshitz, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Professor Arthur Charlesby Fund for Doctoral Student Scholarships Established in 2001 by Irene Charlesby, Swindon, UK, in memory of her husbandRecipient: Ran Eliash, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Dr. Rebecca Chutick and Dr. Lillian Chutick Doctoral Scholarship Fund for SovietImmigrant Students Established in 1994 through a bequest of Dr. Rebecca Chutick, New YorkRecipients: Shimon Bershtein, Department of Biological Chemistry; ShlomitBoguslavsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Oleg Butovsky, Department of


Neurobiology; Leon Eisen, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Edi Goichberg,Department of Organic Chemistry; Michael Katkov, Department of Neurobiology

The Isidore and Theresa Cohen Scholarship Established in 1973 by the Israel, Theresa, and Ronald Cohen Charitable Trust, CapeTown, South Africa Recipient: Gideon Amir, Department of Mathematics

The Sam Cohen Windhoek Scholarships Established in 1981 by the Sam Cohen Trust, Namibia, South AfricaRecipients: Ayelet Akselrod-Ballin, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics; Mikkel F. Anderson, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; EfratBen-Zeev, Department of Biological Chemistry; Avigdor Eldar, Department ofMolecular Genetics; Ofer Fainaru, Department of Molecular Genetics; Nancy Gavert,Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Avia Herschkovitz, Department of MolecularCell Biology

The Frank Considine Scholarship in Geophysics Established in 2000 in honor of Frank Considine by the Chicago Committee for theWeizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Kadmiel Maseyk, Department of Environmental Sciences and EnergyResearch

The Leo A. and Sarah G. Copin Scholarship Fund Established in 1994 through a bequest of Sarah Copin, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Tal Hazak-Verdene, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Cowen Semester Scholarship in Molecular Biology, In Memory of Belle and LeonardCowen and Sylvia and Irving Schwartz Established in 1996 by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Cowen, Tenafly, New Jersey, inmemory of their parentsRecipient: Noam Erez, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Dan Danciger Scholarship Established in 1960 by the Dan Danciger Foundation, Kansas City, Missouri Recipient: Andreas Johansson, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Joseph and Sadie Danciger Scholarships Established in 1960 by the Sadie Danciger Trust and the Joseph and Sadie DancigerFund, Kansas City, Missouri Recipients: Na’aman Kam, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics;Mira Kipnis, Department of Science Teaching; Eran Ofek, Department of ComputerScience and Applied Mathematics

The Jack and Simon Djanogly Scholarships Established in 1971 by Sir Harry Djanogly, London, UKRecipients: Ofra Chen, Department of Plant Sciences; Laila C. Roisman, Department ofBiological Chemistry

The Pearl and Morris Dry Scholarship Established in 1966 by Sidney Dry, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Shay Marcus, Department of Molecular Genetics


The Dr. Yehuda and Leah Dubowski Scholarship Established in 1988 by Leah Dubowski, Kiryat Ono, IsraelRecipient: Mariana Babor, Department of Plant Sciences

The Florence Edelman Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1987 through a bequest of Florence Edelman, New York Recipient: Amos Gdalyahu, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Dr. Joshua and Helene Ehrlich Memorial Scholarship Established in 1987 through a bequest of Helene Ehrlich, Miami, Florida Recipient: Liat Amir-Zilberstein, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Leon and Kathe Fallek Scholarships Established in 1974 by Fred S. Fallek, New York Recipients: Eran Eyal, Department of Plant Sciences; Hadas Ner-Gaon, Department ofPlant Sciences

The Dr. Eugene I. and Charlotte Falstein Graduate Scholarship Established in 1997 by Charlotte R. Falstein, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Eran Perlson, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Belle and Philip Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New York Recipient: Daphna Ben-Zeev Arieli, Department of Chemical Physics

The Lillian Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New YorkRecipient: Amir Bahar, Department of Neurobiology

The Shirley and Judge Wilfred Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New York Recipient: Ilan Samish, Department of Plant Sciences

The Dr. Judith Schneider and Dr. E. Richard Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Belle S. Meller, New York Recipient: Niv Papo, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Harold Feinstein and Bess Rae C. Feinstein Scholarship Fund for Soviet Students Established in 1990 through a bequest of Bess Rae C. Feinstein, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Galina Gabriely, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Meyer Feldman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1973 through a bequest of Meyer Feldman, Tucson, Arizona Recipient: David Baram, Department of Structural Biology

The Joel Fellner and Gisella Schreiber Fellner and Ernest Ludwig Mannheimer and ArabellaWeiss Mannheimer Scholarship Fund Established in 1983 by the Leopold and Clara M. Fellner Charitable Foundation, LosAngeles, CaliforniaRecipient: Shay Marcus, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Joseph E. and Rose Fisher Scholarship Established in 1978 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Fisher, Canton, Ohio Recipient: Sharon Ayal, Department of Plant Sciences


The Rita Friedell and Donald Fiterman Scholarship Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Morlan Fiterman, Highland Park, Illinois Recipient: Ofra Chen, Department of Plant Sciences

The Stephen W. Fleck Scholarship Fund Established in 1995 through a bequest of Herta Fleck, New York Recipient: Shav Covo, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Alexander and Lilly Foldes Memorial Scholarship Established in 1981 through a bequest of Lilly Foldes, New York Recipient: Alon Rosen, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Joseph F. and Clara Ford Foundation Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1989 by the Joseph F. and Clara Ford Foundation, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Mark Iron, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Harry and Lillian Frankel Scholarship Established in 1959 through a bequest of Lillian Frankel, Shawnee Mission, Kansas Recipient: Tal Hazak-Verdene, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Malcolm Fraser Scholarship in Medical Biology Established in 1987 in honor of Malcolm Fraser by the Australian Association for theWeizmann Institute of Science, Victoria, Australia Recipient: Asa Eitan, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Samuel R. and Anna E. Friedman Scholarship Established in 1970 by the S.R. Friedman Charitable Trust, Palm Springs, California Recipient: Sol Efroni, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Margot and Alfred Furth-Regina Fleischer Scholarship in Chemistry Established in 1992 through a bequest of Regina Fleischer, and by Alfred Furth, NewYork, in memory of his wife, Margot Recipient: Eran Bouchbinder, Department of Chemical Physics

The Rita Gehl Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1999 by Rita Gehl, London, UK Recipient: Tzippi Hershko, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Bessie and Barnet Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1971 by the Bessie and Barnet Ginsburg Memorial Foundation,Westhampton Beach, New York Recipient: Ephraim Fass, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Israel, Sara and L. Chester Glaser Scholarship Established in 1975 through a bequest of L. Chester Glaser, New York Recipient: Helit Rozen-Nabel, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Goldberg-Guild Scholarships Established in 1984 by Bernard Goldberg, Hallandale, Florida, and by Irwin C. Guild,Palm Beach, FloridaRecipients: Jakub Abramson, Department of Immunology; Reit Artzi, Department ofChemical Physics; Emilia-Aline Barbu, Department of Immunology; Guy Cinamon,Department of Immunology; Ilit Cohen-Ofri, Department of Structural Biology; AyeletDar, Department of Immunology; Supratim Guha-Ray, Department of Chemical


Physics; Amos Korman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics;Noga Kozer-Gurevich, Department of Biological Chemistry; Aurelie Lachish-Zalait,Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Dr. Anna Goldfeder Scholarship Established in 1994 through a bequest of Dr. Anna Goldfeder, New York Recipient: Refael Aharon, Department of Plant Sciences

The J. Barney and Pauline Goldhar Foundation Scholarship Established in 1982 in honor of Paul and Gella Rothstein by Mr. and Mrs. J. BarneyGoldhar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Einav Gross, Department of Structural Biology

The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Scholarship Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Goldman, San Francisco, California Recipient: Eyal Emmanuel, Department of Plant Sciences

The Phillip and Beverly Goldstick Scholarship Established in 1980 by Phillip C. Goldstick, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Yosef Yehuda Kuttner, Department of Structural Biology

The Dorothy and Maurice Gordon Scholarship Established in 1968 by Centrose Associates, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Gilad Doitsh, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Harold J. and Marion Green Scholarship Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Harold J. Green, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Miri Cohen-Kandli, Department of Biological Regulation

The Nandor F. Gross Scholarship Established in 1982 through a bequest of Kalman Gross, New York Recipient: Nissan Lev-Tov, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Samson David Gruber Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 by Mr. and Mrs. Irving M. Gruber, New York, in memory of theirsonRecipient: Ronen Sosnik, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Scholarship Established in 1979 by the Isidore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Potomac,Maryland Recipient: Amos Gdalyahu, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Herbert Leiser Harband Memorial Scholarship Established in 1976 through bequests of Dorothea and Julius Harband, San Francisco,California, in memory of their beloved son Recipient: Gal Haimovich, Department of Biological Regulation

The Gertrude and Benjamin R. Harris Scholarship Established in 1989 through bequests of Gertrude and Benjamin R. Harris, Chicago,Illinois Recipient: Liat Flaishon, Department of Immunology


The Dr. Esther Hellinger Memorial Scholarship Established in 1986 through a bequest of Dr. Esther Hellinger, London, UKRecipient: Revital Ben-Daniel, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Otto and Mary Hersch Scholarships Established in 1988 through a bequest of Mary Hersch, New York Recipients: Nava Levit-Binnun, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; DavidMandelik, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Arie Melamed-Katz,Department of Particle Physics; Avi Pe'er, Department of Physics of Complex Systems;Dirk Mormann, Department of Particle Physics

The Luta and Ludwig Heusinger Scholarships Established in 1993 through a bequest of Dr. Ludwig Heusinger, Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel Recipient: Galit Yahalom, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Fay and Harry Hoffman Scholarship Established in 1982 by Harry Hoffman, family and friends, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Gil Amitai, Department of Molecular Genetics

The William T. Hogan and Winifred T. Hogan Scholarship Established in 1997 by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 714, Chicago,Illinois Recipient: Itsik Bar-Nahum, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Lawrence Horowitz Scholarship Established in 1979 by Lawrence G. Horowitz, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaRecipient: Revital Cohen, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Anna Hurwitz Scholarship Established in 1984 by Allan Hurwitz, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Galia Maayan, Department of Organic Chemistry

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Fund Scholarships Established in 1965 by the John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, Rehovot, Israel Recipients: Hani I. Al-Ahmad, Department of Plant Sciences; Yevgenia Apartsin,Department of Mathematics; Mark Eisenberg, Department of Neurobiology; PremkumarLakshmanane, Department of Biological Chemistry; Adi Mesika, Department ofBiological Chemistry; Guy Raz, Department of Particle Physics; Dalia Rosin,Department of Molecular Genetics; Neta Sal-Man, Department of Biological Chemistry;Jimmy R. Stehberg, Department of Neurobiology; Oded Suad, Department of StructuralBiology; Arul Subramanian, Department of Molecular Genetics; Iyad Suwan,Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Jianshe Yan, Department ofBiological Chemistry; Alexandra Zanin-Zhorov, Department of Immunology; LidijaZivkovic, Department of Particle Physics

The Malcolm Kingsberg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1972 through a bequest of Malcolm Kingsberg, New YorkRecipient: Laila C. Roisman, Department of Biological Chemistry


The Jeannine Klueger Scholarship Established in 1991 by Seraphina Klueger-Kraus, Dusseldorf, Germany, in memory ofher daughter Recipient: Sefi Raz, Department of Structural Biology

The Neil David Konheim Memorial Scholarship Established in 1985 by George Konheim, Beverly Hills, California Recipient: Roy Mukamel, Department of Neurobiology

The Richard Koret Scholarship Established in 1968 by the trustees of the Richard Koret Foundation, New York Recipient: Shay Marcus, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Joseph Korodi Memorial Scholarship Established in 1993 by Emmy Singer Korodi, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Neri Minsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Samuel and Ronnie Kraut Fund for Scholarships in the Life Sciences Established in 1988 by Ricky Kraut through bequests of her parents, Samuel and RonnieKraut, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Recipient: Eilon Woolf, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Lillian Hellman Kugler Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1995 through the Saerree K. and Louis P. Fiedler Family Fund, Deerfield,Illinois Recipient: Michal Greenberg, Department of Biological Regulation

The Robert Alan Kuniansky Memorial Scholarship Established in 1978 by Max L. and Helen Kuniansky, Atlanta, Georgia Recipient: Helit Rozen-Nabel, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Harold J. Lawn, M.D. Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 by Dr. Harold J. Lawn, St. Paul, Minnesota Recipients: Oded Danziger, Department of Structural Biology; Clovis Hopman,Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Uri Keshet, Department of Condensed MatterPhysics; Keren Shtiegman, Department of Biological Regulation

The Dr. Sophie N. Leschin Scholarship Fund Established in 1985 through a bequest of Dr. Sophie N. Leschin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Niv Papo, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Eudyce H. Levin Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1984 by Wallace "Bud" Levin, North Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Gilad Doitsh, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Irena and Morris Goldstein and Stefan Joram Lewari Memorial Scholarship Established in 1988 through a bequest of Irena Lewari, Cape Town, South Africa Recipient: Joy Kahn, Department of Immunology

The Morris I. Lewisohn Scholarship Established in 1976 through a bequest of Morris I. Lewisohn, Teaneck, New Jersey Recipient: Miriam Cohen-Koren, Department of Molecular Cell Biology


The Dorothy and Elias Lieberman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1972 by the Elias Lieberman Memorial Foundation, Jamaica, New York Recipient: David Baram, Department of Structural Biology

The Sally and Jerome Lipper Scholarship Fund for Young Immigrants Established in 1993 by the Kenneth and Evelyn Lipper Foundation, New YorkRecipient: Rina Glozman, Department of Plant Sciences

The Samuel and Eleanor London Scholarship Established in 1986 through a bequest of Eleanor J. London, Los Angeles, California Recipient: David Margulies, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Meyer Loomstein Scholarship Established in 1982 by Meyer Loomstein, Hollywood, Florida Recipient: Keren Mevorat Kaplan, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Lou and Miriam Ludwig Scholarship Established in 1974 through a bequest of Louis Ludwig, New York Recipient: Irena Pekker, Department of Plant Sciences

The Dr. Saul and Rose Mackoff Doctoral ScholarshipEstablished in 2002 through a bequest of Dr. Saul Mackoff, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Ivo Spiegel, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Henry and Louis Malakoff Scholarship Fund, New Rochelle, New York Established in 1991 by Rebecca Malakoff, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Hagai Shorer, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Rixi Markus Scholarships in Memory of Eugenia, Ignacy and Herbert Alfred Heller Established in 1995 through a bequest of Rixi Markus, MBE, London, UK Recipients: Moshit Lindzen, Department of Biological Chemistry; Na’ama Peshes,Department of Immunology

The Rodolfo May Scholarships Established in 2000 through a bequest of Rodolfo May, Montevideo, Uruguay Recipients: Cintia Roodveldt, Department of Immunology; Ilan Volovitz, Department ofImmunology

The Nora Menasce Scholarships in Cancer Research Established in 2002 through a bequest of Nora Menasce, Milan, ItalyRecipients: Assaf Gilead, Department of Biological Regulation; Sharon Kahan,Department of Molecular Genetics

The Martin and Dianne Mendoza Scholarship Established in 1991 in honor of Martin and Dianne Mendoza by friends and admirers,London, UK Recipient: Galia Maik-Rachline, Department of Biological Regulation

The Leo Meyer Scholarship Established in 1965 through a bequest of Leo Meyer, San Francisco, California Recipient: Ana Hernandez, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Dr. Bert Migicovsky Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Ottawa Jewish Community, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Mark Iron, Department of Organic Chemistry


The Minzer Family Fund Scholarship Established in 1978 by Margaret and Sol Minzer, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Refael Aharon, Department of Plant Sciences

The Paul and Felicia Muskat Scholarship Fund Established in 1984 through a bequest of Paul Muskat, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipients: Irena Pekker, Department of Plant Sciences; Zohar Tiran, Department ofMolecular Genetics

The Inez P. and David N. Myers Scholarship Established in 1981 by the David and Inez Myers Scholarship Fund, Cleveland, Ohio Recipient: Avishai Mimran, Department of Immunology

The Gertrude and Valentin Nathan Scholarship Fund Established in 1997 through a bequest of Gertrude Nathan, New York Recipients: Teodor Burghelea, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; MariaGabriella Fuzesi, Department of Biological Chemistry; Indraneel Ghosh, Department ofMolecular Genetics; Tamar Seeman-Emerson, Department of Mathematics

The Fanny Fletcher and Meyer Naxon Memorial Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1985 through a bequest of Meyer Naxon, Beverly Hills, California Recipients: Yehudit Posen, Department of Biological Regulation; Laila C. Roisman,Department of Biological Chemistry

The Clara and Bela B. Nevai Scholarship Established in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Bela B. Nevai, Dobbs Ferry, New York Recipient: Michael Milyavsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Dr. Louis B. and Rose M. Newman Scholarship Established in 1971 by Dr. and Mrs. Louis B. Newman, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ilan Samish, Department of Plant Sciences

The Cemach Oiserman Scholarship Fund Established in 1979 through Yehuda Assia, Geneva, Switzerland Recipient: Guy Hed, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Dr. Oskar Oliven Memorial ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 through bequests of Gerald and Hedy Oliven, Los Angeles,CaliforniaRecipient: Olga Singurindy, Department of Environmental Sciences and EnergyResearch

The Dora Ostre Memorial Scholarships Established in 1987 through a bequest of Dr. Sprinzl Weizenblatt, Asheville, NorthCarolina Recipients: Eran Borenstein, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics; Alexander Klimov, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics; Noam Erez, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Edith and Henry Plessner Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Edith Plessner, New York Recipient: Boris Epshtein, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics


The David and Janet Polak Scholarship Established in 1997 by Mr. and Mrs. David Polak, Beverly Hills, California Recipient: Gil Amitai, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Rose Lee and Marvin Pomerantz Scholarship Established in 1998 by Rose Lee and Marvin Pomerantz and friends, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Nitzan Rosenfeld, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Alfred Prager Scholarship Established in 1970 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Scienceand through a bequest of Alfred Auerbach, New York Recipient: Kaiyin Zhang, Department of Chemical Physics

The Theodore R. and Edlyn Racoosin Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through bequests of Theodore and Edlyn Racoosin, New York Recipients: Daniela Amann, Department of Molecular Genetics; Katya Arnold,Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Gad Asher, Department of Molecular Genetics;Mariana Babor, Department of Plant Sciences; Efrat Ben-Zeev, Department ofBiological Chemistry; Erez Boukobza, Department of Chemical Physics; AmnonBuxbaum, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Xiumei Cao, Department ofBiological Regulation; Raanan Carmieli, Department of Chemical Physics; DavidDangoor, Department of Organic Chemistry; Joseph Englander, Department of OrganicChemistry; Ester Feldmesser, Department of Molecular Genetics; Neta Filip-Granit,Department of Materials and Interfaces; Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern, Department ofMolecular Genetics; Javier Groshaus, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; MeravRevach, Department of Biological Chemistry; Amir Sagiv, Department of CondensedMatter Physics; Adi Salomon, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Dorit Sloboda-Rozner, Department of Organic Chemistry; Xiaohu Tang, Department of Molecular CellBiology; Kaiyan Zhang, Department of Chemical Physics

The Hirsch and Braine Raskin Foundation Scholarships Established in 1970 by the Hirsch and Braine Raskin Foundation, New York Recipients: Chen Luxenburg, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Victoria Malina,Department of Immunology; Ronen Zaidel-Bar, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Harry, Lillian and Sylvan Ray Memorial Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1997 by Dr. M.L. Ray, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Dorit Granot, Department of Biological Regulation

The Harry and Mildred Remis Scholarship Established in 1973 by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Remis, Peabody, Massachusetts Recipient: Avraham Samson, Department of Structural Biology

The Charles G. and Belle Reskin Doctoral Graduate Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1997 through a bequest of Charles Reskin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Oded Lewinson, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Burton and Sylvia "Sibby" Richards Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2001 by Mr. Burton Richards, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Recipient: Roee Atlas, Department of Neurobiology


The Lillian L. Rolde Memorial Scholarship Established in 1981 by L. Robert Rolde, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Daphna Ben-Zeev Arieli, Department of Chemical Physics

The Dorothy and Irving Rom Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Irving and Dorothy Rom Charitable Trust, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Miriam Cohen-Koren, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation Scholarship Established in 1990 by Ben and Esther Rosenbloom, Baltimore, Maryland Recipient: Michael Milyavsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Dr. Arnold Rosenblum Scholarship in Theoretical Physics Established in 1992 by Dorothy Rosenblum, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Alessandro Silva, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Anna and Leo Rosner Scholarship Established in 1986 by the Leo Rosner Endowment Fund, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Guy Hed, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Celia and Nelson Rostow Scholarship Established in 1990 through a bequest of Nelson Rostow, New Haven, ConnecticutRecipient: Keren Mevorat Kaplan, Department of Organic Chemistry

The David and Eleanore Rukin Scholarship Established in 1981 by the David and Eleanore Rukin Philanthropic Foundation, SaddleRiver, New Jersey Recipient: Sol Efroni, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Rymer Family Scholarship Established in 1989 by the Barry Rymer Trust, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Neri Minsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Sylvia and Aaron Scheinfeld Scholarship Established in 1977 by Mrs. Aaron Scheinfeld, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Avishai Mimran, Department of Immunology

The Harry and Mae Schetzen and Prof. Martin Schetzen Scholarship Established in 1979 by Mrs. Mae Schetzen, New York Recipient: Alon Rosen, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Leon and Lily Schidlow Scholarship Fund Established in 1999 by Sr. and Sra. Leon Schidlow, Bosques de las Lomas, MexicoRecipient: Smadar Even-Tov Friedman, Department of Immunology

The Harriet Schiller Scholarships Established in 2000 through a bequest of Harriet Schiller, Teaneck, New Jersey Recipients: Arie (Arik) Cooper, Department of Molecular Genetics; Gal Meiri,Department of Organic Chemistry

The Max Schoenfeld Scholarship Established in 1976 by Walter E. Schoenfeld, Seattle, Washington Recipient: Tatyana Ponomaryov, Department of Immunology


The Rudolph Schoenheimer Memorial Scholarship Established in 1968 by Fritz Schoenheimer, New York Recipient: Gal Haimovich, Department of Biological Regulation

The Stuart and Sarah Schulman Scholarship Fund Established in 1991 by Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Schulman, Boca Raton, Florida Recipient: Galia Maik-Rachline, Department of Biological Regulation

The Eugene and Lenore Schupak Endowed Doctoral Scholarship in Genetics Established in 1997 by the Schupak Family Foundation, Scottsdale, Arizona Recipient: Gilgi Friedlander, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Jacob Schweppe Memorial Scholarship Established in 1971 through a bequest of Jacob Schweppe, Cape Town, South Africa Recipient: Asa Eita, Department of Biological Chemistry

The David and Pauline Segal Scholarship Established in 1999 by George and Joan Segal, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ilan Degani, Department of Mathematics

The Simon and Frieda Senderowicz-Perel Graduate Student Research Fund Established in 1999 through a bequest of Lea Senderowicz, Zurich, Switzerland Recipient: Ester Miriam Schallmach, Department of Neurobiology

The Max and Lena Sharp Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1972 by the Max and Lena Sharp Scholarship Fund, Toronto, Ontario,Canada Recipient: David Baram, Department of Structural Biology

The Lily Sieff Doctoral Scholarship Established in 1998 by Helen and Martin Kimmel, New York Recipient: Zohar Biron, Department of Structural Biology

The Hon. Sir David Sieff Doctoral Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 2000 by family and friends, UK Foundation of the Weizmann Institute ofScience Recipient: Yonatan Ganor, Department of Neurobiology

The Irving I. Singer Foundation Scholarship Established in 1974 by the Irving I. Singer Foundation, New York Recipient: Ilan Samish, Department of Plant Genetics

The Blanche and Max Steig Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Blanche Steig, New York Recipient: Iftach Shaked, Department of Neurobiology

The Oscar H. Stern Memorial Scholarship Established in 1976 through a bequest of Oscar H. Stern, New York Recipient: Gideon Amir, Department of Mathematics

The Roy L. Swarzman Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1990 by Matthew Bucksbaum, Marvin Pomerantz and Mr. and Mrs.Stanley Isaacson, Des Moines, IowaRecipient: Aya Schneider-Mor, Department of Environmental Sciences and EnergyResearch


The Swiss Society of Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1985 by the Swiss Society of Friends of the Weizmann Institute, Zurich,Switzerland Recipient: Amir Bahar, Department of Neurobiology

The Armin and Etel (Angyal) Szolovits Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2001 through bequests of Armin and Etel Szolovits, Hollywood,California Recipient: Reut Bartoov, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Isaac H. Taylor Scholarship Established in 1972 by Isaac H. Taylor, Ellicott City, Maryland Recipient: Helit Rozen-Nabel, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Samara Jan Turkel Scholarship Fund for Autoimmune Diseases Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bach, New York, in memory of theirgranddaughter Recipient: Uri Sela, MD, Department of Immunology

The Frances L. Urban Scholarship Established in 1978 through a bequest of Miriam B. Urban, Palo Alto, California Recipient: Ephraim Fass, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Guido Franklin van D. Memorial Scholarship Established in 2000 through a bequest of Hilda van D., Riehen, Switzerland Recipient: Izhar Neder, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Minnie and Arthur Vare Scholarship Established in 1968 by the Minnie and Arthur Vare Foundation, New YorkRecipient: Keren Mevorat Kaplan, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship Established in 1980 by the Swedish Committee and the Canadian Society for theWeizmann Institute of ScienceRecipient: Debbie Baute, Department of Chemical Physics

The George Wasserman Foundation/Janice Wasserman Goldsten Scholarship Established in 1994 by the George Wasserman Foundation and by Janice WassermanGoldsten, Washington, D.C. Recipient: Liat Amir-Zilberstein, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Paul and Greta Weinberger Scholarships Established in 1995 through a bequest of Paul Weinberger, New YorkRecipient: Indranil Sinha, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Erwin and Claire Weiner Scholarship Established in 1973 by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,Chicago, Illinois Recipient: David Backlash-Omer, Department of Neurobiology

The Celeste and Joseph Weingarten Memorial Scholarship Established in 1987 by Nancy Weingarten and friends, Boston, MassachusettsRecipient: Niv Papo, Department of Biological Chemistry


The William W. Wilkow Scholarship Fund Established in 1987 by Mrs. William W. Wilkow, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Asa Eitan, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Dr. Albert and Blanche Willner Scholarship for Russian Students Established in 1993 by Dr. and Mrs. Albert Willner, Delray Beach, FloridaRecipient: Irina Issaeva, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson Scholarship Established in 1996 by Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Miri Cohen-Kandli, Department of Biological Regulation

The Milton Young Scholarship Established in 1983 by the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, New York Recipient: Christoph Schuffenhauer, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Samuel Zonne Scholarships Established in 1980 through a bequest of Samuel Zonne, Minneapolis, Minnesota Recipients: Alex Loebel, Department of Neurobiology; Yair Pilpel, Department ofNeurobiology; Yin Wang, Department of Neurobiology

Annual and Semester Ph.D. Scholarships

The Fanny Denes Scholarship Established in 1969 by Dr. George Denes, Zurich, Switzerland, in memory of his mother Recipient: Revital Cohen, Department of Organic Chemistry

The El-Op Doctoral ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by El-Op Israel Electro-Optics Industries, Ltd., Rehovot, IsraelRecipient: Yelena Gorelick, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Daniel Falkner Scholarship Established in 2001 by Daniel Falkner, London, UKRecipient: Galit Shohat, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Eva Glazer Memorial Scholarships in Alzheimer’s ResearchEstablished in 2003 by Myra Simon, Herzliya Pituah, Israel, and by Sir Mark Weinberg,London, UKRecipients: Hay Dvir, Department of Structural Biology; Haim Haviv, Department ofStructural Biology

The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Scholarships Established in 1997 by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, San Francisco, California Recipients: Roman Dovgard, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics; Maxim Khodos, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Carol and Allan Gordon Scholarship Fund in Women's Health Research Established in 1997 in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Allan Gordon by friends and supporters,Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Sagit Sela-Abramovich, Department of Biological Regulation


The Dr. Francisco Harrison ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by Dr. Francisco Harrison, Munich, GermanyRecipient: Maya (Chetrit) Dadiani, Department of Biological Regulation

The Joseph Meyerhoff Scholarships Established in 1983 through the Joseph Meyerhoff Fund and the Rebecca MeyerhoffFund, Baltimore, Maryland Recipients: Helena Katchman, Department of Immunology; Gregory Linshiz,Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Edna Toktali ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by Dani Toktali, Tel Aviv, IsraelRecipient: Miriam Cohen, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Washington Next Generation Scholarship Established in 1993 by Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Washington, DC Recipient: Ofir Goldberger, Department of Immunology

The Ida (Ivy) Wharton Scholarships in Cancer ResearchEstablished in 2003 through a bequest of Ms. Ida (Ivy) Wharton, Palm Beach, FloridaRecipients: Merav Ben-Yehoyada, Department of Molecular Genetics; ArthurMachlenkin, Department of Immunology; Reshmi Parameswaran, Department ofMolecular Cell Biology

The Itzhak Weiman Scholarship in Cancer ResearchEstablished in 1990 by Bond America Israel Blades, Ltd., Ramat Gan, IsraelRecipient: Ido Amit, Department of Biological Regulation

Honorary Scholarships

The Midori Goto Scholarship Established in 1990 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New York Recipient: Revital Shamri, Department of Immunology

The Elliott Gould Research Scholarship Established in 1989 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New York Recipient: Dafna Ben-Eli Tsafrir, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Lilly Hamlisch Memorial Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1987 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New York, in memory of Marvin Hamlisch's mother Recipient: Amir Zalcenstein, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Richard M. Hornreich Scholarship in Physics Established in 1996 by the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, and familyand friends in Israel and abroad, in memory of Prof. Richard Hornreich Recipient: Eitan Rowen, Department of Physics of Complex Systems


The Shirley Maclaine Scholarship in Viral Immunology Established in 1988 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New YorkRecipient: Yael Wexler, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Shlomo Mintz Scholarship Established in 1982 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New York Recipient: Elizabeth Yehuda, Department of Plant Sciences

The Barbara Walters Scholarship Established in 1990 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,New York Recipient: Uri Zadok, Department of Organic Chemistry

M.Sc. Scholarships in Perpetuity

The I.W. Abel ScholarshipEstablished in 2002 by the United Steelworkers of America, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaRecipient: Nizan Horesh, Department of Chemical Physics

The Henrietta and Jack Abrams Scholarship Established in 1988 by Henrietta Abrams, Lauderhill, Florida Recipient: Keren Carmi, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Egle Forti Ancona Scholarship in Perpetuity (The Dana Fund) Established in 1993 through a bequest of Mrs. Egle Forti, Rome, Italy Recipient: Efrat Furst, Department of Neurobiology

The Harvey and Sandy Angell Master’s Scholarship for Research for the Benefit of ChildrenEstablished in 2001 by Harvey and Sandy Angell, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Michal Cohen, Department of Immunology

The Israel W. and Fannie Backe Scholarship Fund Established in 1987 through a bequest of Fannie Backe, Worcester, Massachusetts Recipient: Noam Diamant, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Bendit Foundation ScholarshipEstablished in 2000 by Dr. and Mrs. Emile Bendit and the Bendit Foundation, Inc.,Baltimore, MarylandRecipient: Gad Elizur, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Abraham Berman Scholarship Established in 1966 through a bequest of Abraham Berman, South Africa Recipient: Vered Ben-Ari, Department of Biological Regulation

The Carolyn and Marvin Birger Scholarship Established in 2000 by Marvin Birger, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Aya Lange, Department of Neurobiology

The Louis C. and Edith B. Blumberg Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 by the Louis Blumberg Foundation, Southfield, Michigan Recipient: Omer Barad, Department of Physics of Complex Systems


The Irena-Ida Bogdanowicz Scholarship Established in 1994 through a bequest of Irena-Ida Bogdanowicz, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Guy Engelhard, Department of Particle Physics

The Joan and William J. Brodsky Scholarship in Photodynamic Cancer Therapy in Perpetuity Established in 1995 by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science,Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Yoav Gal, Department of Biological Regulation

The Adele S. and Abraham Browner Scholarship in Biomedical Research Established in 1999 through a bequest of Adele Browner, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Dafna Gordon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Helen and Harry Hans Davis Memorial Scholarship Established in 2002 through a bequest of Helen J. Davis, Wyncote, Pennsylvania Recipient: Oded Shaham, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Kitty Waas Dekker, Simon Waas and Rosette Dekker Scholarship Established in 1998 through a bequest of Rosette Dekker, United KingdomRecipient: Uri Shahar, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Detroit Scholarship Fund for Soviet Students Established in 1992 by friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Detroit, Michigan Recipient: Tami Kachko, Department of Immunology

The Alan Dixon Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1995 by the Hon. Alan J. Dixon, St. Louis, Missouri Recipient: Helena Sheikhet, Department of Immunology

The Bella and Hyman Eisenbaum Scholarship Established in 1994 through the Bella Eisenbaum Trust, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Yael Cohen, Department of Immunology

The Alex Elovic Memorial Scholarship Established in 1996 through a bequest of Bernat Elovic, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Barak Blumenfeld, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics

The Louis E. Emerman Scholarship in Biomedical Research Established in 1999 by the Saul and Devorah Sherman Fund, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Moran Alaluf, Department of Neurobiology

The Charles I. and Fanny Engelstein Endowment Fund Established in 1995 through a bequest of Fanny Engelstein, New York Recipient: Ariel Rinon, Department of Biological Regulation

The Harold Feinstein and Bess Rae C. Feinstein Scholarship Fund for Soviet Students Established in 1990 through a bequest of Bess Rae C. Feinstein, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Anna Feldman, Department of Structural Biology

The Pauline and Maximilian Firestone BursaryEstablished in 1978 by Maximilian Firestone, New YorkRecipient: Amit Mor, Department of Structural Biology


The Aaron and Zlata Fish Memorial Bursary Established in 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Abe Fish, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Ziv Gefen, Department of Structural Biology

The Sonia Floomberg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 through a bequest of Sonia Floomberg, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recipient: Yael Cohen, Department of Immunology

The Joyce and Joseph J. Freed Family Scholarship Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Freed, Wheeling, Illinois Recipient: Orly Neuvirth, Department of Structural Biology

The Yeheshkel and Fruma Freedman Education Fund Established in 2001 through a bequest of Isaac Freedman, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Vered Ben-Ari, Department of Biological Regulation

The Helen and Charles Friedman Scholarship Fund Established in l986 by Helen and Charles Friedman, Paradise Valley, Arizona Recipient: Hila Benyamin-Rodrig, Department of Molecular Genetics

The William F. Fuerst Scholarship FundEstablished in 1989 through a bequest of Madeleine Furst, New YorkRecipient: Neta Moskovitz, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Naomi and Morris Futorian Scholarship Established in 1994 by Naomi Futorian, Northbrook, Illinois Recipient: Lior Segev, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Leo and Frances Gallin Scholarship Established in 1994 by Leo and Frances Gallin, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Maxim Shklar, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Florence Gambino ScholarshipEstablished 2000 through a bequest of Florence Gambino, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Ketty Shkolnik,Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Yasha Gluzman Scholarship Established in 1998 by Ilan Gluzman, Nutley, New Jersey Recipient: Yuliya Zilberman, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Morris and Rose Goldman ScholarshipEstablished in 1996 by Mrs. Rose Goldman, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Roy Amariglio, Department of Neurobiology

The Samuel L. and Rebecca R. Goldstein Bursary Established in 1977 through a bequest of Samuel Goldstein, Lynn, Massachusetts Recipient: Tal Shay, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Ethel and Anne Gordon Scholarship Established in 1990 through a bequest of Ethel Y. Gordon, New York Recipient: Nimrod Dorfman, Department of Neurobiology

The Helena F. and Jacob Y. Gordon Scholarship Established in 1973 by Mrs. Jacob Y. Gordon, Newton, Massachusetts Recipient: Keren Carmi, Department of Materials and Interfaces


The Salomon and Augusta Gottfried Scholarship Established in 1997 by Kurt and Sorel Gottfried, Ithaca, New York, in memory of hisparents Recipient: Dori Reichmann, Department of Particle Physics

The Harry and Isadore Gudelsky Memorial Bursary Established in 1974 by the Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Potomac,Maryland Recipient: Ron Littman, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Dr.-Ing. Jerzy Hanowski ScholarshipEstablished through a bequest of Lola Hanowski, Aachen, GermanyRecipient: Sharly Fleischer, Department of Chemical Physics

The Harry Julius Harris Scholarship Established in 1997 through a bequest of Dorothy Harris and by Anne Ingber, New York Recipient: Binyamin Gil, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 1997 by friends and supporters, Chicago Committee for the WeizmannInstitute of Science, Chicago, Ilinois Recipient: Assaf Lask, Department of Neurobiology

The Otto and Mary Hersch Scholarships Established in 1988 through a bequest of Mary Hersch, New York Recipients: Haim Beidenkopf, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Merav Dolev,Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Nissim Ofek, Department of CondensedMatter Physics; Shiri Margel, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; MichalSheffer, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Luta and Ludwig Heusinger Scholarships Established in 1993 through a bequest of Dr. Ludwig Heusinger, Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel Recipient: Gal Zahavi, Department of Mathematics

The Benjamin S. Hornstein Scholarship FundEstablished in 1989 through a bequest of Benjamin S. Hornstein, New YorkRecipient: Ariel Gabizon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Jaime and Suzy Iglicky Bursary Established in 1980 by Dr. Jaime and Suzy Iglicky, Caracas, Venezuela Recipient: Chen Guttman, Department of Immunology

The Fanny E. and Lewis J. Isaacs Scholarship Established in 1989 through the Fanny E. Isaacs Living Trust, Glencoe, Illinois Recipient: Efrat Furst, Department of Neurobiology

The Thomas and Ruth Isackson Memorial Scholarship Awards Established in 1992 through a bequest of Ruth Isackson, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Rachel Matichin, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Benjamin Kaufman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1995 by Nathan Jacobs, New York Recipient: Itamar Yadid, Department of Biological Chemistry


The Udi Khazam Memorial Scholarship Established in 1996 by the Khazam Family, London, UK and Vancouver, BritishColumbia, Canada Recipient: Yoav Lahini, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Leon Kole Memorial Bursary Established in 1982 by Isabelle Kole Stein and children, Hollywood, Florida Recipient: Reut Shalgi, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Frank Korrick Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Francis Charles Korrick, Sydney, Australia Recipient: Inbal Dangoor, Department of Plant Sciences

The Margaret S. Kramer Scholarship Established in 1999 by Margaret S. Kramer, Palm Beach, FloridaRecipient: Ariel Gabizon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The David and Pola Kuppermann Scholarship Fund Established in 2000 through a bequest of Pola Kuppermann, Flushing, New York Recipient: Inbar Cohen, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Alexander E. Langsam Memorial Master’s ScholarshipEstablished in 2001 by Florence Langsam, Rockville, MarylandRecipient: Yael Eshed, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Liselotte and Richard Laster Endowed Master’s Scholarship in Brain ResearchEstablished in 2001 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Laster, Chappaqua, New YorkRecipient: Ianai Fishbein, Department of Neurobiology

The Susan Lazarus Perpetual Scholarship Fund in Cancer Research Established in 1985 by Charles and Ruth Lazarus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, inmemory of their daughter Recipient: Moran Alaluf, Department of Neurobiology

The Anne P. Lederer Master's Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 1998 by the Anne P. Lederer Research Institute, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Jacob Blumenthal, Department of Neurobiology

The Philmore A. and Judith Leemon Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 1997 by Philmore A. and Judith Leemon, Las Vegas, Nevada Recipient: Katayun Cohen-Kashi, Department of Neurobiology

The Dr. Aaron M. Lefkovits Scholarship Fund Bursary Established in 1986 by Dr. Aaron Lefkovits, Memphis, Tennessee Recipient: Ziv Gefen, Department of Structural Biology

The Chaim Michel and Chaya Freyda Levine Scholarship, Established by their Son, JulesLawren Established in 1995 through a bequest of Jules Lawren, New York Recipient: Ariel Rinon, Department of Biological Regulation

The Leyfell Family Master's Scholarship Established in 2001 by Mr. and Mrs. Aleksander Leyfell, Cambridge, Massachusetts Recipients: Ron Littman, Department of Biological Chemistry


The Abe Lisan Educational Grant Bursary Established in 1974 through a bequest of Abe Lisan, Glenside, Pennsylvania Recipient: Hagar Gelbard, Department of Neurobiology

The Josef and Avraham (Avi) Isser Luchfeld Memorial BursaryEstablished in 1986 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Luchfeld, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaRecipient: Ayal Hendel, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Alexander and Mary Margolis and Bernard A. Margolis Perpetual Memorial ScholarshipFund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Bernard A. Margolis, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Yoav Gal, Department of Biological Regulation

The Paula Marshall BursaryEstablished in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Marshall, Downsview, Ontario, CanadaRecipient: Hagar Gelbard, Department of Neurobiology

The Joory Mashal Bursary Established in 1981 by Joory and Doreen Mashal, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaRecipient: Inbal Dangoor, Department of Plant Sciences

The Samuel Mayer Bursary Established in 1973 by Elsie Mayer, Santa Monica, California Recipient: Ofri Levy, Department of Neurobiology

The Joseph and Mable E. Meites Scholarship Fund Established in 1983 by Joseph and Mable E. Meites, Okemos, Michigan Recipient: Vered Ben-Ari, Department of Biological Regulation

The Paul and Felicia Muskat Bursary Established in 1984 through a bequest of Paul Muskat, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Nimrod Heldman, Department of Structural Biology

The Harold Paul Novick Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Samson Novick, New York Recipient: Shahar Nuriel, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Walter Pancoe Scholarship Established in 1992 by Walter Pancoe, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Sharly Fleischer, Department of Chemical Physics

The Gertrude and Ivar Philipson Bursary Established in 1961 through bequests of Gertrude and Ivar Philipson, Stockholm,Sweden Recipient: Chen Guttman, Department of Immunology

The Rona and David Radler/Sun-Times Scholarship for Biomedical ResearchEstablished in 2002 in honor of F. David Radler by the Chicago Committee for theWeizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Michael Mashiach, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Anna and Max Resnick Scholarship Established in 1996 by Howard Resnick, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Dori Reichmann, Department of Particle Physics


The Prof. David Rittenberg Memorial Bursary Established in 1971 in memory of her husband by Mrs. S. Rittenberg and friends, NewYork Recipient: Ziv Gefen, Department of Structural Biology

The Paul and Gabriella Rosenbaum Scholarship in Biology Established in 1999 by the Paul and Gabriella Rosenbaum Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Naama Geva, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Sara Rottenberg Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1994 by Sophie Kalina, New York Recipient: Dalia Berman, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Ann B. Sadowsky Scholarship Established in 1987 through a bequest of Ann B. Sadowsky, Mineola, New York Recipient: Eliezer Gilsohn, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Bernard and Edith Samers Scholarship for Cancer Research Established in 1997 in honor and in memory of Bernard Samers, former Executive Vice-President, American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Natalia Lukaschuk, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Elsie Olin and Philip D. Sang Scholarship Established in 1995 by Elsie Olin Sang, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Inbar Cohen, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Jerome D. and Beverly Scheer Scholarship Established in 1991 by Jerome D. and Beverly Scheer, Potomac, Maryland Recipient: Omer Barad, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Alice and Lewis Schimberg Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 by Alice Schimberg, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Rachel Argov, Department of Neurobiology

The Henry and Soretta Shapiro Master's Scholarship Established in 1996 by the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Family Foundation, Chicago,Illinois Recipient: Neta Moskovitz, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Sabina D. and Benjamin Shapiro Scholarship Fund Established in 1999 through a bequest of Sabina D. Shapiro, New York Recipient: Reut Shalgi, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Rochelle and Harold Sumpson ScholarshipEstablished in 2002 by Harold and Rochelle Simpson, Delray Beach, FloridaRecipient: Haim Beidenkopf, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Rachel and Arnold Smith Endowed Master's Scholarship Established in 1996 by Rachel and Arnold Smith, Phoenix and Paradise Valley, Arizona Recipient: Ofri Levy, Department of Neurobiology

The Elias and Hilda Sofaer Scholarship Established in 1994 by Michael Sofaer, London, UK Recipient: Sagi Levy, Department of Molecular Genetics


The Rabbi and Mrs. Aaron Solomon Bursary Established in 1982 by Dr. Jonathan G. Solomon, Hampton, Virginia, in honor of hisparents Recipient: Katayun Cohen-Kashi, Department of Neurobiology

The Paula and Ernest Sommers Scholarship Established in 2001 by Ernest Sommers, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Hay Dvir, Department of Structural Biology

The Sylvia and Leonard Sorkin Scholarship Established in 1997 through a bequest of Leonard Sorkin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Eyal Kalie, Department of Biological Regulation

The Keren Sotskover Scholarship Established in 1992 through bequests of Eliezer and Genia (Chaine) Sotskover, RamatGan, Israel Recipient: Noam Diamant, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Blanche and Max Steig Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Blanche Steig, New York Recipient: Onit Lavi, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Gabriel Armand Stein Scholarship Fund Established in 1991 by Paul Stein, Jackson Heights, New York, in memory of his son Recipient: Hagar Gelbard, Department of Neurobiology

The Nachman Syrkin and Mendel Osnos Scholarship Established in 1999 by Drs. Morton G. and Zivia Wurtele, Berkeley, California Recipient: Sharon Wishko, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Armin and Etel (Angyal) Szolovits Master's Scholarship Established in 2001 through bequests of Armin and Etel Szolovits, Hollywood,California Recipient: Dadi Segal, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Harry M. Tobe Memorial Bursary Established in 1981 by Dr. Barry A. Tobe, Downsview, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Keren Carmi, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Ann Turman Bursary Established in 1987 by Ann E.K. Turman, Great Barrington, Massachusetts Recipient: Dafna Gordon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Werner and Daughter Renee Usansky Memorial Bursary Established in 1982 by Sra. Sara Z. de Usansky, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recipient: Natalia Lukaschuk, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Rose and Ben N. Vollen ScholarshipEstablished in 1993 through a bequest of Ben Vollen, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Dan Michael Levi, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics

The Isaac Wagner BursaryEstablished in 1973 by Isaac Wagner, Chicago, IllinoisRecipient: Ayal Hendel, Department of Biological Chemistry


The Dr. Edgar Weil Memorial Bursary Established in 1975 by an anonymous donor, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Yoav Lahini, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Paul and Greta Weinberger Scholarships Established in 1995 through a bequest of Paul Weinberger, New York Recipient: Mati Cohen, Department of Chemical Physics

The Charles Weinfeld Memorial ScholarshipsEstablished in 1972 by the Charles Weinfeld Trust, Northbrook, IllinoisRecipient: Chen Guttman, Department of Immunology

The Joe and Celia Weinstein Scholarship Established in 1995 by Major Max and Sylvia Shulman, New York Recipient: Eliezer Gilsohn, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Dr. Lee Franklin Weinstock Leadership Scholarship Established in 1994 through a bequest of Dr. Lee Franklin Weinstock, Detroit, Michigan Recipient: Shahar Nuriel, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Sarah Werch Research Scholarship Fund Established in 1994 by the Solomon Carl Werch Trust, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Dalia Berman, Department of Molecular Genetics

The J. Stanley Weyman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 by Anne Weyman, London, UK Recipient: Itamar Yadid, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Rose Weyman Memorial Bursary Established in 1987 by Stanley Weyman, London, UK Recipient: Rachel Matichin, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson Endowment for the Cure of Alzheimer’s DiseaseEstablished in 2001 by Sam Wolfson, Dallas, TexasRecipient: Yehudit Hasin, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Women of Vision Scholarship Fund in Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Established in 1996 by friends and supporters, Florida Committee for the WeizmannInstitute of Science, North Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Hagit Dafni, Department of Biological Regulation

The Yitzhak Fund (Heath Trust) Scholarship Established in 1992 through the offices of Martin Paisner, London, UKRecipients: Anna Aronovich, Department of Immunology; Mor Mishkovsky,Department of Chemical Physics; Miri Tzalyuk, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Milton Young Memorial Bursary Established in 1980 by friends of Milton Young, New York Recipient: Yosef Shaul, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Lillian and Samuel L. Zuckerman Bursary Established in 1959 in honor of their parents' golden wedding anniversary by theZuckerman family, New York Recipient: Lior Segev, Department of Materials and Interfaces


Annual and Semester M.Sc. Scholarships

The Alpina ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by the Alpina Insurance Company, Ltd., Zurich, SwitzerlandRecipient: Dan Michael Levi, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics

The Shimon Antin Scholarship Established in 1997 by the Shimon Antin Trust, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Merav Dolev, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Leon David Asseo Foundation ScholarshipsEstablished in 2003 by the Leon David Asseo Foundation, Tel Aviv, IsraelRecipients: Erez Livneh, Department of Plant Genetics; Amit Mor, Department ofStructural Biology

The Azrieli ScholarshipEstablished in 2002 by the Azrieli Group, Tel Aviv, IsraelRecipient: Iftach Haitner, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Salim and Rachel Benin Scholarship Established in 1996 through the Jewish Agency for Israel (Israel Education Fund),Jerusalem, Israel Recipients: Yael Kfir-Garten, Department of Molecular Genetics; Asaf Nussbaum,Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Anna and Sidney Dishal Scholarship Established in 1999 by Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Dishal, Piedmont, California Recipient: Tamar Yifhar, Department of Plant Sciences

The Dror Paz Hashka’ot Scholarship, in Memory of Lea and David LubinskyEstablished in 2003 by Drora and Pinhas Zakkai, Savyon, IsraelRecipient: Nimrod Dorfman, Department of Neurobiology

The Saly Frommer Scholarship Established in 2002 by Mr. Saly Frommer, Basel, Switzerland Recipient: Aya Lange, Department of Neurobiology

The Cole and Gloria Goldstein ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by Mr. and Mrs. Cole Goldstein, Potts Point, AustraliaRecipient: Yael Eshed, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Keren Isler ScholarshipsEstablished in 2000 by Dr. Jacob Isler, Tel Aviv, IsraelRecipients: Anna Aronovich, Department of Immunology; Evan Elliot, Department ofNeurobiology; Maxim Shklar, Department of Molecular Genetics; Ketty Shkolnik,Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Diana Starlets, Department of Immunology

The Lena Jacobson Memorial ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by Ruthie Tamir, Tel Aviv, Israel and Naomi Forman, RamatHasharon, IsraelRecipient: Eliezer Gilsohn, Department of Molecular Cell Biology


The Jorge Kassel Scholarship in the Earth Sciences Established in 1990 by Mr. and Mrs. Jorge Kassel, Naucalpan, Mexico Recipient: Dana Baram, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

The Keter Plastics ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by Tova and Sami Segoul and Keter Plastics, Ltd., Yafo, IsraelRecipient: Michal Cardon, Department of Neurobiology

The Dorothy Krohner Scholarship, in Memory of Sholom and Esther Krohner Established in 2002 through a bequest of Dorothy Krohner, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Yosef Shaul, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Leon Recanati ScholarshipsEstablished in 2003 by Leon Recanati, Tel Aviv, IsraelRecipients: Amir Malina, Department of Biological Chemistry; Dmitry Osin,Department of Particle Physics

The Anna and Isadore Roseman Foundation Semester Bursaries Established in 1980 through a bequest of Isadore Roseman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Recipients: Asaf Nussbaum, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics; Offra Sarig, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Nathan Zauberman,Department of Organic Chemistry

The Maxine and Jack Zarrow ScholarshipEstablished in 2003 by the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, Tulsa,OklahomaRecipient: Uri Shahar, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Anda and Henry Zimand Scholarship in Cancer ResearchEstablished in 2000 by Mr. Henry Zimand, Herzliya Pituah, IsraelRecipient: Noa Rubin, Department of Structural Biology

Scholarship Loan Funds

The Ralph and Shirley Coff Scholarship Loan Fund Established in 1983 through a bequest of Ralph Coff, New York

The Bennitt Mandell Memorial Revolving Loan Fund Established in 1991 through the Bennitt Mandell Charitable Remainder Unitrust, MiamiBeach, Florida

Science Teaching

Abraham Arcavi, Head

The Department is composed of groups working in mathematics, physics, chemistry, lifesciences, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, and science and technology forall (junior and senior high school). Extensive research and development is carried out in allthese areas, with the aim of a) producing high-quality and up-to-date learning, teaching andassessment materials for use throughout the Israeli educational system, and b) providingongoing professional development of teachers. The learning and teaching materials include notonly textbooks and teacher guides, but also modern technologies such as websites for non-frontal teaching. The work is based upon an underlying philosophy that considers curriculumdevelopment and implementation, professional development of teachers, research andevaluation as part of an integrated and continuous long-term activity.

Our belief in the central role of teachers in improving education has led us to focus our effortsalso on National Teacher Centers, which serve as sources of support, information and materialsfor teachers throughout the country. The Centers, led by our scientists, also prepare andsupport teachers in leadership roles in their schools and/or districts.

In 2003, we expanded our work with teachers to include pre-service education. We establisheda program for Teacher Licensing (Teíudat Horaía) in cooperation with the Feinberg GraduateSchool and with endorsement of the Ministry of Education. The target population of thisprogram is graduate students and post-doctoral fellows from all the departments at theWeizmann Institute. The main objective of the program is to encourage candidates with a verystrong scientific background to become teachers and teacher leaders in junior high and highschools in Israel, as well as in teacher education colleges.

Our collaboration with the Davidson Institute for Science Education at the Weizmann Instituteof Science continues. The main goal of the new Institute is to enhance and enlarge, under theacademic umbrella provided by the Department, the scope of the projects in science education- especially those which are more directly related to activities with schools, teachers, studentsand the public at large. The Davidson Institute provides facilities for the National TeacherCenters and modern classrooms and laboratories for the thousands of hours of teacherdevelopment programs and regular teacher courses related to ongoing curricular projects in ourdepartment, and run by their respective leaders. The Department of Science Teaching and theDavidson Institute have initiated several joint projects. The three major ones are: theestablishment of a Regional Teacher Center to promote the improvement of science educationin schools; the establishment of a National Center for Learning through (student) Projects; andthe implementation (in collaboration with their school teachers) of model lessons in science forstudents (The Nechmad Project).

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308 Science Teaching

Mathematics GroupRuhama Even, Head

The Group pursues ongoing research and development with an emphasis on the disseminationand support of the implementation. The following are the main projects.

• The CompuMath (MatiMachshev) Project: Innovative approaches to teachingmathematics in junior-high school, taking advantage of computerized tools. The research(on learning and teaching in classrooms using this program) includes the study of theways in which knowledge structures in diverse contexts are used and modified.

• The Heterogeneous Classes (Kulam) Project: Innovative approaches to teachingmathematics in junior high school (grades 7-8) to accommodate the needs of severalstudent sub-populations in the same classroom.

• "Math for All" (the Shay Program) Project: for non-mathematically oriented high schoolstudents toward their matriculation (bagrut) requirements. The approach of the learningmaterials is based on informal sense-making and graphical methods. The projectincludes research on learning processes by students who are not mathematicallyoriented.

• The MathComp (Machshavatika) Project: student workbooks for grades 7-12, using thecapabilities of Computer Algebra Systems (CAS), accompanied by textbooks for teachereducation. The research includes the study of the impact of learning in a CASenvironment on curriculum approaches to classical topics, student assessment and habitsof mind.

The most recent projects include:

• The Elementary Math Project: Development and implementation of mathematicalinvestigations for fifth and sixth graders using computerized tools.

• Professionalization of Elementary School Teachers: Development and implementationof courses for elementary school teachers as part of a national project to professionalizethe teaching of elementary school mathematics.

• The Advancement of Quantitative Thinking: Courses for junior-high school teachers aspart of a national project to advance proficiency with arithmetic, measurements,estimation, calculations of area and volume, and the like.

• Research on cognitive characteristics of non-mathematicallyoriented students.

• Research on the process of integrating teaching with the design of curriculum materials.

• Research on learning in computer intensive mathematics classrooms.

• Teacher Knowledge and Development: Research and development project related tomathematics teachers and teaching, focusing on: (1) studying and theorizing aboutmathematics teachersí knowledge and practice; (2) developing and studying teacherlearning, education and development. As part of this work, the Group runs the MANORCenter ñ a National Mathematics Teacher Center.

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Physics GroupBat-Sheva Eylon, Head

The Group develops courses for the classical high school physics subjects (mechanics,electromagnetism, optics and waves, physics of the 20th century) and for elective courses andother educational resources for students and teachers. These courses use instructionalstrategies that are sensitive to student learning processes and include activity units that fosterinvolvement. Computerized networks for course delivery are being developed and studied inselected topics. The Group is developing computerized learning environments and didacticalmethods for introducing computer-based activities into the curriculum.

Currently the Group is developing several modes of introducing projects into the regular studyof physics. The projects are carried out either as part of the regular study, or involve externalagents. ìPhysics and Industryî is an example of the latter, and is carried out in collaborationwith the electro-optics industry. Appropriate methods of evaluation are being developed toassess and promote this kind of activity. The Group is also involved in the development ofcourses for the new syllabus in optics, reference frames, and visual quantum mechanics(translated from English).

The Group runs a National Teacher Center responsible for coordinating the professionaldevelopment of physics teachers throughout Israel. The Center runs an internet site forteachers and develops innovative methods for professional development through the internet.

The Group is engaged in research studies aimed at improving the learning process in severalareas: methods for fostering control and feedback in student problem-solving activities;methods for computer- based diagnosis of studentsí conceptions in optics; models forintegrating the computer into physics instruction to enhance understanding; detailed studies ofthe implementation of new instructional strategies; and investigation of the utility of strategiesfor fostering teacher change in long-term teacher courses, including the support ofprofessional development through the net.

Chemistry GroupAvi Hofstein, Head

The Group is engaged in all facets of chemistry curriculum development, namelydevelopment, implementation and evaluation. In the last two years the work of the groupemphasized the professional development of chemistry teachers. In addition, the group isinvolved in several research studies focusing on chemical literacy, student understanding ofconcepts, and learning in the chemistry laboratory. Action research is used in order to gaingreater insight regarding the implementation of the chemistry curriculum and to learn moreabout the work of chemistry teachers in the classroom, in particular their interactions withtheir students.

In order to improve learning in the chemistry laboratory, the Group is involved in thedevelopment, implementation and assessment of inquiry-based chemistry experiments. TheGroup offers courses for chemistry teachers to train them to use these experiments. The Group


has also developed and implemented methods for assessing student achievement in about 100schools all over Israel. These inquiry-based laboratories were also adopted as part of theGATSBY Project (a joint project of the Chemistry, Physics and Science and Technology for JHSchool Groups with Kingís College, London, England). In the Gatsby project, a group ofteachers participate in a continuous professional development program for science teachers.

The Group runs a National Center for Chemistry Teachers.

A Center for the liaison with the chemical industry in Israel has been established. The maingoal of this Center is to provide instructional materials related to the applications of chemistryto industries. These materials include films and booklets that help in the planning andconducting educational field trips to industrial sites in israel. The Center is building a web sitecontaining a collection of pedagogical ideas relating the chemistry class to industry. The maingoal of this work is to make chemistry more relevant to students. In addition, the center isinitiating the execution of small-scale industrial projects conducted by high school chemistrystudents (MEYZAM) which become part of the studentsí final matriculation examination inchemistry.

A main project run by the Group is Science and Technology for all (The MUTAV project).This project has developed interdisciplinary learning modules aimed at non-science-orientedstudents; that is, those who opt not to specialize in the sciences. The following modules havebeen developed so far: "Energy and the Human Being", "Science as an Ever-DevelopingEntity", "From the Dinosaurs to Darwin", "Brain, Medicine and Drugs", "The Black Gold",and "Science at the service of the police". The Group conducts research on studentsíachievement and studentsí attitudes towards science and learning science as a result of usingthese modules. The findings have confirmed that the use of these modules is successful.

Life Sciences Group Anat Yarden, Head

The long-term objective of the Life Sciences Group is to build bridges between the dynamicsof biological discoveries and high-school biology education. Toward this objective the Groupis focusing its efforts on development and implementation of novel learning materials inbiology for the junior- and senior high-school. In addition, the Group conducts research tostudy the effectiveness of the innovative learning and teaching processes and strategies.

Student difficulties in understanding the microscopic-macroscopic relationships within livingorganisms are addressed in a new concept, which has been developed in the Group, where thetopic of the living cell is taught as a longitudinal axis, that accompanies all the biologicaltopics studied at junior high-school. This concept is now being implemented in variousteaching programs.

In an attempt to develop biological literacy among high-school biology students and in order toincorporate updated learning materials into the high-school biology curricula, the Group hasdeveloped models for teaching using scientific research papers. The Group has video-tapedexemplary teaching episodes in order to help teachers implement these new models in schools.


The models and episodes appear in a unique teacherís guide on a CD-ROM, whichaccompanies a curriculum in developmental biology that the Group developed. The Group iscurrently developing a new curriculum in Biotechnology, which is also built upon scientificresearch articles.

The Group adopted some bioinformatics-related techniques employed by molecular biologistsin order to teach high school biology majors the basic ideas in genetics. For that purpose, theGroup developed web-based learning materials, which includes interactive problem-solvingactivities that are based on human-genome databases and search engines.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Group Nir Orion, Head

The Group is involved in curriculum development, implementation and evaluation involvingstudents from kindergarten to high school. The curriculum materials are developed for avariety of learning environments: the laboratory, the outdoors, the computer and theclassroom.

Ongoing projects include:

• Development of new curriculum materials for the senior high school (topics includeearthquakes, the carbon cycle, plate tectonics and evolution in the dimension ofgeological time);

• Development of new curriculum materials for junior high school (topics include the rockcycle, the water cycle and earth systems);

• Utilizing the outdoors as a learning environment through geological field trips;

• The Geotope, a research project performed by students;

• Let's Rock, a curriculum for kindergarten students.

Computer Science GroupMordechai Ben-Ari, Head

The Group has developed a course in concurrent and distributed computation for twelfth gradestudents. The work this year has focused on introducing new software tools for teaching thesubject: jBACI, a concurrency simulator, and a new version of DAJ that includes a novelvisualization of the classic Byzantine Generals algorithm.

The current research emphasizes the use of visualizations for teaching computer science: theJeliot system, developed together with a group in Finland, is used for teaching elementaryprogramming, and the Group is evaluating tools for teaching data structures.

The Group collaborates with the Technion in the running of the National Computer ScienceTeachers' Center. This year the annual conference will be held at the Weizmann Institute.


Science and Technology in Junior-High School Group Bat-Sheva Eylon, Head

A new syllabus for the unified subject Science and Technology in Junior-High School has beendeveloped, and the Group is part of a national effort to implement this syllabus. Thecurriculum attempts to cultivate scientific and technological literacy for all citizens and toprepare the necessary background for further studies. To achieve these goals, the curriculumfocuses on a thorough understanding of basic concepts and emphasizes the development ofindependent learning skills in the context of subject matter. The curriculum integratesknowledge among the sciences and between science and technology. Social aspects andrelevance to individual students are central considerations in the choice of activities.

The Group runs a National Teacher Center (together with Tel-Aviv University) responsible forcoordinating the professional development of junior high school teachers throughout Israel.The Center is involved in intensive activities with teachers throughout the country, andeducates teacher leaders. It runs a web site for teachers and trains teacher-leaders to use web-based materials and project-based learning.

Formative evaluation of the new materials is accompanied by the investigation of newinstructional strategies, including a constructivist approach to the study of the particle modelof matter, project-based learning, knowledge integration using special computerized programsfor knowledge representation, longitudinal studies of conceptual development, and acquisitionof high-order learning skills. The Group also conducts research on the professionaldevelopment of teachers and teacher-leaders, and investigates new methods of studentassessment.

National Teacher Centers

The Department runs National Teacher Centers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, scienceand technology in junior high school (in collaboration with Tel Aviv University), and computerscience (in collaboration with the Technion).

The aim of the Centers is to provide a framework to support teacher development. The mainactivities include:

• Education and advancement of professional leadership of teachers.

• Support and counseling to regional professional development programs.

• Development of a professional teacher community.

• Providing of resource databases.

• Research and evaluation.

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Professor

Uri Ganiel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Rudy Bruner Professor of Science Teaching

Professor Emeritus

Maxim Bruckheimer, Ph.D., Southampton University


Abraham Arcavi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMordechai Ben-Ari, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelBat Sheva Eylon, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States

The Chief Justice Bora Laskin Professor of Science Teaching Avi Hofstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelNir Orion, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Ruhama Even, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesAnat Yarden, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Scientists

Oshrit Navon, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, IsraelGuastalla Fellowships for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Technology

Edit Yerushalmi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelGuastalla Fellowships for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Technology


Alex Friedlander, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesZahava Scherz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel


Esther Bagno, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelMiri Kesner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelRachel Mamlok-Naaman, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel


Gilat Brill, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelGuastalla Fellowships for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Technology

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Consultants

Tommy Dreyfus, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Hanna GoldringIvy Kidron, Machon Lev, Jerusalem, Israel

Visiting Scientist

Marvyn Black, University of Salford, UK


Ronnie Karsenty, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IsraelYifat Kolikant, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelPazit Libros, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, IsraelSusan Magidson, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, USA

Research Students

Ayelet Baram Orit Ben- Zvi AssarafRonit Ben-Bassat Levy Hana BergerLiora Bialer Rachel CohenTamar Eisenmann Osnat EldarMarcel Frailich Hadas GelbartYossi Gudovitch Esther KapulnikMira Kipnis Yifat KolikantTova Kvatinsky Tamar Levy NahumHannah Margel Roni MualemNoa Ragonis Yael ShwartzShay Soffer Ornit Spektor-LevyMichal Tabach Tali WallachCecile Yehezkel

Administrator

Mali Karni

Young@Science

Zvi Paltiel, Director

Extracurricular science activities for youth have been operating at the Weizmann Institute ofScience since the early 1960`s, based on the pioneering work of the late Professor Amos de-Shalit. They are aimed at promoting the enthusiasm and interest of school students in scienceand scientific thinking. The Youth Activities Section was founded in 1972, and since then theactivities have been constantly developing and expanding. Most of its programs are held at theInstitute`s Amos de-Shalit Youth Science Center which includes the Laub InternationalScience Youth Village and laboratories. Many Youth Activities programs receive support fromthe Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science.

The Laub International Science Youth Village, a dormitory facility with 12 units thataccommodates up to 80 people, a clubhouse, office, and the village square, adds anotherdimension to the activities. Besides giving participants in all the summer programs modernaccommodations, the youth village allows the Youth Activities Section to develop multi-dayprograms for students from all over Israel.

The Youth Activities Section draws heavily on the cooperation of The Weizmann Institute'sscientific community. The involvement of scientists and research students in all the programsprovides school students with the unique indispensable experience of interacting with activescientists.

In 2001 the programs offered by the Youth Activities Section and the number of theirparticipants were as follows:

Weekly Science Clubs: Afternoon courses in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics,computers, astronomy, aerodynamics and space research - 784 students.

Summer Science Residential Programs in which the participants work in actual researchlaboratories, two or three in a laboratory with a mentor:

The Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute - 65 students.

The Amos de-Shalit Summer Science Workshop - 20 students.

The Chais Family Exploration Camp (a science, music and art summer program), sponsoredjointly with the Association for Excellence in Education - 60 students.

Science Day Camp for underpreviledged pupils from Bet-Shemesh - 20 students.

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316 Young@Science

Competitions in Mathematics and Physics

Prof. Joseph Gillis Mathematics Olympiad - 117 students.

Junior High School Mathematics Olympiad - 395 students.

Physics Tournament which is a team competition for 11th and 12th graders - 130 students.

Math-by-mail: A nationwide project via mail aimed at math enthusiasts in grades 3-10 - 147students. Math-by-Mail in the former Soviet Union - 4,500 participants in grade 5th -10th .(in Russian). Math-by-Mail material is also being translated into Korean language anddistributed in South Korea by Young Astronauts Korea (YAK).

Science days

Adventures in Science with advanced science single or multi-day class programs for 10th, 11thand 12th graders. These programs are introducing topics in the frontiers of science in physics,chemistry and biology: One-day programs - 119 classes, (3,415 students) multi-day programs -157 classes. (1,730 students).

Morning One-day Courses for Junior high-school classes in topics including waves, energy,motion and the senses including a visit to the Garden of Science - 280 classes (9,711 students).

Science Mobile - a large van fitted with science exhibits and models of Garden of Scienceexhibits which carries instructors and their programs to outlying schools and communities -180 classes (7,014 students).

Science Forum: 5 Israeli students delegation to the 2 weeks Science forum in London,England.

"Arrow" - a project to nurture young scientists. 10th grade students are accepted for a 3 yearproject. Starting with an overview of modern science (10th grade), to getting involved inresearch projects (11th grade) and working on an individual science project under thesupervision of a scientist. This summer 17 students participated in the final stage of the project,and 30 10th grade students in the first stage.

Science Workshop for Ethiopian Immigrants - Sponsored by the New York Federation andthe Jewish Agency has been held during August - 80 students.

The Amos De-Shalit Popular Science Lectures - Series of 4 lectures by prominent WeizmannInst. scientists open to the public - 650 students.

The Clore Garden of Science is an outdoor science museum open to the public, which emergedfrom the Youth Activities Section.

Staff

Dr. Felix LaubBatya Levy

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The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center

Yosef Yarden, DirectorThe Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center of the Weizmann Institute of Science was established in1972, following the tragic death of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski at the hands of terrorists. TheCenter, set up as a living memorial to him, is administered through a Board of Trusteessupported by an International Advisory Committee.

The Center promotes activities in physical biology and macromolecular science and in suchother areas of science that fall within the wide-ranging interests of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski.The Center furthers international scientific cooperation through the organization of scientificmeetings and the exchange of scientists. Of particular concern to the Center is the impact ofscientific and technological advances on human society.

The Board of Trustee is presently composed of: E. Katchalski-Katzir, Chairperson; Y. Yarden,Director (Dean of the Feinberg Graduate School, ex officio); and additional officers of theWeizmann Institute of Science (ex officio): I. Chet, President; G. Kober Vice-President forAdministration & Finance; B. Geiger, Dean of the Faculty of Biology; and B. Shilo, Dean ofthe Faculty of Biochemistry. Additional members are: R. Arnon, M. Eisenbach, U.Z. Littauer,Z. Livneh, M. Sela, J.L. Sussman, and I.Z. Steinberg.

The International Advisory Committee is composed of: M. Eigen, Chairperson; A. Engstrom,J, Gross, F. Jacob, E. Kellenberger, J.C. Kendrew, A. Kornberg, D. Koshland, M. Kotani, J.Lederberg, S. Lederberg, F. Oosawa, I. Prigogine, A. Rich, W. Rosenblith, F.O. Schmitt, A.K.Solomon, J. Wyman.

The Director of the Center is the Dean of the Feinberg Graduate School, ex officio. The Deancan appoint an advisory committee which is currently headed by Y. Shaul. The administrativecoordinator is Y. Givoli

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center has for many years been the recipient of financialsupport from various Foundations including the B. de Rothschild Fund for the Advancementof Science in Israel.

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318 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center

Activities

The Annual Katzir-Katchalski Conference

These conferences are held annually, alternately in Israel and abroad. To date 22 conferenceshave been held. The latest were:

1990: 17th, Molecular Control of Development-Growth Differentiation and Malignancy, Ein Gedi, Israel Chairperson: L. Sachs, Israel

1990: 18th, From Receptor to Cell Response-Physiology and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Sud, Italy Chairpersons: D. Corda (Italy) and M. Shinitzky (Israel)

1991: 19th, Plant Bioenergetics and Ion Translocation, Rehovot, Israel Chairperson: Z. Gromet-Elhanan, Israel

1992: 20th, In the Crucible of the Scientific Revolution-A Special Symposium Dedicated to Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Twenty Years After His Death Chairpersons: O. Kedem and J. Jortner, Israel

1993: 21st, Applications of Membranes in Industry, Rehovot, Israel Chairperson: O. Kedem, Israel

1994: 22nd, Plant Molecular Biology-Biotechnology and Environment, Max-Planck-Institute, Koln, Germany Chairpersons: R. Fluhr, I. Chet (Israel), J. Schell (Germany)

1996: 23rd, International Conference on Environmental Impact of Polymeric Material. Chairperson: D. Vofsi

1996: 24th, Bioinformatics-Structure. Chairperson: J. Sussman

1997: 25th annual meeting "From the Dawn of Life to the End of Days" 25th Annual Convention im Memory of Aharon Katzir.

1998: 26th annual meeting "Polymer Based Technology (POC 98) Chairpersons: A. Warshavsky, M. Fridkin

1999: 27th Cellular Implications or Redox Signaling Chairpersons: C. Gitler, A. Danon

The Annual Katzir-Katchalski Lecture on Biological Foundations and Human Behavior

These lectures, endowed by Mr. S. Stulman of New York, have been held in Rehovot since1975. To date 19 lectures have been delivered. The latest were:

1988:13th, Arthur Kornberg (Stanford University, Stanford), Understanding Life as Chemistry; Initiation of DNA Replication at the Origin of the Chromosome

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center 319

1989: 14th, George Klein (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm), I:The Neoplastic Microevolution a; II:The Neoplastic Microevolution b; III: The Role of Viral Transformation and Oncogene Activation by Chromosomal Translocation in the Genesis of B-Cell Derived Tumors

1990: 15th, Jean-Pierre Changeux (Institut Pasteur, Paris), Communications in the Nervous System: From Molecules to Cognitive Functions; Molecular Biology of Synapse Development

1992: 16th , Nicole Le Douarin (Coll?ge de France, Paris),The Development of the Nervous System Analyzed in the Avian Model; Alternative Methods for Inducing Immunological Tolerance

1992: 17th, Daniel E. Koshland (University of California, Berkeley), Transformation of Information Across Membranes in Biological Systems

1993: 18th, Amos Tversky (Stanford University) Rationality of Cognitive Illusion; A New Approach to Subjective Probability

1994: 19th, Joshua Jortner (President, The Isrel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Te Challenge of the Structure-Function Relation in Photosynthesis.

1996: 20th, Aaron Klug, F.R.S. (President Royal Society, London) Protein Designs for the Regulaiton of Gene Expression

1997: 21st, Charles Weissmann (University of Zurich) Prion Protein in Health and Disease

1998: 22nd, Prof. Judah Folkman (Harvard Medical School) New Directions in Angiogenesis Research. Do Vascular Endothelial Cells Control Organ and Tissue Size?

2000: 23rd, Prof. Miroslav Radman (Universite Paris-V, France) Molecular and Population Genetics of Evolution. Fidelity of Biosynthetic Processes: Mechanistic and Medical Aspects.

2003: 24rd, Prof. Daniel Kahneman (Princeton University and The Hebrew Univesity of Jerusalem): Intuition and Rationality.

Katzir-Katchalski Travel Grants

Travel grants are provided to graduate students working within the areas of the Center'sinterests, to facilitate their participation in courses, schools, and workshops abroad. Studentsfrom all Israeli institutions of higher learning are eligible.

The program has been in operation since 1976. Forth-eight such grants were awarded in 2003.

Special Activities

The Center assists with the organization of scientific meetings that fall within its scope. Thelatest were:

1987: 9th International Biophysics Congress Chaiperson: H. Eisenberg, Israel

320 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center

1988: 2nd International Congress of Plant Molecular Biology Chairperson: M. Edelman, Israel

1991: The 13th Edmond de Rothschild School in Molecular Biophysics: Chemotaxis of Cells and Unicellular Organisms Chairperson: M. Eisenbach, Israel

1995: Israeli-Hungarian Conference: Plants and the Environment Chairperson: A. Zamir, Israel

Institute-Wide Centers

323

The Clore Center for Biological Physics

Benjamin Geiger, Director The Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology

The Clore Center was founded to promote and enhance interdisciplinary research in theemerging field of biological physics. Its income is based on a major donation by the CloreFoundation and additional generous gifts by other donors.

In 2003 the Clore Center received a record number of outstanding applications and supported 6projects, carried out jointly by research groups with complementary background and expertise.

The supported projects included the following topics: (1) Novel embryonic and adult stem cellbased bio-informatics strategy for gene discovery; (2) Analysis of the production, secretionand function of MMP secreted by cells migrating in the context of the extracellular matrix; (3)Robust patterning design: quantitative study of morphogen gradients in the Drosophila wingdisc; (4) Combined fluorescence resonance energy transfer and voltage clamp approaches tostudy conformational rearrangements of ion channels at the single molecule level; (5) Systemsanalysis of a protein network in single living cells; (6) Photo-activated cell-free proteinexpression on a chip. The Clore Center also supported the purchase of a HysitronNanoindenter apparatus for studying the mechanical properties of novel materials.

In addition, the Center, together with the Minerva Foundation supported an internationalsymposium on Optical spectroscopy of biomolecular dynamics.

The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research

Samuel A. Safran, Vice PresidentThe Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Professor

The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research promotes forefront research ofhuman diseases at the molecular level. Studies addressing biochemical mechanisms thatunderlie the major threats to human health, such as cardiovascular defects, cancer andinfectious diseases will be supported by the Center. In addition to investment in majorinstrumentation, individual grants are awarded in two categories:

1. Start-up support - during the first three years after joining the Institute, selectedinvestigators receive support for start-up and seed money, allowing for later applicationsto external granting agencies.

2. A significant portion of the Center's resources supports research into the development ofexperimental models of human diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.Grants are generally based on applications to external grant foundations that havereceived ratings of very good or better but received insufficient funding to carry out theproject.

325

J&R Center for Scientific Research

Samuel A. Safran, Vice President The Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Professor

This Center funds a broad spectrum of research activities as well as the purchase of newinstruments. On the order of ten internal grants per year are allocated; in many cases, the grantsare leveraged by other funding provided by the individual scientist, Department or Dean.

327

Center for New Scientists


This Center provides startup funding for new scientists. The allocation is provided inconjunction with startup monies granted by the Department and the Dean. Each year,approximately seven new scientists join the Institute and their startup funds cover the costs oflaboratory supplies and instruments, postdocs, graduate students and other personnel duringtheir first three years at the Institute. During that period, the new scientists are encouraged toapply to external grant agencies for their future research support.

329

Center for Scientific Excellence


This Center supports activities at the Institute in all areas of research, on the basis on grantapplications submitted to external funding agencies. Scientists whose proposals receive verygood ratings but are not funded, can apply for interim support by the Center before reapplyingto the funding agency. The Center typically supports about twenty such applications each yearand refers worthy applications that could not be supported to other research Centers forconsideration.

331

Prospective Center for Systems Biology

Eytan Domany, Director The Henry J. Leir Professor

The Prospective Center for Systems Biology was launched in 2003. The main emphasis of theCenter is to foster high-level research in Systems Biology, a new and exciting area of highlyinterdisciplinary scientific investigation, based on intensive collaboration between biologists,chemists, physicists, engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists. To understand life atthe system level, it is necessary to study biology on all scales, ranging from the molecular , viathe cellular all the way to that of the multicellular organism. The research goals supported bythe Center are:

1. To elucidate the design principles of biological networks.

2. To create new experimental and computational technologies.

3. To apply these techniques to the study of cancer and other diseases.

4. To devise new methods for modeling network-based biological activity.

To help reach these goals, the Center will award research grants, research fellowships,organize and sponsor symposia and meetings, support participation in conferences abroad andmaintain a visitor program aimed at attracting high level researchers to visit the WeizmannInstitute for short as well as long durations.

333



Boaz Avron Academic Secretary and

Head, Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

The Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs includes:

• The Academic Affairs Office

• The Research Grants and Projects Office

• The Visiting Scientists Office

The head of the Directorate is directly subordinated to the President and carries the overallresponsibility for the proper functioning and administration of the Offices included in theDirectorate.

337

Academic Affairs Office

Esther Goldstein, Head

The Academic Affairs Office assists the Academic Secretary in the performance of his duties.

The Office’s principle responsibilities include the administration and follow-up of the:

1. Appointments and Promotions Committees of (i) the Life Sciences Faculties (ii) the Scientific Council (dealing with both non-tenured scientific personnel as well as Staff Scientists) , and (iii) the Council of Professors (dealing with scientific personnel tenured appointments and promotions to the ranks of Associate Professor and Professor).

2. Appointments of Deans, Department heads, Institute heads and Center heads.3. Appointments of external academic consultants.4. Annual Scientific Academic Advisory Committees (SAAC) reviews.5. All regulations pertaining to the academic life at the Institute.6. Scientific Council meetings and meetings of its various Committees.7. President’s Advisory Committee meetings8. Non tenured academic staff (i.e., scientific personnel as well as staff scientists)

appointments and their extensions as relevant.9. Academic Grants allocations.10. Staff Scientists Tenure Committee.11. Extension of Service Committee.12. New Immigrants Funding Support.13. Visiting Professorships Program14. Summer Student’s Program15. Weizmann Lectures Series

The Academic Affairs Office publishes annually:

• Scientific Activities

• Current Research Activities

• Institutes and Centers (support possibilities for Weizmann Institute researchers)

339

340 Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

Formal Collaboration and Exchange Agreements

In 2003 the Weizmann Institute had formal agreements on scientific collaboration andexchange of personnel with the following foreign institutions:

Argentine National Council for Science and Technology (CONICIT) Argentine National Institute for Industrial Technology Center of Innovative Technology (CIT), Virginia El Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnias (CONICYT) de Uruguay The Costa Rica Council for Research (CONICIT) Czech Academy of Sciences Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich El Fondo Colombiano de Investigaciones Cientificas y Proyectos Especiales "Francisco Jose

de Caldas-Colciencias" Fundacion Campomar, Buenos Aires Georgia Tech Research Corporation Gifu International Institute of Biotechnology, Japan Hungarian Academy of Science-Biological Research Center Cooperation Agreement in the field of Biomedical Research between the Institut National de la

Sante et de la Recherche Medicale and the Weizmann Institute of Science The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Joint Center for Theoretical Physics of the Landau Institute, Moscow National Laboratory for High Energy Physics (KEK), Tsukuba, Japan Secretariat of Science and Technology (SECYT), Argentina Slovak Academy of Sciences Technische Universität, Berlin Université René Descartes, Paris University of Cambridge University of Tokyo University of Trieste Yale University, New Haven, CT

Appointments and Promotions

Appointments

To the Rank of Professor

Edriss Titi – Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

To the Rank of Senior Scientist

Hezi Gildor – Environmental Sciences and Energy ResearchGil Levkowitz – Molecular Cell BiologyYitzhak Pilpel – Molecular Genetics

Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs 341

Itay Rousso – Structural BiologyEldad Tzahor – Biological RegulationAnat Yarden – Science TeachingAbraham Zangen – Neurobiology

To the Rank of Associate Staff Scientist

Shira Albeck – Structural BiologyMark Keil – Chemical PhysicsYoav Peleg – Structural Biology

To the Rank of Assistant Staff Scientist

Fausi Abed El Al – Particle PhysicsElena Aibinder – Biological ChemistryShani Bialik – Molecular GeneticsGregory Leitus – Materials and InterfacesYael Pewzner-Jung – Biological ChemistryDorit Ron – Computer Science and Applied MathematicsEyal Rothenberg – Environmental Sciences and Energy ResearchEnrico Segre – Physics ServicesElias Shezen – ImmunologyDuan Wang – Structural Biology

To the Rank of Junior Staff Scientist

Laura Altschuler – Biological ChemistryCatherine Brami – Biological RegulationOrly Dym – Structural BiologyValery Ilyin – Computer Science and Applied MathematicsRuti Kapon – Biological ChemistryHadas Peled-Zehavi – Plant SciencesOrly Perl – ImmunologyRina Zilkha-Falb – Immunology

Promotions

To the Rank of Professor

Nava Dekel – Biological RegulationGregory Falkovich – Physics of Complex SystemsUriel Feige – Computer Science and Applied MathematicsElisha Moses – Physics of Complex SystemsRonny Neumann – Organic ChemistryRan Raz – Computer Science and Applied MathematicsDov Sagi – NeurobiologyDan Yakir – Environmental Sciences and Energy Research


Sergei Yakovenko – MathematicsDaniel Zajfman – Particle Physics

To the Rank of Associate Professor

Ofer Aharony – Particle PhysicsRonen Alon – ImmunologyMicha Berkooz – Particle PhysicsNir Davidson – Physics of Complex SystemsDaniel Kandel – Physics of Complex SystemsElior Peles – Molecular Cell BiologyEitan Reuveny – Biological ChemistryIrit Sagi – Structural BiologyAmir Yacoby – Condensed Matter Physics

To the Rank of Senior Staff Scientist

Moshe Balass – Biological ChemistrySharon Wolf – Chemical Research SupportVera Shinder – Chemical Research Support

To the Rank of Associate Staff Scientist

Tali Scherf – Chemical Research Support

To the Rank of Assistant Staff Scientists

Harry Greenblatt – Structural BiologyOrit Kolet – Immunology

Awards

Allon Fellowships

The Allon Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to outstanding young scientists bythe Council for Higher Education. The current incumbents are:

Einat Aharonov Environmental Science and Energy ResearchOfer Haim Aharony Particle PhysicsRoy Bar-Ziv Materials and InterfacesYuval Eshed Plant SciencesMaria Gorelik MathematicsErnesto Joselevich Materials and InterfacesSteffen Jung ImmunologyDan S. Tawfik Biological ChemistryMilko Van Der Boom Organic Chemistry

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/vanderboom.shtml


Fellowships for Senior Immigrant Scientists

The fellowships for Senior Immigrant Scientists are awarded to Senior new immigrants fromthe former Eastern Block by the Council of Higher Education.

Anatoly Burshtein Chemical Physics

Guastalla Fellowships for the Advancement of Science Teaching and Technology

The Guastalla Fellowships are awarded by the Sacta-Rashi Foundation and the Council ofHigher Education. The current incumbents are:

Gilat Brill Science TeachingOshrit Navon Science TeachingEdit Yerushalmi Science Teaching

Ma’of Fellowships established by the Kahanoff Foundation

Ma’of fellowships are intended for Arab researchers who are residence of Israel who haveexcelled in their profession so that they may obtain a tenured position in an Israeli HigherEducation Institute. The current incumbent is:

Edriss Titi Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Center for Complexity Science Fellowships

The Center for Complexity Sciences was established in 2001. It is aimed at promoting theScience of Complexity which integrates disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Physics,Mathematics and Psychology. In 2003 the fellowship was awarded to Dr. Y. Pilplel, a SeniorScientist in the Department of Molecular Genetics.

Minerva Junior Research Group on Biological Computation

Minerva Junior Research Group are run at Israeli universities and research institutions and areheaded by young junior researchers who have demonstrated that they are capable of qualifyingthemselves for key positions in research. In general, the groups run for five years and aredevoted to innovative and promising areas of mutual interest to research in Germany andIsrael. The current incumbent is:

Uri Alon Molecular Cell Biology

Ministry for Immigrant Absorption Fellowships

The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption maintains several programs to aid in the absorption ofnew immigrants holding a Ph.D. in the Higher Education Institutions of Israel. In 2003 theInstitute was a recipient of 7 Fellowships for initial absorption of new immigrant researchers,2 Gileadi Fellowships and 26 Kamea Fellowships.


Institutional Awards

The Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Memorial Prize is awarded by the Gerhard M.J. Schmidt MemorialFund, established in 1976, for an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in chemistry. The award for 2003was awarded to Dr. Ayele Vilan, Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Instituteof Science, for her thesis on Preparation and Controlling their Electrical Transport Properties,and to Dr. Haim Tsubery, Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science,for his thesis on Synthesis and Structure Function Study of Polymyxin B Nonapeptide: A Basisfor A novel Approach toward Antibacterial Peptides.

The Sir Charles Clore Prize for Outstanding Appointment as Senior Scientist in theExperimental Sciences was established in 1981 by Mrs. Vivien Clore Duffield, Geneva. The2003 prize was awarded to Dr. Hezi Gildor, Department of Environmental Sciences andEnergy Research.

The Morris L. Levinson Prizes were established in 1982 by Mr. Morris L. Levinson, NewYork. The Physics Prize for 2003 was awarded to Prof. Amir Yacoby, Department ofCondensed Matter Physics, for his work achievements in the understanding of one-dimensional transport and the localization in two dimensional systems. The Mathematics Prizein 2003 was awarded to Prof. Michal Irani, Department of Computer Science and AppliedMathematics, for her research on Space-Time Analysis of Visual Information. The BiologyPrize in 2003 was awarded to Dr. Uri Alon, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, for hisachievements in opening new directions in biological research of complex systems.

The Maxine Singer Prize for Outstanding Research Associate was established in 1991 by theScientific Council of the Weizmann Institute. In 2003, the Prize was awarded to Dr. HagaiCohen, Department of Chemical Research Support, for his innovative contribution to the studyof surface analyses, and development of novel techniques related to x-Ray PhotoelectronSpectroscopy and to Dr. Vladimir Sobolev, Department of Plant Sciences, for his work on themodeling of ligand recognition by proteins.

The Scientific Council Prize in Chemical Research. In 2003, the Prize was awarded to Prof.Irit Sagi, Department of Structural Biology, for her research into the Mechanisms of action ofmetalloproteins.

Honors

Awarded to Weizmann Institute Scientific Personnel

Prof. Ruth Arnon – Elected as a Vice President of the Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia (AASA)

Prof. Avraham Ben-Nun – Recipient of the Sobek Prize from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Germany

Prof. David Cahen – Awarded the Israel Vacuum Society Award the EDWARDS Research Excellence Prize

Prof. Ilan Chet – Recipient of the EMET Prize in Agriculture Awarded by the A.M.N. Foundation

Prof. Yuval Gefen – Recipient of a Max Planck Research Award


Prof. Oded Goldreich – Elected as a corresponding Fellow of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Prof. Oded Goldreich – Elected as a 2003-2004 Radcliffe Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University

Prof. Gershon Kurizki – Elected to Fellowship in the American Physical Society (APS) Prof. Uriel Littauer – Appointed as an honorary member of the Israel Society for

Neurosciences Dr. Yuval Oreg – Recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Friedrich Wilhem

Bessel Research Award Prof. Moshe Oren – Recipient of the EMET Prize in Biology Awarded by the A.M.N.

Foundation Prof. Israel Pecht – Recipient of the Landau Prize in the Life Sciences Prof. Itamar Procaccia – Elected to Fellowship in the American Physical Society (APS) Prof. Yair Reisner – Recipient of an Honorary Degree in Medicine from University of Perugia,

Italy Prof. Yair Reisner – Elected as a Fellow of the World Technology Network Prof. Eitan Reuveny – Awarded the Hestrin Prize by the Israeli Society for Biochemistry and

Molecular Biology (ISBMB) Prof. Michel Revel – Recipient of an ISICR (International Society for Interferon and Cytokine

Research) Honorary Membership Prof. Varda Rotter – Recipient of the EMET Prize in Biology Awarded by the A.M.N.

Foundation Prof. Samuel Safran – Awarded the Lectureship Award of the Colloid Division of the Japanese

Chemical Society Prof. Adi Shamir –Recipient of the 2002 A.M. Turing award in Computer Science Prof. Igal Talmi –Recipient of the EMET Prize in Physics Awarded by the A.M.N. FoundationProf. Alexander Tsafriri – Awarded the Honorary Membership of ESHRE (European Society

for Human Reproduction and Embryology) 2003 Ms. Iris Visoly-Fisher (in the group of Prof. David Cahen) – Recipient of the 2003 Graduate

Student Gold Award of the Materials Research Society Prof. Yosef Yarden – Appointed as an academic scientific member of the International Board

of Governors at the Technion, Haifa Prof. Ada Yonath – Elected as a foreign associate of the National Academy of Science, USA Prof. Eli Zeldov – Awarded the Kamerlingh Onnes prize

Doctors of Philosophy Honoris Causa

2003Eli Amir Prof. Mildred S. Dresselhaus Prof. Allen J. Bard Alan FischerProf. Sir Michael V. Berry Prof. Albert J. Libchaber



http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/cfprocac/home.html

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/Reuveny

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/staff/Talmi.htm



2002Dr. Rita R. Colwell Joshua MaorAbraham M. Goldwasser Hubert S. MarklDani Karavan Theodore H. Teplow

2001Robert H. Asher Rabbi Abraham E. FirerLawrence S. Blumberg Arnold J. LevineWilliam M. Davidson Maxime SchwartzSidney D. Drell Alice ShalviMaurizio M. Dwek Evelyn Tenenbaum

2000Yehuda Amichai Raoul de PicciottoErica Drake Mayer Wolf Bernhard ServatiusLea Nikel

1999Shulamit Aloni Helmut KohlAkito Arima Riccardo MutiNella Benoziyo Bert SakmannMaks Birnbach Leon SchidlowStuart Eizenstat Naomi Shemer

1998David D. Baltimore Manfred D. MorossEdith Cresson Alexandra Poljakoff-MayberJean-Marie Lehn Albert Willner

1997Josef Burg Walter KohnShoshana Damari Sara MayerMartin S. Kimmel Robert Neter

1996Ted Arison Orna PoratBerthold Beitz Hans ZacherSir Aaron Klug

1995Gershon Kekst Maxine SingerMelvin Schwartz S. Donald Sussman

1994Y. Leon Benoziyo Rowland SchaeferSamy Cohn Ezer WeizmanEli Hurvitz Alejandro ZaffaroniSimone Mallah


1993George S. Hammond Charles MérieuxJames Heineman Shalom RosenfeldIlse Katz The Hon. David Sieff

1992Norman D. Cohen Alexander RichJack D. Dinitz Harry Zvi TaborMartha Laub The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven

1991Azaria Alon Uzia GalilH. Thomas Beck Lilian HertzbergHurbert Curien Dan MayerJean Dausset Hans A. Weidenmüller

1990Lester Crown Maurice GoldschlegerAdolf Ebner N. Avrion MitchisonHenry Gestetner Sir David C. PhillipsAbraham Ginzburg Yizhar Smilanski

1989Aharon Barak John PolyaniBaruj Benacerraf Heinz F. RiesenhuberRobert W. Kasten

1988Mildred Cohn Israel PollakPierre-Gilles de Gennes Earl R. StadmanChaim Gvati Lord WolfsonFrancois Mitterand

1987Victor Brailovsky Sir James LighthillIlona Feher George P. SchultzMartin D. Kamen Meir ShamgarHelen Kimmelman (Kimmel) Frank H. Westheimer

1986Teddy Kollek Moshe PorathLeo Picard Bernard Pullman

1985Ayala Zacks Abramov Samuel W. LewisVivien Clore Duffield Charles LubinFrancois Gros Benjamin MazarHans Hilger Haunschild Vladimir Prelog


Chaim Herzog Ronald ReaganNiels K. Jerne Steven WeinbergJames F. Kay Richard von Weizsacker

1984Abraham Harman Frank PressLudwig Jesselson John RossDaniel Koshland Heinz StaabYitzhak Navon Lewis Thomas

1983Mordecai Ardon Zubin MehtaRaymond Aron Francis H. RuddleEzra Danin Andrei Dimitrievich SakharovErnest I. Japhet

1982Yehuda Assia Elvin A. KabatHaim Cohen Alfred KastlerRegina Feigl Severo OchoaFrancois Jacob Shmuel Sambursky

1981Angel Faivovich

1980Rudolf M. Bloch Ephraim UrbachJimmy Carter Veit WylerMorris L. Levinson

1979Sir Derek Barton Derrick KleemanMenachem Begin Hermann MayerJosef Cohn Joseph MeyerhoffAryeh Dvoretzky Sol SpiegelmanSir Bernard Katz

1978Hans A. Bethe Rita Levi-MontalciniAage Bohr Abraham LevinAdolpho Bloch Marshall W. Nirenberg

1977Marc Chagall Harold WilsonHenry Kissinger

1976Maurice Boukstein Murray B. Koffler


Paul J. Flory Artur RubinsteinGerhard Herzberg Ada SereniEphraim Katzir Simone Veil

1975Arnold R. Meyer

1973Willy Brandt

1964Meyer W. Weisgal

Honorary Fellows of the Weizmann Institute

1974Harold L. Perlman

1972David Ginsburg David NachmansohnSir Hans A. Krebs Harold WeillAndré M. Lwoff

1971Golda Meir Otto E. PassmanSydney Goldstein

1970William Benton Hubert H. HumphreyLeonard Bernstein Miriam Sacher

1969Christian B. Anfinsen Theodore R. RacoosinWalworth Barbour Abram L. SacharErnst D. Bergmann Philip D. SangSir Charles Clore Gershom ScholemManfred Eigen Zalman ShazarJohn C. Kendrew Axel C. SpringerGerhard Herzberg Robert B. Woodward

1968Lester B. Pearson Harry S. Truman

1967Shmuel Joseph Agnon Leopold RusickaLudwig Erhard Lord (Marcus) Sieff of BrimptonDavid Rittenberg


1966Konrad Adenauer Abraham FeinbergAbba Eban Harry Levine

1965Walter J. Bär Arthur KornbergWolfgang Gentner Richard Meinhertzhagen

1964Richard Kronstein

1963Herbert H. Lehman John F. Kennedy

1962Saul Adler Lord RothschildCarl J. Burckhardt Harry SacherNahum Goldmann Victor WeisskopfJames G. McDonald Vera WeizmannHeinrich G. Ritzel

1961Max F. Perutz Edgar SalinTadeus Reichstein Jerome B. Wiesner

1960Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar Dewey David StoneBernard A. Houssay Hugo A. T. TheorellTheodor von Karman Axel Wenner-Gren

1959Jean L. A. Brachet Jonas SalkLord Marks of Broughton Sir Isaac Wolfson, Bart.Giulio Racah

1958Felix Bloch J. Robert OppenheimerSir Christopher Ingold Harold C. Urey

1957Isidor I. Rabi

1956Louis Lipsky Arthur Stoll

1955Pierre Mendes-France Rebecca D. SieffLord (Israel) Sieff of Brimpton


1954Patrick M. S. Blackett Adlai Stevenson

1953Niels Bohr Linus C. PaulingSir Ernst B. Chain Francis Peyton-RousHerman F. Mark Sir Robert Robinson

1952David Sarnoff

Weizmann Awards in the Sciences and Humanities

2003Friede Springer Wim Kok

1999Helen Asher

1997Abba Eban Lord RothschildDavid Ginsburg

1995Veit Wyler Reimer Lüst

1994Erhard Busek

1992Ezer Weizmann Mostafa Khalil

1991Kirk Douglas

1990Carlos Salinas de Gortari Brian Mulroney

1989Heinz A. Staab

1987Jacques Chirac Hermann MayerGottlieb Hammer

1985Bram Goldsmith Alain PoherCharles Mérieux Margaret ThatcherRobert Parienti


1984Harold Hill

1983Henry Jackson

1979Danny Kaye

1971Theodore R. Racoosin

1970Max Candiotty Anne StoneLee Levine

1969Josef Cohn

1968Walter P. Reuther Robert I. Wishnick

1967Joseph Brainin Miriam SacherBernard A. Houssay

1966David Sarnoff Rebecca D. SieffLord (Israel) Sieff of Brimpton

Summer Science Program for Students

Emma and Oscar Getz Summer Science Program for Israeli Students

The Emma and Oscar Getz Summer Science Program for Israeli Students was established in2001 and is supported by patrons of the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute ofScience. Throughout their lifetimes, Chicago industrialist Oscar Getz and his wife Emma,were well-known for their dedication to the arts at home, in Washington, D.C. and in London.Although Oscar Getz died in 1983 and Emma in 1966, they are linked in perpetuity to researchand education at the Weizmann Institute of Science through a Professorial Chair, a summerscholarship program, as well as through support of other projects endowed in their names bythe Getz Foundation. Approximately 35 undergraduate students are accepted each year to thesummer science program.

Participants designate the research preferences of their choice from a list of current projects.These choices are then matched, by a scientific coordinator, with ongoing research teams at theInstitute. The students work under the supervision of a scientific personnel member and spendbetween 10 weeks to 4 months, during their summer holidays, working on the research projectto which they have been assigned.


Karyn Kupcinet International Science School

The Karyn Kupcinet International Science School was established in 1971 in memory ofKaryn Kupcinet by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Irving Kupcinet of Chicago, Illinois, USA. TheAcademic Secretary's office organizes and runs the program. Approximately 35 undergraduatestudents are accepted each year.

Participants designate the research preferences of their choice from a list of current projects.These choices are then matched, by a scientific coordinator, with ongoing research teams atthe Institute. The students work under the guidance of a scientific personnel member andspend between 10 weeks to 4 months, during their summer holidays, working on the researchproject to which they have been assigned. A few students from the Southern Hemisphereattend during the winter months, coinciding with these students' university holidays. The overseas participants are given opportunities to tour Israel, to participate in various socialactivities and, of course, to interact with the other summer students and graduate students andstaff from the Institute.

Visiting Professors Program

The Visiting Professorships will be made available to suitable candidates from all countries.They are intended for outstanding scientists from institutions of higher learning and researchinstitutions, who have achieved appropriate recognition in their fields of activity and who holdthe rank of Full Professor (or an equivalent rank) in their home institutions.

Visiting Professors who received Belkin, Meyerhoff and Weston Visiting Professorships in2003 were as follows:

BelkinProf. M. Keil, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA

MeyerhoffProf. G. Feldman, Institute for Low Temperature Physics, Khrakov

VaronProf. I. Ben-Itzhak, Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA

WestonProf. T. Dittrich, Universitad Nacional de Columbia, South AmericaProf. H. Hentschell, Emory University, Atlanta, USAProf. E. Husebye, University of Bergen, NorwayProf. D. Kutasov, University of Chicago, II, USAProf. B. G. Teitel’baum, Russian Academic of Science, Kazan, Russia


Weizmann Memorial Lectures

The "Weizmann Annual Lectures" program is the most prestigious lectureship program at theWeizmann Institute of Science and commemorates the name of the founder of the Institute, Dr.Chaim Weizmann.

The Weizmann Lecturers are selected by an internal committee from among the proposals forpotential lecturers which are made by the members of the Institute's Scientific Council, thebody representing all professors at the Institute.

The Lectures are intended to review the state of the art and the newest developments of theparticular field chosen. The series usually consists of two lectures, which are open to theInstitute's faculty and staff and to the community at large. The first talk is usually aimed foranyone interested in science while the second lecture is mainly aimed for scientists at theWeizmann Institute as well as from other Higher Education Institutions in Israel.

List of past Weizmann Memorial Lecturers

2003 Prof. Albert J. Libchaber (Physics)2002 Prof. Susan Solomon (Environmental Sciences)2001 Prof. Michael Rabin (Mathematics)2000 Prof. Andrew Wyllie (Molecular Biology)1999 Prof. Jacob N. Israelachvili (Chemistry)1998 Prof. Steven Chu (Physics)1997 Prof. James A. Yorke (Mathematics)1996 Prof. James E. Rothman (Biology)1995 Prof. Paul B. Sigler (Chemistry) 1994 Prof. D. J. Gross (Particle Physics) 1993 Prof. E. H. Fischer (Biochemistry) 1992 Prof. D. Knuth (Computer Science) 1991 Prof. A. Eschenmoser (Chemistry) 1990 Prof. B. I. Halperin (Physics) 1989 Prof. P. Leder (Molecular Genetics) 1986 Prof. R. N. Zare (Chemistry) 1985 Prof. C. Rubbia (Physics) 1984 Prof. P. D. Boyer (Biochemistry) 1983 Prof. C. Weissman (Biology) 1982 Prof. J. Keller (Mathematics) 1981 Prof. E. M. Shoemaker (Planetary Sciences) 1980 Prof. P. F. De Gennes (Chemistry) 1979 Prof. D. H. Hubel (Neurobiology) 1978 Prof. H. A. Bethe (Physics) 1977 Prof. P. Berg (Biochemistry Genetic Engineering) 1975 Prof. E. Katzir (Fermentation Biochemical Engineering)

Prof. Hans L. Kornberg (Regulation of Microbial Metabolism) 1974 Prof. W. W. Lipscomb (Chemistry Crystallography)


1973 Prof. D. Gabor (Holography) 1972 Prof. D. Koshland (Biochemistry) 1971 Prof. S. L. Washburn (Anthropology) 1967 Prof. G. Wald (Biology) 1966 Prof. M. M. Schiffer (Pure Mathematics) 1965 Prof. A. Kornberg (Biochemistry)1964 Prof. F. Hoyle (Astrophysics) 1963 Prof. R. Woodward (Organic Chemistry) 1962 Prof. W. Rosenblith (Biophysics) 1961 Prof. M. Perutz (Chemistry) 1960 Prof. S. Chandrasekhar (Applied Mathematics) 1959 Prof. J. Brachet (Biology) 1958 Prof. Sir Christopher Ingold (Chemistry) 1957 Prof. I. I. Rabi (Physics) 1955 Prof. E. Chain (Biochemistry) 1954 Prof. P. M. S. Blackett (Physics, Mathematics) 1953 Prof. Sir Robert Robinson (Organic Chemistry)


Weizmann Professorial Chairs, CDCs and Fellowships

Professorial Chairs

The Lee and William Abramowitz Chair of Macromolecular Biophysics Established in 1978 through the bequest of Mr. Abramowitz, Leominster, MA Incumbent Professor Mark Safro, Department of Structural Biology

The Annenberg Chair of High Energy Physics Established in 1967 by Mrs. Enid A. Haupt, New York, in memory of her mother, Mrs. Moses L. Annenberg Incumbent Professor Haim Harari, Department of Particle Physics

The Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Chair Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Applebaum, Troy, Michigan Incumbent Professor Avraham Ben-Nun, Department of Immunology

The Norman and Helen Asher Chair of Cancer Rsearch Established in 1986 by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Asher, Chicago Incumbent Professor Varda Rotter, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Helen and Norman Asher Chair in Brain Research Established in 1993 by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Asher, Chicago Incumbent Professor Amiram Grinvald, Department of Neurobiology

The Carl and Dorothy Bennett Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1982 by the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Foundation, Stamford, CT Incumbent Professor Amnon Horovitz, Department of Structural Biology

The Henry and Bertha Benson Chair Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Montreal Incumbent Professor Karol A. Muszkat, Department of Structural Biology

The Bernstein-Mason Chair of Neurochemistry Established in 1985 by Stuart A. Bernstein and John J. Mason, Washington, DC Incumbent Professor Israel Silman, Department of Neurobiology

The Dr. Barnet Berris Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1981 by the Physicians' Committee, Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Yoram Groner, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Besen-Brender Chair of Microbiology and Parasitology Established in 1981 by Marc Besen, Melbourne, and Joseph Brender, Sydney Incumbent Professor David Mirelman, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Patricia Elman Bildner Chair of Solid State Chemistry Established in 1973 by Albert C. Bildner, New York Incumbent Professor Ilya Averbukh, Department of Chemical Physics

The Paul and Marlene Borman Chair of Applied Mathematics Established in 1984 by Mr. and Mrs. Borman, Detroit, and their friends and associates Incumbent Professor Adi Shamir, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics


The Gilbert de Botton Chair of Plant Sciences Established in 1981 by Mr. de Botton and friends, Zurich and New York Incumbent Professor Jonathan Gressel, Department of Plant Sciences

The Isaac and Elsa Bourla Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1979 by bequest of Mr. and Mrs. Bourla, Paris Incumbent Professor Gideon Berke, Department of Immunology

The Harold S. and Harriet B. Brady Chair of Cancer Rrsearch Established in 1982 by Mrs. Brady and the late Mr. Brady, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yechiel Shai, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Walter and Dr. Trude Borchardt Chair of Structural Biology Established in 2001 by the estate of Dr. Trude Borchardt, New York, NY Incumbent Professor Stephen Weiner, Department of Structural Biology

The Bronfman Chair of Plant Science Established in 1979 by Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Inc., New York Incumbent Professor Gad Galili, Department of Plant Sciences

The Rudy Bruner Chair of Science Teaching Established in 1970 by Mrs. Martha Bruner, New York, and Zelon Ltd., Israel Incumbent Professor Uri Ganiel, Department of Science Teaching

The Professor Sir Ernst B. Chain Chair Established in 1980 by his friends, London Incumbent Professor Talila Volk, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Norman D. Cohen Chair of Computer Sciences Established in 1971 by Mr. Cohen, New York Incumbent Professor David Peleg, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Ruth and Samy Cohn Chair of Computer Sciences Established in 1984 by close Israeli friends of Mr. and Mrs. Cohn, Rio de Janeiro Incumbent Professor Shimon Ullman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Marvin Myer and Jenny Cyker Chair of Diabetes Research Established in 1971 by Mr. Cyker, Boston Incumbent Professor Michael Walker, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Sadie and Joseph Danciger Chair of Molecular Biology Established in 1967 by the Sadie Danciger Trust, Kansas City

The Lady Davis Chair of Experimental Physics Established in 1972 by the Eldee Foundation, Montreal, through Bernard M. Bloomfield and Major Louis M. Bloomfield, Q.C. Incumbent Professor Giora Mikenberg, Department of Particle Physics

The Harry de Jur Chair of Applied Physics Established in 1982 by the Harry de Jur Foundation, New York Incumbent Professor Victor Steinberg, Department of Physics of Complex Systems


The Amos de Shalit Chair of Theoretical Physics Established in 1976 Incumbent Professor Yitzhak Frishman, Department of Particle Physics

The Helen and Sanford Diller Family Chair of Neurobiology Established in 2001 by Helen and Sanford Diller, San Francisco, CA Incumbent Professor Ehud Ahissar, Department of Neurobiology

The Jack and Simon Djanogly Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1980 by Sir Harry Djanogly, CBE, London Incumbent Professor Michael Eisenbach, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Henry H. Drake Chair of Immunology Established in 1998 by Mrs. Erica Drake, New York Incumbent Professor Yair Reisner, Department of Immunology

The Georg F. Duckwitz Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1975 by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany Incumbent Professor Lea Eisenbach, Department of Immunology

The George W. Dunne Chair of Chemical Physics Established in 1971 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Gershon Kurizki, Department of Chemical Physics

The Paul Ehrlich Chair of Immunology Established in 1979 by the European Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Ruth Arnon, Department of Immunology

The Joyce and Ben B. Eisenberg Chair of Molecular Endocrinology and Cancer Research Established in 1984 by the Ben B. Eisenberg Charitable Fund, Los Angeles Incumbent Professor Abraham Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Maxwell Ellis Chair of Biomedical Research Established in 1997 through the bequest of Mr. Ellis, London Incumbent Professor Zvi Livneh, Department of Biological Chemistry

Estrin Family Chair of Computer Science Established in 2000 by Judith Estrin and William Carrico, Profs. Thelma and Gerald Estrin, California Incumbent Professor Amir Pnueli, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Marshall and Renette Ezralow Chair of Chemical and Cellular Immunology Established in 1984 by Mr. and Mrs. Ezralow, Beverly Hills Incumbent Professor Zelig Eshhar, Department of Immunology

Fred and Andrea Fallek Chair of Breast Cancer Research Established in 2000 by Mrs. Andrea Klepetar Fallek, New York Incumbent Professor Hadassa Degani, Department of Biological Regulation

The Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Chair Established in 1992 by the Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Chicago Incumbent Professor Michael W. Kirson, Department of Particle Physics


The Donald Frey Chair Established in 1988 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Anthony Joseph, Department of Mathematics

The Isabelle and Samuel Friedman Chair of Theoretical Physics Established in 1979 by the bequests of Mr. and Mrs. Friedman, San Francisco Incumbent Professor Moshe Kugler, Department of Particle Physics

The Charles and Louise Gartner Chair Established in 1993 by Mrs. Louise Gartner, Dallas Incumbent Professor Uri Pick, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Wolfgang Gentner Chair of Nuclear Physics Established in 1982 by the European Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science in honor of the late Professor Gentner, Heidelberg Incumbent Professor Uzy Smilansky, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Oscar and Emma Getz Chair Established in 1993 by Mrs. Emma Getz, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yosef Shaul, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Chair of Molecular Cell Biology Established in 2001 by the Jacob E. Goldenberg Foundation, Minneapolis, MN Incumbent Professor Yosef Yarden, Department of Biological Regulation

The Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Chair of Applied Mathematics Established in 1982 by Mr. amd Mrs. Goldsmith, Los Angeles Incumbent Professor Achi Brandt, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Marte R. Gomez Chair Established in 1985 by the Mexican Committee of the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Yehiel Zick, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Chair Established in 1966 by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Washington, DC Incumbent Professor Lia Addadi, Department of Structural Biology

The William B. Graham Chair of Pharmacology Established in 1978 by his friends and associates, Chicago

The Harold J. and Marion F. Green Chair Established in 1991 by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Green, Chicago Incumbent Professor David Mukamel, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Marc R. Gutwirth Chair of Molecular Biology Established in 1967 in memory of Professor Gutwirth by his mother, Mrs. Regina Gutwirth, New York, and his wife, Gloria Incumbent Professor Meir Wilchek, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Nicki and J. Ira Harris Chair Established in 1988 by Mr. Harris and his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Stephen Gelbart, Department of Mathematics


The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics Established in 1989 by James Heineman, Heineman Foundation, New York Incumbent Professor Zvi Artstein, Department of Mathematics

The Charles H. Hollenberg Chair of Diabetes and Metabolic Research Established in 1985 by his friends and associates, Toronto Incumbent Professor Yoram Shechter, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Lawrence G. Horowitz Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1985 by Mr. Horowitz and his family, Philadelphia Incumbent Professor Ruth Miskin, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Erica and Ludwig Jesselson Chair of Theoretical Mathematics Established in 1985 be Erica and Ludwig Jesselson, New York Incumbent Professor Yakar Kannai, Department of Mathematics

The Maurice and Ilse Katz Chair of Neuroimmunology Established in 1990 by Mrs. Ilse Katz, Geneva Incumbent Professor Michal Schwartz, Department of Neurobiology

The Louis and Florence Katz-Cohen Chair of Neuropharmacology Established in 1984 Incumbent Professor Vivian I. Teichberg, Department of Neurobiology

The Aryeh and Mintzi Katzman Chair Established in 1992 by The Carylon Foundation, Chicago Incumbent Professor Ron Naaman, Department of Chemical Physics

The Harry Kay Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1985 by the Harry Kay Foundation, Minneapolis Incumbent Professor Eli Canaani, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Gershon Kekst Chair Established in 2002 by The Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Sergei Yakovenko, Department of Mathematics

The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Chair Established in 1987 by Mr. Kimmel, New York Incumbent Professor Ada E. Yonath, Department of Structural Biology

The Peter and Carola Kleeman Chair of Optical Sciences Established in 1980 by Mr. Derrick Kleeman, London Incumbent Professor Asher A. Friesem, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1979 by Mr. Derrick Kleeman, London Incumbent Professor Haim Garty, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Judith Kleeman Chair Established in 1981 by Mr. Derrick Kleeman, LondonIncumbent Professor Moni Naor, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Dr. Morton and Anne Kleiman Chair Established in 1993 by Dr. and Mrs. Morton Kleiman, Chicago Incumbent Professor Israel Pecht, Department of Immunology


The Philip M. Klutznick Chair of Developmental Biology Established in 1967 by friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Nava Dekel, Department of Biological Regulation

The Murray B. Koffler Chair Established in 1993 in honor of Mr. Murray Koffler by The Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Michael Hass, Department of Particle Physics

The Harold L. Korda Chair of Biology Established in 1974 by the Harold L. Korda Foundation, Inc., New York Incumbent Professor Mordechai Liscovitch, Department of Biological Regulation

The Richard Kronstein Chair of Theoretical Magnetism Established in 1977 by the European Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Zurich

The Charles and Charlotte Krown Chair of Medicinal Chemistry Established in 1985 by Mr. Charles Krown, Los Angeles Incumbent Professor Mario D. Bachi, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Samuel Lunenfeld-Reuben Kunin Chair of Genetics Established in 1973 by Mr. Lunenfeld, Lausanne, and Mr. Kunin, Blonay, Switzerland Incumbent Professor Avri Ben-Ze'ev, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Harry Kweller and Kathleen Kweller Chair of Condensed Matter Physics Established in 1984 by the estate of the late Mr. Kweller, London Incumbent Professor Shimon Levit, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Chief Justice Bora Laskin Chair of Science Teaching Established in 1984 in honor of the late Canadian Chief Justice by his friends and associates in Canada Incumbent Professor Bat Sheva Eylon, Department of Science Teaching

The Henry J. Leir Chair Established in 1999 by the estate of Henry J. Leir of New York Incumbent Professor Eytan Domany, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Harry and Leona Levine Chair of Neurosciences Established in 1986 by Mrs. Harry Levine, Cambridge, MA Incumbent Professor Menahem Segal, Department of Neurobiology

The Barbara and Morris L. Levinson Chair of Chemical Physics Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Levinson, New York Incumbent Professor Itamar Procaccia, Department of Chemical Physics

The Hilda and Cecil Lewis Chair of Molecular Genetics Established in 2001 by Cecil Lewis, England and Switzerland Incumbent Professor Ben-Zion Shilo, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Chair of Hormone Research Established in 1982 by Mr. Lubin, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yoram Salomon, Department of Biological Regulation


The Andre Lwoff Chair of Neurogenetics Established in 1984 by his friends through the French Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Rabi Simantov, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Ephraim Katzir-Rao Makineni Chair of Chemistry Established in 2001 by Rao Makineni, Los Angeles, CA Incumbent Professor Mordechai Sheves, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Jules J. Mallon Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1972 by the Malakoff Foundation, Minneapolis Incumbent Professor Chaim Kahana, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Hermann Mark Chair of Polymer Physics Established in 1986 by the American, Austrian, European and German Committees for the Weizmann Institute of Science, in honor of Prof. Mark Incumbent Professor Jacob Klein, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Israel Matz Chair of Organic Chemistry Established in 1966 by the Alice Matz Goodman Endowment Fund, New York Incumbent Professor David Milstein, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Helen and Morris Mauerberger Chair of Immunology Established in 1982 by the Mauerberger Foundation Fund, Capetown Incumbent Professor Irun R. Cohen, Department of Immunology

The Hermann Mayer Chair Established in 1980 by Mr. Mayer, Paris Incumbent Professor Jacques S. Beckmann, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Stephen and Mary Meadow Chair of Laser Photochemistry Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Meadow, Los Angeles Incumbent Professor Yitzhak Maron, Department of Particle Physics

The Otto Meyerhof Chair of Molecular Biology Established in 1968 by the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany, in memory of the founder of molecular biology Incumbent Professor Leo Sachs, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Joseph Meyerhoff Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1971 by Mr. Meyerhoff, Baltimore Incumbent Professor Anthony H. Futerman, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Jacques Mimran Chair Established in 1980 by Jean-Claude Mimran, Paris Incumbent Professor Moshe Shapiro, Department of Chemical Physics

The Jane and Otto Morningstar Chair of Physics Established in 2000 by Mrs. Jane Morningstar, Boca Raton Incumbent Professor Israel Bar-Joseph, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Dr. Hymie Moross Chair Established in 1981 by Manfred D. Moross, London, in memory of his father Incumbent Professor Tamar Flash, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics


The Joseph Moss Chair of Molecular Endocrinology Established in 1981 in memory of his parents, Jacob and Molly Moskowitz, Chicago Incumbent Professor Alexander D. Bershadsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The David and Inez Myers Chair Established in 2000 by Mrs. Inez P. Myers, Cleveland Incumbent Professor Eli Zeldov, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Professor Erwin Neter Chair of Cell and Tumor Biology Established in 1986 by Robert and Idi Neter Incumbent Professor Benjamin Geiger, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Livio Norzi Chair Established in 2000 by the late Livio Norzi of Italy Incumbent Professor Daniel Hanoch Wagner, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Olin-Sang Chair of Leukemia Research Established in 1969 in memory of Ida K. and Louis B. Olin and Etta and Jacob Sang by their families and friends, Chicago Incumbent Professor Meir Shinitzky, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Gerald and Hedy Oliven Chair in Brain ResearchEstablished in 2003 by the estate of Gerald Oliven, Los Angeles, CAIncumbent Professor Michail Tsodyks, Department of Neurobiology

The Joseph and Ruth Owades Chair of Chemistry Established in 1999 by Joseph Owades of Sonoma, California Incumbent Professor Jacob Anglister, Department of Structural Biology

The Lester B. Pearson Chair of Protein Research Established in 1968 by the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Mati Fridkin, Department of Organic Chemistry

The William Petschek Chair of Mathematics Established in 1985 by his family, Scarsdale, NY Incumbent Professor Gideon Schechtman, Department of Mathematics

The Morton and Gladys Pickman Chair in Structural Biology Established in 2002 Morton and Gladys Pickman of Boca Raton, FL Incumbent Professor Joel L Sussman, Department of Structural Biology

The Max Planck Chair of Quantum Physics Established in 1988 by the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Yoseph Imry, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Israel Pollak Chair of Biophysics Established in 1981 by the Edit and Israel Pollak Foundation, Israel Incumbent Professor Zvi Kam, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Hilda Pomeraniec Memorial Chair of Organic Chemistry Established in 1961 by Dr. J. Pomeraniec, Vence, France, in memory of his wife Incumbent Professor Joseph Sperling, Department of Organic Chemistry


The Moshe Porath Chair of Mathematics Established in 1990 by The Weizmann Institute of Science in honour of Moshe Porath, Tel-Aviv Incumbent Professor Yosef Yomdin, Department of Mathematics

The Isidor I. Rabi Chair of Physics Established in 1988 by an anonymous donor Incumbent Professor Mordehai Milgrom, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Theodore R. Racoosin Chair of Biophysics Established in 1962 by Mr. Racoosin, New York Incumbent Professor Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Ruth Epstein Recu Chair of Theoretical Physics Established in 1981 through the estate of Mrs. Epstein Recu, Chicago Incumbent Professor Adam Schwimmer, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Professor T. Reichstein Chair Established in 1989 by the Swiss Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Abraham Minsky, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Robert W. Reneker Chair of Industrial Chemistry Established in 1976 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Shimon Reich, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Walter P. Reuther Chair of Research in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy Established in 1968 by the United Automobile Workers of America Incumbent Professor Amos Breskin, Department of Particle Physics

The Sophie and Richard S. Richards Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1997 through the bequest of Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Richards, New York and Paris Incumbent Professor Irith Ginzburg, Department of Neurobiology

The Heinrich G. Ritzel Chair of Immunology Established in 1976 by the European Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Zurich Incumbent Professor Edna Mozes, Department of Immunology

The Joseph and Marian Robbins Chair Established in 1980 by Mr. Robbins, the Robbins family and friends, Chicago Incumbent Professor Shimon Vega, Department of Chemical Physics

The Matthew B. Rosenhaus Chair of Biophysics Established in 1984 by the Sarah and Matthew Rosenhaus Peace Foundation, Inc., Morristown, NJ Incumbent Professor Vladimir Berkovich, Department of Mathematics

The Helena Rubinstein Chair in Cancer Research Established in 1994 by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, New York Incumbent Professor Adi Kimchi, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Helena Rubinstein Chair of Structural Biology Established in 1985 by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, New York Incumbent Professor Zippora Shakked, Department of Structural Biology


The Barry Rymer Family Chair Established in 1987 by the Barry Rymer Charitable Trust, Chicago Incumbent Professor Eli Tziperman, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Chair in Energy Research Established in 2002 Mr. Rowland Schaefer of Pembroke Pines, Florida Incumbent Professor David Cahen, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Herman and Lily Schilling Foundation Chair Established in 1993 by the Herman and Lily Schilling Foundation for Medicine, Germany Incumbent Professor Alexander Tsafriri, Department of Biological Regulation

The Irene and David Schwartz Chair of Plant Genetics Established in 1973 by Mr. Schwartz, New York

The Samuel Sebba Chair of Pure and Applied Physics Established in 1972 br Mr. Sebba, London Incumbent Professor Itzhak Tserruya, Department of Particle Physics

The Sara and Michael Sela Chair of Neurobiology Established in 1982 by their friends in Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, The United Kingdom and the United States Incumbent Professor Yadin Dudai, Department of Neurobiology

The Sherman Chair of Physical Chemistry Established in 1966 by the trustees of the Sherman Charitable Foundation in memory of Harry and Abe Sherman of South Wales Incumbent Professor Yehiam Prior, Department of Chemical Physics

The Ruth and Sylvia Shogam Chair Established in 1998 in memory of Benjamin, Sarah and Dr. Isador Shogam Incumbent Professor Victor Katsnelson, Department of Mathematics

The Rebecca and Israel Sieff Chair of Organic Chemistry Established in 1960 in honor of the founders of the Daniel Sieff Institute Incumbent Professor Ronny Neumann, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel and Freda and Edward M. Siegel Chair of Virology Established in 1979 by the Titan Industrial Corp., New York Incumbent Professor Michel Revel, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Ralph D. and Lois R. Silver Chair of Human Genomics Established in 1998 by Ralph and Lois Silver, Chicago, Illinois Incumbent Professor Doron Lancet, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Ruth and Leonard Simon Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon, Chicago Incumbent Professor Zvi Vogel, Department of Neurobiology

The Robert and Yadelle Sklare Chair in Biochemistry Established in 2002 Robert and Yadelle Sklare of Chicago, IL Incumbent Professor Avigdor Scherz, Department of Plant Sciences


The William D. Smithburg Chair of Biochemistry Established in 1986 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Steven J.D Karlish, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Elias Sourasky Chair Established in 1992 by Dr. Jaime P. Constantiner, Mexico Incumbent Professor Uri Nudel, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Agnes Spencer Chair of Physical Chemistry Established in 1965 by the Agnes Spencer Trust, London Incumbent Professor Israel Dostrovsky, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

The Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Chair Established in 1992 by Mr. Manfred Steinfeld, Chicago Incumbent Professor Samuel Safran, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Adlai E. Stevenson III Chair of Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology Established in 1972 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yitzhak Koch, Department of Neurobiology

The William Sussman Chair of Mathematics Established in 1992 by S. Donald Sussman, New York Incumbent Professor David Harel, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Alex and Ida Sussman Chair of Submicron Electronics Established in 2000 by S. Donald Sussman, New York Incumbent Professor Mordehai Heiblum, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Max and Anne Tanenbaum Chair of Nuclear Physics Established in 1976 by Mr. and Mrs. Tanenbaum, Toronto Incumbent Professor Uri Karshon, Department of Particle Physics

The Herman P. Taubman Chair of Mathematics Established in 1961 in memory of the late Mr. Taubman, Tulsa, by his family Incumbent Professor Amitai Regev, Department of Mathematics

The Margaret Thatcher Chair of Chemistry Established in 1985 by the Weizmann Institute Foundation of the United Kingdom Incumbent Professor Meir Lahav, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Siegfried and Irma Ullmann Chair Established in 1991 by Mrs. Irma Ullmann, New York Incumbent Professor Abraham Shanzer, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Sir Siegmund Warburg Chair of Agricultural Molecular Biology Established in 1983 by a special fund of the Stifterverband fuer die Deutsche Wissenschaft Incumbent Professor Marvin Edelman, Department of Plant Sciences

The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser PhysicsEstablished in 2003 by the Dorset Foundation, UKIncumbent Professor Yaron Silberberg, Department of Physics of Complex Systems


The Joe and Celia Weinstein Chair Established in 1993 by Major and Mrs. Max Shulman, New York Incumbent Professor Dov Zipori, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

Simon Weinstock Chair of Astrophysics Established in 2000 by Lord Weinstock, London Incumbent Professor Daniel Zajfman, Department of Particle Physics

The Meyer W. Weisgal Chair Established in 1979 by Arthur B. Krim, William S. Paley, Raphael Recanati, George Sagan, and Robert I. Wishnick, New York Incumbent Professor Oded Goldreich, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

The Renee and Jay Weiss Chair Established in 1987 by Mr. Weiss, Miami Incumbent Professor Harry Dym, Department of Mathematics

The Edna and Mickey Weiss Chair of Cytokines Research Established in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Los Angeles Incumbent Professor Menachem Rubinstein, Department of Molecular Genetics

The W. Garfield Weston Chair of Immunology Established in 1966 by the Garfield Weston Foundation Israeli Trust, London Incumbent Professor Michael Sela, Department of Immunology

The Bee Wiggs Chair of Molecular Biology Established in 1983 by Mr. Irving Wiggs, San Marino, CA Incumbent Professor Ephraim Yavin, Department of Neurobiology

The Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Chair of Bio-Organic Chemistry and Malignant Diseases Research Established in 1985 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yigal Burstein, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Charles and David Wolfson Chair of Theoretical Physics Established in 1965 by the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, London Incumbent Professor Alexander Finkelstein, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Sam and Ayala Zacks Chair Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Zacks, Toronto Incumbent Professor Eliyahu Pollak, Department of Chemical Physics

The George Zlotowski Chair Established in 2001 by Gertrude Zlotowski Incumbent Professor Dov Sagi, Department of Neurobiology

The Sam Zuckerberg Chair Established in 2002 by Roy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation, New York Incumbent Professor Brian Berkowitz, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research


Career Development Chairs

The Armour Family Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1989 by Mr. Robert N. Armour, Greenwich, Connecticut Incumbent Dr. Atan Gross, Department of Biological Regulation

The Graham and Rhona Beck Career Development Chair Established in 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Beck, South Africa

The Beracha Foundation Career Development Chair Established in 1978 by the Beracha Foundation, Geneva Incumbent Dr. Roy Bar Ziv, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Elaine Blond Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by Mrs. Blond, London Incumbent Dr. Dan Tawfik, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Adolfo and Evelyn Blum Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1979 by bequest of Mr. Blum, New York Incumbent Dr. Ari Elson, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Anna and Maurice Boukstein Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by family and friends of the late Mr. Boukstein, New York Incumbent Dr. Einat Aharonov, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

The Delta Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by Delta Textiles, Tel-Aviv Incumbent Dr. Leeor Kronik, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Arye Dissentshik Career Development Chair Established in 1978 by the Association of Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel

The Dr. Victor L. Erlich Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by bequest of Dr. Erlich, New York Incumbent Dr. Ernesto Joselevich, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Abraham and Jennie Fialkow Career Development Chair Established in 1990 by Lawrence Fialkov, New York Incumbent Dr. Ziv Reich, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Judith and Martin Freedman Career Development Chair Established in 1988 by Mrs. Judy and Gary Freedman, Beverly Hills, California Incumbent Dr. Yuval Eshed, Department of Plant Sciences

The Jack and Florence Goodman Career Development ChairEstablished in 1989 by Jack Goodman, Winnetka, Illinois

The Walter and Elise Haas Career Development Chair Established in 1984 by the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, San Francisco

The Henry Kaplan Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1987 by Mrs. Henry S. Kaplan, Stanford, California


The Frances and Max Hersh Career Development Chair Established in 2002 by bequest of Frances and Max Hersh of, Florida Incumbent Dr. Maria Gorelik, Department of Mathematics

The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Career Development Chair Established in 1984 by Mr. and Mrs. Kimmelman, New York Incumbent Dr. Igor Lubomirsky, Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Carl and Frances Korn Career Development Chair in the Life Sciences Established in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Korn, Chicago Incumbent Dr. Uri Alon, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Daniel E. Koshland Sr. Career Development Chair Established in 1996 by Professor Daniel E. Koshland Jr. of, Berkeley, California Incumbent Dr. Michael Fainzilber, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Corinne S. Koshland Career Development Chair Established in 1978 by Dr. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. and Mr. Daniel E. Koshland, Sr., Berkeley, California Incumbent Dr. Dan Shahar, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Jacob and Alphonse Laniado Career Development Chair of Industrial and Energy Research Established in 1983 by the estate of Jacob Laniado, Montreal

The Alvin and Gertrude Levine Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1994 by Alvin and Gertrude Levine, Los Angeles, California Incumbent Dr. Idit Shachar, Department of Immunology

The Dewey David Stone and Harry Levine Career Development Chair Established in 1984 by the Stone Charitable Foundation, Inc., Shoreham, Massachusetts, Max Coffman, Brockton, Massachusetts and Friends of M Incumbent Dr. Milko Van Der Boom, Department of Organic Chemistry

The Lilian and George Lyttle Career Development Chair Established in 1985 by Mrs. Helen Kimmelman, New York Incumbent Dr. Deborah Fass, Department of Structural Biology

The Robert Edward and Roselyn Rich Manson Career Development Chair Established in 1982 in their memory, by Norman and Sandra Rich, West Liberty, IA, and Martin and Barbara Rich, Davenport, Iowa Incumbent Professor Irit Sagi, Department of Structural Biology

The Gertrude and Philip Nollman Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Debra Gallagher, Irvine, California Incumbent Professor Amir Yacoby, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The William Z. and Eda Bess Novick Career Development Chair Established in 1993 by the American Committee in honor of Eda Bess and William Z. Novick, Chicago Incumbent Professor Yinon Rudich, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research


The Recanati Career Development Chair of Energy Research Established in 1978 by the Recanati Family, Israel Incumbent Professor Micha Berkooz, Department of Particle Physics

The Recanati Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1978 by the Recanati Family, Israel Incumbent Dr. Doron Ginsberg, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Pauline Recanati Career Development Chair of Immunology Established in 1980 by the Ralli Foundation, Geneva Incumbent Dr. Steffen Jung, Department of Immunology

The Joseph and Celia Reskin Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Charles Reskin, Chicago Incumbent Professor Ofer Aharony, Department of Particle Physics

The Louis and Ida Rich Career Development Chair Established in 1982 by Norman Rich, Martin Rich and Roselyn Rich Manson, West Liberty and Davenport, Iowa Incumbent Dr. Yuval Oreg, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

The Philip Harris and Gerald Ronson Career Development Chair Established in 1986 by Mr. Harris and Mr. Ronson, London Incumbent Dr. Shmuel Pietrokovski, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Aser Rothstein Career Development Chair of Genetic Diseases Established in 1987 by the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Toronto and the Dysautonomia Fund of CanadaIncumbent Dr. Yitzhak Pilpel, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Helena Rubinstein Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, New York Incumbent Dr. Sima Lev, Department of Neurobiology

The Madeleine Haas Russell Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Mrs. Madeleine Haas Russell, San Francisco Incumbent Professor Elior Peles, Department of Molecular Cell Biology

The Martha S. Sagon Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Martha Sagon, Washington DC Incumbent Dr. Rivka Dikstein, Department of Biological Chemistry

The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Rowland Schaefer, Miami, Florida Incumbent Professor Nir Davidson, Department of Physics of Complex Systems

The Soretta and Henry Shapiro Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Mr. Henry Shapiro, Chicago Incumbent Dr. Naama Barkai, Department of Molecular Genetics

The Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research Established in 1986 by the Tauro Stiftung, Switzerland Incumbent Professor Ronen Alon, Department of Immunology


The Benjamin H. Swig and Jack D. Weiler Career Development Chair Established in 1988 by Mr. Melvin M. Swig, San Francisco, and Mr. Jack D. Weiler, New-York Incumbent Dr. Gilad Haran, Department of Chemical Physics

The Morris and Ida Wolf Career Development Chair Established in 1984 in memory of their parents by Mr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Fishman, Mr. and Mrs. Howard M. Wolf and Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Mills, Highland Park and Northbrook, Illinois

Staff Fellowships

The Ludo Altenhaus Memorial Fellowship Established in 1976 by bequest of Dr. George Altenhaus, Worcester, Massachusetts

The Joseph C. and Esther Foster Research Fellowship Established by the Joseph C. and Esther Foster Foundation, Inc., Boston

The Peter R. Friedman Research Fellowship for Physicians Eestablished in memory of Dr. Leon A. Friedman, New York

The Meir and Jeanette Friedman Research Fellowship Established by bequest of Mr. Friedman, Forest City, Iowa

The Samuel A. Goldsmith Research Fellowship Established in 1968 by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science

The Hettie Heineman Research Fellowships Established in 1975 by the Heineman Foundation, New York

The Fanny and Samuel Kay Research Fellowship Established in 1972 by James F. Kay and Irving, Jack and Wilfred Posluns, Toronto

The Abraham and Sarah Krumbein Fellowship Established in 1971 by Mr. Krumbein, New York

The Ann Landers Research Fellowship Established in 1981 by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science

The Michael and Audrey Sacher Research Fellowship Established in 1961 by Mr and Mrs. Sacher, London

The Dr. Leopold J. Schwarz and Margarete Schwarz Memorial Cancer Research Fellowship Established in 1961 by bequest of Dr. Schwarz, San Francisco

The C.P. Scott Research Fellowship Established in 1959 by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sacher, London, in memory of C.P. Scott, editor of the Manchester Guardian

The Herbert Sidebotham Research Fellowship Established by the late Harry Sacher, London, in memory of Herbert Sidebotham

Visiting Fellowships

The Joseph Brainin Fellowship Established in 1967 by the Meier Segals Foundation, Montreal

The Morris Belkin Visiting Professorship Established in 1995 by Mrs. Helen Belkin, Canada


The Charpak/Vered Visiting Fellowship Established in 1996 in honor of Dr. Georges Charpak by Sara and Zeev Vered and their friends, Ottawa, for the exchange of Israeli and Canadian Scientists

The Federal Republic of Germany Through the Minerva Gesellschaft für die Forschung m.b.H., awards annually a number of fellowships for the exchange of Israeli and German scientists

The Heineman Exchange Fellowship Established in 1972 by the Minna James Heineman Stiftung, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany, in memory of Dr. Konrad Adenauer

The Institute of Biochemical Research-Fundacion Campomar (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Exchange Fellowships Established in 1985

The Joseph Meyerhoff Visiting Professorship Established in 1979 by the Joseph Meyerhoff Fund, Baltimore

The Erna and Jakob Michael Visiting Professorship at the Weizmann Institute of Science Established by Mr. and Mrs. Michael, New York

The Michael Sela Exchange Program in Immunology Established by the Mount Sinai Hospital in association with the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Toronto

The Dr. Gordon M. Shrum Fund Exchange Fellowship Established in 1981 by the Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science

The Sieff Research Fellowships Program for Physicians Established in 1986 in honor of Lord Sieff of Brimpton by the American Committee of the Weizmann Institute of Science

The Rosie and Max Varon Visiting ProfessorshipsEstablished in 1986 by an anonymous U.S. donor and the estate of Dorothy Greif-Valsecchi, Paris

The Garfield Weston Visiting Scholar Program Established in 1999 by Mr. Garry H. Weston , London

The Weizmann Institute-Evanston Hospital Exchange Fellowships Established in 1980 by Harold L. Perlman, Chicago, and the Ambrose and Gladys Bowyer Foundation, Chicago

The Weizmann Institute-Imperial College of Science and Technology Exchange Fellowship Established in 1981 by Marks and Spencer, London

The Weizmann Institute-Johns Hopkins University Exchange Fellowships Established in 1982

The Sir Siegmund Warburg Visiting Professorship Established by the Sir Siegmund Warburg-Weizmann Trust, London

The Weizmann Institute-University of Wisconsin Exchange Fellowships Established in 1979 by Harold L. Perlman, Chicago. Various Committees for the Weizmann Institute abroad also provide fellowships from time to time.

373

Research Grants and Projects Office

Susan Sapir, Head

The Principle aims of the Research Grants and Projects Office (RGP) are:

• Collecting and distributing information on sources of funds, both in Israel and abroad.

• Providing guidance, advice, and administrative services to academic staff members in allthat concerns the submission of requests for research grants to (external and internal)funding sources.

• Negotiating and authorizing the contractual relationship with funding sources.

• Monitoring the follow-up and assuring adherence to the timetables of the differentsponsored research projects.

During the Academic Year 02/03 Institute researchers were active in 1,119 research projects,totaling a gross external research income in access of $42 million.

Sources of approved funding for research grants were geographically distributed between:Israel (approx $20 million), Europe (over $14 million), the USA (over $5 million) and Bi-national and International sources (over $2 million).

The top sources providing external research grant support for research were the Israel ScienceFoundation, the European Union Framework Programme, research programs originating withthe German government as well as research support programs of the Israel Ministry forScience and Technology.

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Visiting Scientists Office

Liza Leibowitz, Head

This office deals with the non-scientific aspects of a scientist's visit to the Institute, especiallywhen the visits last for a prolonged period. Prior to arrival, an informative guide is sent to thefuture visitor; accommodations, when available, are reserved. Electronic mail is beingmaintained all along. Upon arrival, visitors are briefed and advised on matters such as visa,schooling, purchasing or importing of a vehicle, customs, health insurance, publictransportation and more. Help is extended to enable visitors to concentrate on research asmuch as possible, unhindered by administrative matters. While on campus, visitors are keptinformed about social and cultural events at the Institute, Jewish Holidays, changes inregulations and so forth. The office founded the International Friendship Club for Spouses ofVisiting Scientists, which is quite active and meets every two weeks.

In 2003, the Institute hosted 329 visiting scientists who came from 25 different countries.

Division of Information Systems

Yigal Burstein, Head (until June 2003)The Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Professor of Bio-Organic Chemistry

and Malignant Diseases Research

Senior Advisor to the President on Information Systems

The Division of Information Systems provides networking, communications, dataprocessing, library and internet services to Institute scientists, students and administrators. Itoversees the smooth implementation of an integrated computing environment, as well asmaintaining the infrastructure upon which these information technology services are delivered.The role of fast communication (data, voice and picture) facilities is constantly expanding,with ever-increasing demand for easy multi-platform access to facilitate the retrieval and freeflow of continually updated information.

The Division consists of five related departments, all of which have realized majorachievements during the past year:

The Computing Center (WICC) has upgraded the entire security system for the Institutenetwork, upgrading and improving the Firewall and Intrusion detection systems with the latesttechnologies available. A newly-installed, state of the art anti-virus, anti-spam system nowmonitors and filters all incoming mail. WICC has made fully-clustered Novell Netware-basedfile servers, and highly reliable Unix file servers available to the thousands of personalcomputers (PC’s and Mac’s) at the Institute. The expansion of the campus networkinfrastructure to enable additional network-intensive applications continues, while the currentequipment is continually being upgraded for maximum performance and reliability. TheInstitute proxy servers have been upgraded and are now working in a load balancing mode. Inaddition to the above projects, WICC is constantly evaluating state-of-the-art techniques andinnovations, always seeking to improve the information technology system services for theInstitute community. The Libraries successfully converted to the ALEPH 500 system, which has been disignatedas the core of the next generation digital library. The Weizmann Institute library was the firstlibrary in Israel to convert to this system, leading the way for all other university and collegelibraries. In July 2003, the renovations of the Wix Central Library were completed.

The Department of Data Processing has completed the integration of many small pre-existing applications in the Academic Affairs Office into one larger Oracle data base

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378 Division of Information Systems

application. This new, comprehensive system monitors all administrative aspects of thescientific community. Increasing integration of campus-wide online applications are movingthe department toward its goal of a completely web-enabled environment. The InternalServices module was expanded and currently includes 86 different campus services.

The Internet Services Unit has completed the Integrated Calendar, a campus-wide featurelong requested by Weizmann users of all capacities. All the events that happen at Weizmann--academic, cultural, international--are now entered via one system and are displayed together inone place.

The Telecommunications Services Unit has completed a comprehensive mapping of all thetelephone cables on campus, radiating from the central switchboard to every single structurewith a telephone. This information is an invaluable tool in maintaining the smooth running ofthe Institute’s extensive telephone and communications system.

The Computing Center (WICC)Aviva Greenman, Head

The Weizmann Institute Computing Center strives to provide the most advanced and efficientcommunications and computing environment for the Institute’s faculty, students and staff. TheWeizmann Institute is a member of the Inter University Computing Center, (IUCC) popularlyknow by its Hebrew Acronym MACHBA (http://www.machba.ac.il). The eight memberuniversities share technology and services, to the benefit of all. From the smallest personalcomputer to powerful multi-processor servers, the WICC supports and facilitates the campuscomputing and communications infrastructure, together with providing the network-intensiveapplications necessary for the pursuit and advancement of science at the Weizmann Institute.

Fully backed-up Novell Netware-based, Unix and Macintosh file and print systems are nowavailable for the thousands of personal computers at the Institute. Support is provided forapproximately 3500 personal computers on campus, divided between PC's and Macintoshes.Currently, about 50 new personal computers are installed each month. The WICC continues tomake an IBM mainframe available for administrative data processing.

The expansion of the campus network infrastructure to enable additional network-intensiveapplications continues, while the current equipment is continually being upgraded formaximum performance and reliability. The campus communication network is currently basedon a full-mesh redundant and resilient 622Mb ATM backbone, together with emerging gigabitEthernet backbone with edge devices operating in 100 Mb-switched environment, with thecapability now available to supply gigabit Ethernet to the desktop. There are nowapproximately 5500 active connections to the campus network.

The Unix file server system has grown: in addition to a high performance, high availabilityEMC file server, a new HP EVA storage system has been added to keep up with an ever-increasing amount of stored data. The new storage capacity currently holds about 9TB of data,shared between Unix and Netware systems. In addition, the tape backup system has beenreplaced by a fiber channel library capable of holding thousands of tapes.

Division of Information Systems 379

During the last year we initiated several major projects and integrated new technologies intoour system:

• The Unix Group has overseen the implementation, integration and administration ofHPC clusters in various scientific departments. The group also supports connection ofUnix/Linux environments to scientific equipment, as well as administering andmanaging Unicenter to control critical servers. Other projects include theimplementation and integration of Tivoli Storage Management for unified backup ofcomputers with various operating systems; installation of LDAP for authentication andautomatic registration in cooperation with the PC group; implementation of ADUVA toadminister Linux servers and workstations and distribute software automatically.

• The central Unix mail server was again upgraded so as to be even more robust under theever-increasing volume of electronic mail.

• Dial-in services have been expanded, using the latest technologies (e.g. SDSL, ADSLand Cable connections), which allow users with computers at home to connect to theInstitute network and take advantage of all the network services, such as Internet and fileserver access. Technologies such as VPN, voice-over IP, and centralized management ofall computing and communication resources have been installed.

• The entire security system for the Institute network has been upgraded, with a largeeffort in the areas of proactive monitoring and testing. We have continued to upgradeand improve our Firewall and Intrusion detection systems, with the latest technologiesavailable. We have also installed a state of the art anti-virus, anti-spam system to monitorand filter all incoming mail.

• We have started to support the new Macintosh OSX operating system. All new machinescome with our supported software installed.

• The Institute proxy servers have been upgraded and are now working in a load balancingmode. This was done in response to the termination of the MACHBA proxy service.

• All the major NetWare and GroupWise servers have been connected via fiber-channel ina Storage Area Network (SAN) to a central storage array. The previous HP EMA12000Storage Array was replaced with the much faster HP EVA 5000. This extended capacityalso serves the Unix servers.

• All our NetWare servers have been upgraded to NetWare 6, and a number of the SAN-attached servers have been "clustered" - including all central file and print servers. In acluster, even if an individual server fails or is taken off-line, the users will continue tohave access to their resources - usually without even noticing that the resource hasmigrated to another server.

• A new service called iFolder was implemented, which allows users to synchronize afolder on the local disk of their computer with a backup copy on a central server. Thishas the advantage of providing local access to files while providing the security of abacked-up system. In addition, users can log into their iFolder from another computer


and thus create a synchronized copy of the same folder in that computer. In this case,changes on either computer’s copy of the folder will be reflected on the other computer.

• A new printing service, based on the Internet standard IPP protocol, was implemented.With this service, users can easily define Institute printers to their PCs by clicking on theappropriate icon on a web page.

• An additional GroupWise post office was added and the GroupWise system wasupgraded to GroupWise 6.5.

We continue to update the CD ROMs (containing our supported software) that we prepare anddistribute to our authorized PC dealers. The dealers use these CD ROMs to install ourcomputing environment on PCs they sell to the Institute. These PCs are then delivered directlyto the end user, ready to hook up to our network. Our supported software can also be installedfrom a menu on PCs which are already connected to our campus network. This is enabled by aproduct called Zen for Desktops.

The PC Group provides support to approximately 2000 PCs on campus. Using another aspectof Zen for Desktops, our helpdesk staff can, with the user's permission, log on to the user’scomputer from the Computing Center, thereby eliminating the need to visit the user's lab oroffice. The PC Group continues to provide regular mini-courses in Windows, MicrosoftOffice, and GroupWise.

In addition to the above projects, the WICC is constantly evaluating state-of-the-art techniquesand innovations, always seeking to improve the computing services and technical support forthe Institute community.

The Home Page of the Computing Center is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/CC/.

The LibrariesIlana Pollack, Chief Librarian

The Libraries are responsible for acquiring, collecting, processing, distributing and storing allprinted material (books, journals, patents, articles, etc.) needed by the Institute faculty andstaff, as well as for purchasing, licensing, implementing, maintaining and ensuring onlineaccess to digital sources such as electronic journals, databases, etc. The Library staff providesusers with optimal techniques for finding and using library material as well as for searching thelibrary’s computerized resources and catalogs. The Information Unit carries out intermediatedscientific literature searches upon request, and supports the Institute's scientific staff andstudents with sophisticated use of electronic resources.

The Libraries comprise over 250,000 books and bound volumes of periodicals, some 1137current periodical subscriptions in printed form, several electronic and aggregated databases,and a constantly growing collection of several thousand electronic journals. A considerableportion of the electronic journals and databases collection is a result of the MALMAD*consortium agreements.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/CC/


The Institute's Archives, housed in the Wix Library building, document the history of theWeizmann Institute and its scientific, educational, and cultural contributions to the world ofscientific endeavor, from its beginnings to the present day.

Innovations during the past year include the following achievements:

• The Library successfully converted to the fully integrated library system ALEPH 500, inMarch 2003. This system has been designated as the core of the next generation digitallibrary. The Weizmann Institute Library was the first to convert to Aleph 500 in Israel,leading the way for all other university and college libraries. The Library staff has sincebeen engaged in assimilating the new system into the various existing librarymanagement modules. The librarians have been learning to use the system's newfeatures, while at the same time checking and correcting the converted data. Hands-onsessions are offered to scientists and students on how to successfully conductsophisticated searches in the electronic catalogs.

• The various scientific publishers' willingness to change charging models of purchasedjournals, thereby allowing some cost savings, enabled us to move to electronic-onlymodels of journal subscriptions. Thus we have been able to cancel several hundred printjournal subscriptions, maintaining only their online version. In addition, we can nowenjoy the benefit of hundreds of other non-subscribed electronic journals within thepublishers' online journals packages. In this manner, we were able to meet part of thebudget cut imposed upon us.

• We are still investing a significant amount of time in the maintenance of the TDNetelectronic journal management system. We have also been enhancing it with newfeatures in order to improve our service to the scientists.

• A User Satisfaction Survey of library services has been conducted, and we are in theprocess of analyzing the results in order to improve our Library services.

• The Library's Information Unit, in cooperation with the Internet Services Unit and theFeinberg Graduate School, has constructed an electronic database to house InstituteM.Sc. theses and Ph.D. dissertations. This system is now ready to receive its firstentries.

• At the request of the Academic Affairs Office, and again with the cooperation of theInternet Services Unit, the Library's Information Unit has constructed two separatedatabases of the Weizmann Institute scientific staff's publications. One of the databaseshas links to the full texts of the publications by DOI recognition.

The Wix Central Library renovations, which began in March 2002, were completed in July2003, allowing more storage space for books and bound journal volumes, as well as enlargingand modernizing the staff's offices. On September 1st 2003, the Library sustained significantsmoke and soot damage as a result of a fire that started in the basement's machine room. Thenewly renovated building had to undergo extensive repairs, and the collections underwentsignificant restoration procedures.


*MALMAD, the Israel Center for Digital Information Services, (http://libnet.ac.il/~libnet/malmad.htm), serves as a joint framework for the acquisition, licensing, and operation ofinformation services to all Israeli universities.

The home page of the Libraries is:http://www.weizmann.ac.il/WIS-library/home.htm.

The Data Processing DepartmentRachel Kazmirsky, Head

The Department of Data Processing is responsible for the development and maintenance ofdata systems for the use of Institute scientists and administrators. All systems have been, andare currently being, developed in accordance with the newest Client/Server Internet/Intranettechnology, in which a client-user is connected to an Internet web server via multi-platform-compatible web browser software. In such an environment the client is not bound by anyspecific desktop platform, and can communicate freely with any international Internet or localIntranet site. Within this structure, Oracle Development Tools serves as the department’svehicle for all current and new systems.

The extremely successful Internal Services project, which has been running smoothly inproduction for over five years, is constantly being upgraded and expanded. This web-enabledsystem, which monitors all in-house transfer of goods and services, has had a campus-wideimpact on internal campus communication. Its current roster of eighty-six services providesan on-line catalogue of items available from various Institute departments (providers), and auser-friendly interface for placing, processing, and tracking internal orders. Most importantly,the system automatically debits and credits the department budgets or projects for thesetransactions. New services added to the system during the past year include:

• Reservations and Billing on the Confocal Microscope in the Animal Breeding Center

• Histochemistry – a maintenance-management service for Animal Breeding

• On-line ordering and billing for Transgenic or Knockout Mice

• Expansion of on-line systems available to the Department of Chemical ResearchSupport, including Magneone Reservation, NMR scheduling, X-ray Macro-Molecularscheduling, SQUID magnetic and e-transport measurements services.

• WSPC1 – manages the financial aspects of the new LIMS system, described below

The Oracle ERP Applications-based Human Resources software package has been inproduction for three years, and the system has been instrumental in centralizing all of thehuman resources information and activities of the Institute, as well as providing, at long last, asingle updated source of tabular information to be accessed by the entire campus. Additionalmodules, which help systematize the Institute’s organizational structure, are added regularlyaccording to requests by the Division of Human Resources.

http://libnet.ac.il/~libnet/malmad.htm

http://libnet.ac.il/~libnet/malmad.htm

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/WIS-library/home.htm


The Feinberg Graduate School system, which has successfully been in production for almostthree years, enables students to register for laboratory time according to availability, and toview their grade scores on-line via the web. Recent enhancements include an equipment androom reservation system, on-line registration for rotations and post-docs, course evaluationand scheduling, and an improved archive of graduate students. A complete menu of on-lineinteraction among students, lecturers, and the administration includes the automaticproduction of student cards, on-line questionnaires, a dynamic exchange and updating of grantreports, and the tracking of student and alumni awards.

The department has completed several important new projects this year:• The integration of many small pre-existing applications in the Academic Affairs Office

into one larger Oracle data base application has been completed. This new,comprehensive system monitors all administrative aspects of the scientific community,including sabbaticals, appointments, and organizational structure.

• LIMS – Laboratory Information Management System, requested by the new IsraelStructural Proteomics Center housed on the Weizmann campus and run by Weizmannscientists. Researchers submit targets (DNA or purified protein) for cloning andexpression of the target genes and purification, crystallization and 3D structuredetermination of the target proteins. The new system tracks all of the scientific stagesalong the way: from primers, PCR experimentation, cloning, mini-prep, expression,production and purification, to crystallization and 3D structure.

• Total Computerization of the Mathematics Library: loans and returns, inventory control,overdue fines and reports.

• Administrative Assemblies Management System for the Department of ResourceDevelopment: enables group visitor tracking, flight information, tours and eventsscheduling, nametags, place cards, and all other aspects of important group assemblies atthe Institute.

In addition, the department maintains important systems whose development is complete.These include: • The system for the Visiting Scientists Office, which monitors the many details

associated with visitor housing and tenure.

• A touch-screen system for the Levinson Visitors’ Center that funnels informationautomatically to the Department of Resource Development.

• The Telephones Financial Management system.

• The young@science system, which monitors after-school science activities offered bythe Institute to Rehovot children. A new addition to this system manages a multifacetedprogram of organized school outings to the Clore Science Park.

• The IACUC (International Animal Care and Use Committee) system, which enablesscientists to submit applications for veterinary resources via the Internet, replacing theprevious email/telephone system. This is one of the department’s most successful


smaller systems, and since it went into production in November of 2002, a wide array ofnew features has been added.

• The system to monitor the working hours of the private Security Service the Institute hasemployed.

• A Safety Services system, which monitors reports submitted by Heads of ResearchGroups about the levels of their biological, chemical and radiations hazards/data.

• The transportation system, which enables the ordering of transportation services andmovement of goods via the campus Intranet.

Data Processing is moving steadily toward its goal of a completely web-enabled environment.Work is progressing on the department’s next major project: to develop a new integratedsoftware package for the Finance/Supply/Inventory system, which is the only remaining majorsystem to be housed on the Institute’s mainframe computer. The RFP outlining all thespecifications has been completed and distributed to the relevant users, and programming hasbegun. When this is accomplished, the department will have achieved its goal of completeintegration of its various systems with the modern operational procedures of computernetworking on campus.

The Home Page of the Department of Data Processing is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/DP/.

The Internet UnitMalka Cymbalista, Head

Since its inception in 1999, the Internet Services unit has played an integral role in theDivision’s principal goal of improved communications and the dissemination of information.While the Internet Services unit maintains the Institute’s central web servers, its primaryfunction is the creation of departmental web sites, as well as individually customizedapplications.

As the focus of web sites has shifted from static web pages to dynamic interactive ones, theunit has made great progress in this area. Together with the Division’s Data Processing unit,Internet Services is concentrating on integrating the Human Resources database with thedynamic resources of the web, making even the smallest change in the data immediatelyvisible and retrievable via the Internet. The first step in this process, the introduction of theInstitute’s on-line electronic directory, has proven to be one of the most successful and widelyused web applications on campus. When a departmental web site is created, all the staffmember pages are now created dynamically; when an individual leaves or joins a department,and that move is registered in Human Resources, the appropriate page on that department’sweb site is automatically updated.

One of the exciting innovations of the past year has been the introduction of the IntegratedCalendar, an application that has long been requested by our users. All the events that happenat Weizmann—academic, cultural, international-- are now entered via one system and aredisplayed together in one place.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/DP/


Together with the Academic Affairs Office, the Internet Services unit has fully automated theproduction of the Scientific Activities book, as well as the Current Research Projects. Both ofthese annual publications are now created first in an electronic version, and can be printed ifdesired.

These new projects join the highly successful on-line directory and the interactive campusmap, as important steps toward making the Weizmann web site a dynamic reflection of aparticularly multi-faceted campus. Because the Weizmann web site is often the initial contactbetween the Institute and the outside world, the Internet Services unit has an important role toplay in terms of public relations as well. By managing a continually evolving web site,ensuring the rapid flow of update information via a professional and efficient interface, theunit helps the Institute put its best face forward at all times.

The Internet Services unit’s home page is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/IU/.

Telecommunications ServicesAchicam Rosen, Head

The Telecommunications Services unit provides and maintains all telephone communicationson the Institute campus.

The hub of its activity is the central switchboard installation, managed by three operators andone supervisor. The switchboard is a “Coral” product of Tadiran, and supports over 3,000extensions throughout the campus. The Telephone Communications Services unit isresponsible for the smooth functioning, maintenance, and (the constant) transfer of these lines,as well as the addition of new extensions as needed.

The unit works closely with Bezeq, and is also responsible for implementing the infrastructurenecessary for remote (off-campus) connections to the Institute’s computer network, such asISDN and fast Internet ADSL lines. This includes international connections as well, inconjunction with the various Israeli international telephone service providers. Internationaltelephone service is provided either directly, or via an international calling card.

The unit oversees and maintains all cellular telephone activity on campus, together with thelocal cellular service providers. To date, there are over 200 cellular phones under themanagement of the Telecommunications Services unit.

During the past year a major project was concluded: a comprehensive mapping of all thetelephone cables on campus, radiating from the central switchboard to every single structurewith a telephone. This information is an invaluable tool in maintaining the smooth running ofthe Institute’s extensive telephone system, and enables the most efficient use of this cablenetwork when installing new phones.

The unit works tirelessly to provide and maintain the most efficient service possible in allareas of communication on the Institute campus that pertain to telephones.

The Telecommunications Services unit’s home page is:http://www.weizmann.ac.il/telecomm/.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/IU/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/telecomm/


Research Staff

Professor

Yigal Burstein1, Ph.D., The Weizmann Institute of Science The Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Professor of Bio-Organic Chemistry and Malignant Diseases Research


Morton F. Taragin, Ph.D., George Washington University, Washington, United States

Engineers

Aviva Greenman, M.Sc., The Weizmann Institute of ScienceCamille Botaz, M.Sc., University of Bucharest, Romania Yehezkel Bialik, B.Sc., Yeshiva University Stephen Druck, B.A., Cornell University Lawrence Israel, Chem. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (left June 2003)Issak Kopp, M.Sc., Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute Boris Lourie, Ph.D., The Weizmann Institute of Science Iris Mersel, M.Sc., Tomsk University, Tomsk, and M.Sc., Moscow University, MoscowJerry Mersel, B.Sc., Hunter College, NY Sara Yasur, B.A., Tel Aviv University

1Department of Organic Chemistry

Division of Logistics and Research Services

Asher Bar-on, Head

The division consists of highly skilled technicians and engineers, grouped into professionalworking units. The division provides support to the Weizmann Institute's research program,based on an inter-departmental charging system. The division is also in charge of the Securityand Fire Department of the Institute.

Precision Instrument and Engineering WorkshopAvi Einhorn, HeadThe workshop consists of a group of well trained technicians able to construct laboratoryequipment from a wide range of materials. The workshop’s machinery is designed toaccommodate the demands of modern research laboratories, lathes, milling machines, sanders,drills and all other necessary equipment.

Other facilities used by this workshop and the Physics Instrumentation Workshop are: rawmaterial warehouse, CNC milling machine, welding shop, sheet metal shop and a small tinkershop allowing scientists and students to do some of their own work under the supervision of anexperienced technician.

The design of the instruments is drawn up either by the scientist/student working inconjunction with the technicians or through the Instruments Design Unit using advanced CAD/CAM technologies.

The workshop produces as well a large range of Perspex appliances mainly for the use of theBiology faculties.

Instrument Design UnitBenny Pasmantirer, HeadThe Instrument Design Unit, a team of skilled engineers, designs prototypes of versatilelaboratory instruments according to specific research needs. Innovative solutions to technicalproblems that arose during the design process are worked out by the team in conjunction withthe requesting scientist.

The design process is implemented using parametric software, which simulates the assemblyas a solid on the screen, allowing quick changes until the final product is realized. The teamaccompanies the manufacturing process of the prototype from the workshops of the Weizmann

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http://www.weizmann.ac.il/RSD/new_pages/instru.html

388 Division of Logistics and Research Services

Institute (Precision Instrument and Engineering Workshop and Instrumentation Workshop,Physics) through its installation and finally to its successful operation in the laboratory.

Physics Instrumentation WorkshopShlomo Asayag, HeadThis unit's vast capabilities and experience enable it to produce custom made instruments forall the research laboratories in the Institute.

Available to the skilled technicians are lathes and milling machines that allow high precisionmetalwork in the range of 1mm 2000mm. The workshop is fully equipped with drills, sanders,guillotines and all other necessary equipment needed to produce instruments of such highprecision and quality.

Our technicians are able to produce equipment from plans drawn up after meetings anddiscussions with scientists or students. The Instruments Design Unit using CAD/CAMprograms is available as well to the facility for the creation of technical plans for scientificinstruments to be produced in the workshop.

Scientific Glassblowing UnitYossi Novema, HeadProvides services for scientific research in the campus, including advice and design of specialglassware. Creation and modification of pyrex and quartz glass laboratory instruments.

Scientific Instruments MaintenanceOded Sharabi, HeadThis unit specializes in the repair and maintenance of laboratory equipment. The unit isdivided into two main sections: centrifuges and small lab equipment. The centrifuge teamrepairs and maintains all types of centrifuges in the Institute: floor, tabletop, cooled, ultra etc.,as well as lyophilizes.

Small lab equipment such as Pipetman/ Pipetaid, stirrers, mechanical balances, hot plates,shakers and electrophoresis cells are repaired and revamped by the small lab equipment team.

Chemical WarehouseMoti Cohen, HeadThe Chemical Warehouse carries over 1,000 items, accommodating the needs of all Institutescientists. These items are continually restocked and updated keeping up with the ever-changing demands of modern research.

This year, two large refrigeration rooms were installed to accommodate a new item – FCS,FBS. This item is used by many scientists and by having them in stock on the Institute’spremises we are able to ensure immediate delivery and lower prices. This year we alsointroduced restriction enzymes as a stocked item in the warehouse.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/RSD/new_pages/precision.html

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Division of Logistics and Research Services 389

General WarehouseSa’adia Vadai, HeadThe General Warehouse supplies the Institute staff with most consumable items necessary forrunning their labs and offices efficiently. Only items with a relatively large turnover aremaintained in the warehouse.

The major groups stocked in the warehouse include: consumable laboratory supplies, basicelectrical and technical items, office supplies and cleaning materials.

Moving ServicesEhud Idan, HeadThis service is responsible for handling and moving all goods within the campus, from thecampus and to the campus. Besides regular distribution of items/requests from the differentwarehouses to the Institute departments, this team has vast experience in moving delicate/heavy/bulky equipment, (e.g. centrifuges, hoods, freezers, optical tables) from place to place.

The unit is also responsible for clearing out basements, labs and offices and often makes use ofspecial cranes and handling equipment.

At the disposal of the unit are three medium sized trucks with loading ramps, a forklift andnumerous carts of different types and sizes. This unit also runs the surplus goods "storehouse",where old/used items are sold. A limited amount of storage space is available, which can be used by special request.

Plastics and Polymers LaboratoryBaruch Itah, HeadThe laboratory provides technical and scientific support to development and research projects,in subjects related to technology and chemistry of plastics and polymers, such as:development of various polymeric matrices, emulsions, gels, films, membranes, coatings, etc. Analysis and identification of polymers. Advice and preparation of adhesives for specificpurposes is also offered.

Photography LaboratoriesShalom Nidam, HeadDocumentation of experiments, often live, at Institute laboratories. Professional photography,development and processing of photographs.

Video - shooting and editing. Digital photography, screening of photos, computerized photoprocessing and producing CD ROM discs. We are in the process of purchasing a digital videocamera and digital editing equipment, which will increase our support capabilities for thescientific staff.

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390 Division of Logistics and Research Services

Publishing, Duplication and Printing UnitNatan Kronenberg, HeadPrinting, duplication and publishing most of the work produced at the Institute, assisting in thepreparation of materials for various forms as well as large format posters of scientificpublications and presentations using new digital duplicating machines for color prints.

Graphics DepartmentHaya Yoskovitch, HeadFrom the initial idea to the final product

The Graphics Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science, housed in the Goldsmith-Maltz Building, was established in 1975 to supply the graphics requirements of all thescientists, technical workers and administrative staff.

From a nucleus of two, using pencils, rulers, letter-sets, rapidographs and similar old-fashioned equipment, we have now grown to a very respectable staff of twelve.

Using updated multimedia technology, powerful computers, scanners, high-quality printers,digital recorders, video cameras, and the latest computer programs available on the market, weprovide state of the art designs according to the specifications and requirements of ourclientele.

Security DepartmentMoshe Gat, HeadThe Security Department is in charge of all internal security, including fire alarm systems, fire-extinguishing equipment and security alarm systems. They are also involved in assisting socialevents at the Institute.

Engineers and Laboratories Staff

Asher Bar-on, MSM, Boston University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-ShevaMordechai Cohen, B.Sc., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-ShevaMordechai Gabbay, Ph.D., Royal University of Lund, SwedenLilia Goffer, M.Sc., Polytechnic Institute, ChelabinskBaruch Itah, M.Sc., Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, IsraelRafael Michaeli, B.Sc., Open University, Tel-AvivBenjamin Pasmantirer, B.Sc., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, IsraelGedalia Perlman, M.Sc., Polytechnical University, Leningrad

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The Amos de-Shalit Foundation

Haim Harari, Chairman The Annenberg Professor of High Energy Physics

The Foundation bearing the name of Amos de-Shalit was formally established in 1974 on thefifth anniversary of his death. A living memorial to the founder and first head of theWeizmann Institute’s Department of Nuclear Physics, and later of its Department of ScienceTeaching, the Foundation’s main goal is to foster an increased awareness of the role of scienceamong young Israelis.

This year’s activities included:

The Annual Amos de-Shalit Science Workshop – This intensive on-campus residential two-week summer program is for the best, most outstanding Israeli high-school students.Participants work in actual research laboratories, two or three in a laboratory with a mentor.The Foundation contributed to the running of the school and granted scholarships to 5 of the 20students who participated in the program.

The Amos de-Shalit Popular Science Lectures – Series of 4 lectures by prominentWeizmann Institute scientists open to the public – 650 students.

Adventures in Science – The Foundation contributed towards the operation of this programrun by the Youth Activities Section of the Institute.

The Amos de-Shalit Prize for Excellence in the Teaching of Physics

To motivate teachers, a prize in physics was established in the name of Amos de-Shalit. The2003 prize was awarded to the physics teachers of Hemda, Haifa and of Ort-Megadim,Carmiel.

The Annual Amos de-Shalit Summer School in Physics and Chemistry

The Institute’s Amos de-Shalit Foundation offers annual summer schools in physics andchemistry, for outstanding undergraduate students studying at Israeli universities. This year,two programs were held in each of the disciplines: a one-week program for students havingcompleted their first academic year, and a two-week program for students entering their thirdyear.

Thirty second-year students and twenty-two first-year students participated in the program.

The Davidson Institute for Science Education

Haim Harari, Chairman of the BoardThe Annenberg Professor of High Energy Physics

Yehuda Ben-Hur, Managing Director

The Davidson Institute was established in November 2001, with a large endowment gift fromWilliam Davidson of Detroit. Activities at the Institute began January, 2002. It is a directcontinuation and expansion of the activities of the Weizmann Institute in the field of scienceeducation, initiated in the early 1960's by the late Professor Amos De Shalit.

The Davidson Institute houses a number of educational units, including: the NationalHeadquarters for PERACH (Tutorial Project); four National Teacher Centers (the NationalTeacher Center of Physics, National Teacher Center of Chemistry, National Teacher Center ofComputer Science, National Teacher Center of Science and Technology); the Center forDeveloping Teaching Staffs (Pisgah) and the unit for producing and publishing learningmaterials in science, technology and mathematics.

The activities of the Institute are organized around Centers, which specialize in differentaspects of science, technology and mathematics education and which are geared to differenttarget audiences. These audiences include students, teachers, administrators and general adultpopulation. All of the Institute’s activities are conducted in full cooperation with theDepartment of Science Teaching and under its academic supervision.

The Regional Center of Science, Technology and Mathematics The Center provides support and enrichment services in the fields of science, technology andmathematics education to teachers from kindergarten through high school. It started itsactivities in the school year of 2002-2003 and is based on the scientific infrastructure of thescience-teaching department and the experience of the national teachers centers in Davidsoninstitute.

The aim of the center is to give teachers in all levels of the educational system, the possibilityto have a continuous professional development by organizing annual in-service trainingcourses, focused workshops, one day conferences, lectures and direct links with teachers andschools. The activities of the center proceeds in several circles: the first is the Rehovot area,the second is the entire Central District and the third circle involves activities in other parts ofthe country in cooperation with other organizations devoted to teacher’s education in science,technology and mathematics. In the school year 2002 - 2003 we conducted 43 different courses

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394 The Davidson Institute for Science Education

(around 2520 hours) in which 2250 teachers have participated. Additional activities have dealtwith the use of computers and distance learning in teacher’s courses, including the integrationof synchronous and asynchronous tools.

The NECHMAD Project (Youth Investigators in the Davidson Institute)Teaching science in high school requires the use of expensive equipments. Most high schoollaboratories are not well equipped. High school students are usually not exposed to advancedscientific experiments. The Center for Inquiry Labs (NECHMAD) has been established inorder to enable high school teachers and students to conduct modern and advanced inquirylaboratories in science.

The project is designed to give high-school students who specialize in the sciences theopportunity to conduct scientific experiments at the university level, on topics connected totheir respective curricula and with the use of state-of-the art equipment.

The Center trains high-school science teachers to carry out these scientific experiments,through active experience. The teachers are then invited to conduct these experiments withtheir students at the Davidson Institute laboratories.

A small scale pilot of this project started in the middle of 2003 and gained momentum towardsthe end of the year. During 2003, about 1000 students from 10 schools participated in theproject.

The National Center of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in Science, Technology andMathematics The long-term mission of the Center is to promote the understanding and high-qualityimplementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in science, technology and mathematicsthroughout Israel, in formal and informal learning settings, from kindergarten through highschools. PBL is a teaching and learning model that focuses on the central concepts andprinciples of a discipline, involves students in problem-solving and other meaningful tasks,allows students to work autonomously to construct their own learning, and culminates inrealistic, student-generated products.

In 2003, a program, “Integrating the Culture of Science into the School Culture” was initiated.Its goal is to incorporate the research and learning skills of science into the school culture,through a 3-year program of staff development and educational practice. In each school,teachers from many different disciplines, along with their principals, are guided to (a) learnselected skills (e.g., question-asking, knowledge-mapping, creative thinking, etc.), (b)incorporate these skills into their day-to-day teaching and (c) use these skills to guide studentprojects in science and technology, based on a common topic. A pilot project of 7 elementaryschools is currently underway in Kochav Yair, Modiin, Pardesiya, Rehovot and Tira.

City-Wide Science Support One of the goals of the Davidson Institute is to plan, implement and evaluate projects on thetown or city level. One way to accomplish this goal is to guide and support schools in a given

The Davidson Institute for Science Education 395

area, with the purpose of improving and upgrading its science, technology and mathematicseducation.

During 2003, we provided such support in two cities: Kiryat Gat and Ramla. In Kiryat Gat,support was provided for the "Rambam" Elementary School by guiding the teaching staff tointegrate inquiry skills and out-of-school learning with the school curriculum. In Ramla,initial activities with 6 elementary and middle schools were based on a program, “Integratingthe Culture of Science into the School Culture.”

Conferences - In addition to the above activities, the Davidson Institute hosted in 2003numerous conferences and seminars for thousands of teachers and other educators. Theseevents included the conference for middle school teachers, organized by the National TeachersCenter of Science and Technology; the national conference for all the directors of the Centersfor Developing Teaching Staffs (Pisgah); the conference for directors of educationdepartments and supervisors in the Central Region; the national conference for teachers ofcomputer sciences, and many others.

New Projects During 2003, we built the foundations for several projects, which are scheduled to begin in2004. These projects include:

* The KATOM Computer Project (Computer for the Class, Student and Teacher). This isan educational experiment whose goal is to investigate the effects of integrating portablecomputers into the activities of teaching and learning. The plan is to provide portablecomputers to teachers and students in a number of 7th grade classes, in several towns; afterstudying the effects of this intervention, the plan is to expand the implementation to otherschools and towns.

* The Center to Integrate Out-of-School Learning into the School Curriculum. Thecenter will develop instructional materials, guide science teacher staffs and support schools,with the goal of integrating out-of-school learning environments into the school curriculum.

* Project Camp Davidson (Science Activities for the Disadvantaged). The purpose of thisproject is to establish science activities for high-school age students who have dropped out ofthe formal educational system and who have an interest in science.

Institute Staff

Prof. Haim Harari, Chairman of the BoardYehuda ben-Hur, Ph.D, Managing Director Ami Carmeli, Director, PERACHOved Kedem, Ph.D, Director of Educational ProjectsMiri Kesner, Ph.D, Director of the Regional Teacher Center of Science, Technology and

Mathematics

396 The Davidson Institute for Science Education

Hana Margel, Ph.D, Director of the NECHMAD Project (Youth Investigators in the Davidson Institute)

Israel Porath, Ph.D, Director of the KATOM Computer ProjectSherman Rosenfeld, Ph.D, Director of the National Center of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in

Science, Technology and MathematicsShuli Zaharoni, Administrator

397

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd.

Haim Garty, Chairman

Isaac Shariv, CEO

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. functions as the commercial arm of theWeizmann Institute of Science. Yeda initiates and promotes the transfer of research findingsand innovative technologies developed by Institute scientists to the global marketplace.

Yeda holds an exclusive agreement with the Weizmann Institute to market and commercializeits intellectual property and generate income to support further research and education.

Yeda performs the following activities:

• Identifies and assesses research projects with commercial potential

• Protects the intellectual property of the Institute and its scientists

• Licenses the Institute's inventions and technologies to industry

• Channels funding from industry to research projects

Additional information on the business opportunities offered by Yeda, can be found at:

http://yeda.weizmann.ac.ilTel: (08) 947 0617 Fax: (08) 947 0739 e-mail: [email protected]

399

Weizmann Institute Activities on the Internet

Current Research Activities on the Internet

The full text of this publication may be found on the Internet (the World Wide Web) at thefollowing URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadsec/Current_Research

You may search for any word or phrase, by using the online SEARCH option.

Scientific Activities on the Internet

The full text of this publication may be found on the Internet (the World Wide Web) at thefollowing URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadsec/Scientific_Activities

You may search for any word or phrase, by using the online SEARCH option.

www.weizmann.ac.il

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