Author: shelleys

Researchers at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering have presented a new approach to wavefront shaping in the journal Nature Communications. The approach, which has extensive and significant applications, especially in non-invasive biological imaging of deep tissue, is demonstrated in the article on neurons (nerve cells).

 

 

Wavefront shaping is a promising approach to deep tissue imaging. Until now, it was possible only via an invasive approach: fluorescent points were manually inserted into the sample, and the tissue was indirectly mapped by imaging them. That process has many disadvantages, and it was clear that direct imaging of the tissue is a better way. However, direct imaging involves various difficulties, including the fact that the radiation emitted from tissues is weak, making its measurement prone to noise, especially when it comes to deep tissue imaging.

 

The new technology presented by the Technion researchers overcomes these limitations and offers the possibility of direct tissue imaging by illuminating a neuron marked with the fluorescent protein EGFP, which emits light in a different color in response to illumination. This technology is based on dual correction of wavefronts – correction of the wavefront sent to the tissue and correction of the wavefront returning from it. With the help of mathematical calculations that balance the signal-to-noise ratio, the researchers achieved high resolution imaging of the neurons deep inside the tissue.

 

Doctoral student Dror Aizik, who conducted the research under the guidance of Prof. Anat Levin, explained that “previous demonstrations of wavefront shaping corrected relatively slight distortions and were effective only for very limited tissue depths. Our research demonstrated the technology for the first time in performing deep tissue imaging and correcting very large distortions, which without our correction would have resulted in ‘noise images’ with no visual information.”

 

The new technology provided high-quality images of the neurons and their axons, even when the neurons were covered by a thick tissue layer. According to the researchers, the technology demonstrated on neurons is also relevant to many other types of tissue.

 

The research is supported by the European Research Commission (ERC), the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

 

Prof. Anat Levin joined the Technion in 2016, after completing her doctorate at the Hebrew University, post-doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and seven years at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She specializes in optics, image processing, and computer vision and has won numerous awards including the Michael Bruno Award, the Blavatnik Award, and the Krill Prize, as well as 3 ERC grants.

 

For the article in Nature Communications  click here

 

Researchers from two Technion faculties present a new strategy for measuring mechanical forces in biological processes. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, was led by Assistant Professor Joshua Grolman and Yifan Liao from the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering in collaboration with Associate Professor Charles Diesendruck from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry.

 

 

Mechanobiology is a field of research that deals with the influence of mechanical forces on various biological processes. Measuring these forces at the molecular level is a complex challenge, and the development by Technion researchers is expected to enable measurements that were previously impossible.

 

Various mechanobiological systems, which have evolved over immense periods, demonstrate high efficiency in “translating” mechanical forces into biological signals. These natural systems provide significant inspiration for engineering developments. However, it is very difficult to replicate their level of precision in artificial systems, especially at the molecular level. Therefore, breakthroughs in this field are crucial in many contexts, including drug delivery within the body, monitoring defects in materials, and developing self-repairing materials.

 

 

The technology developed at the Technion is based on mechanophores – molecular units that produce chemical or physical signals when subjected to structural changes such as pressure or stretching. Measuring these signals, which provide information about the state of the material, is a very complex technological challenge, especially when high sensitivity is required. The technology developed by the researchers is characterized by very high sensitivity compared to previous uses of mechanophores and responds even to a strain of just 5%, making it highly relevant for various biological processes that could not be monitored until now. This technique is relevant to a variety of biological and artificial materials.

 

Technion researchers succeeded in producing a force-sensitive material from a molecule called spiropyran, thereby creating a sort of molecular detector that provides information about the mechanical forces within the material. The required method is a click chemistry process, meaning it does not require multi-step processes and is not associated with undesirable by-products.

 

 

The new strategy, Dip-conjugation, is demonstrated in the article with an analysis of the wool fibers of the alpaca – an animal from the camel family, particularly common in South America. The advantage of this technology is that it is applicable to both synthetic and natural materials, including materials made from proteins and carbohydrates. The researchers estimate that in the industrial field, this technology will contribute to accelerating and reducing the cost of manufacturing mechanophores in polymers.

 

In addition to biological applications, the researchers mention that “the materials we have developed could turn many biological and artificial materials into sensors with exceptional sensitivity. They could also be used to coat aircraft components, providing alerts on emerging failures in these components.”

 

The research is supported by the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

In recent years, Reuveny and Kantor have received professional support from Dr. Arielle Fischer, a faculty member in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion, as part of the collaboration between the Technion and the Olympic Committee of Israel.

 

Dr. Arielle Fischer, head of the Biomechanics and Wearable Technology Laboratory at the Technion, completed a bachelor’s degree at MIT and a PhD in mechanical engineering at the Technion. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, she returned to the Technion as a faculty member in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.

 

As part of her work with the Reuveny and Kantor, her research group conducted a biomechanical analysis of the Olympic athletes’ movements during training and analyzed the relationship between typical movements in windsurfing (“pumping” and “turning”) and the athletes’ performance. According to Dr. Fischer, “We developed a tool that the coaches and the technical director use at the end of training, which helps them quantitatively and accurately understand the connection between the windsurfer’s performance and technique and the properties of the board itself (structure and elasticity). This tool allows athletes and coaches to examine their techniques and equipment, thus improving the surfers’ performance.” This approach, which supports the athletes with scientific and biomechanical understanding beyond intuition and feelings, is expected to help athletes in various other sports as well.

 

 

Congratulations to Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics team on their wonderful achievements and silver medal!

We’re excited to share that at the Technion, in Dr. Arielle Fischer’s Bio-Motion and Wearable Devices Lab at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, a recent study delved into the biomechanics of rhythmic gymnasts.

 

Natalie Mendelson, a former Olympic gymnast and a Technion student, presented her research on the biomechanics of rhythmic gymnasts last month at the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) conference held in Austria. The study, led by Dr. Fischer and conducted in collaboration with Dr. Smadar Peleg’s lab at the Levinsky-Wingate Academic College. Dr. Fischer recognized the study’s uniqueness, combining insights from an Olympic gymnast and a talented BSc-MD student, and aimed to showcase it on an international stage, highlighting the advanced testing of Israel’s elite rhythmic gymnasts.

 

The research presented by Mendelson at the conference focused on the biomechanics of motion of rhythmic gymnasts using a Markerless Motion Analysis method. The study, involving elite gymnasts, specifically examined fouetté balance and turns, common movements in rhythmic gymnastics that can lead to significant strain and injuries.

 

According to Dr. Arielle Fischer, “This research aims to enhance our understanding of fundamental rhythmic gymnastics elements concerning overexertion on the lower extremity joints and feet. This is the first study on kinematics and kinetics in rhythmic gymnastics, including movement segmentation and the characterization of forces on the gymnasts’ joints. We believe the findings will contribute to injury prevention and tailored training.”

 

 

Natalie Mendelson, who competed with the Israeli rhythmic gymnastics team at the Rio 2016 Olympics is pursuing a demanding double degree in biomedical engineering and medicine (BSc and MD) at the Technion. She shared that she chose to study at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion because “Throughout my sports career, I faced many injuries and was always interested in what was happening in my body and how to treat or fix it. I felt helpless, in pain, and sometimes even desperate. This sparked a desire in me to help people rehabilitate, alleviate their suffering and pain, and find and develop solutions in this field. When I heard about the degree in biomedical engineering, which combines many things I love—mathematics, physics, physiology, and technology—I knew it was right for me.” Dr. Fischer’s lab is particularly focused on biomechanics, studying human movement in both elite athletes and clinical populations to describe motions, enhance performance, and aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation.

 

 

 

 

The Technion has been ranked 85th on the list of the top 100 academic institutions worldwide, according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) published this morning by Shanghai Ranking. Among technological universities, the Technion placed 11th in the world.

 

The ARWU is the world’s leading higher education ranking, and since 2012 (with the exception of 2020), it has consistently placed the Technion in the Top 100 of the Shanghai Ranking, ranging between 69th place and 94th place.

“Our position in the Shanghai Ranking confirms the Technion’s stature among the world’s best technological universities,” said Technion President Professor Uri Sivan. “The Technion, like other Israeli universities, competes globally with older, larger, and wealthier universities. We achieved a place in this current ranking that summarizes 2023 – one of the most challenging years we’ve ever faced. Three Israeli academic institutions are included in the list of the top 100 universities worldwide, which is a testament to the excellence of Israeli science and academia and a source of pride for us all.”

 

Over the past year, around 3,500 students and administrative and academic staff members from the Technion were called up for extended reserve duty. “Research groups operated under challenging conditions, including staff shortages, but despite all the difficulties, we did not deviate from our path,” said Prof. Sivan. “The Technion’s position in the Shanghai Ranking and other rankings is not an end in itself, but it is certainly a source of great pride, and an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of this prestigious institution since its inception. The Technion will continue to play a crucial role in the rebooting of the State of Israel and the rebuilding of Israeli society. This is a central part of our national mission.”

 

The Technion President added that, “the Technion’s ranking reflects the efforts invested over the years in upgrading the Technion’s research infrastructure, improving the conditions available to researchers, strengthening research collaborations, establishing Technion-wide research fronts in human health and sustainability, and fostering research ties with the industry. The strength and success of the Technion lie in the excellent human resources leading breakthroughs in research and teaching. This is the result of the diligent and dedicated work of the academic and administrative staff, the graduate students, the faculty deans, the Technion-wide deans, and the Technion administration.”

 

Nadav Adir and Alon Dankner, graduates of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science, presented a dramatic achievement in the world of cybersecurity at the Black Hat USA conference in Las Vegas – the takeover of Siemens’ new controllers which are among the most secure in the world, by breaking the secure communication protocol. Adir and Dankner’s research was conducted at the Technion, together with graduates Ron Freudenthal and Or Keret, under the guidance of Prof. Eli Biham, head of the Hiroshi Fujiwara Cyber Security Research Center at the Technion, and Dr. Sara Bitan, a senior researcher at the center. Siemens updated the communication protocol of the controllers following research presented by the group at the 2019 conference.

 

 

The practical significance of this achievement lies in the fact that these controllers are used in a wide range of systems, including critical systems such as aircraft, vehicles, production lines, power stations, gas and oil pipelines, smart homes, traffic lights, and even nuclear reactors. This is why Adir and Dankner were invited to the Black Hat conference—an international prestigious event where the latest relevant knowledge in cybersecurity is presented. The Technion researchers hope that the takeover, which was of course demonstrated on isolated controllers not integrated into essential systems, will help Siemens improve its security mechanisms.

 

 

 

The Technion research group, led by Prof. Biham and Dr. Bitan, has previously participated in Black Hat conferences three times, in 2019, 2022, and early 2024. In August 2022, the group presented at the Black Hat USA conference the cracking and takeover of Siemens’ smart controller, and the research findings were shared with Siemens to improve the product’s security. According to Prof. Biham, “Our series of appearances at Black Hat conferences repeatedly advances the security of these systems, and it is part of long-term research aimed at improving the security of control systems. Indeed, Siemens has made changes to its security mechanisms following our research.”

 

The Technion researchers’ attack was carried out on the CPU 1515SP controller software and for the first time took control of the software common to all controllers in the series. According to Dr. Bitan, “The successful attack in 2022 exposed potential weaknesses in this controller and other controllers in the series and reinforced the need to enhance security measures on such controllers.”

 

Siemens controllers are found at various critical junctions, including nuclear reactors. This issue made headlines about 15 years ago when a breach of Siemens controllers via the Stuxnet computer worm led to significant damage to the reactors in Natanz, Iran. Stuxnet is considered one of the most destructive malwares, as it allows not only damage to controllers but also the concealment of that damage.

 

According to Dr. Sara Bitan, “The damage is done both on the way to the controller, thereby impairing its function, and on the way out, creating a false appearance to the monitoring systems as if everything is fine. As mentioned, Siemens made changes to the controllers’ security protocol, but we were able to identify a loophole that allows an attacker to disrupt secure communication with the controller, enabling us to both influence its operation and conceal the damage externally.”

 

The modern world of encryption is entirely based on the use of a pair of keys mathematically related to each other: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The private key is supposed to be kept in a “safe,” in Siemens’ case, in a secure area within the controller. The Technion researchers managed to penetrate this secure area and extract the private key, thereby gaining control over both inbound and outbound communications.

 

In recent years, Siemens has tightened security on these controllers through version updates, and last August, it published an article stating that “successful digitization always requires extensive cybersecurity. Although such security is always an integral part of modern controllers, it is important to remember that Siemens offers a wide range of products and services designed to enhance cybersecurity.” Despite the company’s promises and efforts, the Technion group managed, as mentioned, to take control of the software in these updated controllers.

 

A laboratory for manufacturing processes in the semiconductor industry was recently inaugurated at the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering. Supported by Intel, the establishment of the laboratory was led by Prof. Yaron Paz along with the faculty’s teaching laboratories engineer, Ms. Luba Texler.

The inauguration was attended by Dr. Sigal Ben-Zvi, Intel-Technion Relations Manager, who cut the ribbon, and Esti Gazit, Academic Relations Coordinator at Intel Israel. The lab team showed the equipment and various workstations to the attendees.

 

“The microelectronics industry is essentially a chemical industry,” said Prof. Paz, “as it is a process industry that combines diverse chemical reactions, diffusion, and flow, all under controlled conditions. Therefore, it is not surprising that about 15% of the Faculty’s graduates integrate into this industry. For more than twenty years, the Faculty has been offering a course on the manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices, aimed not only at teaching these processes from a chemical engineer’s perspective but also at providing tools for integrating into this industry while creating a common language with professionals from various backgrounds and disciplines. Now, thanks to the new laboratory, we are adding another dimension to the training our graduates receive.”

 

The laboratory will allow faculty students to experience manufacturing processes similar to those used in the “real world” of the semiconductor industry: atomic layer deposition, silicon oxidation, wet etching, metal layer growth, and photolithography.

 

“Budget constraints forced us to be creative and to design and build some of the experimental stations ourselves and adapt the lab to work in a non-dust-free space,” said Prof. Paz. “It’s important to understand that the lab was built at a total cost of less than $250,000, a minimal amount compared to similar labs in the field. The main idea was to allow students to familiarize themselves with, understand, and operate most of the functional units existing in the microelectronics industry, while circumventing the requirement for miniaturization and its financial implications. Additionally, we ensured that the functional units we created had many degrees of freedom, allowing students to ‘play’ with the various variables and thereby verify (and confront) theories on the subject.”

 

“This laboratory is the highlight of the collaboration between Intel and the faculty,” said Dr. Sigal Ben-Zvi. “It is the first laboratory of its kind in the chemical engineering faculties in Israel, and it will provide students with real work experience and a very relevant set of tools for the industry.”

 

Most proteins in the body’s cells do not function alone but act together as complexes to achieve concerted functions. When the formation of these complexes is impaired, various diseases can develop, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Technion researchers used innovative methods to “capture” proteins in the cell during their synthesis because proteins are particularly vulnerable at this stage – during translation by the ribosome. Ribosomes in cells were analyzed using ribosome profiling, a method that sequences the mRNA being translated by the ribosomes at single-codon resolution, combined with advanced microscopy and proteomics analysis of the resulting proteins. The researchers also used simulations of the protein folding process and interactions with other proteins to form complexes at the atomic level (molecular dynamics). This led to the discovery of a mechanism that protects proteins from misfolding during their production.

 

The researchers found that the folding and assembly of protein complexes depends on only a few amino acids. Characterization of these amino acids revealed that they can form highly stable interactions and serve as anchors to initiate the assembly of functional protein complexes in the cell. They discovered that this process occurs during protein synthesis. Furthermore, if the assembly process on the ribosome is disrupted and these amino acids are left alone, they can destabilize the entire protein and cause it to misfold. The researchers found that this mechanism is evolutionarily conserved, from yeast to humans, indicating that mutations in amino acids serving as “anchors” for initiating protein-protein interactions on the ribosome are found in various developmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

 

 

Based on these results, the researchers developed a model to predict such essential anchors required for creating interaction networks in cells and protecting cellular protein production processes. This model could serve as a basis for designing new proteins. By focusing on early events during protein creation, the researchers identified targets that could enable the development of preventive treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

 

 

The research, led by Dr. Ayala Shiber, was spearheaded by student Johannes Venezian, along with Dr. Hagit Bar-Yosef and student Hila Ben-Arie Zilberman from the Shiber lab, in collaboration with Prof. Oded Kleifeld’s lab from the Faculty of Biology, student Noam Cohen from Kleifeld’s lab, Dr. Fabian Glaser from the Technion Center for Structural Biology-Computational Biology (TCSB-THHI), and Prof. Juan Fernandez Recio from Spain. The paper on this topic was published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46881-w

New findings related to processed food and the potential nutritional benefits of structured proteins were revealed in a study by scientists from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering at the Technion. The research, presented in the Food Hydrocolloids journal, was led by Prof. Uri Lesmes, doctoral student Gil Refael, and doctoral student Alon Romano in collaboration with Prof. Meytal Landau and doctoral student Yitzhaq (Itzik) Engelberg from the Technion Faculty of Biology, and Prof. Omry Koren from the Faculty of Medicine at Bar Ilan University.

 

Proteins are important biological compounds that can form amyloid structures, which have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, where the accumulation of abnormal amyloid aggregates (plaques) disrupts brain function. Our current research examined whether we should be concerned over the formation of amyloids in processed food, and it reveals positive aspects to this question in the context of their digestive fate.

 

 

Amyloid structures, it turns out, lead to a slow breakdown of the protein progenitors in the digestive system and promote positive changes in the colon. In fact, these changes resemble those of “regular” dietary fibers found in fruits and whole grains. Moreover, the bacteria in our gut prefer amyloids over “naked” undigested proteins, which may lead to negative effects such as adverse fermentation in the intestines.

 

Proteins are essential components in body structure and function, and it is now clear that proper protein consumption is important for human health and can even affect various behaviors such as appetite, hunger, and fatigue. Against this background, extensive efforts are being made to develop diverse protein-rich nutritional solutions for those who seek to tone down consumption of animal products. This is the backdrop for the positive findings emerging from the research published in Food Hydrocolloids.

 

The researchers focused on proteins from eggs and dairy to show case that protein-amyloids formed in processed foods may:

 

1. Gradually break down in the upper digestive system, potentially promoting slower and more controlled absorption of proteins into the body.

 

1. Assist in preserving the microbial diversity in the intestines; in particular, it was found that they maintain a low ratio between two important bacterial communities (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes). This ratio indicates the health of the gur microbiota, whereas an unbalanced diet encourages an increase in this ratio which has been correlated with increased risk of disease (obesity, diabetes, and cancer).

 

From a wider viewpoint, the research demonstrates the inherent potential in food processing to enhance potential to promote health. According to Prof. Lesmes: “Today, we know how to precisely control and formulate foods and to estimate through models developed in my lab, how different food components will be digested in the body of different consumers. Together with innovative research tools, this scientific approach will help us understand the fate of proteins and innovative food components in the bodies of different consumers and may even facilitate development of personalized dietary choices. I believe that this research opens up new avenues for understanding the potential of “smartly” processed food to expand human nutrition sources and improve health.”

 

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute at the Technion. The authors also thank the Smoler Proteomics Center at the Technion and Dana Benjamin from the Koren Lab at Bar Ilan University.

For the full article in Food Hydrocolloids click here

 

 

Part of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, the center advances interdisciplinary research impacting medicine and industry. In its first year, it fostered collaboration across various domains, emphasizing an integrated approach to complex problems.

 

Unique Capabilities and Equipment
The center features advanced MRI technology, including a Siemens 3T Prisma MRI scanner, and unique infrastructure for innovative scans. It is equipped with audiovisual tools, an eye-tracking device, response boxes, and EEG equipment for simultaneous EEG-fMRI examinations. The center also has an original mock scanner for acclimating subjects and a robot for mobility analysis.

 

The People at the Center

The center’s manager and experienced MRI researcher, Dr. Daphna Link-Sourani, developed the center as a well-equipped, modern, and advanced hub that encourages research collaborations within and outside the Technion, tailored to the needs of the researchers and their teams staffing the center.

 

There are numerous researchers from various fields and faculties at Technion engaged in research at the center, demonstrating its broad interdisciplinary impact. To mention a few from the center’s core staff:

 

 

Dr. Moti Freiman from the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, academic director of the Center, focuses on AI for imaging inflammatory processes, cardiac muscle, and early pathology detection.

 

 

Assoc. Prof. Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus from the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology and the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, researches language and reading acquisition using MRI, EEG, and eye movement data in typically and atypically developing children.

 

 

Dr. Firas Mawase from the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, examines brain control over fine motor skills and the impact of brain injuries on movement.

 

 

Dr. Efrat Shimron from the Faculty of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, develops methods to shorten MRI scan times and improve image quality using machine learning.

 

 

Dr. Yoed Kenett from the Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, studies the role of knowledge in high-level thinking, conducting longitudinal brain research to predict creativity.

 

Future Goals and Collaboration

The center aims to expand interdisciplinary collaborations within the Technion, as well as leveraging Technion’s knowledge and fostering ties with other academic institutions, health institutions and industries. It supports groundbreaking MRI research, holding events and promoting human imaging in Israel and worldwide.

 

The BizTec Entrepreneurship Program, which works to promote technological entrepreneurship in Israel, marked the conclusion of its 19th cycle and the start of its 20th cycle at a celebratory event last month at the Technion. Cycle 19 began its activities in May 2023 and quickly included over 100 participants from various technological fields. In the semifinals, 22 teams competed, with 12 reaching the final. The events of October 7 led to the postponement of the final (Demo Day). Many of the entrepreneurs were called up for reserve duty, while others engaged in various volunteer activities.

 

The BizTec program was founded at the Technion in 2004 to nurture budding entrepreneurs looking to develop deep technologies that require interdisciplinary collaboration and a robust knowledge base. It provides tools to students and alumni of the Technion who participate in it, including close professional guidance from mentors from academia and industry.

 

Over the last 20 years, program graduates have established dozens of active companies that have collectively raised over a billion dollars, including BreezoMeter, Augmedics, Windward, Houseparty, and Presenso. The program is currently led by Dr. Lital Atia from the Technion’s t:hub innovation center and student Dvir Dimi, who studies physics and materials science and engineering as part of the Schulich Leaders program.

 

The teams that participated in the final are involved in a wide range of fields, including Team CommU from the T2Med hackathon, and students Hanna Ben Yehuda, Efrat Ordan, Ella Simona Fainitsky, and Hadar Eliad, who presented a project to improve communication between patients and medical staff; student Ilan Zendel, who presented FitTech, a project for managing information in sports teams; Technion alumnus Oren Spector, who presented Refine Robotics to improve automation processes in factories; student Shelly Boneh, who joined Dr. Vadim Igal and Dr. Adi Berco from Carmel Hospital to work on EyeHope, a medical product to help treat eye problems; alumnus Inbar Fisher, who presented GOS, a project for glass inspection; student Kfir Bendic, who presented CowVolution for making information accessible to farmers; Ilan Simmer, who presented Walnut, a project to reduce radiation from smartphones; Dr. Daniel Malchi from Emek Hospital and Itay Tzur, who presented Vacure, a medical device for safer pregnancy termination; Avishai Roet, who presented NoBook to make study materials accessible to all students; and C-Air, an advanced inhalation device from the BME-Hack hackathon with Haifa Said, Ilan Rosenberg, Maia Hirsch, Charlie Shrem, and Michal Katzman.

 

The guest of honor at the event was Izhar Shay, former Israeli Minister of Science & Technology, entrepreneur, investor, and key figure in Israel’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. He spoke about the loss of his son Yaron on October 7, in a heroic battle where he, his comrades, and Kibbutz Kerem Shalom’s security team managed to repel hundreds of terrorists attempting to capture the kibbutz, thereby protecting its residents. Following his son’s death, Izhar established a new initiative called Next October, aiming to create a new startup for every victim, thereby commemorating the victims of October 7 and the soldiers who fell in the battles and fostering the future of Israel’s economy.

Each grant, valued at €150,000, aims to help researchers transition their groundbreaking discoveries towards practical applications and early commercialization phases.

 

 

Prof. Levenberg was awarded the PoC grant for her work on bioactive reinforcing bioink for hybrid bioprinting of implantable bone. “BioForceInk” is a novel bioink designed for 3D bioprinting that can be printed at room temperature and solidifies at body temperature, creating strong, porous scaffolds for bone implants. Enhanced with factors promoting bone and blood vessel growth, BioForceInk aims to improve bone healing and integration. This project will develop and test these bioprinted implants for bone regeneration, collaborating with industry partners for commercialization. BioForceInk’s combination of mechanical strength and biological activity has the potential to advance clinical bioprinting and could be adapted for various tissue types.

 

 

Prof. Meller was awarded the PoC grant for his work on fingerprinting single protein molecules for biomarker assisted precision medicine. The SMProTrack project aims to develop a groundbreaking single-molecule protein sensing method using silicon nano-channels and AI algorithms to achieve unmatched accuracy and detail. This low-cost, portable technology can detect multiple proteins from tiny samples. Focusing on diagnosing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) via liquid biopsy, the project will validate its effectiveness with clinical samples. SMProTrack seeks to provide a cost-effective, highly sensitive tool for rapid and accurate protein detection, with potential applications in various liquid biopsy diagnostics.

 

Iliana Ivanova, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, highlighted the impact of these grants since their inception in 2011, noting that they have received more than €300 million in funding. She emphasized that Horizon Europe funding has enabled researchers to advance from pioneering research to innovation. Prof. Maria Leptin, President of the ERC, congratulated the winners and emphasized the importance of investing in curiosity-driven research to maintain Europe’s leadership in innovation.

 

In this funding round, the UK led with 15 projects, followed by the Netherlands (14), Italy (12), France, Germany, and Spain (10 each), Israel (7), Belgium (5), Austria, Denmark, and Sweden (3 each), Finland and Ireland (2 each), and finally, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, and Turkey (1 each).

 

The Proof-of-Concept grant scheme is exclusively available to researchers who currently hold or have previously been awarded ERC frontier research grants. These grants help researchers explore the commercial or societal potential of their discoveries. The ERC’s 2024 work program included two calls for Proof-of-Concept grants with a total budget of €30 million, funded by Horizon Europe.

 

About the ERC

Established by the European Union in 2007, the ERC is a leading funding organization for frontier research in Europe. It supports innovative researchers of all nationalities and ages to conduct projects across Europe. The ERC offers four main grant schemes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants, along with the Proof-of-Concept Grant scheme.

 

The ceremony was attended by Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan, Dean of the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine Prof. Ami Aronheim, and Rappaport family representative Irith Rappaport, who has generously supported the faculty’s activities since its establishment. The ceremony included 81 female graduates and 55 male graduates, totaling 136 graduates. Twenty-six of them graduated with honors, five with special distinction, and 14 completed the prestigious MD/PhD program, which combines medicine and research and awards its graduates a dual degree: MD and PhD. The Senior Vice President of the Technion Prof. Oded Rabinovitch conferred the degrees on behalf of the Technion Senate. Prof. Moshe Fligelman was honored with reading the Hippocratic Oath.

 

Technion President Prof. Sivan told the new doctors and their families that “especially today, nine months after October 7 and the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War, amid the pain and chaos and uncertainty, I chose to talk about values. In our conduct over the past nine months, we did not lose our composure, and while many systems around us collapsed, we continued to function with inspiring adherence to the values of the Technion. We embraced those whose lives were halted on October 7 and during the war, hosted hundreds of evacuated families in the dormitories and the guesthouse on campus, and supported our 3,500 reservists, the community around us, and IDF units.” President Sivan also imparted some words of wisdom: “Remember not only the professional knowledge you have acquired, but also the values we have instilled in you, the compassion. Always remember them, especially when the sea is stormy, the mast is about to break, and it is tempting to choose easier paths.”

 

 

The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine is named after generous donors Ruth and Bruce Rappaport, who supported the faculty since its establishment. On behalf of the family, their daughter Irith Rappaport addressed the degree recipients, saying, “You are entering a world where your profession is not just a job but a mission, and it is important for me to highlight the importance of this mission, especially in light of the past year and the current Israeli reality. Talking about hope these days is not simple, but as someone who believes in the power of science and medicine to change society, I see in you the hope for a better future. Despite the difficulties, medicine has the ability to connect people, reduce gaps, and bridge disagreements. You, more than anyone, know that medicine is not just a science; it is also the art of compassion and listening. We live in a time when polarization and fear threaten to tear our society apart, and therefore your role is more important than ever, because only through compassion and acceptance of the other can we create healing here.”

 

Faculty Dean Prof. Aronheim told the graduates, “As medicine becomes more sophisticated and technological, your patients will always seek compassion, a smile, a word of encouragement, and a warm touch. They will want to see the truth in your eyes and will ask you to always leave room for hope, even if it comes after another 26-hour shift. The degree awarded to you today is a certificate of honor and appreciation for your completion of all the many tasks we set before you. You definitely deserve to pause for a moment, pat yourselves on the back, and say with satisfaction and pride – we did it!”

 

A Realistic Doctor

One of the graduates of the prestigious MD/PhD program is Dr. Noam Keidar, who graduated with special distinction. His father, Prof. Zohar Keidar, also a graduate of the faculty, is the deputy dean for clinical appointments in the faculty and the director of the Nuclear Medicine Institute at Rambam Medical Center. Prof. Keidar presented his son with the academic hood. Noam grew up in Haifa and studied in the gifted program at the Leo Baeck Education Center. During his undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, he won first place in the final project competition when he developed a mobile application for predicting and diagnosing ventricular fibrillation. Later, Noam chose to enter the MD/PhD program, saying, “I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t want to give up the realistic side.” For his doctorate, supervised by Prof. Yael Yaniv, he expanded his research to other medical issues, including epilepsy attacks and childbirth complications, with the common denominator being prediction based on data analysis using AI. After October 7, like many other young people, Noam was called up for reserve duty, and after several months of service, he began his post-doctoral fellowship in Prof. Assaf Shuster’s research group at the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science. There, he works on predicting medical phenomena based on data analysis using AI. He said, “Over the years, I have gained extensive knowledge in medicine and no less in engineering. In my post-doctoral work, I continue to work on the interface between medicine and engineering, and I would like to continue working at this interface in the future, outside of academia.”

 

Bridging Neuroscience and Immunology

Another graduate of the prestigious MD/PhD program is Dr. Maya Schiller, daughter of Professors Jackie and Yitzhak Schiller, faculty members at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. Maya was born in Jerusalem, studied at the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa, and is now married and a mother to a daughter. She did her doctorate under the supervision of Prof. Asya Rolls from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, and her research focused on the influence of the dopaminergic reward system in the brain on the immune system. The reward system is activated in positive emotional states and in anticipation of positive events, and Maya and her colleagues’ research showed that such states affect the immune system. Moreover, these studies, published in Nature Communications, Nature Medicine, and Nature Reviews Immunology, showed that intentional intervention in the reward system might lead to the inhibition of bacterial infections and even the reduction of tumor sizes. During her studies, Maya won numerous prestigious awards, including the Clore Prize, the Jacobs Prize, and the Rappaport Prize. She is now specializing in neurology at Sheba Medical Center and plans to combine immunology research and clinical work with patients in the future.

 

Fourth Generation in Medicine

Omer Kerner, a graduate of the 51st class, is a fourth-generation doctor. His father, Dr. Arthur Kerner, is a graduate of the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion and the director of the Invasive Cardiology Unit at Rambam Medical Center. His uncle, Arthur’s identical twin brother, is Dr. Ram Kerner, an obstetrician-gynecologist. They are not just identical twins – they completed their medical studies a year apart and are both married to physiotherapists. Omer’s grandmother is Prof. Vicky Kerner, who was the head of the Pathology Institute at Rambam and a founder of the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, and their father was a dentist. Omer’s great-grandfather was the first generation of the family in medicine and served as a hospital director and surgeon in the city of Storozhynets in Ukraine; his wife was a dermatologist.