Prof. Jonathan Gressel developed herbicide resistance methods for battling parasitic weeds such as witchweeds and broomrapes, which ravage grain and legume crops in several parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 100 million farmers lose half their yield to these parasites.
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In experiments in Kenya, conducted with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), maize yields tripled thanks to this approach. The new varieties have been released to seed companies, which commercialized them in western Kenya and Uganda and are continuing to breed additional resistant varieties, appropriate for other regions.
Prof. Yehiam Prior developed an advanced method for cutting diamonds with lasers. The method practically halves the loss of material and makes it possible to cut stones into virtually any shape.
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The Institute’s method for laser cutting of diamonds has been incorporated into Israel’s diamond industry.
Prof. Amos Breskin develops advanced radiation detectors, which have an important impact on many fields of research, such as particle, nuclear and atomic physics, medical diagnostics, biology and materials science.
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Together with colleagues at Weizmann and elsewhere, Breskin developed a minimally invasive electronic “finger” for the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer. The technology is being tested in collaboration with urologists from the Kaplan Medical Center.
Prof. Yair Reisner developed mice with functioning human immune systems. These laboratory animals can be used for research on a broad range of human diseases.
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XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. in Rehovot was set up to make use of Reisner’s technology. The company currently develops therapies for hepatitis B and C with the help of the mice. It is also developing drugs to treat other infectious diseases based on human antibodies.
Prof. Yair Reisner studied molecules of various sugars and sugar-binding proteins called lectins, which allow cells to identify one another and latch on. Reisner started this research while a graduate student under the guidance of Prof. Nathan Sharon.
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The lectin method is employed today to separate different types of bone marrow cells before transplantation in order to prevent rejection of the transplant. The method is used routinely to save the lives of “bubble children” born with immune deficiencies.
In the 1960s, Institute scientists discovered photochromism, a reversible change in the color of materials due to exposure to light. Following up on this research, Prof. Valeri Krongauz developed a very active photochromic polymer that could be used for producing light-sensitive coating on plastic lenses.
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Chromtech, a company in Kiryat Weizmann, was established to make use of Krongauz’s research. It manufactures light-sensitive materials used as coating for sunglasses that darken when exposed to bright light.
Prof. Shimon Ullman designed ways to enable computerized vision systems to recognize objects.
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Research conducted by Ullman and colleagues led to the establishment of a company that eventually evolved into Orbotech. Located in Yavne near Rehovot, Orbotech today is the world’s largest producer of equipment for the automated inspection of printed circuit boards.
Prof. Avigdor Scherz studied photosynthesis, the process by which plants capture sunlight and convert it into useful energy. Together with Prof. Yoram Salomon, he developed light-sensitive compounds that successfully treated cancer in laboratory animals. The compounds are based on chlorophyll, the plants’ light-collecting pigment.
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The “green” compounds have been developed into drugs for use in photodynamic therapy of cancer. They are being tested in clinical trials of prostate cancer at two medical centers in Canada. Additional trials of prostate and other cancers are in the pipeline.
Prof. Emeritus Moshe Feldman developed innovative chromosomal engineering techniques and used them to transfer desired genes from wild emmer wheat into cultivated wheat.
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The resultant wheat provided higher yields than the original varieties.
In the 1950s, Prof. Ephraim Katzir developed simple synthetic models, known as polyamino acids, that made it easier to study the properties of proteins.
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The study of the properties of polyamino acids, and above all of their immunological properties, enabled the development of synthetic antigens, which, among other things, led Weizmann scientists to develop the drug Copaxone, now used worldwide to treat multiple sclerosis.
Battling Parasitic Weeds
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