Table of Contents The Board of Governors...... 1

The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee...... 9

Institute Officers...... 13

The Weizmann Institute of Science...... 17

Faculty of Biochemistry...... 21 Faculty of Biochemistry...... 22 Biological Chemistry...... 24 Molecular Genetics...... 35 Plant Sciences...... 46 Biological Services...... 55 The Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis...... 58 The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine...... 60 The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research...... 62 The Crown Human Genome Center...... 64 The Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition...... 67 The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics...... 68 The Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics...... 69 The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology...... 70 The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research...... 71 The David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research...... 73 The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research....74

Faculty of Biology...... 77 Faculty of Biology...... 78 Biological Regulation...... 80 Immunology...... 90 Molecular Cell Biology...... 99 Neurobiology...... 110 Veterinary Resources...... 117 The Norman and Helen Asher Center for Brain Imaging...... 119 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases...... 120 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences...... 122 The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Center for Brain Research...... 123 The Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions...... 124 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Stem Cell Research...... 125 The Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders...... 126 The Belle S. and Irving E. Meller Center for the Biology of Aging...... 127 The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research...... 128 The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology...... 130 Table of Contents Faculty of Biology The Women's Health Research Center...... 134 The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy...... 135

Faculty of Chemistry...... 137 Faculty of Chemistry...... 138 Chemical Physics...... 142 Environmental Sciences and Energy Research...... 149 Materials and Interfaces...... 154 Organic Chemistry...... 162 Structural Biology...... 170 Solar Research Facilities Unit...... 176 Chemical Research Support...... 179 The Center for Energy Research...... 195 The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry...... 197 The Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research....199 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Sciences...... 200 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design...... 202 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science...... 203 The Helen and Milton A.Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly...... 204 The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology...... 206 The Gerhardt M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center on Supramolecular Architecture...... 207 The Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging...... 209 The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences...... 210 Additional Institutes that have contributed to Scientific Advancement...... 215

Faculty of Physics...... 217 Faculty of Physics...... 218 Condensed Matter Physics...... 220 Particle Physics...... 228 Physics of Complex Systems...... 237 Physics Services...... 244 The Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics...... 246 The Center for Experimental Physics...... 247 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics...... 248 The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research...... 251 The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics...... 254 The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics...... 257 The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems...... 258

Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science...... 265 Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science...... 266 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics...... 267 Table of Contents Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science Mathematics...... 276 The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science....284 The Ida Kohen Center for Mathematics...... 286 The John von Neumann Minerva Center for the Development of Reactive Systems...... 287 The Prospective Institute for Biomatics...... 288

Feinberg Graduate School...... 291 Feinberg Graduate School...... 292 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center...... 356

Dean for Educational Activities...... 363 Science Teaching...... 364 Davidson Institute for Science Education...... 377

Institute-Wide Centers...... 399 The Clore Center for Biological Physics...... 400 The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research...... 401 The J & R Center for Scientific Research...... 402 The Kahn Family Research Center for Systems Biology of the Human Cell...... 403 The Health and Sciences Center...... 405 The Center for New Scientists...... 406 The Jeanne and Joseph Nissim Foundation for Life Sciences Research...... 407 The Center for Scientific Excellence...... 408 The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research...... 409 The Yeda-Sela (YeS) Center for Basic Research...... 412

Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs...... 415 Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs...... 416 Academic Affairs Office...... 417 Research Grants and Projects Office...... 443 Visiting Scientists Office...... 444

Division of Information Systems...... 447

Division of Logistics and Research Services...... 465

The Amos de-Shalit Foundation...... 471

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd...... 475 Table of Contents Weizmann Institute Activities on the Internet...... 479 The Board of Governors

Chair, International Board: Mandy Moross, U.K. Founding Chair: Dewey D. Stone, U.S.A. Vice Chair, International Board: Lester Crown, U.S.A. President, Weizmann Institute: Prof. Daniel Zajfman

Members of the International Board:

Abramov Ayala Zacks, Israel, Life Member Abramson Gary M., U.S.A. Abramson Pennie, U.S.A. Prof. Addadi Lia, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Appelbaum Sally L., U.S.A. Prof. Arnon Ruth, Weizmann Institute Prof. Artstein Zvi, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Asher Helen S, U.S.A.., Life Member Asher Robert H., U.S.A. Assia David, Israel Assia Yehuda, Israel, Life Member Prof. Sir Ball, John M. FRS, U.K. Prof. Baltimore David, U.S.A. Prof. Bar-Joseph Israel, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Prof. Bard Allen J., U.S.A. Beck Cathy, Canada Beck H. Thomas, Canada Belfer Robert A., U.S.A. Ben-Naftali Abraham, Israel, Chair Emeritus (Executive Council) Prof. Ben-Shahar Haim, Israel Dr. Benassayag Emile, France Bennett Marshall, U.S.A., Life Member Prof. Sir Berry, Michael V. FRS, U.K. Bloom David R., Canada Esq. Blumberg Lawrence S., U.S.A. Braginsky René, Switzeland Bronicki Yehuda L., Israel Prof. Chain Benny, U.K. Chais Stanley, U.S.A., Life Member Ciechanover Joseph, Israel Cohen Doron, Israel Prof.Cohen Marvin L., U.S.A. Prof.Cohn Mildred, U.S.A., Life Member Cohn Samy, Brazil, Life Member Prof.Crutzen Paul J., Germany 2 The Board of Governors Prof. Dafermos Constantine M., U.S.A. Dan Leslie L., Canada de Picciotto Raoul, Monaco, Life Member Diller Helen, U.S.A. Prof.Dinarello Charles A., U.S.A. Dr. Dinstein Zvi, Israel, Chair Emeritus (Executive Council), Life Member Dissentshik Ido, Israel, Chair, Executive Board Dockser Sonnie, U.S.A. Dollar Edly R., Israel Prof. Dorfan Jonathan M., U.S.A. Prof. Dostrovsky Israel, Weizmann Institute, Life Member Drake Robert J. (Bob), the Netherlands, Vice Chair, Executive Board Prof.Drell Sidney D, U.S.A., Life Member Prof.Dresselhaus Mildred S., U.S.A. Duffield Arabella, U.K. Dame Duffield Vivien, U.K. Dwek Julian, U.K. Dwek Maurizio M., Switzerland Equey Robert , Switzerland Prof. Estrin Gerald, U.S.A., Life Member Federmann Michael, Israel Prof. Feigenbaum Mitchell J., U.S.A. Prof. Sir Fersht, Alan R., FRS, U.K. Prof. Fink Gerald R., U.S.A. Fischer Alan A., U.S.A. Prof. Fischer Edmond H., U.S.A. Prof. Fisher, FRS Michael E., U.S.A. Fleck Mario, Brazil Flug Laura, U.S.A. Prof. Garty Haim, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Gavish Moshe, Israel Prof.Geiger Benjamin, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Gerson Mauricio, Mexico Gerstel Martin S., Israel Ginsburg David, U.S.A., Life Member Prof.Goldberg Michel E., France Goldwasser Abraham M., Israel, Life Member Gordon Carol, Canada Prof. Green Michael B., U.K. Adv. Green Yair, Israel Greenberg Scott D., U.S.A. Baroness Greenfield, Susan A. CBE, U.K. Prof. Groner Yoram, Weizmann Institute Prof.Gros Francois, France, Life Member Gurwin Joseph, U.S.A., Life Member The Board of Governors 3 Haas Wilhelm, Germany Hackmey Joseph D, Israel Hamburger Gideon J., Israel Prof. Harari Haim, Weizmann Institute Harel Shimshon, Israel Hollander Yossie, Israel Prof. Hunt Timothy (Tim), U.K. Ilin Ephraim, Israel, Life Member Jacobs Michael, U.K. Prof. Jäckle Herbert, Germany Jinich Armando, Mexico Dr. Kadishay Yair, Israel, Life Member Kahn Morris S., Israel Esq. Kamins Shelly B., U.S.A. Prof. Karp Richard M., U.S.A. Prof. Katzir Ephraim, Weizmann Institute, Life Member Kaul Isaac, Israel Kay James F., Canada Kekst Gershon, U.S.A., Chair Emeritus (Board of Governors) Kimmel Helen L., U.S.A., Life Member Kirk Donald L., U.S.A. Kleeman Derrick ,Switzerland, Life Member Kleeman Peter J., U.K. Klepetar-Fallek Andrea, U.S.A. Prof. Sir Klug Aaron, U.K. Kober Gad, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Koffler Marvelle, Canada Koffler Murray B., Canada, Chair Emeritus (Board of Governors) Prof. Kohn Walter, U.S.A. Kostenbaum Alain, Switzerland Landa Benny, Israel Prof. Lehn Jean-Marie, France Leitersdorf Jonathan D., Israel Dr. Leshner Alan I., U.S.A Prof. Levine Arnold J., U.S.A Levine Morton, U.S.A Prof. Libchaber Albert J., U.S.A Prof. Lieber Charles M., U.S.A Machinist Robert B., U.S.A Makov Israel, Israel Maor Joshua, Israel Mayer Dan, France Mayer Rina, Israel Meltzer Gurion, Israel Meridor Dan, Israel 4 The Board of Governors Dr. Meridor Leora, Israel Meyer Roselyn B., U.S.A Prof. Mirelman David, Weizmann Institute Lord Mitchell Parry A., U.K. Mondry Ira, U.S.A Morse Andrew R., U.S.A Morton Lon, U.S.A Prof. Naaman Ron, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Prof. Nir Yosef, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Nissim Joseph G., Italy Prof. Oren Moshe, Weizmann Institute Paisner, Martin D. CBE, U.K. Prof. Pawson Tony, Canada Prof. Peleg David, Weizmann Institute Peres Chemi, Israel Petschek Charles I., U.S.A Pickman Morton (Mac), U.S.A, Life Member Prof. Pincus Philip A., U.S.A Prof. Pines Alexander , U.S.A Pollack Bruce G., U.S.A Porath Moshe, Israel, Life Member Prof. Prior Yehiam, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Propper Dan, Israel Prof. Rich Alexander, U.S.A, Life Member Sir Ritblat John H., U.K. Rose Barrie D., Canada Prof. Ross John, U.S.A, Life Member Prof.Roth Jesse, MD, FACP, U.S.A Lord Rothschild Jacob, GBE, Life Member Prof. Sakmann Bert, Germany, Life Member Schoenheimer Pierre L., U.S.A Schupf Sara L., U.S.A Dr. Schwartz John, U.S.A Segal Modi, Israel Prof. Sela Michael, Weizmann Institute, Life Member Shapell David, U.S.A, Life Member Shapiro Daniel S., U.K. Dr. Sherman Barry C., Canada Prof. Sheves Mudi, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Prof. Shilo Ben-Zion, Weizmann Institute, Ex-Officio Member Sir Sieff David, U.K. Siem Karen A., U.K. Dr. Singer Maxine F., U.S.A, Life Member Dr. Smith Jay A., Canada Steinberg Gregg M., U.S.A The Board of Governors 5 Steindling Rudolfine, Austria Stillmann Luis E., Mexico Lord Stone of Blackheath, U.K. Tamir Doron, Israel Tanner Marvin, Canada Tenenbaum Evelyn, U.S.A Teplow David. I., U.S.A Teplow Theodore H., U.S.A, Life Member Townsley, Barry S. CBE, U.K. Prof. Van Montagu Marc, Belgium Dr. Vardi Yossi, Israel Dr. Waksal Harlan W., U.S.A Prof. Weidenmuller Hans A., Germany Prof. Weissmann, MD, PhD Charles, U.S.A Dr. Willner Albert, U.S.A Dr. Winter Herbert , Switzerland Wolff Peter M., U.K. Lord Wolfson of Marylebone, U.K., Life Member Prof. Yarden Yosef, Weizmann Institute Prof. Yonath Ada, Weizmann Institute Prof. Zacher Hans F., Germany Zimand Henri, Israel Zoller Lois, U.S.A Zucker Uzi, U.S.A Zuckerman Sharon, Canada

The Founding Chairperson

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

Members Emeritus

Almaleh Sem, Switzerland Prof. Arigoni Duilio, Switzerland Prof. Bach Fritz H., U.S.A. Barness Amnon S., U.S.A. Begam Robert G., U.S.A. Prof. Benacerraf Baruj, U.S.A. Bernstein Stuart A., U.S.A. Besen Marc, Australia Bildner Albert, U.S.A. Borman Paul, U.S.A. Brender Joseph, Australia Bronfman Edgar M., U.S.A. Cameron Hugh T., Canada 6 The Board of Governors Cohen, Stanley S, OBE, U.K. Prof. Cohn Mildred, U.S.A. Sir Cowen Zelman, Australia Prof. Dausset Jean, France Dennis, David L., Canada Prof. Devons Samuel, U.S.A. Sir Djanogly, Harry, CBE, U.K. Dobrin Melvyn A., Canada Prof. Edelman Gerald M., U.S.A Prof. Eigen Manfred, Germany Ezralow Marshall S., U.S.A Prof. Feher George, U.S.A Sir Frost David, CBE, U.K. Gelfand Herbert M., U.S.A Prof. Goldhaber Maurice, U.S.A Dr. Goldman Carlos, Venezuela Dr. Goldman Jacob E., U.S.A Goldman Richard N., U.S.A Goldsmith Bram , U.S.A Goodman Richard F., U.S.A Greisman Joel, Canada Grofman Shlomo, Israel Dr. Hansen Niels, Germany Harmelech Yeheskiel, Israel Dr. Haunschild Hans-Hilger , Germany Prof. Sir Kornberg Hans L., FRS., U.S.A. Lautman Dov, Israel Prof. Lederman Leon M., U.S.A. Levine William, U.S.A. Marcus Andre, Monaco Prof. Marks Paul A., U.S.A. Mason John J., U.S.A. Prof. Mitchison N. Avrion, FRS, U.K. Monod Henri M., France Prof. Mostow George D., U.S.A. Rosenfeld Jackie, OBE, U.K. Dr. Rosenkranz George, Mexico Rothberg Samuel, U.S.A. Dr. Rothstein Aser, U.S.A. Schaefer Rowland, U.S.A. Prof. Scheraga Harold A., U.S.A. Schoenfeld Walter E., U.S.A. Siegel Jerome A., U.S.A. Singer William H., U.S.A. Prof. Staab Heinz A., Germany The Board of Governors 7 Stulman Stephen L., U.S.A. Prof. Sir Thomas John M., FRS, U.K. Waring Saul, U.S.A. Lord Weidenfeld, U.K. Weissman Alan B., U.S.A. Prof. Winicki Bernard, France Dr. Zaffaroni Alejandro, U.S.A. 8 The Board of Governors The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee

Co-Chairs

Prof. Sir Alan R. Fersht, FRS, MRC Centre for Protein Engineering, Cambridge, UK Prof. Hans A. Weidenmüller, Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany

Prof. Sir John M. Ball, FRS, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Prof. David Baltimore, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA Prof. Allen J. Bard, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA Prof. Sir Michael V. Berry, FRS, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK Prof. Benny Chain, UCL, London, UK Prof. Marvin L. Cohen, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA Prof. Paul J. Crutzen, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Mainz, Germany Prof. Constantine M. Dafermos, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Prof. Charles A. Dinarello, MD, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA Ido Dissentshik, Tel-Aviv, Israel Prof. Jonathan M. Dorfan, SLAC, Menlo Park, CA, USA Prof. Sidney D. Drell, SLAC, Menlo Park, CA, USA Prof. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, USA Prof. Gerald Fink, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA Prof. Edmond H. Fischer, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Prof. Michael E. Fisher, FRS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA Prof. Michael B. Green, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Prof. François Gros, Académie des Sciences, Paris, France Prof. Sir Richard Timothy (Tim) Hunt, FRS, London Research Institute, London, UK Prof. Herbert Jäckle, Max Planck Society, Munich, Germany Prof. Richard M. Karp, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA Prof. Sir Aaron Klug, FRS, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, UK Prof. Walter Kohn, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France Prof. Arnold J. Levine, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton, NJ, USA Prof. Albert J. Libchaber, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA Prof. Charles M. Lieber, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Mandy Moross, London, UK, ex-officio member Prof. Anthony J. Pawson, University of Toronto, Canada Prof. Philip A. Pincus, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA 10 The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee Prof. Alexander Pines, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA Prof. Alexander Rich, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, USA Prof. Bert Sakmann, Max-Planck-Institut für Medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany Dr. Maxine F. Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USA Prof. Marc Van Montagu, Brussels, Belgium Prof. Charles Weissmann, MD, PhD, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA Prof. Daniel Zajfman, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel, ex-officio member The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee 11 12 The Scientific and Academic Advisory Committee Institute Officers

President Professor Daniel Zajfman

Vice President Professor Haim Garty

Vice President for Administration and Finance Gad Kober

Vice President for Resource Development and Dean for Educational Activities Professor Israel Bar-Joseph

Vice President for Technology Transfer Professor Mordechai Sheves

Senior Advisor to the President for Information Systems Professor Yigal Burstein (until June 2008)

Chair, Council of Professors Professor David Peleg

Chair, Scientific Council Professor Menachem Rubinstein (until September 2008) Professor Ron Naaman (from October 2008)

Vice Chair, Scientific Council Professor Ron Naaman (until September 2008) Professor Eytan Domany (from October 2008)

Advisory Committee to the President

Professor Zvi Artstein Professor Israel Bar-Joseph Professor Adi Kimchi Professor Haim Garty Professor Benjamin Geiger Gad Kober Professor David Peleg Professor Yehiam Prior Professor Menachem Rubinstein (until September 2008) Professor Ron Naaman (from October 2008) 14 Institute Officers Professor Mordechai Sheves Professor Ben-Zion Shilo Professor Yaron Silberberg (until 14 May 2008) Professor Yosef Nir (from 15 May 2008) Professor Lia Addadi

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

President Robert A. Belfer Chairman Emeritus of ACWIS and of AIPAC Robert Asher President Emeritus of ACWIS Robert G. Begam Chairman of the American Committee - Lawrence S. Blumberg LLP Founding Chairman Abraham Feinberg (deceased) Senior Vice President Andrew Morse Immediate Past President Maxine F. Singer President Emeritus - Theodore H. Teplow Dean of the Feinberg Graduate School Professor Lia Addadi

Deans of the Faculties

Biochemistry Professor Ben-Zion Shilo

Biology Professor Benjamin Geiger

Chemistry Professor Yehiam Prior

Physics Professor Yaron Silberberg (until 14 May 2008) Professor Yosef Nir (from 15 May 2008)

Mathematics and Computer Science Professor Zvi Artstein

Senior Administrative Officers

Academic Secretary and Head, Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs Dr. Boaz Avron Institute Officers 15 Chief Legal Counsel Shulamit Geri

Head, Construction and Plant Maintenance Division Eliezer Elhadad

Head, Finance Division Osnat Wishnitzer (until January 2008) Yuval Lazarov (from February 2008)

Head, Human Resources Division Vered Liverant Kessler

Head, Logistics and Research Services Division Asher Bar-on

Head, Procurement Division Nathan Shtark

Internal Auditor and Ombudsman Doron Yonai

Secretary of the Association Kelly Avidan

Resource Development and Public Affairs - Senior Officers

Director, Resource Development Ronit Neaman-Anukov Director, Strategic Development Gila Shmueli Head, Barbara and Morris Levinson Visitors Center Navit Kopelis Head, Publications and Media Relations Department Yivsam Azgad 16 Institute Officers The Weizmann Institute of Science

The Weizmann Institute of Science, one of the worlds leading multidisciplinary research centers, is located in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv on Israels coastal plain. Today, around 2500 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. and M.Sc. students, and scientific, technical and administrative staff work at the Institute, where lush lawns and sub-tropical gardens serve as a backdrop to the cutting-edge research performed in its labs. In addition, visiting scientists and their families over 610 from 29 countries in 2008 and numerous participants in international scientific conferences and symposia are regularly hosted at the Institute, which also offers a wide range of cultural and educational activities to the public at large.

When the Institute was conceived in 1933, the embattled Jewish population of Palestine numbered 400,000 and Rehovot was a tiny agricultural community surrounded by orange groves. In this milieu, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, who would later become the first President of the State of Israel, envisioned the establishment of a world-class scientific research center. Though resources were extremely scarce, Dr. Weizmann, a successful chemist and tireless statesman for the Zionist cause, believed such an institute was crucial to securing the future of a Jewish state, both economically and politically.

Fortunately, there were others who shared his dream. In 1934, his friends Israel and Rebecca Sieff established the Daniel Sieff Research Institute in memory of their son. Dr. Weizmann had his lab in the Daniel Sieff Institute, alongside those of 10 other full-time researchers in organic chemistry and biochemistry.

Throughout WWII and Israels War of Independence, Institute scientists were deeply involved in the war efforts, yet under Dr. Weizmanns direction, the Institute continued to grow. The end of WWII and the founding of the new Jewish state brought an influx of new scientific talent, and with it a new determination to make Israel a center of scientific excellence. By the time it was formally dedicated in 1949, shortly after Israels declaration of independence, the Weizmann Institute housed 60 labs in nine fields of research, including organic, inorganic and bio- chemistry, optics and electronics, bacteriology and biophysics, polymer and isotope research, and applied mathematics. The Wolfson Institute of Experimental Biology was under construction and the first residential quarters were nearing completion.

The Feinberg Graduate School was established in 1958, and the first PhD was conferred there in 1964. About 1000 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students are enrolled each year in studies covering the Institutes 18 departments, which are grouped into five faculties: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and 18 The Weizmann Institute of Science Mathematics and Computer Science. To meet the challenges of modern research, a number of multidisciplinary centers have been created to allow scientists from completely different fields to work together in developing new approaches to everything from creating new diagnostic tools to revealing the mechanics of living cells to artificial intelligence. In keeping with Dr. Weizmanns vision of Israel as a scientific world leader, the Institute continues to invest resources in ensuring the future of science: through the Science Teaching Department, established in 1968; the Davidson Institute of Science Education, founded in 2001, and Young@Science, which offers science activities ranging from weekly after-school programs, to science camps, competitions and a science-mobile that brings hands-on science to schools. The Clore Garden of Science, which opened in 1999, is the worlds first completely interactive outdoor science museum, and it plays host to a widely popular science festival each spring on the Weizmann campus.

In 1959, the Yeda Research and Development Co. was founded to function as the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute. The first company of its kind in Israel, Yeda initiates and promotes the transfer of innovations stemming from the research of Weizmann Institute scientists to the global marketplace. The Weizmann Institute was also a key player in the establishment of the Kiryat Weizmann Industrial Park, a 40 acre site housing over 60 hi-tech companies, many based on Institute discoveries, ranging from aircraft instruments to bioengineered drugs.

More than 70 years since the first labs were erected in the midst of bucolic orange groves, and over 50 since its official dedication, the Weizmann Institute, today more than ever, is at the forefront of global science. The Weizmann Institute of Science 19 20 The Weizmann Institute of Science Faculty of Biochemistry

Dean: Ben-Zion Shilo The Hilda and Cecil Lewis Professor of Molecular Genetics

Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir, Ph.D. (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Institute Professor The Theodore R. Racoosin Professor of Biophysics 22 Faculty of Biochemistry

Faculty of Biochemistry

Dean: Ben-Zion Shilo The Hilda and Cecil Lewis Chair of Molecular Genetics

The faculty is comprised of three scientific departments, including Biological Chemistry, Molecular Genetics and Plant Sciences, as well as the Biological Services unit. A number of Research Centers operate within the different departments: Plant Sciences -- The Avron-Willsttter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis; The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research; the Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition. Molecular Genetics -- The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics; The Crown Human Genome Center; The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research, (headed by Prof. Yoram Groner in this Faculty), and the newly-established David & Fela Shapell Family Centre for Genetic Disorders Research. Biological Chemistry -- The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research. In addition, the Institute for Molecular Medicine, commemorating the late Y. Leon Benoziyo, is now operating under the auspices of the Faculty.

Modern research in Biology is characterized by the broad range of disciplines involved, and the wide sweep of approaches in which a problem or system can be addressed: from the single molecule to the whole organism. Similarly, it is now possible to examine a gene or protein in the context of its immediate pathway, or as part of a broader, systems level analysis. These different approaches are represented in the Faculty of Biochemistry.

The department of Biological Chemistry, which is the largest scientific department at the Weizmann Institute, focuses on the structure and function of proteins. It addresses topics ranging from the structure and association between proteins, including analysis of large complexes such as the proteosome, to their trafficking and targeting to different cellular compartments. Accelerated evolution of proteins in the test tube allows the generation of new properties and novel insights into forces that shape evolution of proteins. Groups within the department also focus on DNA repair, gene expression in a variety of systems including ES cells, and mechanisms of neuronal migration and injury repair.

The department of Molecular Genetics focuses on the analysis of biological Faculty of Biochemistry 23 processes in whole organisms. The projects include analysis of neuronal functions and bone development in mice, and examination of the roles of micro-RNAs during embryonic and post-embryonic development. In Drosophila, processes of spermatogenesis, muscle fusion and attachment, and signaling during development are studied. Extensive work on yeast includes localization of transcripts, as well as systems analysis and microscopy-based screens for genome wide properties. Processes of cell death and cytokine signaling are also addressed. Genomic approaches are utilized to study processes such as olfaction.

The department of plant sciences examines a broad range of topics, from biophysical aspects of photosynthesis, to issues of recombination, innate immunity, leaf morphogenesis and application of metabolomic approaches, in combination with plant genetics.

Continuous progress in the Life Sciences is more and more dependent extensive cooperation between scientists of different expertise, as well as the ability to introduce modern equipment. During 2007 the facilities were expanded especially in the areas of new microscope facilities and mass spectroscopy. In order to maintain the vibrant scientific environment, we are constantly searching to recruit talented young scientists and continue to invest in the establishment of new facilities and the acquisition of new equipment. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/homepage/pages/dbiochem.shtml 24 Biological Chemistry

Biological Chemistry

Eitan Bibi, Head

The Department of Biological Chemistry is home to more than 24 research groups, whose scientific activities span several areas in the Life Sciences. The common thread is the study of the biochemistry of life. Emphasis is on the investigation of proteins, whether soluble or membrane-bound, and their key biological functions. We seek a molecular understanding of their structure, function, and interaction with other factors. A variety of biochemical, biophysical, structural, computational and molecular biological methods are being employed, with many overlapping interests and inter-group collaborations. Current research activities evolve around the following seven foci of interest:

1. Protein structure, function, design and evolution

Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir and his colleagues are investigating molecular mechanisms of protein recognition by examining interactions between specific proteins and peptides selected from a random peptide library. In parallel they develop and apply a theoretical protein-protein recognition algorithm (docking). Gideon Schreiber and his coworkers study the basic physico-chemical principles governing protein-protein interactions, and how these relate to complex biological processes. The gained understanding is implemented in several medically relevant systems such as the binding of interferon to its receptor, as well as in algorithm development. Meir Wilchek and his group are studying the structure of avidin and its exceptionally high affinity to biotin. The avidin-biotin complex is being utilized for a variety of new biotechnological applications. Edward A. Bayer and his colleagues are studying the structure, architecture and biotechnological applications of the multi-enzyme cellulosome complex, its interactions with cellulose and other plant cell-wall polysaccharides, and the utilization of recombinant designer cellulosomes for enhanced decomposition of cellulosic substrates in the conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The group of Dan S. Tawfik is interested in the mechanism and evolution of proteins, and enzymes in particular. They perform laboratory evolution experiments aimed at understanding how new proteins evolve, and at the creation of novel Biological Chemistry 25 enzymes with tailor-made activities. Michal Sharon's goal is to understand the relationship between structure and function of molecular machines involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Specifically her group investigates the mechanisms that control and regulate these cellular machines and identifies the network of intermolecular interactions that ensure the integration of this cellular process. A novel mass spectrometry method is utilized for analysis of these multiprotein complexes in their native state. This approach is particularly adept at providing new insights into subunit stoichiometry, composition and structural arrangement.

2. Structure and function of ion channels, pumps, other transporters, membrane protein involved in viral infection and innate immunity, viral envelope proteins, and photosynthesis proteins

Several groups are investigating proteins that form specific pores across the cell membrane. Eitan Reuveny is investigating the molecular properties and physiological function of a group of neuronal K+ channels and their interaction with G-proteins. Yechiel Shai's group uses a multidisciplinary approach to study the insertion, assembly and function of membrane proteins involved in immune response (TCR, TLR), infectious diseases (host-defense peptides; i.e. antimicrobial and anticancer peptides), and viral envelopes (HIV/SIV gp41). These studies also led to the design of novel potential antimicrobial, anticancer, immunosuppressive, and antiviral drugs. Nuclear pore complexes, multi-protein structures, that transport macromolecules in and out of the nucleus, are being studied by Ziv Reich. His work utilizes biophysical methods such as atomic force microscopy. Haim Garty focuses on two themes in the regulation of ion transport, which participate in maintaining body salt and water balance. One is the epithelial Na+ channel, which mediates the aldosterone-dependent Na+ reabsorption in the kidney and intestine, and the other is a new group of tissue specific regulators of the Na+/K+ ATPase, the FXYD proteins. Steven J. D. Karlish and his colleagues are exploring the structure and organization of Na,K-ATPase, and its regulation by FXYD proteins. This ion pump plays a central role in maintaining Na and K gradients across the cell membrane and is involved in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Another family of transport proteins, which extrude toxins from cells and hence pose a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy and antibiotic treatment, is being studied by Eitan Bibi. The groups of Steven J. D. Karlish and Eitan Bibi are also interested in solving membrane protein structures by X-ray crystallography. Other researchers are interested in photosynthesis and its relation to ion transport. Shmuel Malkin's research in photosynthesis concentrated on interpreting photoacoustic 26 Biological Chemistry signals from plant leaves under special conditions, which indicate gas uptake. These signals may be related to oxygen photoreduction by photosystem I and/or proton movements to the thylakoid lumen. Uri Pick's group studies the mechanism by which the alga Dunaliella copes with extreme salinity and iron deprivation and also collaborates with Avihai Danon (Plant Sciences) to develop technologies to produce biodiesel from green algae. The groups of Uri Pick and Ada Zamir are collaborating to elucidate the mechanisms by which the green alga Dunaliella copes with extreme changes in external salinity and with iron deprivation.

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

Studies related to this general problem in cell biology are being carried out in a number of laboratories. Eitan Bibi and his co-workers are studying the role of the signal recognition particle (SRP) and other cellular components in the biogenesis of prokaryotic membrane proteins. They seek to identify new components of the machinery, and to understanding how ribosomes target and associate with the membrane, and how membrane protein synthesis is regulated. Zvulun Elazar is investigating intracellular protein traffic in eukaryotic systems. His work has led to the identification of new factors that couple transport vesicles to cytoskeletal elements. Delivery of lipids to the cell membrane, and their role in neuronal growth is being studied by Tony Futerman works on two main areas, namely the lysosomal storage diseases, Gaucher, Tay-Sachs, and Niemann-Pick disease; recently, together with I. Silman and J. Sussman he solved the structure of Cerezyme, the enzyme given to Gaucher disease patients. The other area concerns mechanisms of ceramide signaling, and has characterized a gene family encoding mammalian ceramide synthases.

4. Signal transduction, and molecular pathogenesis

Several researchers in the department are interested in problems related to signal transduction, chemotaxis and pathogenesis. Michael Eisenbachs group is investigating, at the molecular level, how bacteria navigate according to chemical cues (chemotaxis), and how human sperm cells are guided to the egg. In bacteria, they focus on the mechanism by which the switch of the flagellar motor receives signals from the receptors and modulates the direction of flagellar rotation. In serm, The group of David Wallach is studying mechanisms that control cell death and tissue damage, and involve the caspase cysteine-protease family, and transcription factors of the NF-kB family. They have cloned and characterized several proteins that Biological Chemistry 27 participate in the induction of cell death and inflammation by receptors of the TNF/NGF family, and explore their mechanisms of action. Using transgenic mouse models, they currently focus on elucidating the contribution of genetic variations in these proteins to skin pathology, inflammatory disorders and cancer. Retrograde signaling complexes which govern neuronal growth and regeneration are being investigated by Michael Fainzilber and his co-workers. They have identified new targeting and scaffolding proteins that enable axon-cell body communication in neurons. David Mirelman and his co-workers are characterizing regulatory mechanisms that control the expression of virulence factors in the human intestinal protozoan parasite, /Entamoeba histolytica/ and in particular, epigenetic gene silencing mechanisms. Other studies, in collaboration with the group of Meir Wilchek, focus on the therapeutic properties of the biologically active garlic molecule Allicin and the development of in-situ, targeted delivery systems. Yoram Shechter's research activities focus on overcoming states of insulin-resistance, prolonging the actions of peptide/protein drugs in vivo and delivering peptides and protein drugs from the periphery to the brain via the blood brain barrier. Ruth Miskin is utilizing transgenic mice that over-express plasminogen activator in order to understand mechanisms whereby caloric restriction attenuates aging and increases life-span. Therapeutic and pathogenic signals of the cell membrane, in tumor cells that are subjected to hydrostatic pressure are being examined by Meir Shinitzky. In addition, he investigates the effect on differentiation in breast cancer cells and neuoronal cells of cyclic phosphates, signaling molecules that originate from phospholipid degradation. Ehud Shapiro' s group is using a high-level computer process description language, Stochastic Pi Calculis, to mathematically specify and simulate signal transduction pathways.

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

Zvi Livneh and his coworkers are exploring the molecular mechanisms of DNA repair and mutagenesis in mammals, and in particular translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) by specialized DNA polymerases, and the role of DNA repair in cancer susceptibility. Recently they discovered that TLS is regulated by p53 via p21 to maintain a low mutation load. They also discovered that reduced activity of the DNA repair enzyme OGG1 is a risk factor in lung and head and neck cancers. Two groups are studying mechanisms mediating regulation of gene expression. Rivka Dikstein and her associates are studying the mechanisms of basal and activated transcription. Specifically they are investigating the general 28 Biological Chemistry transcription factor TFIID at the biochemical and molecular level, the mammalian core promoter, links between transcription and post transcriptional stages of gene expression and the mechanism underlying rapid transcription activation by NF-kappaB. Michael Walker and colleagues are investigating the regulation of specific gene expression in insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells, and how embryonic stem cells can be induced to develop efficiently into beta cells. Recent studies have revealed that activity of GPR40, a novel beta cell receptor, helps explain the important, yet poorly understood connection between obesity and diabetes.

6. Mechanisms of developmental regulation

Avraham Yarons group is studying the molecular mechanisms that govern axon guidance during embryonic development. They focus on the mechanisms by which guidance receptors are regulated, and how these receptors transmit their signals. Yoav Soen's group is using embryonic stem cells models to study how different layers of regulation interact to specify morphogenetic decisions, how these decisions are shaped by interactions between emerging precursors and how they are coordinated across a developing embryonic tissue.

7. Biolmolecular computers and computation-based cell lineage analysis

Ehud Shapiro and his team are investigating the engineering of computers made of biological molecules. They succeeded to construct a finite automaton made of DNA and enzymes, which is capable of sensing and diagnosing molecular disease symptoms, and in response releasing a drug-like molecule in a test-tube model system. In a different direction, advanced computational techniques combined with somatic mutation analysis are used for reconstructing cell lineage trees in cultured cells and in mice. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Chemistry/ Biological Chemistry 29 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Eitan Bibi, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Michael Eisenbach, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel The Jack and Simon Djanogly Professor of Biochemistry Anthony H. Futerman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Joseph Meyerhoff 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, Israel The Maxwell Ellis Professor of Biomedical Research David Mirelman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Besen-Brender Professor of Microbiology and Parasitology Yechiel Shai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Harold S. and Harriet B. Brady Professor of Cancer Rrsearch Yoram Shechter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Charles H. Hollenberg Professor of Diabetes and Metabolic Research David Wallach, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Professors Emeriti

S. Roy Caplan, Ph.D., University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa David Danon, Ph.D., University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland Carlos Gitler, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States Ora Kedem, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Shmuel Malkin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Israel R. Miller, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Nathan Sharon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Meir Wilchek, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Ada Zamir, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel 30 Biological Chemistry Associate Professors

Ed Bayer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Professor of Bio-Organic Chemistry Rivka Dikstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Zvulun Elazar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Michael Fainzilber, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Chaya Professor in Molecular Neuroscience Uri Pick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Charles and Louise Gartner Professor Ziv Reich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Eitan Reuveny, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, United States Gideon Schreiber, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Dan Tawfik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Michael Walker, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Marvin Myer and Jenny Cyker Professor of Diabetes Research

Senior Scientists

Michal Sharon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yoav Soen, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Incumbent of the Daniel E. Koshland Sr. Career Development Chair Avraham Yaron, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Staff Scientists

Rivka Adar, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Carol Asher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Rina Barak, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (retired January 2008) Daniel M. Tal, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Elena Bochkareva, Ph.D., Institute of Protein Research, Academy of the USSR, Pushchino, Russian Federation Adriana Katz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Tamar Paz-Elizur, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Biological Chemistry 31 Assistant Staff Scientists

Elena Appel, Ph.D., Medical School, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation Yael Fridmann Sirkis, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Moshe Goldsmith, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tae Bong Kang, Ph.D., Kon-Kuk University, Chungju, Korea, Republic of Ruti Kapon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Andrew Kovalenko, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yael Pewzner-Jung, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Anat Bahat, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Gili Ben-Nissan, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Daniel Harari, Ph.D., University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia Izhak Michaelevski, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Rehovot, Israel Reinat Nevo, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Ziv Sevilya, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Consultants

Stella Aronov (left October 2008) Diana Bach Rina Barak S. Roy Caplan Talia Miron Ruth Miskin Nathan Sharon Meir Shinitzky

Visiting Scientists

Sharon Amit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel Nathan Brady, University of Heidelberg, Germany Barbara Costa, University of Turin, Italy Bernard Glick, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Colin Jackson, CSIRO, Black Mountain, Australia Nobuhiko Tokuriki, Hebrew University , Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Sheera Adar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Michael Anbar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel 32 Biological Chemistry Gali Arad, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Christopher John Arnusch, Utrecht University Anat Bahat, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Minerva Paola Barrios Ceballos, Institute of Experimental Biology Research, UG Talya Belogus, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Kalia Bernath, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Shimon Bershtein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Konstantin Bogdanov, Tel-Aviv University, Israel Jonathan Caspi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Liana Casquinha Da Silva, Ph.D. Ofra Chen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Silvia Chuartzman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yaacov Davidov, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Jianfang Du, Ph.D., Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Shirley Elias, M.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Goodwin Jinesh Gerald Solomon Peter, Ph.D., University of Kerala Saar Golan, Ph.D., Technion, Israel Moshe Goldsmith, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Rinkoo Devi Gupta, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Liat Haklai-Topper, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Adrian Hugenmatter, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) Maya Huguenin, Ph.D. Shachar Iwanir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Lior Izhar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yaacov Kacher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Daniel Kaganovich, Ph.D., Stanford University Na'Aman Kam, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Einat Kapri-Pardes, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, Israel Alon Karpol, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yakov Krelin, Ben-Gurion University, Israel Sangeetha Kunju Kunju, Ph.D., University of Kerala Sujoy Lahiri, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yael Leitner-Dagan, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, Israel Vered Lev-Goldman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Michal Levy, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Min Li, Ph.D., Institute of Biophysics,Chinese Academy of Science Gregory Linshiz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Adi Mesika, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Neeraj Kumar Mishra, Ph.D., Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Ilit Noach, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Marc Offman, Ph.D., University College London Satheeshkumar Padikara Kutty, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai Adi Peleg, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Yael Petel Galil, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Biological Chemistry 33 Vladimir Potapov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Pravinkumar Purushothaman, Ph.D., School of Biotech, Madurai Kamaraj University Marek Rajman, Ph.D., Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics SASc Akhil Rajput, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Viji Raveendran Nair Indi, University of Kerala Dana Reichmann, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gabriela Ridner, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ida Rishal, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Liat Shimon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Naomi Siew, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel Misha Soskine, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Petro Starokadomskyy, Ph.D., Institute of Molecular biology & Genetics NASU Johnny Stiban, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park Sameer Kumar Vidhya Bahuleyan, University of Kerala Itamar Yadid, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Sheera Adar Livnat Afriat Orly Ester Alber Nira Amar Leah Armon Avraham Ashkenazi Tali Avnit-Sagi Muneef Ayyash Keren Bahar Liat Bahari Hagit Bar Nadav Bar Roy Bekerman Talya Belogus Rotem Ben Tov Perry Keren Ben Yaakov Tuval Ben Yehezkel Moran Bentzur Adi Bercovich Kinori Jonathan Caspi Silvia G. Chuartzman Ori Cohavi Isadora Cohen Mati Cohen Tomer Cohen Ayelet Cooper Noam Diamant Elizabeta Dinitz Rofa Elfakess Michal Elgart Shirley Elias Elinor Erez (Malul) Racheli Erez-Roman Avner Fink Nir Fluman Zohar Fridman Erez Shaul Garty Kfir Gazit Binyamin Gil Lyubov (Luba) Ginzburg Michal Golan-Mashiach Liora Guy David Bracha Halaf Liraz Harel Michal Harel Haim Haviv Ayal Hendel Lior Izhar Jaakov Kacher Maya Kahan 34 Biological Chemistry Eyal Kalie Shai Kaplan Alon Karpol Olga Khersonsky Jin Chul Kim Noam Kirshenbaum Noga Dalia Kowalsman Sujoy Lahiri Elad Lavee Laviad Anat Lavi Itzkovitz Elena Levin Orna Liarzi Karin Linnewiel-Hermoni Carni Lipson Irina Lubarski Arik Makovitzki Maya Maor Yonit Marcus-Perlman Guy Mlechkovich Natali Molotski Oren Moscovitz Shiri Moshitzky Ilit Noach Ekaterina Petrovich Yael Phillip Ofer Rahat Ophir Rav-Hon Adi Raveh Peter Reuven Gabriela Ridner Liat Rockah- Shmuel Erez Romi Yosef Rosenfeld Ruth Scherz-Shouval Yael Segal-Ruder Sigal Shachar Revital Sharivkin Tomer Shpilka Elena Shvets Nadejda Sigal Michal Slutzki Shay Stern Yael Vazana Einat Vitner Adam Wasserstrom Hilla Weidberg Alon Wellner Yael Wexler-Cohen Itamar Yadid Ganit Yarden Ido Yosef Dmitry Yudin Tatyana Zalogin Gabriel Zarbiv Omer Ziv Administrator

Maanit Zibziner Molecular Genetics 35

Molecular Genetics

Yosef Shaul, Head The Oscar and Emma Getz Professor

The Department of Molecular Genetics investigates the molecular and genetic mechanisms of basic biological processes, in the context of both complex organism,such as human, mouse and Drosophila, and at the level of single cell organism and culture. A wide range of biological questions and hypotheses are addressed in the fields of development, cell biology, and human/mouse genetics, on the structure, expression, stability and function of proteins and on gene expression. Additionally, the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology, which are active in the department, provide powerful genome-wide approaches to modeling biological processes and their evolution.

A number of groups study the Drosophila model system from different aspects. The lab of Benny Shilo continued to focus on EGF receptor signaling in Drosophila. An intricate machinery for processing the activating ligands was uncovered. Interestingly, the amount of ligand that is secreted can be regulated by altering the intracellular compartment in which processing takes place. Once the ligand is secreted, distinct threshold responses are established. In a combination of experimental and computational work, a novel mechanism for creating such response thresholds was identified. In a different research avenue, novel insights into the mechanism of cell fusion during muscle development, and the involvement of the microfilament system in the process were uncovered. Talila Volk's lab focuses on mechanisms controlling tissue formation and organogenesis in developing Drosophila. They found that a splicing-dependent mechanism, controlled by the RNA-binding protein HOW, is a critical step in the induction of terminal differentiation of tendon and glial cells. HOW is essential for mesoderm invagination and spreading and the relevant target mRNAs were identified. In addition, they found that the extra cellular matrix protein Thrombospondin is essential for the specific adhesion of muscles with their corresponding tendon cell, a process that is regulated by a secreted growth factor DEgfl7. In addition they have identified a membrane protein that binds to the guiding receptor Roundabout to counteract its interaction with its ligand Slit. Studies are also conducted to characterize mechanisms involved in the formation of the Drosophila Blood Brain Barrier. Eli Aramas laboratory is primarily concerned with the molecular, cellular, and anatomical mechanisms that underlie caspase activation/apoptosis in Drosophila. Previously they showed that spermatids normally eliminate the 36 Molecular Genetics majority of their cytoplasm and organelles in an apoptosis-like process that requires canonical cell death proteins, including caspases. These observations, as well as recent studies by other groups counter the dogma that cells expressing active caspases are doomed to die. Currently, a major effort in the lab is being focused on the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms that regulate caspase activation during cellular remodeling of the sperm and investigate how caspases facilitate cell terminal differentiation.

Mouse model systems are being approached for studying embryonic development and genetic diseases. Elazar Zelzer studies genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate bone development. Their previous finding that VEGF is required for angiogenesis into developing bones, initiated their interest in this gene. By analyzing the effect of loss of VEGF function in different tissues involved in bone development, they have identified several unpredicted novel roles of VEGF during bone development. First, VEGF regulates early chondrogenesis during limb bud development. It also regulates chondrocytes survival. Finally, it stimulates bone formation by increasing the activity of osteoblasts, both in intramembranous and endochondral bones. By studying the expression patterns of VEGF they have identified a dynamic expression in skeletal tissues, consistent with its roles during several steps of bone development. Thus, the VEGF study has become a portal to greater understanding of skeletal development. Developmental aspects in the mammalian brain are being studied by Orly Reiners lab. One typical feature of the mammalian brain is that neurons are born in a region which is different from their final position. Their group is researching normal and abnormal processes of neuronal migration using a combination of mouse genetics, in utero electroporation, biochemistry, and cell biology methods. In particular they are involved in dissecting the role of lissencephaly-associated gene products (LIS1 and doublecortin, DCX). Their research has indicated to their importance in mediating signaling pathways, and regulating the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton during neuronal migration. Yoram Groner research focuses on disease conditions in which genetic predisposition of individual chromosome 21 genes play role. That is, how an extra copy of otherwise normal genes produces pathophysiological conditions in humans particularly in patients with Down syndrome. Gene-Knockout mice of individual genes are used to investigate the consequences of functional inactivation of candidate genes. Currently much of the studies focused on the biology of the transcription factors Runx1 and Runx3 that are master regulators of linage specific gene expression in developmental pathways using genetically modified cells and mouse models. Eran Eornstein team studies the roles of microRNAs (miRNA) in development, focusing on miRNA function in vertebrate organogenesis. miRNAs repress the expression of protein-coding mRNAs (targets), providing a previously unappreciated regulatory mechanism for gene expression. Upon binding of an individual miRNA, or a combination of several miRNAs to the 3' untranslated region of a target mRNA, either Molecular Genetics 37 translation repression or mRNA cleavage is induced. They study the role of miRNA role in skull bone formation, in pancreas and beta-cell biology, in posttranscriptional regulation gene expression and in stochastic fate determination. These studies would reveal facets of miRNA biology and roles played by non coding RNAs in developmental biology and in evolution.

Basic cellular processes are being approached from the molecular angle, both in mammalian cells and in yeasts by several groups. The lab of Jeff Gerst focuses on how cells establish and maintain polarity in order for directed growth and cell division to occur. They are using the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a model system and have three major projects. The first examines the role of signaling pathways in the control of exocytosis at the level of membrane fusion and studies the role of kinases and phosphatases in regulation of the exocytic apparatus. The second focuses on the role of SNARE-binding proteins in endosomal protein sorting and the onset of human diseases involving defects in lysosomal storage. The third examines the role of mRNA trafficking in the regulation of basic cellular processes. Maya Schuldiner lab is interested in understanding the networks of proteins functioning together to create an optimal functioning ER. Since close to 30% of ER proteins have unknown functions, an important goal of the lab is to uncover biological roles for these proteins drawing from the systematic data collected in yeast and using different genetic and biochemical tools. They also use high throughput microscopic screening platforms to ask basic questions about ER structure and function such as trying to understand the molecular mechanisms of ER inheritance or the dynamics of protein movements in and out of this large and complex organelle. Adi Kimchis group studies programmed cell death, by proceeding from single gene studies towards global network analysis. By studying DAP-kinase and its close family homologs, DRP-1 and ZIP-kinase, new mechanisms which control the less characterized modules of cell death including autophagy and programmed necrosis have been discovered. Studies on DAP5 protein highlighted the role of cap-independent translation under stress and relaxed conditions, and initial research on DAP1 revealed the existence of a new scaffold protein, which is a suppressor of autophagy. The project on the global cell death network is based on a combinatorial knock down approach, which measures the outcome of epistatic interactions between the networks proteins (around 150). By running this new methodology they proved that compensatory switches between functional modules contribute to the networks robustness, and that inter-modular connectivity occurs at multiple positions via positive or negative interactions. The lab of Ari Elson studies the roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in regulating physiological processes. Their goals are to uncover detailed molecular-level mechanisms, by which specific phosphatases affect discrete physiological outcomes by dephosphorylating specific substrates. Their current studies focus on PTPs Epsilon and Alpha; they are using molecular, cellular, and whole-animal systems to uncover the role of 38 Molecular Genetics these phosphatases in regulating malignant transformation, bone metabolism, and regulation of body mass/obesity. Chaim Kahanas group investigates polyamines in regulating cellular proliferation. AzI, is a homolog of ODC, but unlike ODC has no enzymatic activity and undergoes ubiquitin dependent degradation. His group also studies the growth advantage this protein provides to cells. These two aspects are investigated in relation to the interaction ability of AzI with three types of a polyamine induced protein termed antizyme (Az) that act as negative regulators of ODC. Another aspect of investigation concernes the possible involvement of 20S proteasomes in mediating ubiquitin independent cellular degradation. Finally, the lab investigates the role polyamines exert in regulating cellular functions with emphasis on regulating cellular proliferation. The team of Yosef Shaul studies the basic cellular processes of transcription, protein stability and DNA-damage signaling. These processes are investigated also with respect to understanding the molecular basis of cancer and virus-host cell interactions, using the hepatitis B virus (HBV) as a model. They discovered the pathway of degradation by default of proteins that are partially or fully intrinsically unstructured (IUPs or IDPs). This pathway is executed by the 20S proteasomes both in vitro and in vivo. They found NQO1, an NADH regulated enzyme to play a role of 20S proteasome gatekeeper to block degradation by default. Also they identified a new signaling axis whereby c-Abl, p73 and Yap respond to DNA damage insults to induce apoptosis or DNA repair. This signaling axis is in a crosstalk with the Hippo signaling that determines organs size.

Cytokine signaling is an additional studied theme. The lab of Leo Sachs continues their work on the cytokine mediated control of multiplication, differentiation and apoptosis of hematopoietic stem cells. In a recent study they showed that human cancers overexpress genes that are specific to a variety of normal human tissues. Michel Revel's group investigates regenerative medicine approaches to the treatment of diseases which destroy the myelin sheaths around nerves, such as various neuropathies, Multiple Sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. Efficient differentiation of mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) cells into oligodendrocyte precursors (OPC) was achieved and used to treat the brain of shiverer mutant mice suffering from dysmyelination. The group develops large scale culturing technology of human ES cells for cell therapy in clinical settings. They have obtained pancreatic islet cells that could be applied for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. The lab of Menachem Rubinstein studies the role of several transcription factors in growth, differentiation, cell death and immune responses. They identified a heterodimeric complex of the transcription factors C/EBP-β and IRF-1 as a mediator of interferon-gamma immunomodulatory activities. Currently, the group studies the various functions of the C/EBP family of transcription factors. In particular, the role of C/EBP-β in tumor cell survival and pre-adipocyte differentiation. The group also studies the role of another family member CHOP-10 in adipocyte cell Molecular Genetics 39 death. Another research topic deals with regulation of IFN-α gene expression, trying to resolve the enigma of multi-gene family whose products have a practically identical function. Also, they continue the attempts to identify receptors of bereaved cytokines (the counterparts of orphan receptors).

A bioinformatics computational approach is being taken by a number of groups. In the lab of Doron Lancet, whole-genome analyses and comparative genomics are used to decipher the evolution of olfactory receptors, the largest gene superfamily in the human genome. Genetic variation is studied as a tool for understanding multigenic diseases such as schizophrenia, as well as personal variations in the sense of smell. This is aided by advanced instrumentation for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by robotized mass spectrometry. The group also develops GeneCards, a worldwide used compendium of human genes, which allows one to better analyses human genome information. In the realm of Systems Biology, prebiotic molecular networks are studied as a means for understanding the emergence of life on earth. Such analyses are relevant both for solving the profound question of how life emerged, as well as to better understand present day life, e.g. synthetic lethality in cancer cells. Rotem Soreks lab utilizes the vast amount of genomic data available for bacteria in order to study functional and evolutionary aspects of microbial biology. Projects in the lab include computational discovery of genes that are toxic to bacteria. They discovered that these uncloneable gaps are caused by genes that are toxic to E. coli. A second field of research involves next generation (Solexa) sequencing of microbial transcriptomes, in order to study RNA-based regulation in prokaryotes. They detect a large number of functional novel non-coding RNAs and cis-antisense transcripts that play key regulatory roles in the organisms they are found at. Next generation technologies are also used for whole-genome sequencing of bacteria. They sequenced 7 strains of Buchnera, a bacterial obligate symbiont of insects, and characterized its mode of genomic evolution across time. The lab of Shmuel Pietrokovski studies the relations between protein sequence, structure and function. They pursue this goal by computational and experimental approaches. Computationally they develop methods to compare conserved protein sequence motifs, and to analyze protein structures. Intein protein-splicing domains and related domains are studied integratively by experimental and computational methods. They are examining the evolution, biochemical activity and cellular function of these ancient domains that are involved in various post-translational modifications in animals and microbes.

Two groups take more system and computational biology approach. In the lab of Naama Barkai they aim at deducing design principles of biological networks. The two main research programs include bioinformatics studies of large-scale data and modeling of relatively isolated subsystems. They analyzed genome-wide transcription data between organisms, focusing on related yeast 40 Molecular Genetics species. They classified inter-species differences in gene expression pattern. They identified a major re-wiring of the yeast transcription network, which is connected to the emergent of anaerobic growth capacity and characterized a connection between TATA-based regulation and evolvability of gene expression. The modeling studies focused on two systems: the spindle assembly checkpoint and gradient detection during yeast mating. In both systems they characterized biological constraints that the respective system need to overcome thus limiting the possible designs of the underlying biological networks. A central challenge for living organisms is to execute intricate cellular programs in the face of environmental variations, genetic changes and the inherent noise of molecular processes. Tzachi Pilpel group aims at understanding such programs by deciphering the structure, function and evolution of regulatory networks that control them. We study these networks at the level of their structure and at the level of their function in higher-level processes and phenomena. At the structure level we decipher networks controlling transcription, translation, mRNA degradation and non-coding RNAs. At the higher functional level we study how entire processes and phenomena such as genetic backup, stress response, and evolutionary divergence of species, are regulated through the various gene expression levels. In our research we combine theory, computations, and experimental work.

In summary, the department combines structural genomic approaches with functional "post-genomic" studies. Moreover, the employed multiple model organisms, namely yeast, fly, mouse and human, removes the species barrier and set the stage of viewing a single biological process from different angels, thus benefiting from the various genetic and molecular tools that each system offers.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/molgen/ Molecular Genetics 41 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Yoram Groner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Dr. Barnet Berris Professor of Cancer Research Adi Kimchi, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel The Helena Rubinstein Professor in Cancer Research Doron Lancet, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Ralph D. and Lois R. Silver Professor of Human Genomics Menachem Rubinstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Edna and Mickey Weiss Professor of Cytokines Research Yosef Shaul, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Oscar and Emma Getz Professor Ben-Zion Shilo, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Hilda and Cecil Lewis Professor of Molecular Genetics

Professors Emeriti

Michel Revel, Ph.D., University of Strasbourg, France Leo Sachs, Ph.D., University of Cabmridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom The Otto Meyerhof Chair of Molecular Biology Ernest Winocour, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Associate Professors

Naama Barkai, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Ari Elson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Jeffrey Gerst, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Chaim Kahana, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Jules J. Mallon Professor of Biochemistry Shmuel Pietrokovski, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Hermann and Lilly Schilling Foundation Professor Yitzhak Pilpel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Aser Rothstein Career Development Chair of Genetic Diseases (until November 2008) Orly Reiner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Bernstein-Mason Professor of Neurochemistry Talila Volk, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Professor Sir Ernest B. Chain Professor 42 Molecular Genetics Senior Scientists

Eli Arama, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Corinne S. Koshland Career Development Chair Eran Hornstein, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Career Development Chair Maya Schuldiner, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Rotem Sorek, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Elazar Zelzer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Martha S. Sagon Career Development Chair

Senior Staff Scientists

Judith Chebath, Ph.D., University of Marseilles, France Ditsa Levanon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Daniela Novick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Eyal Schejter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Edna Ben-Asher, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tsviya Olender, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Elena Ainbinder, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Gil Amitai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Shani Bialik Brown, Ph.D., Division of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, United States (until August 2008) Alon Levy, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left October 2008) Nina Reuven, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tamar Sapir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Ariel Werman, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Sergey Bujanover, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusaelm, Jerusalem, Israel Orna Dahan, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yael Esther Feinstein Rotkopf, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Molecular Genetics 43 Jerusalem, Israel Vladimir Hurgin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left January 2008)

Senior Intern

Dalia Rosin-Grunewald, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Engineer

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

Consultants

Jacques S. Beckmann (left March 2008) Shani Bialik Brown Ruth Gross-Isseroff Tsippi Iny Stein Joy Kahn Sylvie Luria, Ashkelon Technology Incubator, Ashkelon, Israel (left April 2008) Leo Sachs Amir Shlomai, Ichilov Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel Michael Shmoish, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Orit Shmueli, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel (left April 2008) Ernest Winocour

Visiting Scientists

Vasudheva Reddy Akepati, Free Univ., Berlin, Germany Ofir Har-Noy, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, Israel Sheila Harroch, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France Geraldine Mitou, University of Salamanca, Spain David Shafritz, A. Einstein College of Medicine, NY, U.S.A. Rafael Zidovetzki, University of California at Riverside, U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Julia Adler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Efrat Assa-Kunik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nurit Avraham, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Judith Cohen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Noga Gadir, Ph.D., The Graduate Center of the City University of New Dan Gluck, Tel-Aviv University, Israel 44 Molecular Genetics Shira Granot Attas, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yael Gruenbaum-Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Arye Harel, Ph.D. David Hava, Ph.D., Free University Berlin Aron Inger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Joy Kahn, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Vydehi Kanneganti, Ph.D., School of Biotech, Madurai Kamaraj University Amnon Koren, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Dan Levy, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Dima Lukatsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Tal Melkman-Zehavi, Ph.D., Brandeis University Inbal Mor, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Sharon Reef, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eran Reem, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Dalia Rosin Grunewald, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Shay Rotkopf, Ph.D., Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) Yehuda Salzberg, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Ayelet Schlesinger - Arbiv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nadejda Sigal, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Shalom Guy Slutsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gil Stelzer, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Sarit Weissmann, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Keren Yacobi-Sharon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Daniela Zalcenstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Changdong Zhang, Medicine College of Munich University, Germany

Research Students

Yaarit Adamovich Daniela Amann-Zalcenstein Roy Amariglio Hamutal Arbel Yaara Azaria Omer Barad Omri Bauer Oren Ben-Ami Dan Ben-Zvi Dalia Berman-Golan Einat Blitz Zohar Bloom Karen Rae Bone Elik Chapnik Dorit Cohen Mor Cohen Yifat Cohen Bareket Dassa Avital Eisenberg Hadas Elhanany Idit Eshkar- Oren Danit Finkelshtein Eynat Finkelshtein Anat Florentin Tali Garin Rita Gelin-Licht Boaz Gildor Eliezer Gilsohn Hila Gingold Roni Golan - Lavi Anna Gorelik Ben Gradus Shira Granot-Attas Liora Haim Molecular Genetics 45 Nofar Harpaz Yehudit Hasin David Israeli Michal Izrael Anna Kaplan Yosef Kaplan Vered Katz- Ben Yair Alona Keren-Paz Ifat Keydar Amnon Koren Itay Koren Sharon Kredo Guy Landau Dan Levy Sagi Levy Einat Levy-Apter Noa Liberman Idit Livnat Mati Mann Jada (R'ada) Massarwa Ofir Meir Amir Mitchell Ronit Nir Aia Oz Niv Pencovich Noa Rappaport Liat Ravid Eran Reem Chagai Rot Liat Rousso Noori Ofer Sarig Michal Segal Ophir Shalem Tamar Shapira-Cohen Barak Shenhav Amir Shlomai Anat Shmueli Yishay Shoval Tal Sines Boris Slobodin Zohar Snapir Ilya Soifer Itay Tirosh Peter Tsvetkov Kfir Baruch Umansky Ilya Venger Bess Kathryn Wayburn Omri Wurtzel Liat Yakir-Tamang Shaul Yogev Einat Zalckvar Gadi Zipor

Administrator

Lea Marom 46 Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences

Gad Galili, Head The Bronfman Chair of Plant Science

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

The recent discoveries of the DNA squences of the whole human genome as well as the genomes of few plant species revealed quite extensive similarity in many genes between these two organisms. This discovery supported earlier studies, showing extensive conservation of a number of processes operating in the cells of both organisms. This conservation has also opened a new avenue to utilize plants and plant research in the battle against human diseases. Research activities in our department are directed into utilizing plants to improve human health. The similarity between plants and human cells allow plant cells to serve as efficient cost-effective bioreactors for production of modern therapeutic drugs and vaccines to fight human diseases, and extensive research activities in our department are devoted to these processes. In addition, the unique ability of plants to harness the energy of light and transduce its energy to biologically useful forms is used in our department to develop novel methods, which use plant macromolecules in combination with light-mediated treatments to eradicate tumors in the human body.

Avigdor Scherzs group studies the role of proteins in regulating this Plant Sciences 47 mechanism. Using spectroscopy and theoretical calculations of metal substituted bacteriochlorophylls he follows and investigates charge flow between atoms, groups and whole molecules. These studies provide insight to mechanisms that underlay chemical reactivity in biological and non-biological systems. Other metal susbtituted Bchl that have been recently synthesized by Scherz are used for vascular targeting photodynamic therapy of tumors and other diseases. The first of theses novel compound is now in phase II clinical trials against prostate cancer. Studies of quantitative structure activity relationships of the modified Bchls is in progress.

Marvin Edelman: In collaboration with Vladimir Sobolev, a structural bioinformatics approach is being developed for molecular recognition. Contact surface area and chemical properties of atoms are employed to predict amino acid side chain conformations on a protein backbone and the core residues involved in metal ligation and protein - protein complex formation. In collaboration with Autar Mattoo (Beltsville, USA), the regulation of photosynthetic protein complexes is studied using transgenic Spirodela to analyze photophosphorylation of chloroplast membrane proteins. Marvin Edelmans group has successfully induced a tissue culture cycle (callus formation and plant regeneration) in Spirodela and developed an efficient transformation system that can deliver recombinant genes encoding pharmaceutical proteins into this plant in the fight against human disease. In collaboration with LemnaGene SA (Lyon, France), the Spirodela transformation system is being developed into an environmentally safe and secure monocot biotechnology platform for production of such pharmaceuticals.

Asaph Aharoni's group investigates regulatory networks controlling the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in the course of plant development and under stress conditions. New analytical and computational tools are currently being developed that allow extensive metabolic profiling of complex plant extracts and the integration of metabolic data with information derived from other levels of regulation such as the transcriptome. Apart from tools for metabolite detection, a large population of mutant tomato plants is generated in order to link a metabolic phenotype to genotypes in metabolic pathways of interest. One of the first targets of Asaph Aharoni's lab is to identify the regulatory genes compiling the networks co-ordinating activity of metabolic pathways (in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites) and fruit growth during tomato ripening. A second major activity in the lab is to decipher the regulatory networks that link primary (e.g. metabolism of amino acids) and secondary metabolism in the model plant Arabidopsis. A third major topic is associated with the formation of the plant surface, i.e. the cuticular layer that mediates the plants interaction with environment. Regulation of cuticle metabolism is investigated in vegetative tissues in Arabidopsis and tomato fruit exocarp tissue (i.e. peel). By performing the above mentioned studies, 48 Plant Sciences key genetic factors controlling metabolic pathways and co-ordinating their activity with plant development and stress response will be identified and characterized. Moreover, the knowledge acquired could assist in the production of plants with desired levels of health promoting compounds (as for example increased antioxidant activity) by means of classical breeding and/or genetic engineering.

Avihai Danon studies the regulation of gene expression by redox signals. In particular, he is investigating post-transcriptional regulation in the adaptation of plants to changing environments. Redox reactions of two proteins involve the transfer of electron(s) from one protein (the donor) to the other (the acceptor). His work implies that similarly to computers, the transfer of electrons from the donor to the acceptor can be used in biology as a flow of information. In plants, the redox signaling proteins participate in protection mechanisms against the accumulation of free radicals, and regulation of protein synthesis. Danon has found that regulatory proteins of the thioredoxin family exchange electrons along specific pathways in the soluble compartments of the cell. His studies suggest that in contrast to computer, the flow of electronic information in biology can take place also in solution by means of non-insulated routes. A moss (Physcomitrella patens) and an alga (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) are being developed as efficient bioreactors for therapeutic proteins. Danons group has found P. patens to express high levels of recombinant proteins and has isolated a number of targeting signals that enable an engineered routing of the recombinant proteins to specific intracellular compartments, thereby facilitating tight control of posttranslational modifications and maximizing protein extraction from the producing plants.

The features that distinguish plants from animals are not limited to photosynthesis. Plants are sessile, have rigid cell walls and have no fixed germ line. This means that their development differs radically from that found in animals.

Yuval Eshed: To understand how variation between plants occurs through evolutionary processes, Yuval Esheds group study the mechanisms that shape plant organs of several unrelated species. All plants lateral organs such as leaves and floral organs are formed at the flanks of unique groups of organized cells called meristems. Organ formation is highly regulated in time and space 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 of communication are the focus of Yuvals group. The juxtaposition of the upper and lower sides of leaves result in signaling inducing their expansion. And, the resulting asymmetric leaf signals back to the meristem to determine the position and timing of new leaf formation. Both types of signaling involve interactions between transcription Plant Sciences 49 regulators and micro RNAs that counteract their activities. Minor modifications in these relations account for some of the differences between the small Arabidopsis and large tomato leaves. Through the study of plant development, several new tools were developed that can be used in a wide array of applications. Methods to down or up regulate multiple genes in specific time and place should allow precise manipulations of endogenous or introduced traits without side effects associated with constitutive expression.

Jonathan Gressel (Emeritus): Transgenic crops as well as transgenic biocontrol agents are beginning to play an important part in the protection of plants from insect, disease, and weed problems. Jonathan Gressels group has recently demonstrated that engineering hypervirulence genes into biocontrol agents enhances their effectiveness in controlling weeds, and they are now stacking such genes to ascertain whether there is synergy. Often the crops or the biocontrol agents are closely related to weeds or to pathogens of crops (respectively), and there is a likelihood of transfer of genetic material to these relatives. He and his colleagues have been developing the framework for assessing the risks that this will happen on a case by case basis. More importantly, they are studying ways to use genetic engineering, to detect and prevent the transfer or to mitigate the effects of such transfer, when it occurs, as well as to bio-barcode transgenic organisms to facilitate detection. The group is actively developing crops, biocontrol agents and agrotechnologies to facilitate control of parasitic weeds, in part with colleagues at CIMMYT in Mexico and Kenya. They have developed a technology of seed application of small amounts of weed killer to herbicide-resistant mutant maize that kills the parasite, on average tripling yields in infested areas, which has recently been handed over to local seed companies for distribution to farmers.

Robert Fluhr: Cultivated plants are especially prone to disease but, importantly, plants (especially the wild relatives of cultivated plants) have inbuilt pathogen recognition molecules that are called resistance genes. If the genes are present the plant will recognize the pathogen in the early stages of infection and mount successful defense. Robert Fluhr's group used molecular genetic techniques to uncover the genes that are central for resistance to plant vascular diseases. It turns out that many other plant resistance genes and innate human resistance genes have common molecular features. Understanding their molecular architecture, structure-function relationships and evolution are crucial for planning rational approaches to plant-pathogen protection as well as furthering our understanding of human innate immunity. The rapid adaptive responses of plants to the biotic and abiotic environment dictate their success as organisms. One such response was shown in to include rapid activation of reactive oxygen species produced by NADPH oxidase and the participation of a special class of aldehyde oxidases (in collaboration with Moshe Sagi; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev). Important parallels have been drawn to human-based disease caused by mis-regulated reactive oxygen species 50 Plant Sciences produced by the same enzyme classes. Stress-related responses are multi-tiered and also affect alternative splicing. A LAMMER-type kinase conserved in humans and plants originally isolated in the lab as a kinase whose activity is modulated by the hormone ethylene was shown to localize to the nucleus and regulate alternative splicing of a particular subset of transcripts. Based on that result, important parallels and differences between plant and human alternative splicing could be drawn.

Gad Galili: Breeders of higher yielding crops have traditionally relied on assembling the best of what is available in nature into crop plants. But with the help of fundamental understanding of plant metabolism, particularly amino acid synthesis, Gad Galili's group has shown that biosynthetic and 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 into genomics-based elucidation of complex regulatory networks linking between amino acids metabolism and other metabolic networks and regulatory processes that control seed development and germination. In addition, a new research has been initiated to elucidate how metabolism in plant seeds interacts with and regulated by metabolic networks in vegetative tissues.

Plants are essential elements for human health, serving both as food srouces as well as bioreactors for modern therapeutic drugs. Improving the quality of plants for human health requires the modulation of metabolic networks in plant cells, and research activity in Gad Galili's group is targeted at these issues.

Plant growth requires continious re-medeling of its metabolic networks in response to various stresses imposed by the changing evnironment. This re-modeling is regulated by a number of different intra-cellular processes, one of which, called autophagy, has been implicated to protect plants against nutrient stresses. Yet, Gad Galili's group has recently shown that the autophagy process operates not only under nutrient stress, but also under normal plant growth, implying a broader function of this pathway.

Avraham Levy: Coping with the environment has both short and long-range implications. It has long been appreciated that even the basic plant genome architecture, which dictates the most fundamental aspect of plant biology can evolve rapidly Avraham Levy's group is studying the mechanisms contributing to this fluidity. This includes the effect of mobile genes on genome structure and expression, the effect and regulation of DNA repair and homologous recombination. These mechanisms are harnessed to develop new technologies for precise modification of the plant genome such as gene targeting, the homologous recombination between a genomic target and an introduced DNA sequence. Plant Sciences 51

Bread wheat is a polyploid organism (2n=6x=42; genome BBAADD). Recently it was found by Moshe Feldman (Emeritus) and Avraham Levys groups that polyploidization (inter-specific or inter-generic hybridization followed by chromosome doubling) induces rapid cardinal genetic and epigenetic changes affecting non-coding as well as coding sequences. The mechanism involved in bringing about these changes as well as the biological significance are currently under investigation. One aspect of these changes is the instantaneous differentiation of the genetically related chromosomes of the different genomes. An interesting mechanism of epigenetic regulation is the transcriptional activation of retrotransposons. As a result of this activation neighbor genes can be silenced (by antisense-mediated silencing) or activated.

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

The brief foray into the salient features of our research efforts show the integration of methodologies from genetics, physiology, biochemistry, structural botany, molecular biology and protein modeling. What has become clear, is that investigating plants not only provides important starting points for their improvement but as an "outsider" organism their study presents fresh scientific viewpoints in general biology. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Plant_Sciences/ 52 Plant Sciences Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Robert Fluhr, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Sir Siegmund Warburg Professor of Agricultural Molecular Biology Gad Galili, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Bronfman Professor of Plant Science Avraham Levy, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Gilbert de Botton Professor of Plant Sciences Avigdor Scherz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Robert and Yadelle Sklare Professor in Biochemistry

Professors Emeriti

Dan Atsmon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Marvin Edelman, Ph.D., Brandeis University, Waltham, United States Moshe Feldman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Esra Galun, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Jonathan Gressel, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States

Associate Professors

Avihai Danon, Ph.D., University of Arizona, Tucson, United States The Henry and Bertha Benson Professor Yuval Eshed, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Incumbent of the Judith and Martin Freedman Career Development Chair (until November 2008)

Senior Scientists

Asaph Aharoni, Ph.D., Wagenigen University, Wagenigen, Netherlands Yigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Adolfo and Evelyn Blum Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Ron Milo, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Dror Noy, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Staff Scientists

Vlad Brumfeld, Ph.D., University of Bucharest, Romania Vladimir Sobolev, Ph.D., Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences, Siberia, Russian Federation Plant Sciences 53 Associate Staff Scientist

Olga Davydov, Ph.D., Rsearch Institute for Essential Oil Plants, Crimea, Ukraine

Assistant Staff Scientists

Avital Adato, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Cathy Bessudo, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Ilana Rogachev, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Hadas Zehavi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Interns

Oksana Kerner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel David Panikashvili, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Engineer

Zohar Hagbi, B.A., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Consultants

Idan Ashur Alexander Brandis, Steba Labs, Rehovot, Israel Leonid Brodsky, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Leon Esterman Esra Galun Eitan Millet, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Eran Neumark, Steba Laboratories Ltd., Nes-Ziona, Israel (left August 2008)

Visiting Scientists

Iosif Dubrobskiy, University Autonoma, Mexico, Mexico Liron Feldberg, Israel Inst. of Bio. Rese., Nes Ziona, Israel Anat Izhaki, University of California at Davis, U.S.A. Theodore Muth, Brooklyn College, U.S.A. Daniel Shouval, Hadassah Hebrew University Med. Ctr., Jerusalem, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Ilit Cohen-Ofri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jorge Gerardo Dinamarca Cerda, Universidad de La Frontera Asa Eitan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel 54 Plant Sciences Rivka Elbaum, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Liron Even-Faitelson, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Alexander Goldshmidt, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Joanna Maria Grzyb, Ph.D., Jagiellonian University Alex Keshet, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Hadar Less, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Arieh Moussaieff, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Inbal Neta-Sharir, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel David Panikashvili, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Efrat Rubinstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jianxin Shi, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, Israel Jebasingh Tennyson, Ph.D., Madurai Kamaraj University Shai Ufaz, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Assaf Zemach, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yehudit Zohar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Ruthie Angelovich Tamar Avin Wittenberg Shira Avital Dario A. Breitel Inbal Dangoor Idan Efroni Eran Goldberg Ruth Goldschmidt Liat Goldshaid Alexander Goldshmidt Anna Hitrik Maxim Itkin Michal Kenan-Eichler Menny Kirma Nardy Lampl-Saady Hadar Less Noam Leviatan Ronen Levy Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich Keren Limor Waisberg Erez Aharon Livneh Sergey Malitsky Iris Margalit Shira Mintz Avishai Mor Sharon Reikhav Efrat Rubinstein Dadi Segal Anat Shperberg Vered Tzin Gal Wittenberg Tamar Yifhar Assaf Zemach Yehudit Zohar Administrator

Maanit Zibziner Biological Services 55

Biological Services

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

The Department of Biological Services provides specialized facilities and services to more than 700 scientists and students in the areas of bioinformatics, molecular biology, protein analysis, cell biology, bacteriology, genomics and immunology. The specific services include DNA sequencing, Protein sequencing, Mass spectroscopy analysis (including peptide synthesis quality control, protein molecular mass determination, protein identification and identification of post translational modifications), Oligonucleotide synthesis, Peptide synthesis, Bioinformatics consaltation (given as 1:1 consultation or in the format of lectures and workshops), Cell sorting (analytical and preparative), Antibody preparation (polyclonal and monoclonal), Bacterial fermentation, irradiation of cells, animals and other biological materials, Gene expression profiling by DNA array analysis and maintenance of electronic equipment and computers.

In addition, staff members of various units of the Biological Services provide courses through the Fienberg Graduate School. Example of such courses are programming, basic bioinformatics analysis, DNA array handling and results analysis and cell sorting. The Bioinformatics unit hosts the Israeli National Node (INN), which maintains a comprehensive collection of DNA and protein databases and programs. Together with the Genome Center the Bioinformatics unit works on the development of tools used for databases searching.

Most of our services are available to scientists from other academic institutions and to the industry. Public databases are freely accessible through the web. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Services/index.html 56 Biological Services Research Staff

Associate Professor

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

Senior Staff Scientists

Ora Goldberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Jaime Prilusky, Ph.D., National University of Cordoba Aharon Rabinkov, Ph.D., Leningrad Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Federation

Associate Staff Scientists

Shifra Ben-Dor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Edna Furman-Haran, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Shirley Horn-Saban, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Orith Leitner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Alla Shainskaya, Ph.D., Palladine Institute of Biochemistry, Ukraine Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine Ayala Sharp, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Irina Shin, Ph.D., Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

Assistant Staff Scientists

Ghil Jona, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Rotem Sertchook, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Bassem Ziadeh, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United States

Junior Staff Scientist

Immanuel Blumenzweig, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Engineer

Marilyn Safran, M.Sc., Boston University, Boston, United States Biological Services 57 Special Contract

Hershel Safer, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States

Visiting Scientist

Dena Leshkowitz, Daniel Biotech, Rehovot, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Ester Feldmesser, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel David Pilzer, Tel-Aviv University, Israel Daniela Zalcenstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Administrator

Dan Haik (until June 2008) Ariela Mendel (from July 2008)

1Department of Molecular Genetics 58 The Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis

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 Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) established the Avron-Minerva center for Photosynthesis in 1995. The center was outset to promote research in the chemical, physical, technological and regulatory aspects of photosynthesis from the molecular to the global level. Importantly, the Minerva foundation has aided the global need for crops suitable to arid areas by establishing a high profile research in Israel in both at the fundamental and technological aspects of plant growth. To fulfil these goals the Minerva foundation has provided a generous gift for a new center in the HUJ, whose research aims include photosynthesis regulation. The new center was merged with the older, Wilstätter-Minerva center that was established earlier, in WIS, and originally aimed at understanding of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis.

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

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

The activities of the Avron-Minerva center planed for coming years should implement and exploit these new developments. Thus, three major research lines have been selected: (1) photosynthetic protein complexes: Bio-synthesis, The Avron-Wilstätter Minerva Center for Research in Photosynthesis 59 assembly into functional units, and cellular organization into supra-structures; (2) acclimation of photosynthetic organisms to environmental stress: (3) development of novel technologies such as photodynamic therapy of different diseases using chlorophylls or bacteriochlorophyll and light, and production of carotenoids derivatives. The principles discovered here are applied to other research fields as well.

Following this rational, the center provides seed money for multidisciplinary research programs (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 joined the center. 60 The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine

The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine

Ben-Zion Shilo, Director The Hilda and Cecil Lewis Chair of Molecular Genetics

The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine (BIMM) has become fully operational since 2003. It is aimed at the support of basic research that impinges upon Molecular Medicine at the Weizmann Institute. While the road may be long and difficult, our belief is that a deep understanding of the basic molecular processes underlying disease, is invaluable for the final successful outcome. The Weizmann Institute of Science, being primarily a basic research institute, provides an ideal setting for initiating and advancing such studies.

The activities of the BIMM cover several directions. First, grants are provided to research groups at the Weizmann Institute. We aim to support promising research projects which impinge on Molecular medicine, at the early stages of their conception and development. This initial boost should allow them to progress to a stage where they can be presented to competitive external funding agencies, either as basic research or disease-oriented projects. Second, in order to enhance interactions between Weizmann researchers and the clinic, the BIMM supports research grants which represent a collaboration between the Weizmann Institute and MDs carrying out research at the Ichilov Medical Center. These projects may lead to better diagnostics and treatment, and may also bring problems and specimens from the patients into the Weizmann labs. The ability to purchase top of the line equipment is essential to carry out high caliber research. Such equipment involves sophisticated microscopy, cell sorters, protein analysis by mass spectrometry, and high throughput DNA sequencing. The BIMM participates in purchase and upgrading of equipment that is essential for research impinging on Molecular medicine. Finally, the BIMM supports scientific meetings and visits of leading scientists in Israel.

While all the BIMM grants are aimed at supporting biomedical research, it is interesting to point out that they cover a wide range of disciplines, representing the multidisciplinary and collaborative environment of the Weizmann Institute. The different approaches include manipulation of model organisms, including mice, flies and even yeast, cell culture studies, and the elaborate biochemical manipulations of proteins.

In conclusion, the contribution of the Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine to the activities of the Life Science Faculties at the Weizmann Institute is enormous. To promote the continued impact, we will The Y. Leon Benoziyo Institute for Molecular Medicine 61 strive to maintain the balance between focused support of outstanding groups on the one hand, and broad support of equipment and facilities that will influence not only the work of these groups in particular, but also the capability of the Life Sciences in general. We also strive to maintain the balance between the support of established groups who are leaders in their fields, and the projects of outstanding young scientists who are at the initial stages of their independent career. These scientists are not only the promise for the future of the Weizmann Institute, but in many cases they are the source of original and novel ideas and approaches, that will bear fruit in the coming years. 62 The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research

The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research

Eitan Bibi, Director

The Josef Cohn Center for Biomembrane Research was officially inaugurated in 1988 to commemorate Dr. Cohn's major contributions to the scientific links between Germany and Israel. Through its activities, special attention has been given by the Center to promoting contacts with German scientists.

Scientific Aim

The aim of the Center is to initiate and promote interdisciplinary scientific research of biomembranes, with emphasis on processes involved in transfer of information across membranes of living cells.

This aim is achieved by provision of funds for original and innovative research activities and for purchase of specific equipment, by fellowships to young investigators (primarily from Germany and East Europe), and by supporting workshops on hot topics in this field in order to disseminate among young scientists current problems in that field and attract their research attention.

Research funds are granted competitively, on the basis of scientific merits, judged by an internal scientific committee of the Center. Initially the Center supported the research activities of up to 10 investigators per year, each receiving a very modest seed grant. In recent years the policy has been changed. Now, only 2-3 projects are supported, but larger grants are provided. This type of support is primarily for research projects that have the potential to significantly advance the field, but are at a too early stage for obtaining support from regular funding agencies. Funding is provided on a matching basis, i.e., partial coverage of expenditure for fellowships, purchase of equipment, and scientific meetings. Young scientists have priority in obtaining research support and in integration into the Center.

The Center was initially directed by Prof. Israel Pecht (1988-1994), followed by Prof. Michael Eisenbach (1994-1999), Prof. Haim Garty (1999-2000), and Prof. Zvi Livneh (2001-2007). Since 1.1.2008 the director is Prof. Eitan Bibi from the Department of Biological Chemistry.

The administration of the Center

The director operates the Center with the help of an advisory scientific The Dr. Josef Cohn Minerva Center for Biomembrane Research 63 committee. Two members of this committee are from the Department of Biological Chemistry, and the third is from another department. Awards are made annually during January. The administrator of the department functions as the administrator of the Center, and secretarial help is provided by the Department. 64 The Crown Human Genome Center

The Crown Human Genome Center

Doron Lancet, Director The Ralph D. and Lois R. Silver Chair of Human Genomics

The center was inaugurated in 1998 in order to advance genome research at the Weizmann Institute. The center addresses the challenges posed by the enormous worldwide progress in DNA sequencing of numerous genomes.

In 2008 the Crown Center initiated and introduced the novel Illumina (Solexa) high-throughput DNA sequencing technology to the Department of Biological Services, thus, once again, providing Weizmann scientists with the most advanced genome facilities world wide. This revolutionary technology enables various applications, including bacterial whole genome sequencing, whole genome scale gene expression, Transcriptome and miRNA sequencing, as well as identification of regulatory elements based on Chromatin Immuno-Precipitation analyses, in a most efficient and cost effective manner. In the coming year The Crown Center will also continue to support WIS users of this novel technology

In previous years, the Crown Center helped introduce the following infrastructure activities that are continuously available for WIS scientists: 1) Large scale DNA sequencing of genomic segments. 2) DNA microarray technologies, including an Affymetrix instrument with photolithography-generated oligonucleotide arrays, which analyses mRNAs expression patterns or genomic mutations in thousands of genes from different species. In this scope, the GeneNote project, supported by the Abraham and Judith Goldwasser fund elucidated basic patterns of 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, diversely annotated human genome sequence, as well as other completed genomes, in terms of genomic maps and gene repositories. This includes access to external databases and internal data structures such as GeneCards and its affiliated databases (http://www.genecards.org/). Most recently, the GeneALaCart and GeneDecks facilities are being developed to enlarge the scope of GeneCards and exploit its wealth of annotations by providing batch queries and sophisticated analysis tools on sets of genes (e.g. those that result from the output of high throughput experiments). The Crown Human Genome Center 65 In the past, gene discovery projects, performed in collaboration with medical establishments throughout Israel, have led to the discovery of 7 novel genes that underlie human inherited diseases typical to Israeli ethnic groups, and are now available for genetic consultation.

The Sequenom MassArray system for discovering and scoring human genetic variations (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms - SNPs) is very successful. This technology is a central topic of genomic research, aimed at understanding variations among individuals within a species. Nearly thirty collaborative projects aimed at understanding how small genetic variations culminate in causing diseases, from cancer to schizophrenia, were carried out, six of which are ongoing. Pharmacogentic studies, as well as agricultural studies mapping quantitative traits loci were successfully carried out. All of these studies were concluded, and reported on in a variety of scientific publications.

With the discovery of CNVs (Copy Number Variation) a year ago, a whole new vista of genetic variation, with dramatic implications for disease studies, has been revealed. In line with this discovery, the Crown Center initiated a study to identify CNVs in association with specific anosmia.

The Center also harbors a program in evolutionary genomics, including the evolution of the sense of smell, whereby novel information on extreme genetic diversity has been uncovered, relevant to the fragrance and flavor industry. An important example of the olfaction evolution is the recent analysis of the platypus genome, performed at the center, that discovered an olfactory receptor (OR) repertoire of 700 genes. This repertoire is roughly half as large as that in a typical mammal, suggesting that monotremes serve as a departure point for the OR repertoire expansion in mammals, potentially via a duplication of the entire OR sub-genome around the monotreme-marsupial separation. Also, a program in prebiotic evolution is ongoing, aiming at solving one of the most important open questions of science: how life evolved on planet earth. Such computer-based early evolution studies focus on developing a model (The Graded Autocatalysis Replication Domain, GARD) which is an analogy to biochemical networks, with many of the realistic kinetic and thermodynamic properties of present-day cellular networks.

More recently, the Synlet (Synthetic Lethality) project has been initiated. The purpose of this project is to develop methodologies which will predict synthetic lethality within the GARD network. We will then apply these methodologies on the yeast and human protein interaction networks. This is one of many efforts within the new realm of Systems Biology, and the Genome Center is thus in close interaction with the newly inaugurated Center for Systems Biology at Weizmann, directed by Prof. Eytan Domany. 66 The Crown Human Genome Center The Crown Human Genome Center receives current support from the Crown Family and the Israel Science Foundation Grant - Sub-Contract of Hadassah Medical Center. Past support was received from the Israel ministry of Science and Technology (National Knowledge Center for Genomics), a Magneton project of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Abraham and Judy Goldwasser Fund, Israel Science Foundation Grant - Sub-Contract of Hadassah Medical Center and Philip Morris External Research Program, and lately, an Israel Science Foundation equipment grant.

http://bioinformatics.weizmann.ac.il/genome_center/ The Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition 67

The Mel Dobrin Center for Nutrition

Gad Galili, Director The Bronfman Chair of Plant Science

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

During the past year, the Center supported novel approaches for the production of nutritionally improved 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 for the participation of young scientists in international conferences that deal with plant productivity and nutrition. 68 The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics

The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center for Molecular Genetics

Yosef Shaul, Director The Oscar and Emma Getz Chair

Forchheimer Center supports directly and indirectly research conducted in the field of molecular genetics. The Center supports activities to provide state of the art facilities and tools at both institutional and individual groups levels.

During 2008, the Leo and Julia Forchheimer Center supported Molecular Genetics Retreat to share and to exchange information and novel achievements. This was indeed an important occasion that brought senior staff and young students close to each other under scientific but yet intimate atmosphere to inspire and to feed the brain of each other.

The Center supported maintaining and enlarging biological services in the campus and in the Department of Molecular Genetics, among them the laboratory for the production of transgenic and gene knock-out mice. The Centers support has also led to the establishment of advanced facilities for DNA analysis and protein identification by mass spectrometry. This equipment enables the Institutes molecular geneticists to perform genetic studies in vertebrate model organisms and to conduct functional studies on isolated genes and proteins.

During the past year Molecular Genetics department has recruited two excellent young scientists, Rotem Sorek that studies bacterial genetics and Maya Schuldiner investigating Yeast genetics. Thanks to the Center the recruitment became smooth and pleasant and certain items and facilities were purchased for their immediate and long-term needs.

The Center also provided partial supports to students for attending scientific workshops and meetings, to share their results with the international scientific communities. Forchheimer Center has established in the campus a repository of plasmids and vectors of wide interest. The Center continues to keep this collection updated to assist our scientists to use the state of the art tools. An updated list of available plasmids is posted on the Web, so that our researchers, upon request, have easy access to the repository. The Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics 69

The Kekst Family Center for Medical Genetics

Yoram Groner, Director The Dr. Barnet Berris Chair 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 subsequent application to medicine.

The Center provides financial assistance to investigators embarking on new projects in the field of molecular medicine, as well as to cross-disciplinary research collaborations between groups from different departments. It also supports the organization of international and local conferences and workshops aimed at disseminating and promoting communication between researchers in fields related to medical genetics. Particular emphasis is given to funds allocated for purchase of new equipment with the aim of upgrading the technical infrastructure of medical genetics at the Institute.

The activities of the Center are coordinated by a steering committee, comprised of Yoram Groner (Department of Molecular Genetics), Benjamin Geiger (Department of Molecular Cell Biology) and Ben-Zion Shilo (Department of Molecular Genetics). 70 The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology

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

Gad Galili, Director The Bronfman Chair of Plant Science

The Charles and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology supports basic research addressing important global challenges, such has hanger, malnutrition and sickness. It supports studies that aim at improving the understanding of biological processes in plants and the application of these studies for improving crops. Plants accumulate a large number of special metabolites, which help them tolerating various stresses, such as high light intensity and pathogen attacks. These metabolites are also important parts of the nutritional quality of plants because of their antioxidant activities and other health properties. This year, The Charles and Tillie K. Lubin Center for Plant Biotechnology supports research activities associated with understanding of the regulation of plant development, productivity and metabolism as well as support services such as cell culture and plant growth infrastructure. The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research 71

The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research

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

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

The M.D. Moross Institute aims to promote, facilitate and enhance cancer related research at the Weizmann Institute. To this end the M.D. Moross Institute will work as an umbrella institute encompassing other Weizmann Institute centers and some major funds that are involved 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 the Life Sciences, involving close to 50 groups (approximately 350 people). This breadth is a result of the Institute's inherently interdisciplinary nature, and is a feature that is likely to become even more prominent in the years to come, as disciplines overlap each other's domains and coalesce to create new areas of expertise. Seminal contributions of Weizmann Institute scientists often cannot be realized due to a hiatus in critical funding during the post-discovery period. The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research will provide this timely and significant support.

The main areas of support include:

♦ Special support for the acquisition of new trans-disciplinary technologies aimed at encouraging research collaboration between different groups.

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

♦ Supporting scientists who have submitted or resubmitted large, ambitious research plans to significant external granting agencies, to cover their research expenses for the interim period between 72 The M.D. Moross Institute for Cancer Research submission and acceptance.

♦ Life Science Colloquia in the field of cancer research, to which distinguished scientists are invited to present an Institute-wide lecture on their research, and to spend a few days on campus for meetings and discussion with faculty and students. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/moross-icr/ The David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research 73

The David and Fela Shapell Family Center for Genetic Disorders Research

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

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

The Shapell Center provides financial assistance to investigators embarking on new projects in the field of molecular genetics, as well as to interdisciplinary research collaborations between groups using the infrastructure of the Facility for Genetically Modified Animals (a.c Transgenic Facility). Funds are also allocated to facilitate research activities in the Transgenic Facility and for the purchase of new equipment with the aim of upgrading the technical infrastructure of the facility.

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

The activities of the Center are coordinated by a steering committee, including Yoram Groner (Department of Molecular Genetics), Ori Peles (Department of Molecular Cell Biology), Ari Elson (Department of Molecular Genetics) and David Wallach (Department of Biological Chemistry). 74 The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research

The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research

Gad Galili, Director The Bronfman Chair of Plant Science

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics supports basic research in plant sciences that focuses on plant growth and productivity. Its resources are directed toward the support of Weizmann Institute plant scientists as well as their ongoing research, purchase of scientific equipment, and support services such as cell culture and plant growth infrastructure. Research funded by the Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research, addresses and problems of the hungry, the needy, and the sick, and focuses its efforts on promoting the welfare of humankind, through improving human nutrition, human health and the environment. The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research 75 76 The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Center for Plant Molecular Genetics Research Faculty of Biology

Dean: Benjamin Geiger 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 78 Faculty of Biology

Faculty of Biology

Dean: Benjamin Geiger The Professor Erwin Neter Chair of Cell and Tumor Biology

The Faculty of Biology is one of two Life Sciences Faculties at the Institute. Its scope of research is quite similar to that of its sister Faculty, Biochemistry, with its main activities focusing on research at the cell and organism levels. Researchers in the four scientific departments of the Faculty of Biology dedicate themselves to understanding biological processes in normal and pathological settings, addressing such fields as immunology, neurobiology, cell biology, cell signaling, and the biology of cancerous cells.

The efforts of two of our scientific departments, Neurobiology and Immunology, focus on the nervous system and on all aspects of the body's defense mechanisms, respectively, in health and disease. The research groups of the Department of Molecular Cell Biology are linked by a common interest in cellular structure and function. In the Department of Biological Regulation, scientists address a wide variety of regulatory cellular processes, including the transduction of biological signals from the cell exterior.

Complementing the physical organization of the Faculty into Departments, interdisciplinary Research Institutes and Centers coordinate campus-wide research projects. The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Institute for Brain Research and its associated centers, the Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences and the Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions, support and reinforce studies of the most fascinating and least understood organ, the brain. The Yad Abraham Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy supports work aimed primarily at applying the basic knowledge generated at the Weizmann Institute, to more effective diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Studies on aging, a major focus of interest in contemporary Western societies, are supported by the Belle S. and Irving E. Meller Center for the Biology of Aging. Clinically important aspects of our immune system are also being explored: the Robert Koch-Minerva Center for Research in Autoimmune Diseases focuses on the consequences of malfunction of the immune system, and on exploring ways to intercept such unwelcome processes, while the Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research supports work aimed at increasing the success of bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening Faculty of Biology 79 diseases. The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology supports studies of angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) and of functional aspects of our blood system.

The major aim of the Faculty is to foster biological studies of the organism at the molecular level, through state-of-the-art technologies. Accordingly, we are constantly streamlining services that help research groups generate animal models, including gene knockout and transgenic animals. In parallel, we seek to enhance our research activities that involve sophisticated imaging methods such as digital light microscopy, functional MRI, and EEG, to explore the functioning of cells, internal organs, tumors and the brain. These activities are conducted in close coordination with the Department of Veterinary Resources, operating within the framework of the Faculty of Biology. Driven by the incredible potential of knowledge gained by studying disease models in experimental animals, we recently established the Lorry I. Lokey Preclinical Research Facility, which offers outstanding animal maintenance and research conditions, and a rich variety of bio-imaging systems.

In addition, in anticipation of changes in the thrust of biomedical research in the 21st century, the Faculty is encouraging joint research with clinical investigators, as well as research in the emerging fields of biological physics and systems biology, bringing together researchers trained in the exact sciences and those trained in the life sciences.

Finally, during the last few years, we have recruited many new faculty members, who have brought to the Institute new and exciting fields of research. It is a pleasure to welcome them all, and we wish them much success in their future endeavors. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/homepage/pages/dbio.shtml 80 Biological Regulation

Biological Regulation

Nava Dekel, Head The Philip M. Klutznick Professor of Developmental Biology

The regulation of processes responsible for the concerted action of cells, tissues, vascular networks and organs is being carried out in our department. Our studies include the identification of signaling pathways involving hormones, growth promoting factors, as well as programmed cell death and survival factors. We also characterize specific receptors, target cells, and the multiple mechanisms involved in the transmission of signals as well as processing and regulation of developmental and differentiation events. In these investigations we apply a diverse range of methodologies in different in vitro and in vivo systems: namely, biochemical, molecular biology, and physiological methods in tissue cultures, organs and whole animals. We also focus on developing non-invasive imaging technology by the utilization of optical means, as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). Since changes in the regulation of such processes are a cause for many human diseases (cancer, infertility, heart failure, stroke etc.), we further apply our results to develop new modes of treatment, such as photodynamic cancer therapy, and drugs for pharmacological intervention.

Nava Dekel: Studies in our laboratory are directed at identification and characterization of molecular events that regulate reproduction and early development. Of major interest is the control of the meiotic status of the mammalian oocyte. Attempts to disclose this issue include investigation of the gating mechanism of the gap junctions that mediate the communication of the inhibitory cAMP from the somatic cells of the ovarian follicle to the oocyte and the response of the ovarian gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) to gonadotropins. Search for complementary mechanisms that ensure the efficiency of a timely alteration between meiotic arrest and resumption of meiosis include the characterization of the oocyte specific phosphodiesterase 3A (PDE3A) and its possible mode of regulation during meiotic arrest and upon reinitiation of meiosis. Potential downstream regulators that are subjected to the PKA-mediated cAMP action are examined and their hierarchy is explored. Specific interest is directed at the role of ECT2 and RhoA that participate in the completion of the first meiotic division.

A list of ovarian and endometrial genes, the expression of which is upregulated in association with ovulation and implantation, respectively have Biological Regulation 81 been recently generated by suppression subtructive hybridization (SSH) and microarray analysis. Further attempts to characterize and identify the specific function of a selected group of these genes are presently performed. Our studies on implantation and early embryonal development are also directed at exploration of the involvement of the immune system in the embryo-uterus dialog. These studies that are performed in collaboration with the IVF unit at the Kaplan Medical Center already resulted in the development of a new mode for treatment of infertility that is associated with implantation failure.

Hadassa Degani: This year, our lab focused on investigating hormonal regulation of breast cancer, monitoring and searching the steps associated with breast cancer metastasis, as well as discovering molecular and biochemical processes associated with breast malignant transformation. The experiments were performed on human breast cancer cells growing in culture, as well as on orthotopic tumors of these cells implanted in experimental animals in vivo. In addition, we extended our studies to lung cancer cells and tumors growing in the lung, searching for the distinct properties of the microvascular network of this cancer. In the course of these investigations we developed novel, non invasive methods for monitoring cancer progression and metastasis by means of magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging . For example, we developed a method which enabled us to map the distribution of the interstitial fluid pressure and thereby determine the barriers to drug delivery, and resistance to chemotherpy. Moreover, In collaboration with Prof. David Milstein, Organic Chemistry, we synthesized and demonstrated the application of novel molecular MRI probes for mapping in vivo the expression of the estrogen receptor in breast cancer tumors and rat uteri. In collaboration with Medical Centers in the US and Taiwan we continued our clinical MRI investigations of prostate cancer staging and breast cancer response to chemotherapy.

Atan Gross: Our lab is primarily focused on studying regulatory mechanisms controlling the balance between cell life and death. In the first line of research, we are exploring the activities of the pro-apoptotic BID protein at the mitochondria by studying its interaction with a novel and uncharacterized protein named mitochondrial carrier homolog 2 (MTCH2)/Met-induced mitochondrial protein (MIMP). We have recently revealed that MTCH2/MIMP is a positive regulator of the BID-death pathway, and our future goals are to determine its exact function at the mitochondria and the importance of its function in-vivo using an MTCH2/MIMP conditional knock-out mouse. In a second line of research, we are exploring the activities of BID in the response of cells to DNA damage. We have recently revealed that DNA damage induces the phosphorylation of BID by the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, and that this phosphorylation is important for cell cycle arrest at the S phase and for inhibition of apoptosis. Our future goals are to determine the mechanistic details of BIDs activities in the DNA damage pathway, and to define the importance of these activities 82 Biological Regulation in-vivo using a BID knock-in mouse, in which the endogenous BID gene has been replaced with a gene that drives the expression of a non-phosphorylatable BID protein.

Moti Liscovitch (deceased): We are studying the molecular cell biology of caveolin-1 in human breast, colon and lung cancer cells. Specifically, we explore the role of caveolin-1 in mediating survival signaling of cancer cells that are denied matrix attachment or are exposed to genotoxic stress. In addition, we study the role of caveolin-1 and other constituents of lipid rafts in drug export, drug response and trafficking of multidrug transporters. Another topic of our research is the induction of caveolin-1/2 expression by PPAR-g ligands and its relation to PPAR-g-induced cell differentiation in colon cancer cells. In parallel studies we are trying to elucidate the functions of phospholipase D isozymes in yeast and mammalian cells by employing gene knockdown approaches and to identify molecular targets of phosphatidic acid, the lipid messenger product of phospholipase D. Finally, we are developing the novel Ligand Interaction Scan method for engineering ligand-regulatable recombinant proteins that would be useful in drug target validation and generation of ligand-sensitive transgenic organisms.

Ami Navon: In both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, most proteins are degraded in an ATP-dependent manner. In eukaryotes ATP-dependent degradation is executed by the 26S proteasome, which hydrolyzes ubiquitin-conjugated and certain non-ubiquitinated polypeptides. Its primary function is the turnover of damaged or misfolded proteins. In addition, the proteasome affects the cell cycle and other processes through the degradation of regulatory components and transcription factors. The proteasome is important for immune system as well through processing of NFkB, a key factor in the inflammatory response, and in generating peptides used for MHC class I presentation. Furthermore, the proteasome plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson and ALS, presumably through its failure to degrade specific proteins, which form deleterious aggregates. Currently, our lab is investigating three aspects related to proteasomal degradation. The major effort of the lab is invested in understanding the molecular mechanism underlining the function of the proteasome regulatory ATPase complex, which is responsible for substrate recognition, unfolding and translocation into the 20S proteasome. In addition, we also study the significance of the N-linked-glycans removing enzyme PNGase, for the proteasome associated MHC class I antigen presentation. Recently, we became interested in the mechanistic reasons for the failure of the 26S proteasome to degrade certain substrates under specific physiological conditions. This may result in the accumulation of aggregated proteins and lead to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson and ALS. To address these scientific aims, we use an integrative approach of biochemistry, structural biology and cell biology. Biological Regulation 83

Michal Neeman: Application of MRI and optical imaging for elucidation of the regulatory pathways that control the recruitment of endothelial capillaries (angiogenesis), vascular maturation, and remodeling of the lymphatics. Studies aim to reveal the contribution and interplay between environmental, hormonal and growth factor mediated signaling pathways. Specific steps in the process are detected by monitoring hemodynamic properties, vascular permeability and changes in the extracellular matrix. Vascular remodeling is followed in a range of biological models including reproduction, embryonic development, repair of ischemic injuries, tumor progression and metastatic dissemination.

Yoram Salomon: Vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) is a local anti vascular treatment modality of solid tumors that uses light and Pd-bacteriochlorophyll derivatives as photosensitizers. The anti tumor action is delivered by a local burst of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that leads to the treatment endpoint - blood stasis within minutes and consequent tumor eradication. The mechanism of vascular destruction by VTP is the major objective of the research. Online imaging by fMRI based on photoinduced BOLD contrast is being developed as means of treatment-follow up and guidance. Intravital microscopy studies in combination with MRI aim at elucidation of the hemodynamic and photochemical basis of the BOLD contrast. The immunological response of the treated mice associated with the healing of the VTP induced injury is also being examined. This work was done in collaboration with Michal Neeman, Dept. of Biological Regulation and Avigdor Scherz, Dept. of Plant Sciences.

Rony Seger: The characterization of the intracellular transmission of extracellular signals by seven distinct signaling pathways: four MAP Kinase cascades (ERK, JNK, p38 and BMK) two PI3K dependent 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 the signaling network formed by these signaling cascade regulate gene expression, proliferation, and differentiation.

Alex Tsafriri: Ovulation in mammals is a preferable target for contraception and fertility regulation. We investigate two of the ovulatory processes: (i) Oocyte maturation, including the differential regulation and expression of phosphodiesterases in the germ cells and somatic compartments in the ovary; and the role of meiosis activating sterols (MAS). (ii) Follicular rupture at ovulation and the involvement of proteolytic cascades (plasmin activating system, and collagenases), eicosanoids and other paracrine regulators. In collaboration with Michal Neeman we examine the role of revascularization in uptake of transplanted ovarian fragments to allow restoration of fertility after chemo/radiotherapy. 84 Biological Regulation

Eldad Tzahor: The nature of the instructions leading to a specific cell fate is one of the most puzzling questions in biology. The fates of embryonic progenitor cells and their patterning require a molecular "dialogue" between adjacent cell populations, yet the details of these molecular interactions remain elusive. For the past few years, we have focused on the characterization of signaling molecules that regulate both heart and craniofacial muscle formation during early vertebrate embryogenesis (Tzahor et al., 2003; Tzahor and Lassar, 2001). Heart and skeletal muscle progenitor cells are thought to derive from distinct mesoderm regions during early embryogenesis. The recent identification of the secondary heart field in vertebrate embryos led us to consider the contribution of the secondary heart field to cardiac development. What might be the relationship between the cranial paraxial mesoderm (the precursors of the skeletal muscles in the head) and this newly discovered myocardial lineage? Utilizing fate mapping studies, gene expression analyses, and manipulations of signaling pathways in the chick embryo, both in vitro and in vivo, we have demonstrated that cells from the cranial paraxial mesoderm contribute to myocardial and endocardial cell populations within the cardiac outflow tract. Furthermore, BMP signals, which block head muscle formation, act as potent inducers of the secondary heart field lineage (Tirosh-Finkel et al., 2006, accepted for publication). These findings support the notion that the cells within the cranial paraxial mesoderm play a vital role in cardiogenesis. Based on our past and ongoing studies, we propose that the developmental programs of progenitor populations that contribute to the head muscles and the anterior pole of the heart are tightly linked, indicative of a single cardiocraniofacial morphogenetic field.

During vertebrate craniofacial development, progenitor cells derived from the mesoderm fuse together to form a myofiber, which is attached to a specific skeletal element derived from the cranial neural crest (CNC) in a highly coordinated manner. To investigate this exquisitely tuned process, we employ both mouse genetic models and the avian experimental system to explore the molecular crosstalk between CNC and mesoderm progenitor cells during vertebrate head development. Thus far, loss- and gain-of-function experiments in both mouse and avian models demonstrate that skeletal muscle patterning and differentiation in the head are precisely regulated by CNC cells (Rinon A, Lazar S, & Tzahor E, in preparation). Our studies on cardiac and skeletal muscle specification during vertebrate embryogenesis are expected to provide valuable and original insights that may contribute to our understanding of normal as well as pathological aspects of heart and craniofacial development.

Yosef Yarden: Growth factors enable clonal expansion and fixation of genetic aberrations by ensuring unlimited proliferation of transformed cells (tumor growth), attraction of blood vessels (angiogenesis) and colonization of distant sites (metastasis). An example is provided by the family of epidermal growth Biological Regulation 85 factor (EGF) and the neuregulins, which bind with the ErbB family of receptors. ErbB proteins and their EGF-like ligands play essential roles in human cancer. One important mechanism involves autocrine loops comprising co-expression of a receptor and the respective ligand. Another mechanism entails genetic aberrations, which relate primarily to ErbB-1, and involve deletion of regulatory domains. Mutant forms of ErbB-1 were found in both brain and lung tumors. Last, overexpression of ErbB-2/HER2 in human carcinomas characterizes a relatively aggressive subset of mammary and other tumors. Our previous studies raised the hypothesis that an overexpressed ErbB-2 biases formation of the mitogenically more potent ErbB heterodimers, and indeed, the crystal structure of ErbB-2 revealed the existence of a dimerization loop ready to engage in dimer formation. Thus, ErbB-2 is a pre-activated receptor, which can amplify growth signals without binding to a ligand of its own.

Our biochemical analyses led us to the realization that the four ErbBs and their many ligands form a layered signaling network. Invertebrates like C. elegans and Drosophila, present simple versions of the network, which gradually evolved complexity through gene duplications and genetic diversification. The layered structure of the mammalian network ensures robust signaling, while maintaining stringent control and finely tuning the output. Once activated by growth factors, receptor tyrosine kinases simultaneously launch both positive signals, which lead to cell stimulation, and delayed negative signals, which regulate the amplitude and duration of these positive signals. A delicate balance between positive and negative signals is critical for normal cellular homeostasis, and its disturbance is often implicated in disease development. Hence, we focused our studies on negatively acting pathways that normally desensitize growth factor signaling. Our studies of the last few years identified several negative regulatory pathways, such as ligand-induced receptor endosytosis and degradation, as well as induction of newly synthesized negative regulators of the network, which are defective in human tumors of epithelial origin. In the last year we focused on additional potential mechanisms that restrain ErbB signaling in normal cells, but whose function may be aberrant in tumors. The list of potential regulators includes transcription repressors, MAPK and tyrosine-specific phsospatases, de-ubiquitination enzymes, micro-RNA molecules and alternatively spliced forms of growth factor-induced mRNAs. Interestingly, many actin-binding proteins are included in the group of late-induced, growth factor up-regulated transcripts. Our initial studies uncovered involvement of these mRNAs in growth factor-induced cell migration and invasion, observations we hope to extend to metastasis driven by the ErbB family of receptors and their EGF-like ligands. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Biological_Regulation/ 86 Biological Regulation Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Hadassa Degani, Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, United States The Fred and Andrea Fallek Professor of Breast Cancer Research Nava Dekel, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel The Philip M. Klutznick Professor of Developmental Biology Mordechai Liscovitch, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (deceased October 2008) The Harold L. Korda Professor of Biology Michal Neeman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Helen and Morris Mauerberger Professor Yoram Salomon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of service) The Charles W. and Tillie K. Lubin Professor of Hormone Research Rony Seger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Yale S. Lewine and Ella Miller Lewine Professor for Cancer Research Yosef Yarden, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology

Professor Emeritus

Alexander Tsafriri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professor

Atan Gross, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Scientists

Lilach Gilboa, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Ami Navon, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Incumbent of the Recanati Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Eldad Tzahor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Gertrude and Philip Nollman Career Development Chair

Associate Staff Scientist

Batya Cohen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Biological Regulation 87 Junior Staff Scientist

Catherine Brami, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (until March 2008) Galit Eliyahu, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left March 2008) Zhong Yao, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Intern

Moshit Lindzen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Intern

Nir Rubins, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left September 2008)

Consultants

Catherine Brami, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Joseph Friedman (left February 2008) Irit Granot, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel Ariel Hourvitz, Sheaba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel Fortune Kohen Eran Neumark, Steba Labs, Rehovot, Israel (left August 2008) Yehudit Posen David Varon, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Tsipora Goldkorn, University of California at Davis, U.S.A. Monty Krieger, MIT, Mass. Inst. of Tech., U.S.A. Gil Mor, Yale University , New Haven, CT, U.S.A. Zhong Yao, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Nira Amar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Fabio Antonioli, M.D., University of Bologna Tsipi Ben-Kasus, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel Sarit Bendetz-Nezer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Shlomit Boguslavsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Erez Bublil, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Pradeep Chaluvally Raghavan, Ph.D., Amala Cancer Research Centre, Kerala, India 88 Biological Regulation Dana Chuderland, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Anna Maria Emde, M.D. Oran Erster, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gilad Gibor, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Yulia Gnainsky, Ph.D., Agriculture Faculty, Israel Miriam Ivenshitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Wolfgang Koestler, M.D. Medical University of Vienna Alexander Konson, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel Moshit Lindzen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nathalie Machluf, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Iris Maimon (Edry), Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Keren Mammon, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Yaron Mosesson, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Shmulik Motola, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Vicki Plaks, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Sunila Pradeep, Ph.D., Amala Cancer Research Centre, Kerala Maria Shatz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Esther Julia Witsch, Ph.D., Institute for Biology, Free University of Berlin Natalie Yivgi-Ohana, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Keren Ziv, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Yoseph Addadi Roi Avraham Avital Beer Ido Ben-Ami Nir Ben-Chetrit Sarit Bendetz-Nezer Dikla Berko Dana Chuderland Hadas Cohen Yael David (Ben-basat) Iris Edry Judith Elbaz Oran Erster Erez Eyal Yoav Gal Itai Glinert Itamar Harel Yaron Hassid Iris Kamer Edith Kario Wolfgang Koestler Tamar Lengil Minjun Li Noa Madar-Balakirski Inbal Michailovici Michal Milgrom-Hoffman Yaron Mosesson Shmulik Motola Elisha Nathan Galia Oberkovitz Adi Pais Fresia Gilda Pareja Zea Gur Pines Vicki Plaks Dina Preise Gregory Jacques Ramniceanu Yitzhak Reizel Ariel Rinon Stav Sapoznik Liat Shachnai Yael Shahar-Pomerantz Helena Sheikhet-Migalovich Ketty Shkolnik Ari Tadmor Biological Regulation 89 Gabi Tarcic Libbat Tirosh Yael Chagit Tzuman Katrien Vandoorne Eldar Zehorai Keren Ziv Yaara Zwang Administrator

Rachel Benjamin 90 Immunology

Immunology

Yair Reisner, Head The Henry H. Drake Professor of 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 in immunology ranging from fundamental aspects of antigen recognition and intracellular signaling to intercellular communication as well as immune-cell differentiation, migration and homing. Naturally, the progress made in resolving the basic principles underlining the mode of operation of the immune system is also applied to furthering the understanding of its disorders such as autoimmunity and allergies, as well as to the design of new immunotherapeutic modalities to fight cancer and infectious diseases.

Among the different interesting advances made during the recent years is the effective collaborations that have evolved amongst several researchers of the Department in studying the relationship between migration and adhesion of immune cells and their regulation during the 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 vascular adhesion molecules (selectins, integrins and their respective ligands) operate to tether and arrest circulating leukocytes on vascular endothelium under shear flow. The group investigates the crosstalk between these adhesion receptors and chemokine receptors on recruited leukocytes, facilitating their emigration to specific tissues both in normal and pathological immune processes. A new focus of the lab is the role of mechanical signals, transduced to adherent leukocytes by shear flow, and their function in the translation of biochemical signals from vascular endothelial cells into productive transendothelial leukocyte migration.

R. Arnon studies focus on antigenicity and vaccine development: Epitope-based synthetic vaccines; as well as autoimmune diseases: Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, mechanisms of its suppression by basic copolymers of amino acids and relevance to multiple sclerosis (collaboration with M. Sela, R. Aharoni); Neurogenesis induced by copolymer Immunology 91 I (with R. Aharoni); Exploitation of Copolymer I for additional application including inflammatory bowel diseases; Use of Cop1 in the prevention of transplant rejection (collaboration with M. Sela and R. Aharoni). In addition, she studies antigen-specific T-cells efficacy in cancer.

A. Ben-Nun demonstrated new primary target antigens (MOG, MOBP and OSP) in multiple sclerosis and their implications for pathogenic processes and immune-specific therapy; He studies multi-epitope/multi-antigen-directed, altered peptides-mediated, immune-specific therapy of complex EAE associated with multiple pathogenic autoreactivities. The mechanisms of T cell modulation; T cell receptor and ligand interaction in autoimmune disease; Non-superantigenic bacterial toxins, T cell subsets and autoimmune diseases; Effect of encephalitogenic myelin-specific T cells and demyelinating antibodies on nerve conduction in the central nervous system in vitro and mechanisms of myelin/neuronal repair by adult stem cells.

G. Berke investigated the regulation of tumor immunity emphasizing tumor escape from immune attack. Along this line, he has addressed the regulation of expression and function of the death receptor Fas and its Ligand in tumors. He studied the binding to and activation of tumor specific T lymphocytes by tetrameric MHC peptide complexes and showed direct activation of the lymphocytes by the bound tetramers. He developed a novel procedure to determine tumor cell susceptibility to anticancer drugs. Finally, he provided evidence that hypoxia predisposes the heart to myocardial damage induce by the death receptor Fas, a finding with implication to the mechanism of myocardial damage following myocardial infarction.

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

L. Eisenbach: tumor progression results in the emergence of highly metastatic cells disseminating to distal organs. We are studying the interaction between malignant cells and the cellular immune system. In particular: a) Identification and characterization of human Tumor Associated Antigen (TAA) peptides derived from differentially expressed genes. Differentially expressed genes are discovered through genomic methods (DNA chips, SAGE) or molecular methods. TAAs from breast, colon, prostate and bladder tumors are the focus of our studies b) Design of anti-tumor peptide vaccines. c) Design of 92 Immunology anti-angiogenic vaccines d) The role of interferon 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 lymphocytes using chimeric receptors and focusing on human prostate and breast carcinoma models. The process of homing of the genetically engineered lymphocytes, their fate, as well as the optimal gene transfer procedure are studied and optimized. In parallel, the diversity of prostate cancer as reflected by its antigenicity, sensitivity to different therapeutic modalities as well as aggressiveness is studied (in collaboration with Prof. E. Domany and Prof. A. Orr-Urtreger, Sourasky Medical Center).

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 tissues in health and disease.

S. Jung investigates the in vivo origin and functional organization of the mononuclear phagocyte (MP) system, a body wide network of myeloid cells including macrophages and dendritic cells, as well as organ specific cell types such as bone osteoclasts and brain microglia. To study the differential functions of MP subsets in homeostasis and under pathogen challenge his research team uses the combined application of adoptive precursor cell transfers and conditional in vivo cell ablation in the intact organism. A particular focus is given to the host/pathogen interface at mucosal surfaces such as the respiratory and digestive tract.

T. Lapidot T. Lapidot pursues the identification of cytokines, chemokines, stromal cells, proteolytic enzymes and adhesion molecules that mediate and regulate the migration and developmental program of human stem cells, both normal and leukemic, in a functional in vivo assay as well as the applications for human gene and cancer therapy. In particular, mechanistic insights into the pleotropic roles of the Chemokine SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 in stem cell migration (homing and mobilization) and retention in the stem cell niche as well as interactions between Osteoclasts and Osteoblasts in these processes are investigated.

O. Lider. Died, July 2004. His group's activities are being supervised by Prof. I. R. Cohen. Prof. Lider's students are continuing his studies on how the immune system operates under inflammatory conditions. They analyse the effects of cytokines on lymphocyte migration, cell surface adhesion receptor function. They also attempt to evaluate the enzymatic machinery required for leukocytes migration as well as examine the capacities of these enzymes to generate natural small molecular weight inhibitors of inflammation. Immunology 93

E. Mozes studies, on the cellular-functional and on the molecular levels, the mechanisms underlying the down regulation of a) myasthenia gravis (MG) by an altered peptide ligand based 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-DNA autoantibody. The role of regulatory T cells, cytokines and chemokines, costimulatory molecules, various pathways of apoptosis and of molecules involved in signal transduction is investigated.

I. Pecht investigates the process of recognition performed by immunoreceptors and the mechanism of their signalling. Specifically how the coupling between these receptors' stimuli and cellular responses is initiated and controlled. The model employed for the latter process is that of mast cell response by secretion of inflammatory mediators and its Fcε receptor coupled cascade. T-cell antigen recognition is the main system where the immunological recognition processes are studied. In addition, the rather different problem of internal electron transfer in proteins is investigated.

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

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

M. Sela collaborates with E. Mozes on mechanism of action of peptides inhibiting experimental myasthenia gravis, with R. Arnon on mechanism of action of Copolymer 1, a drug against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis, and on its use in prevention of transplant rejection and with Y. Yarden on monoclonal antibodies to ErbB2 and their respective B cell epitopes, their roles in potential anti-tumor strategy.

I. Shachar studies homing, maturation and function of immature B cells. In order to fully mature and to participate in the humoral response, immature B cells first migrate into specific areas 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 the spleen and the differentiation to mature B cells in this compartment. 94 Immunology http://www.weizmann.ac.il/immunology/ Immunology 95 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Avi Ben-Nun, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Professor Gideon Berke, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Isaac and Elsa Bourla Professor of Cancer Research Zelig Eshhar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Marshall and Renette Ezralow Professor of Chemical and Cellular Immunology Tsvee Lapidot, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Edith Arnoff Stein Professor in Stem Cell Research Yair Reisner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Henry H. Drake Professor of Immunology Michael Sela, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Institute Professor The W. Garfield Weston Professor of Immunology

Professors Emeriti

Ruth Arnon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Irun R. Cohen, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School Sara Fuchs, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Nechama Haran-Ghera, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Edna Mozes, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Roald Nezlin, MD., Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation Israel Pecht, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Israel Schechter, MD., Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professors

Ronen Alon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Linda Jacobs Professor in Immune and Stem Cell Research Lea Eisenbach, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Georg F. Duckwitz Professor of Cancer Research Idit Shachar, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel The Dr. Morton and Anne Kleiman Professor 96 Immunology Senior Scientists

Nir Friedman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Steffen Jung, Ph.D., Universitaet zu Koeln, Germany Incumbent of the Pauline Recanati Career Development Chair of Immunology Guy Shakhar, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Senior Staff Scientist

Rina Aharoni, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Tali Feferman, Ph.D., Macquarie University Sydney, Sydney, Australia Sara Feigelson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Alexander Kalinkovich, Ph.D., Pirogov Moscow Medical Institute (PMMI), Russian Federation Orit Kollet, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Esther Lustig, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Elias Shezen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Rina Falb, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Polina Goichberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left July 2008) Shlomit Reich-Zeliger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Revital Aricha, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Esther Witsch, Ph.D., Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Engineer

Esther Tzehoval, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Interns

Tal Birnberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Michal Cohen Sfady, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left June 2008) Amir Sharabi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Doron Yavlecovitch, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Immunology 97 Consultants

Alain Berrebi, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot Sonia Berrih-Aknin, CNRC Hopital Marie Lannlongue, France Sahar Elhanan (left April 2008) Enrique Freud, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel Amiela Globerson Valentin Grabovsky, Biokine Therapatics Ltd., Israel Helena Katchman, Ichilov Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel Bilha Schechter Shoham Shivtiel Ard (left August 2008) Alexander Shtabsky, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel Miriam Souroujon, Open University, Raanana, Israel Ilan Volovitz

Visiting Scientists

Ole Farver, Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, Denmark Ittai Fattal, Sheba Medical Ctr., Tel Hashomer, Israel Tal Ilani, Cornell University , NY, U.S.A. David Issachar, Soreq Nuclear Center, Yavne, Israel Michal Kam-Seroussi, Vacciguard, Misgav, Israel Riva Kovjazin, VAXIL Bio Therapeutics, Tel Aviv, Israel Keren Mahlab-Guri, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel David Margel, Rabin Med. Ctr.,Petach Tikva, Israel Ruth Maron, Harvard Med. School, MA, U.S.A. Sam Vasilevsky, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sci.,MD, U.S.A. Orna Weller, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel Scot Wherland, Washington State University , Seattle, U.S.A. Hirshfeld Yael, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Yaron Antebi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Dorit Avrahami, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Hava Ben-David, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Tal Birnberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eike Christian Buss, M.D., Dept. of Internal Medicine V, Univ. of Heidelberg Vered Daniel Carmi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Hilah Gal, Ph.D., weizmann institute Smadar Gertel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel David Hagin, M.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Tanja Nicole Hartmann, University of Freiburg Tal Ilani, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel 98 Immunology Nathali Kaushansky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Itai Kela, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Georg Mahlknecht, Ph.D., Institute of Cell Biology (now Bioanalytics)-TUM Oren Milstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Chava Rozen, M.D., Tbilisi Medical University, Georgia Charlotte Servais, Ph.D., Université Libre de Bruxelles Amir Sharabi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Dalit Strauss-Ayali, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Melania Tesio, Ph.D., Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (IRCC) Alexandra Samira Vallon, Ph.D., UCBL1-ENS Lyon Sam Vasilevsky, Uniformed University of the Health Sciences Nissan Yissachar, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Simon Yona, Ph.D., University of London

Research Students

Anna Aronovich Tagest Aychek Inbal Binsky Tal Birnberg Dan Blat Jonathan Boxman Gal Cafri Noam Cohen Sivan Cohen Vered Daniel Carmi Yaki Edelshtein Eran Elinav Julia Farache Pinto Anat Globerson Yael Gore Liat Greenshtein Ira Gurevich Gil Hecht Tomer Itkin Nathali Kaushansky Ki-Wook Kim Kfir Lapid Assaf Lask Aya Ludin Neta Madar-Kela Efrat Makovitzki-Avraham Amit Maliar Eugenia Manevich Yoav Manster Assaf Marcus Avihai Meiraz Oren Milstein Nathalie Moyal-Amsellem Eran Ophir Ronit Pasvolsky Chava Rozen Anita Sapoznikov Amir Schajnovitz Ziv Shulman Orna Tal Dalit Tchorsh Yaron Vagima Hen Varol Nir Waysbort Maya Yaskovich Gordin Lior Zangi Irina Zaretsky Einat Zelman Administrator

Pnina Carmi Molecular Cell Biology 99

Molecular Cell Biology

Varda Rotter, Head The Norman and Helen Asher Chair of Cancer Research

Research in our Department focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms and systems levels that control cell behavior:

◊ growth regulation ◊ determination of cell fate and differentiation ◊ cell adhesion and movement ◊ intracellular trafficking ♦ These studies include investigations into the mode of action of growth factors, and the nature of signals triggered by them in target cells. Cell growth regulation is also examined through explorations of tumor suppressor genes, such as p53, which inhibit cell proliferation and can drive cells toward differentiation or apoptosis, as well as through the characterization of growth-activating genes and signaling networks. ♦ Our researchers also address the understanding of the mechanisms underlying cancerous transformation, either due to deregulated growth or to failure to undergo apoptosis. Advanced gene screening techniques and genetically modified experimental models are used to identify and characterize specific genes that are involved in normal and malignant growth. There is broad interest in the molecular mechanisms of cell adhesion and motility, and their involvement in the regulation of cellular and embryonic morphogenesis, neuronal development, and in the spread of tumor metastases. Of special interest are proteins such as §-catenin, which plays a critical role in reinforcing cell-cell adhesions, as well as triggering gene expression. These studies include characterizing the mechanisms underlying adhesive interactions, the role of sugars in adhesive processes. Furthermore we investigate the identification of recognition molecules which mediate cell-cell interactions during nervous system development. Understanding of the process by which surface-associated adhesion molecules enable the cell to bind to the cytoskeleton, and the involvement of such adhesions in cell motility and signaling is thoroughly investigated. ♦ Other interesting issues studied in our Department are concerned with developmental biology, and differentiation, processes are dealt with by using cutting edge technologies. This includes also the molecular 100 Molecular Cell Biology genetics and evolution of genes involved in human diseases and myogenesis as a model system for investigating possible therapeutic potentials. ♦ To understand the behavior of cells, it is important to add to the molecular level of description an understanding on the level of systems biology. For this purpose, study of model organisms such as E. coli are useful for defining the design principles of biological circuits. Combined experimental and theoretical approaches allow one to define basic network motifs and their functions, as well as studying the role of evolution in shaping regulatory circuits in the cell. ♦ Since these cellular processes involve groups of interacting factors, we are also interested in mathematical modeling and computational analysis of biochemical and gene circuitry in normal cells and their deregulation in cancer.

Uri Alon focuses on the cell-wide analysis of protein activity, and how cells make decisions and process information. A systems biologist working to develop a blueprint of a living cell, he has determined that the biochemical circuitry in the cell is composed of repeating circuit patterns called network motifs, each of which performs a specific information-processing task. Homepage

Abraham Amsterdam focuses on investigating the control of ovulation and factors, which may explain the risk factors for ovarian cancer. We used ovarian transcriptsomes as a tool for global approach of genes, modulated by gonadotropic hormones in human ovarian granulosa cells. Combined studies by DNA microarrays, biochemical and physiological approaches revealed that epiregulin (Ep) and amphiregulin (Ar), members of the mitogenic epidermal growth factor (EGF), are highly expressed on the level of the genes and the proteins, following gonadotropin stimulation. In contrast, in ovarian cancer, these EGF like factors are expressed constitutively.

Avri Ben-Zeev studies the genes and cellular mechanisms involved in cancer. In focusing on β-catenin, a gene that is abnormally activated in colorectal and many other types of cancer, he has clarified the consequences of β-catenin hyperactivation in cancerous cells, and identified some of the signals unleashed by this gene in instances of malignancy. Homepage

Alexander Bershadsky studies how cells move, and the physical forces necessary for cells to attach themselves to the substrate and to one another. In exploring the points of contact, which act as mechanical sensors that provide the cell with information about its environment and determine its behavior, he has learned that in cancer cells, the activity of these sensors Molecular Cell Biology 101 is disrupted, which likely accounts for the cells difficulty in adhering to substrates and, consequently, their greater mobility.

Eli Canaani investigates the MLL gene and its protein products, in order to understand their biochemical activities and the mechanism by which they trigger leukemia. Leukemias associated with rearrangement of the MLL gene account for the majority of acute lymphocytic and myelocytic leukemias in infants, and in therapy-related leukemias.

Benjamin Geiger focuses mainly on the mechanisms responsible for communication between cells, both normal and cancerous. He is attempting to identify and trace the specific molecules, and the corresponding genes, which are involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix recognition and communication, and to investigate the molecules and signaling processes which mediate such interactions, and are regulated by them. Homepage

David Givol investigates the tumor suppressor gene p53, the most frequently mutated gene in all cancers, and focuses on mechanisms that activate p53 and the way p53 activates target genes, using microarrays. He studies methods to regain p53 activity in tumors as a mean for cancer therapy. Recently he has been studying connection between stem cells and cancer, exploring the properties of "cancer stem cells" that are responsible for the propagation of malignant tumors. He isolates such stem cells from leukemia and glioblastoma and compares gene expression profiles of stem and non-stem tumor cells and test differential drug response in these cells. Homepage

Zvi Kam is developing and applying high-resolution automated cell-based screening microscopy for functional analysis of cells. Multiple perturbations by compound libraries and by siRNA are applied to reporter cells cultured in multi-well plates, cell images are recorded, and quantitative image analysis scores the responses. This high-throughput platform provides systems biological experimental approach for studying complex cellular mechanisms, and is useful for biomedical applications. Homepage

Sima Lev Sima Lev studies the molecular mechanisms of membrane trafficking pathways in mammalian cells and their implications in pathological situations involved in human diseases. These pathways mediate the transport of proteins, lipids, and sugars to their final cellular destinations and are fundamental to normal cell function and survival. Defects in these pathways are associated with many human diseases and can affect cell cycle progression. She is currently focusing on mechanisms that control the lipid transport and their influence on membrane trafficking events and cellular 102 Molecular Cell Biology

lipid homeostasis, as well as on regulatory mechanisms of membrane trafficking in specialized cells, such as motor neurons or pancreatic b cells, and their implication in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and diabetes, respectively. Homepage

Gil Levkowitz utilizes zebrafish embryos as a vertebrate model organism to investigate how coordinated development of multiple neuronal types is achieved in the brain. The lab studies the development and maintenance of dopaminergic neurons and of several neuropeptides- secreting neurons, which reside in the hypothalamus. Understanding these processes is relevant to prospective therapies for neurological disorders as aberrant development of the dopaminergic system might be a major factor contributing to Parkinsons disease and impairments in hypothalamic neurons are associated with defects in energy balance, and in neuro-endocrine and psychiatric disorders.

Moshe Oren is studying the regulation of the p53 tumor suppressor and its relevance to cancer. Specific interests include the analysis of signal transduction pathways that modulate p53 activity in response to various stress signals, exploration of the molecular basis for the ability of p53 to elicit different cell fate changes in response to different triggers, the role of p53 in the interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment, and (in collaboration with V. Rotter) the analysis of gain of function activities of cancer-associated p53 mutants. In addition, the group is studying the regulation and function of the Mdm2 oncoprotein, a major component of the p53 network, and the involvement of microRNAs in cancer. Homepage

Elior Peles focuses on the biology of Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes, the myelinating glial cells of the peripheral and central nervous system, respectively. His group is studying how these cells recognize and wrap axon with myelin, an insulating lipid membrane that enables the rapid and efficient conduction of nerve impulses. His laboratory is also studying how axon-glia interaction control the molecular organization of the axonal membrane, which is required for the normal function of myelinated nerves and is disturbed in Multiple Sclerosis, as well as in a wide range of other neurological diseases.

Varda Rotter focuses on the p53 gene, which as a wild type protein plays a pivotal role in protecting cells from becoming cancerous, but when mutated or inactivated causes the accumulation of genetic instabilities, which in turn induces malignant transformation of cells. On the question of mutant p53 gain of function, which is central in her research, she is collaborating with Moshe Oren and Eytan Domany. As it is well accepted that malignant Molecular Cell Biology 103 transformation is a stepwise process involving various defined gene signatures it is the challenge of her studies to discover which of these gene networks involve the p53 protein. Homepage

Oren Schuldiner studies the molecular mechanism of neuronal remodeling. His lab uses the fruit fly as a model to investigate axon pruning. Using sophisticated genetic and microscopic tools to create and visualize a single mutant neuron in a heterozygous brain, it is possible to study cell autonomous processes that occur late during development in vivo. To understand the mechanisms that regulate axon pruning, his lab focuses finding and characterizing novel proteins that play a role in cell-cell interactions (specifically neuron-glia interactions), cargo trafficking, and signaling within the neurons. His lab also studies the molecular switch that induces re-growth of the axons following pruning. Axon fragmentation during pruning shares molecular similarities with processes occurring in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying pruning and axon re-growth will promote our understanding of axon fragmentation and regeneration during development and disease. Homepage

Eran Segal develops computational models aimed at understanding how biological processes are regulated at various levels. These include models that integrate transcription factors and DNA sequences, aimed at explaining how complex patterns of gene expression are encoded in DNA sequences and read by cells, and sequence-based models for chromatin structure that explain how nucleosomes get positioned on genomes and how they consequently affect gene expression. Homepage

Gad Yagil continues to characterize special DNA motifs of eukaryotic gene promoters. A prevalence of these motifs in gene terminators is being found, with implications on a DNA unwinding function in gene transcription. In another direction, biocomplexity analysis was further developed and applied to genomic DNA. Homepage

Uri Nudel and David Yaffe are investigating the structure, evolution and function of products of the dystrophin gene, which is defective in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Gene inactivation techniques were used to study the function of Dp71, the major non-muscle product of the DMD gene, and its possible involvement in development and in learning capacity. Cloning and analysis of the homologous genes from sea urchin and drosophila have important implications with regard to the evolution of the DMD gene family 104 Molecular Cell Biology

and function of the DMD gene products. These studies showed a very impressive conservation during evolution of the structure of the DMD gene and its multiple products. Functional studies indicated a number of abnormalities associated with mutants of the drosphila orthologue of the DMD gene, including defects in learning capacity. It is interesting to note that in humans, DMD is also often associated with cognitive impairments. Dr. Rachel Sarig, of the same group is also investigating the topic of adult stem cells and their potential application for cell therapy. Recent studies have indicated the prevalence and importance of adult stem cells in development, maintenance and regeneration of various tissues. Muscle progenitor cells are of special interest as an excellent, easy accessible cell type, with well-characterized markers and transcription factors associated with its various differentiation stages, thus offering a convenient model system. The team has isolated, from mouse skeletal muscle a population of slow adherent myogenic cells that can proliferate for extended periods, as suspended clusters of cells (myospheres). Myosphere cells express myogenic markers, and differentiate to muscle fibers both in vitro and in vivo. Cloned populations of these cells and of human myogenic cells are being examined for their plasticity and ability to transdifferentiate into other cell lineages. Preliminary results suggest that these cells can be reprogrammed into neuronal cells.

Yehiel Zick studies the molecular basis of insulin resistance with a particular emphasis on the role of Ser/Thr kinases as negative-feedback regulators of this process. He also works to understand the activities of galectin-8, one of a family of animal lectins implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Demonstrating that galectin-8 as a modulator of cell cycle progression and as an inducer of cell growth arrest, he is working toward a novel, potentially curative treatment for prostate cancer.

Dov Zipori focuses on the nature of the mesenchyme, primarily on the tendency of this tissue to generate cells in the stem state. Research in this laboratory is divided into three categories. The first is concerned with the molecular basis of stemness. The research team discovered that mesenchymal cells have promiscuous gene expression pattern in that they express genes of various lineage (e.g. T cell receptor components). The functional significance of this unexpected gene expression is a major subject for investigation in the laboratory. Dedifferentiation processes are a means to produce stem cells from partially committed or fully differentiated cells. The ability of mesenchymal populations to enter the stem state by dedifferentiation is an additional aspect in the study of molecular basis of stemness.The second category relates to the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Previous studies of this research team suggested that the maintenance of the stem state is imposed by differentiation restraining molecules such as transforming growth factor b Molecular Cell Biology 105 superfamily members. The group recently showed that Toll-like receptor ligands convey signals that block mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) differentiation. The generality of this phenomenon and its mechanism are now being studied. The third category relates to the practical use of MSC. These cells are used as a therapeutic modality in animal models for human diseases including osteoarthritis and multiple myeloma. Homepage http://www.weizmann.ac.il/mcb/ 106 Molecular Cell Biology Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Uri Alon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Minerva Junior Research Group On Biological Computation Avri Ben-Ze'ev, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Samuel Lunenfeld-Reuben Kunin Professor of Genetics Alexander D. Bershadsky, Ph.D., Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russian Federation The Joseph Moss Professor of Biomedical Research Eli Canaani, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States The Harry Kay Professor of Cancer Research Benjamin Geiger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Professor Erwin Neter Professor of Cell and Tumor Biology Zvi Kam, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Israel Pollak Professor of Biophysics Moshe Oren, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Varda Rotter, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Norman and Helen Asher Professor of Cancer Research Yehiel Zick, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Marte R. Gomez Professor of Photosynthesis

Professors Emeriti

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

Associate Professors

Sima Lev, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Joyce and Ben B. Eisenberg Professor of Molecular Endocrinology and Cancer Research Elior Peles, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Hanna Hertz Professor for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroscience Dov Zipori, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Joe and Celia Weinstein Professor

Senior Scientists

Gil Levkowitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research Molecular Cell Biology 107 Oren Schuldiner, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

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

Assistant Staff Scientists

Konstantin Adamsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left January 2008) Anat Bren, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Erez Dekel, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Irina Lavelin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Dan Michael, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (until June 2008) Yael Paran, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left June 2008) Natalie Perzov, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left April 2008) Rachel Sarig, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Yael Aylon, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Rehovot, Israel Masha Khoutorsky, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel Alexandra Lichtenstein, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Avi Mayo, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Nina Raver Shapira, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (left July 2008) Hila Rubin-Lifshitz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Sabina Winograd-Katz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Intern

Sigalit Boura-Halfon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 108 Molecular Cell Biology Interns

Nancy Gavert, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Perry Stambolsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Ivo Spiegel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left August 2008)

Consultants

David Givol Helit Nabel-Rosen Uri Nudel Igor Shats (left February 2008) David Yaffe

Visiting Scientists

Arie Ben Yehuda, Hadassah Hebrew University Med. Ctr., Jerusalem, Israel Shmuel Rozenblatt, Tel-Aviv University , Israel Sanford Sampson, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Tamar Shahal, Max Planck Inst., Stuttgart, Germany David Sidransky, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, U.S.A. Joachim Spatz, Max Planck Inst., Stuttgart, Germany Trijntne P. Visser, Erasmus University , Rotterdam, Nederland

Postdoctoral Fellows

Liat Amir-Zilberstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ayelet Bar On, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yossi Buganim, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Cellina Cohen-Saidon, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Shahar Frechter, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Irina Issaeva, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Michal Kandel-Kfir, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Elena Kartvelishvily, Ph.D., Technion, Israel Nadav Kashtan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Masha Khoutorsky, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Daniel Koster, Ph.D., Delft University of Technology Lalitha Tripura Sund Kota, Humboldt University Julieta Leyt Kachanovsky, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Revital Maor-Aloni, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel Nicole Paland, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology Gopal Pandi, Ph.D., Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) Diego Adolfo Peretti, Ph.D., National University of Cordoba, Argentina Ziv Porat, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Molecular Cell Biology 109 Nadya Rakovitsky, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Hila Rubin, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Ruth Scherz-Shouval, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ivo Spiegel, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Perry Stambolsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yuval Tabach, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eduard Yakubov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Shelly Adi-Harel Vered Bar Avital Beck Amir Ben-Shmuel Niva Blum Shlomit Boguslavsky Nataliya Borodovsky Ran Brosh Yossi Buganim Ariel Cohen Nili Dahan Eran Eden Yael Eshed Konstantin Feinberg Naama Geva-Zatorsky Neev Golan Ido Goldshtein Lior Golomb Diana Gurevitch Amos Gutnick Yuval Hart Gil Hornung Ido Horresh Eyal Kalo Nadav Kashtan Omer Keinan So Hui Kim Ira Kogan Orly Laufman Efrat Lidor Yossy Machluf Shlomi Madar Alina Molchadsky Neta Moskovitz Suha Naffar-Abu-Amara Nurit Novak Yaara Ofir-Rosenfeld Yifat Peretz Meirav Pevsner-Fischer Shani Raveh Nir Rozenblum Reut Shalgi Efrat Shema Guy Shinar Ofer Shoshani Oren Shoval Timor Shuster Hilla Solomon Perry Stambolsky Yuval Tabach Yaron Vinik Yuliya Zilberman Administrator

Pnina Carmi 110 Neurobiology

Neurobiology

Yadin Dudai, Head The Sara and Michael Sela Chair of Neurobiology

Research in Neuroscience in the Department of Neurobiology encompasses a wide variety of subjects, 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 both independent studies and collaborative research with colleagues from within the Department and 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 synaptic function. ♦ 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; developing molecular 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 the nervous system are studied at various levels of analysis, using different types of cell and experimental animal models. The groups studying neuronal function at the molecular and cellular levels use mostly in vitro systems, ranging from non-neuronal and neuronal cell lines to primary neuronal and glial cells of cerebellar, hippocampal, and cortical origin. In many cases, the cells studied are transfected with genes of interest. These cell systems allow the study of the roles of various components of the nervous system, including cell surface membrane components, specific enzymes, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, growth factors, neuroreceptors, lipid components, ionic channels, and cytoskeletal constituents. Algorithms for synaptic plasticity between neurons, and the role of ion channels in synaptic input and information processing, are also being studied. Injury models of nerve lesion and oxidative stress paradigms are applied to examine the Neurobiology 111 principles of neural regeneration, rescue from ischemia and stroke, and apoptotic cell death and senescence.

The groups studying the CNS at the system level are striving to understand the complex neuronal mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and sensory processing (vision, taste, smell), and to determine the relationship between brain and mind. Using track-tracing methods, the rules governing the interconnections in the visual cortex are being unraveled. Behavioral studies focus on principles of learning and consolidation, cortical information processing, learning disabilities, and addiction. Functional brain imaging of the human visual cortex is being studied by various techniques, including fMRI. Psychophysical approaches are being used to define processes involved in image segmentation, learning and memory skill acquisition, motor control, and language. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/neurobiology/ 112 Neurobiology Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Ehud Ahissar, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Helen and Sanford Diller Family Professor of Neurobiology Yadin Dudai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Sara and Michael Sela Professor of Neurobiology Irith Ginzburg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (deceased July 2008) The Sophie and Richard S. Richards Professor of Cancer Research (until July 2008) Amiram Grinvald, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Helen Norman Asher Professor in Brain Research Rafi Malach, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States The Barbara and Morris Levinson Professor of Brain Research Dov 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 Vivian I. Teichberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Louis and Florence Katz-Cohen Professor of Neuropharmacology Michail Tsodyks, Ph.D., L.D. Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics, Moscow, Russian Federation The Gerald and Hedy Oliven Professor in Brain Research Zvi Vogel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Ruth and Leonard Simon Professor of Cancer Research

Professors Emeriti

Yitzhak Koch, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Uriel Littauer, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel David Samuel, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Israel Silman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Izchak Z. Steinberg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Ephraim Yavin, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Neurobiology 113 Associate Professors

Shabtai Barash, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Noam Sobel, Ph.D., Stanford University, California, United States

Senior Scientists

Alon Chen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Philip Harris and Gerald Ronson Career Development Chair Tali Kimchi, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Ilan Lampl, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Incumbent of the Carl and Frances Korn Career Development Chair in the Life Sciences Rony Paz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Elad Schneidman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Center for Complexity Science Fellowship Nachum Ulanovsky, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Abraham Zangen, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Incumbent of the Joseph and Celia Reskin Career Development Chair

Senior Staff Scientist

Amos Arieli, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

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

Junior Staff Scientists

Per Magne Knutsen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left August 2008) David Omer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contract

Liora Cahalon, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel 114 Neurobiology Engineers

Gil Albo, B.A., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (left January 2008) Vladimir Garber, M.Sc., The National Technical University of Ukraine, Ukraine Daniel Goldian, B.Sc., Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom Abebe Medhanie, B.A., Tel-Aviv Academic College of Engineering, Tel-Aviv, Israel Naama Rubin, M.Sc., University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States

Consultants

Avraham Avital, The Yizreel Valley College, Israel Yoram Bonneh Elena Butovsky, Sourasky Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yossi Chalamish Alexander Cooperman Shlomo Dukler Maya Galperin-Aizenberg, Asaf Ha'Rofeh Medical Center, Tzrifin, Israel Ana Geralnik, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Roman Gersner (left December 2008) Sebastian Haidarleu Koret Hirschberg, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Tali Kimchi, Harvard University, Boston, USA (left August 2008) Yosef Kimhi (left February 2008) Sharon Levisohn (left May 2008) Uriel Littauer Ofer Melamed, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel Inbar Pilzer, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel David Samuel Israel Silman Eduard Yakobov (left May 2008

Visiting Scientists

Merav Ahissar, Hebrew University , Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel Shimon Amir, Concordia University , Montreal, Canada David Hansel, University of Paris V (Descartes), France Pauline Jamieson, University of Edinburgh, Scotland Mikhail Katkov, NYU, Center for Neural Science, U.S.A. Etan Markus, University of Conneticut, Storrs, CT, U.S.A. Hadas Schori, NASA, Greenbelt, MD, U.S.A. Eyal Seidemann, University of Texas at Austin, U.S.A. David Shore, McMaster University , Ont., Canada Neurobiology 115 Mikhail Stepanichev, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, Russia

Postdoctoral Fellows

David B. Omer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Barak Blumenfeld, WIS Thomas D. A. Deneux, Ph.D., Ecole Polytechnique Dimitri Fisher, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eran Gershon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Roman Gersner, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jaime Heiss, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Guy Horev, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Per Magne Knutsen, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ewa Agata Kozela, Ph.D., Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Acad of Sciences Alex Loebel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nicola Maggio, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Angela Matuzany-Ruban, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel Mariana Laura Melcon, Ph.D., University of Tuebingen Kazunori Ohashi, Ph.D., Kyushu Institute of technology Michael Okun, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Son Preminger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Neta Rimmerman, Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington Asya Rolls, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Sandro Romani, Universita' di Roma "Sapienza" Maytal Shabat-Simon, Tel-Aviv University, Israel Revital Shani-Hershkovich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yair Shemesh, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Michael Tsoory, Ph.D., Haifa University, Israel Carmiya Vingerten Bar-Or, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Yossi Yovel, Tuebingen University + MPI biological cybernetics Chunxiu Yu, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Pawel Ryszard Zdunek, M.D., The Medical University of Warsaw Yaniv Ziv, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Omri Barak Jacob Blumenthal Miriam Brodt-Ivenshitz Michal Cardon Nitzan Censor Dror Cohen Eyal Cohen Katayun Cohen-Kashi Itzik Cooper Eran Dayan David Deutsch Evan Elliott Eli Ezrielev Lior Fisch Ianai Fishbein Oren Forkosh Moshe Fried Orit Furman 116 Neurobiology Efrat Furst Elad Ganmor Hagar Gelbard- Sagiv Rotem Genud Roman Gersner Sharon Gilad Sharon Gilaie-Dotan Leor Gruendlinger Sharon Haramati Jaime Heiss Noga Karp Yonatan Katz Yael Klin Gilad Kunis Yael Kuperman Hadas Lapid Maya Lebow Dino Levy Gil Lewitus Naomi Litichever Tomer Livne Anat London-Drori Rachel Ludmer Nicola Maggio Avi Mendelsohn Adi Neufeld Uri Nili Yuval Nir Yaron Penn Maciej Dominik Pietr Limor Regev Noga Ron Alon Rubin Avraham Saig Inbar Saraf-Sinik Eldi Schonfeld-Dado Oshrit Shalev Ravid Shechter Reut Shema Erez Simony Dekel Taliaz Bo Xiao Michael Yartsev Yaara Yeshurun Chunxiu Yu Administrator

Michal Hirschberg Veterinary Resources 117

Veterinary Resources

Alon Harmelin, Head

The Department of Veterinary Resources provides services and facilities to the life science faculties. The department has a staff of 55. Its activities include breeding and maintenance of laboratory animals and the operation of specialized facilities. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/vet/

Staff

Senior Staff Scientist

Alon Bernstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Raya Eilam-Altstadter, Ph.D., Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Rebecca Haffner-Krausz, Ph.D., University of London, London, United Kingdom

Assistant Staff Scientist

Vyacheslav Kalchenko, Ph.D., Chita State Medical Academy, Chita, Russian Federation

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 Natalya Dotsenko, D.V.M., Moscow Veterinary Academy Bella Finarov, D.V.M., Moscow Veterinary Academy Alina Maizenberg, D.V.M., Latvia, Riga Noa Stettner, D.V.M., Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences of the Hebrew 118 Veterinary Resources University of Jerusalem, Rehovot

Administrator

Kaduri Abudi The Norman and Helen Asher Center for Brain Imaging 119

The Norman and Helen Asher Center for Brain Imaging

Yadin Dudai, Director The Sara and Michael Sela Chair of Neurobiology

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

Beyond its implications for basic science, however, the potential for clinical and biomedical applications based on this research is enormous. Initially, the f-MRI's high resolution as an imaging tool will allow for much greater precision in mapping the brain (the f-MRI greatly improves upon existing technologies, for example, in locating and assessing the effects of brain 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 to the development of currently unimaginable diagnostic tools and treatment modalities.

With the physical facilities of the program now in place, and good progress towards the procurement of its major equipment, the Center's support of the f-MRI operations will enable the translation of the potential of the f-MRI into scientific reality by fostering inter-disciplinary research programs that combine several complementary approaches. 120 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases

Menahem Segal, Director The Harry and Leona Levine Chair of Neurosciences

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases (BCND) was established in late 2003. Its mission is to promote research and understanding of the molecular basis of neurological diseases. Under this umbrella are several devastating and yet unsolved brain diseases, including developmental disorders of the brain, e.g. fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome as well as neurodegenerative diseases of the aging brain, including Parkinsonism and Alzheimer's disease. In between are affective disorders, likely to originate as a developmental defect of the brain, but that are lasting through the entire human life. The common denominator of these diseases is that they are unique to the human brain, and thus are hard to tackle in model systems and many if not most seem to involve an intricate array of risk factors and defected genes.

The mission of the Center will be achieved through several avenues:

A. The Center provides financial support to scientists of the Weizmann Institute, who are actively conducting research in this field, or are about to initiate Neurological Disease-oriented research. Grant applications submitted before the deadline of November 30, 2008, are evaluated by an ad-hoc committee, and the decisions and financial support will be announced by the end of December, 2008. Specific instructions for application are listed below (*). B. Emergency funds. These will be provided especially towards the end of the financial year, when money runs out and funds are needed to keep an ongoing operation. In this respect, funds will also be provided, in coordination with other Centers at the Institute, to allow scientists who applied to external granting agencies and failed, to keep working and produce sufficient preliminary results so as to better compete for these external sources next time. C. The BCND will promote interactions among WIS scientists, and between WIS scientists and medical leaders in Israeli Hospitals, aimed at expanding the knowledge relevant to Neurological Diseases. As part of this mission, the BCND organizes an annual symposium on emerging issues in Neurological Diseases. The First Benoziyo symposium on the Molecular Basis of Neurological Diseases took The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases 121 place on the 17th and 18th of October, 2004 at the Botnar Auditorium with 6 overseas participants and 18 Israelis. The 2nd Benoziyo symposium was held on the 25th of September, 2005, with two prominent scientists from abroad and 15 local scientists. The 3rd Benoziyo symposium took place on the 9th of September, 2007, and included scientists from Israel and abroad. The 4th Benoziyo symposium took place on the 21st of September, 2008. These symposia contribute to the development of collaborative studies among scientists at the Weizmann and other research/medical institutions in Israel and abroad. D. The BCND provides financial assistance for students to participate in international meetings devoted to the study of neurological diseases. Applications for assistance will be accepted all year round. (*) Applications for support should include: A. a 2-3 page summary of the proposed research, including objectives, methods, proposed experiments, preliminary results, proposed budget, selective references, and list of publications of the applicant for the past 5 years. B. Please provide a summary of all (i) current and (ii) pending support, (including subjects, funding agency, amounts, duration). Also include (iii) Institutional support for the past 5 years. C. The recipients of the BCND grants will acknowledge the support of the center on their publications. BCND will publish names of grant recipients on its web site. D. All applications should be submitted via e-mail + attachments. 122 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences

Yadin Dudai, Director The Sara and Michael Sela Chair of Neurobiology

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Neurosciences was established in 1978. Since its creation, this center has been geared toward the promotion and support of studies of the nervous system at molecular, cellular, and multicellular levels. The Benoziyo Center supports the research of scientists in a wide range of fields at the Weizmann Institute, allowing them to unravel structure-function-activity relationships in the brain and to understand the complex neuronal mechanisms underlying learning, memory, and sensory processing (vision, taste, smell), as well as the relationship between brain and mind. Much time, intellectual effort, and financial resources still need to be devoted to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity, neurosignaling cascades, network patterns, memory, and cognitive psychophysics. Solving the molecular basis of human brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, is high on the list of priorities of the Benoziyo Center. The Center provides financial assistance to scientists initiating new projects and to some students in need of salaries. In addition, it provides a means for reknowned world neuroscientists to visit the Weizmann Institute, and supports travel of students to international or local Neuroscience meetings. The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Center for Brain Research 123

The Carl and Micaela Einhorn-Dominic Center for Brain Research

Yadin Dudai, Director The Sara and Michael Sela Chair of Neurobiology

The Einhorn-Dominic Institute of Brain Research was inaugurated in November 1996. Among its primary missions was the initiation of new activities in brain research at the Weizmann Institute, particularly those requiring collaborations among several disciplines in several faculties. 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 of Neurobiology and all other faculties at the Weizmann Institute of Science targeted at the studies of higher brain functions. Funding decision are made by the Brain Research Institute's ad-hoc Committee. The Committee will assign higher priority to support multi-disciplinary research 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 few years, depending on the research progress accomplished after the first year.

This year the Dominic Institute funds were allocated to five researchers: Yadin Dudai, Efraim Yavin ,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, who gave lectures in our weekly Seminars. Visiting lecturers came to our campus from Freiburg University, The Hebrew University, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT, New York University, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Bar-Ilan University, Brandeis University and Cornell University. 124 The Murray H. and Meyer Grodetsky Center for Research of Higher Brain Functions 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

The research focus on the principles underlying perception and cortical processing, higher brain functions, and the so-called "neural code," a term referring to the strategies employed by neuronal networks in the brain to accomplish their remarkable function. In order to "see" how the brain functions, two optical imaging techniques were used, one based on voltage-sensitive dyes, and the second on intrinsic signals. These explorations are combined with traditional neuroanatomical and neurophysiological techniques, and are guided by computational theories and modeling.

The combination of "real time" optical imaging and single unit recording has enabled us to directly visualize the workings of neuronal assemblies, as well as the architecture and functioning of the mammalian cortex, in unprecedented detail. As a result, we can directly "see" how the brain works, and some longstanding questions related to perception and higher cognitive functions were resolved. The Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Stem Cell Research 125

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Stem Cell Research

Dov Zipori, Director The Joe and Celia Weinstein Chair

The Stem Cell Club, founded in 2004, at the Weizmann Institute included scientists from the Weizmann Institute as well as other Israeli Academic Centers. The Club organized "The First International Stem Cell Symposium", 28th29th November 2004 and the "Stem Cell Meeting", 16th November 2005. Both of these meetings took place on campus. This activity was then followed by the formation of the Stem Cell Center in Establishment that provided support for several research groups at the Weizmann Institute leading the way to the initiative for the establishment of the Israel Stem Cell Society (ISCS). The Center contributed to allocation of major funds dedicated to the purchase of advanced cell analysis and imaging equipment. The establishment of the Helen and Martin Kimmel Stem Cell Research Institute in 2006 boosts stem cell activities: The Stem Cell Institute has undertaken the organization of the "International Stem Cell Meeting: Stem Cells and their Microenvironment", in conjunction with the Israeli ILSI-BioMed, June 2007. This meeting has been a major event that attracted the majority of stem cell researchers in Israel. Leaders in the stem cell research field from America, Europe and Asia also participated in the meeting. The success of this first event encouraged the organizers of The Second International Stem Cell Meeting to maintain the structure of the event and to hold it along side the ILSI-BioMed, May 2008 in Tel Aviv. The Stem Cell Research Institute further leads an initiative to create, within the Weizmann Institute, a stem cell culture service and repository laboratory. The first steps for construction of the facility have already taken place. A Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of the Stem Cell Research Institute has been established and has provided research grants to groups belonging to different Departments and Faculties within the Weizmann Institute. This activity is now in its second year and according to the experience gained, the SSC formulated instructions for grant applications. The call for applications will be issued each year with the deadline of November 1st and funding beginning the following January 1st. Instructions for application are provided below.

During 2008 the Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Stem Cell Research hosted several guest speakers and visiting scientists. The Institute also hosted a local meeting of the ISCS devoted to presentations by young investigators. 126 The Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders

The Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders

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

The Kirk Center for Childhood Cancer and Immunological Disorders was founded in 2006. Its primary objectives are to advance our understanding of childhood diseases such as cancer (e.g., leukemias), and immunological disorders such as asthma, allergies, acquired immunodeficiencies, and various aspects of inflammation and immune system deregulation.

At the Weizmann Institute of Science, investigations into these topics are particularly promising, both due to their potential to highlight the mechanisms underlying these diseases, thereby enabling the design of effective therapeutic approaches, and the possibility of joining forces with clinicians, and contributing to the development of novel therapies and diagnostic approaches.

To contribute to these important goals, the Kirk Center supports early stage, cutting-edge research related to childhood diseases and immunological disorders, enabling the purchase of vital instrumentation, and covering the cost of conferences addressing a range of topics in pediatric research. In 2008, the Kirk Center financed the following projects:

♦ Childhood acute leukemia and the MLL gene (Prof. Eli Canaani, Department of Molecular Cell Biology) ♦ The influence of microRNA on the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus (Dr. Eran Hornstein, Department of Molecular Genetics ♦ The involvement of hypoxia and H1Fa in the regulation of pluripotent mesenchymal cells (Dr. Elazar Zelzer, Department of Molecular Genetics) ♦ The role of the bone marrow immune niche in the immune defense against blood-borne pathogens (Dr. Steffen Jung, Prof. Idit Shachar and Dr. Guy Shakhar, Department of Immunology) ♦ A transition from perforin- to FasL-expressing cytotoxic T-cells in vivo (Prof. Gideon Berke, Department of Immunology, in collaboration with Dr. David Hassin -Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel) The Belle S. and Irving E. Meller Center for the Biology of Aging 127

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

Yair Reisner, Director The Henry H. Drake Professor of Immunology

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

To achieve its aims, the Center provides support for research performed at the Institute's department of Immunology and also contributes to 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 well as various disorders that are involved in the aging process. 128 The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research

The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research

Yair Reisner, Director The Henry H. Drake Chair of Immunology

The center supports the research of Prof. Tsvee Lapidot, Prof. Dov Zipori and Prof. Yair Reisner, 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 the patient 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 bone marrow and found that stem cells in the marrow are freed into the blood via an "anchors aweigh" mechanism. The findings put a key protein into focus - SDF-1. This protein had previously been found by this and other research teams worldwide to anchor stem cells inside the marrow by activating adhesion molecules (molecules that serve as "glue"). We now have found that SDF-1 must be degraded for stem cell mobilization to take place and uncovered the underlying degradation mechanism. This finding which was published this year in the prestigious journal Nature Immunology, Is not only important for the understanding of the biology of stem cell transplantation but it may also lead to improved collection of stem cells for clinical transplantations.

Prof. Dov Zipori

Our studies on the interactions between hemopoietic cells and the organ me senchymal stroma indicate that transforming growth factor (TGF)β cytokines are involved in the formation of restrictive microenvironments. Activin A, one member of the TGFβ family, was initially found to cause apoptotic death of tumor B lineage cells. We have now found that activin A specifically restrains the differentiation of normal precursor B cells: activin A caused accumulation of B lineage cells at early stages of differentiation both in vivo and in vitro. This restrictive activity is not exerted on other hemopoietic lineages. The expression of such lineage specific restrictive molecules may assure the control of adult pluripotent stem cells, which occur in multiple organs and The Gabrielle Rich Center for Transplantation Biology Research 129 tissue types, to prevent their differentiation into directions that may endanger the integrity of the tissue.

Prof. Yair Reisner

Clinical studies continue with the implementation of our new approach, making use of 'mega dose ' stem cell transplants , which enables the use of mismatched family members. Although we have adequately shown the efficacy of this approach in more than 300 patients, it must be analyzed properly, the same as for any new drug by formal multi-center clinical trials in Europe 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, showing update of clinical and scientific data for the benefit of patients and doctors who might be interested 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 for patients with diseases that could be cured by transplantation but who are not at immediate risk from 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 chemotherapy based protocols. To that end, based on encouraging results in the mouse model, we are currently developing new cell preparations which could be given in conjunction with the stem cells in order to facilitate engraftment of the latter cells under such safe conditions. 130 The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology

The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology

Nava Dekel, Director The Philip M. Klutznick Professor of Developmental Biology

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

The long-range goals of the Center are: (i) to support innovative ideas, while still in their seeding stage, when it is not yet possible to obtain financial support from conventional funding agencies; (ii) to nurture budding research of young outstanding investigators before their reputation is established; (iii) to finance research that requires an inter-disciplinary effort; (iv) to encourage collaboration with hospitals and with other centers of excellence in Israel and abroad; (v) to train doctoral and post-doctoral students in bioregulation and vascular biology.

The Center supported this year the scientific work of the following groups:

Dr. Lilach Gilboa "Gonad morphogenesis and establishment of germ line stem cells in Drosophila melanogaster": Many organs rely on stem cells for normal development, function and regeneration. The adult ovary of Drosophila employs germ line stem cells (GSCs) for the continual production of eggs throughout the lifetime of the animal. The known location of GSCs and the genetic tools available for Drosophila research have made the adult ovary a leading system in understanding the principles of stem cell biology. Despite the wealth of information regarding adult GSCs, less is known about how, during larval development, the adult niche forms and how it affects GSC establishment of from primordial germ cells (PGCs).

Our lab studies two aspects of larval ovary development: A. How the somatic cells of the ovary control proliferation of PGCs, thereby determining the number of stem cells the adult ovary will contain, and B. How the somatic niches for GSCs form, and how niche formation contributes to the The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology 131 establishment of GSCs from PGCs.

PGCs in the larval ovary reside in close proximity to Somatic Intermingled Cells (ICs). PGCs and ICs communicate via an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-dependent feedback loop (Gilboa and Lehmann, 2006). PGCs produce Spitz, which is required for IC survival and for the production of an unknown substance that represses PGC proliferation. To reveal the identity of this unknown substance we used microarray analysis, comparing wild-type ovaries to ovaries that express an activated form of EGFR. The microarray, together with other lines of evidence suggested one ligand emanating from ICs, is repressing PGC proliferation. Indeed, reducing the amount of this ligand in ovaries results in over-proliferation of PGCs. We are currently investigating the molecular mechanisms that underlie the repression of PGC proliferation by this ligand. We are also investigating the signals that positively control PGC proliferation. Our preliminary results suggest that the ligand Decapentaplegic (Dpp) is required for proliferation of PGCs.

In the past year our lab conducted a genetic screen to identify regulators of niche formation and stem cell maintenance. The screen was based on direct observation of precociously differentiating PGCs in larval ovaries. The novel detection mode allowed us to uncover novel genes that are important for both niche formation and stem cell maintenance. We are now studying some of these regulators.

Combined, our studies will lead to a better understanding of the complex relationship between stem cells and the organs they reside in. Cross talk between stem cell and niches determine the number of stem cells an organ contains, their division rate, maintenance and differentiation. Better understanding of the biological principles underlying such complex relationships is required for our understanding of normal development, disease and, possibly, its treatment.

Dr. Atan Gross - "BID: a master regulator of cell life and death decisions": Apoptosis is essential for both the development and maintenance of tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Thus, defects in apoptosis contribute to a variety of diseases including cancer, AIDS, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke and autoimmune disorders. Proteins in the BCL-2 family are critical regulators of the commitment to apoptosis, yet their cell death regulatory function remains a mystery. We have picked to focus our studies on BID, a pro-apoptotic member of this family. Mitochondria are a major site of action for BID, yet a detailed understanding of its actions at this organelle is lacking. We have recently found that in intact mitochondria prepared from apoptotic cells BID interacts with a novel, uncharacterized mitochondrial protein named Mtch2 that is related to a family of mitochondrial channels involved in energy metabolism. Most interestingly, knocking down 132 The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology the expression of Mtch2 sensitizes cells to BID-induced apoptosis. Thus, inhibiting/modulating the function of Mtch2 might be an important step in activating the mitochondrial apoptotic program. In a second line of research, we have found that BID is also localized to the nucleus and most surprisingly also plays a pro-survival role in the response of cells to DNA damage. We revealed that DNA damage induces the phosphorylation of BID by the DNA-repair kinase ATM, and that this phosphorylation is essential for cell cycle arrest and inhibition of apoptosis. Thus, BID is an excellent candidate to coordinate/balance between genotoxic stress responses and apoptotic cell death. A better understanding of BID's function at the mitochondria and in the nucleus will most likely yield critical insights for manipulating the apoptotic and DNA repair processes in the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

Dr. Eldad Tzahor "For the past few years, our lab has been focusing on the identification of candidate signaling molecules and tissue-specific transcription factors that regulate head muscle development during early vertebrate embryogenesis."

Lineage plasticity of the cranial paraxial mesoderm: The developing heart is a specialized muscular vessel that serves as a pump for both the systemic and pulmonary circuits. This extremely complicated organ is highly sensitive to genetic perturbations, which are reflected in the numerous congenital heart defects that affect ~1% of all live births. The multiplicity of cardiac progenitor populations in various vertebrate species is an emerging area of intense focus in many laboratories, due to the enormous therapeutic potential of these avenues for treating heart disease. During early embryogenesis, heart and skeletal muscle progenitor cells are thought to derive from distinct regions of the mesoderm (i.e., lateral plate mesoderm and paraxial mesoderm, respectively). We recently employed both in vitro and in vivo experimental systems in the avian embryo to explore how mesoderm progenitors in the head differentiate into both heart and skeletal muscles. Utilizing fate mapping studies, gene expression analyses, and manipulations of signaling pathways in the chick embryo, we demonstrated that cells from the cranial paraxial mesoderm contribute to both myocardial and endocardial cell populations within the cardiac outflow tract. We further showed that bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling affects the specification of mesoderm cells in the head: application of BMP4 to chick embryos, both in vitro and in vivo, induces cardiac differentiation in the cranial paraxial mesoderm, and blocks the differentiation of skeletal muscle precursors in these cells. Our results demonstrate that cells within the cranial paraxial mesoderm play a vital role in cardiogenesis, as a new source of cardiac progenitors that populate the cardiac outflow tract in vivo.

Craniofacial muscle patterning: Craniofacial development requires the orchestrated integration of multiple The Willner Family Center for Vascular Biology 133 interactions among progenitor cells derived from both the cranial paraxial mesoderm and the cranial neural crest (CNC). In the vertebrate head, mesoderm-derived cells fuse together to form a myofiber, which is attached to specific CNC-derived skeletal elements in a highly coordinated manner. Although it has long been suggested that the CNC plays an indirect role in the formation of the head musculature, the precise molecular underpinnings of this exquisitely tuned process, and the significance of the CNCs contribution to it, are far less clear. In a recent study we analyzed head skeletal muscle patterning and differentiation in vivo, in three mouse models involving genetic perturbations of CNC development, as well as in CNC-ablated chick embryos. Our results demonstrate that although early specification of the skeletal muscle lineage is CNC-independent, CNC cells play an important role at later developmental stages, regulating the expression patterns of myogenic genes, the migration and axial registration of the mesoderm cells, and the subsequent differentiation of myoblasts in the branchial arches. This study supports a model in which CNC cells control craniofacial development and patterning by regulating positional interactions with mesoderm-derived muscle progenitors that together shape the cranial musculoskeletal architecture during vertebrate embryogenesis.

The contribution of Islet1-expressing splanchnic mesoderm cells to distinct jaw muscles reveals significant heterogeneity in head muscle development: Heart development takes place in close apposition to the developing head. The term "cardio-craniofacial morphogenetic field" reflects the intimate developmental relationship between the head, face, and heart, which is also reflected in numerous cardiac and craniofacial birth defects. Nathan et al, have characterized the nature of the cardio-craniofacial mesoderm in both chick and mouse embryos, using several lineage tracing and gene expression techniques. At both the cellular and molecular levels, the cardio-craniofacial mesoderm can be divided into two compartments, the cranial paraxial mesoderm, and splanchnic mesoderm (SpM), part of which comprises the anterior heart field (AHF). We have found that each of these compartments contributes to the developing heart in a temporally regulated manner. Following linear heart tube stages, we have found that Isl1+/SpM cells contribute to the distal part of the pharyngeal (branchial) mesoderm, as well as to the cardiac outflow tract. Molecular analyses of the head muscles demonstrated distinct molecular and developmental programs for CPM and Isl1+/SpM-derived branchiomeric muscles. Furthermore, we have provided evidence that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates Isl1 and Nkx2.5 gene expression, presumably by fine-tuning boundary formation within the cardio-craniofacial mesoderm. 134 The Women's Health Research Center

The Women's Health Research Center

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

The Woman's Health Research Center is interested in promoting studies on gender -related physiology and disorder leading to specific pathologies. The center, focused on issues concerning fertility, cancer and osteoporosis, is trying to bridge between between basic research and clinical studies. The center supports basic research in ovarian function, such as the regulation of female germ cell development into an ovum, capable of fertilization and embryonic development. Any impairment in these processes may lead to infertility. Basic research in this area led to remarkable achievements in the development of assisted reproductive techniques and offers high hope improve human health through advances in stem cell research and therapeutic cloning. Another focus of the center are gender specific malignancies. It is well accepted that various cancer types are greatly dependent on hormonal control and thus better understanding of the relationship between gender specific tumors and hormones that may contribute to better diagnosis and therapy of such tumors. Support of the center of basic research on the structure and development of bones is directly pertaining to the development of osteoporosis and its potential cure. The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy 135

The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy

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

The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy was established in 1998 to promote cancer research, and in particular for the development of new avenues for early detection of malignant processes and of novel therapeutic approaches. The Center supports research projects focusing on the genetic basis for cancer, including the characterization of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and studies on the relationships between cancer and programmed cell death. Special attention is given to studies concerning the relationship between malignant processes studied in vitro and in experimental animals and those associated with human cancer. The Center promotes interdisciplinary studies combining molecular 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 human cancer. It promoted development of new approaches for harnessing ovarian cancer and address the 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 stem cell biology. 136 The Yad Abraham Research Center for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy Faculty of Chemistry

Dean: Yehiam Prior The Sherman Professor of Physical Chemistry

Israel Dostrovsky, Ph.D. (University of London) Institute Professor The Agnes Spencer Professor of Physical Chemistry 138 Faculty of Chemistry

Faculty of Chemistry

Dean: Yehiam Prior The Sherman Professor of Physical Chemistry

Department of Chemical Physics

The department consists of theoreticians and experimentalists working at the interface between physics and chemistry. The experimental research is focused, in general, on the understanding of the interaction of matter with different kinds of radiation or charged particles. The effect of the chemical environment on this interaction is investigated by methods such as magnetic resonance, laser spectroscopy, electron tunneling, and electron transmission. New experimental 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, enzymatic reactions, the study of protein folding through single molecule spectroscopy, and the study of molecules as possible candidates for electronic devices. The manipulation of chemical reactions by lasers is studied both theoretically and experimentally and the effect of strong laser fields on matter is probed. Extensive theoretical research is also devoted to the complexity 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 - relationships among the major Earth systems and between the human need for alternative energy source and the 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 several directions, including climate dynamics, oceanic circulation, paleoceanography and the study of past climatic patterns, plant-environment interaction and atmospheric chemistry, earth system dynamics and geophysics. These topics are studies as the basic means to understand and predict global changes.

In Hydrology, the research activity has centered on combination of field and laboratory studies with theoretical models to understand flow of water and Faculty of Chemistry 139 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. It includes the development of new hybrid solar thermal systems, solar fuels, concentrated photovoltaic systems and solar lasers. A technology transfer to the industry was initiated as a result of this work.

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

Department of Materials and Interfaces

The Department of Materials and Interfaces of the Weizmann Institute of Science is an interdisciplinary scientific unit composed of physicists, chemists and materials scientists. A common theme of much of the research done in the department is the design of materials from elementary units with unique, pre-designed functionality. A complementary effort involves the understanding of the functionality of various materials, based on their supramolecular architecture. This leads naturally to foussing on nanomaterials, from synthesis to characterization and eventually to their applications in variety of fields. In addition to new insights in how materials properties can be understood from their atomic, molecular and macromolecular composition and structure, this strategy permits the development of new high performance materials and nanocomposites for numerous applications.

Some recent accomplishments include: a monolayer of water molecules squeezed between two mica surfaces coated with polymer molecules was shown to provide an extremely low friction coefficient, which is relevant to bio-lubrication. A new kind of 1D solid consisting of an ordered array of bubbles flowing in a microfluidic channel was discovered and its highly damped sound wave velocity and phonon spectra were measured. A new torsional nanoelectromechanical device based on carbon nanotubes was fabricated. This device was found to exhibit quantum current oscillations.

Research in the Department of Organic Chemistry

The areas of research in the Department of Organic Chemistry include synthetic and mechanistic organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry involving novel reactions for organic synthesis; syntheses of physiologically active compounds; polymeric reagents; bond activation studies; homogeneous 140 Faculty of Chemistry catalysis by specifically designed metal complexes; selective oxidation catalysis by polyoxometalates; creation of organic films with desirable electronic and optical properties and the development of molecule-based technologies. Bioorganic chemistry includes the studies of plant antiviral agents; the molecular mechanism of action of rhodopsin; artificial ion carriers and molecular sensors. Biological chemistry includes studies on structure, function, and mode of action of biologically active peptides and proteins; thermophilic enzymes; enzymes involved in DNA repair, DNA and RNA processing; and studies of ordered, compact states of nucleic acids. Methods for very accurate ab initio calculations 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 is investigating biological systems from the atomic to the cellular level of organization. The ultimate goal is to obtain a complete picture of biological structures in their complexity, with a continuity at all length scales, from Angstroms to millimetres. The structures of biological macromolecules and their complexes are studied at the length scale of Angstroms by X-ray diffraction from crystals, and in solution by advanced spectroscopic techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance and EXAFS. Electron microscopy, electron tomography and atomic force miscroscopy are imaging techniques used that span the range between nanometers and microns, i.e. from single molecules to macromolecular assemblies and whole tissue organization.

The elucidation of the relations between structure and function of key components in main biological pathways is one of the generalized goals of the research conducted in the Department. One such pathway is the translation of the genetic code from DNA to proteins. A highlight in recent years has been the continued progress in determination of different structures of the ribosome and their complexes with substrate analogues, cofactors, chaperones or antibiotics. These most significant achievements crown the titanic efforts of tens of years of research aimed at elucidating the structure and mechanism of action of ribosomes which are the principal protein synthesis machinery of the cell. Additional research in this area includes structural studies on transcription factors and their DNA targets, tRNA synthetases and their complexes with various substrates, and helicases that unwind RNA Work is also being carried out on chaperones and enzymes that catalyze disulfide bridge formation. These factors assist protein folding which constitutes one of the last 'steps' in the pathway from DNA to functional proteins. The physical principles of protein folding and other biomolecular self-assembly processes (such as protein-protein and protein-DNA recognition) are investigated by using a variety of computational and theoretical tools. Faculty of Chemistry 141 Structural and dynamical aspects of enzyme and protein function and recognition constitute another 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 and virus entry into the cell and on metalloproteins. Antibody-antigen recognition is studied using NMR and the tools of molecular biology to unravel the energetic contributions of single interactions, 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, and on the nanomechanics of hearing, are performed over the whole range of hierarchical organizations. The development of new techniques in archeological chemistry provides information 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 electron microscopy facility has also taken place with the addition of two high resolution transmission electron microscopes, an environmental field emission scanning electron microscope, and a high-resolution SEM. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemistry/ 142 Chemical Physics

Chemical Physics

Shimon Vega, Head The Joseph and Marian Robbins Chair

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

Lasers and their interaction with matter are being studied both theoretically and experimentally. Light-matter interactions (quantum optics) and their applications for quantum information are being investigated theoretically by Gershon Kurizki in periodic structures, cavities, cold atom gases and condensates. A universal strategy, based on electromagnetic pulses, is being developed for effectively combatting the detrimental effects of decoherence caused by the environment in various quantum systems. Another universal strategy is being developed for cooling down quantum systems in thermal environments as fast or as much as possible.

Ilya Averbukh and Yehiam Prior study, both theoretically and experimentally, various aspects of nonlinear optical interactions, including excitation and detection of atomic and molecular wavepackets prepared by shaped femtosecond pulses, nonlinear optical interactions under the tip of a scanning near-field optical microscope, femtosecond laser material processing and molecular alignment and orientation by strong laser fields, atom optics and atom lithography applications. Moshe Shapiro is investigating, theoretically and experimentally, the coherent control of chemical reactions and the purification by optical means of racemic mixtures of optical isomers and the construction of decoherence-free spaces for quantum computation. David J. Tannor is studying, theoretically, femtosecond control of chemical reactions, optimal control of laser cooling, design of pulse shapes for quantum computation, and dissipative quantum mechanics.

Barak Dayan is combining the most recent cavity-QED (quantum electodynamics) capabilities with single cold atoms and chip-based microcavities to achieve atom-mediated nonlinear photon-photon interactions, such as single-photon switches, Quantum Non-Demolition (QND) measurement of optical photons and quantum gates. Chemical Physics 143 Ron Naaman is investigating the use of molecules as components in electronic devices and sensors. This includes studying the electronic properties of organized thin molecular films and investigating information transfer through them. The group also studies the interaction of electrons with bio-molecules. Gilad Haran uses single-molecule fluroescence methods to study conformational dynamics, association and folding of proteins. In addition, his group also uses single-molecule Raman spectroscopy to probe dynamics of individual surface-adsorbed molecules as well as to study plasmonic interactions on the nano-scale.

Ed Narevicius is developing new and general methods of molecular and atomic cooling. The group is building a magnetic coilgun to decelerate molecular and atomic beams. Cold atoms and molecules will be used to study collisional processes at ultra-low temperatures where quantum effects become dominant.

Eli Pollak is developing new methods for the computation of real time quantum dynamics in complex systems. Applications include ab-initio chemistry, surface scattering, electron transfer, photoinduced processes and more. The fluorescence quenching by electron transfer assisted by diffusion and spin conversion in radical ion pairs as well as for triplet production and annihilation are being studied by Anatoly I. Burshtein within the original integral encounter theory, beyond the rate concept. Victor L'vov studies turbulence, both in hydrodynamics and in nonlinear wave interactions. Itamar Procaccia's group deals with various phenomena involving complexity in Nature; besides working on turbulence with L'vov, the group studies the properties of amorphous solids. How these solids form via the glass transition and what are the mechanical properties of the resulting amorphous solids, including their modes of failure like fracture, shear banding and plastic flow. The physics of motion of the active cytoskeleton and of membranes and cells is developed and its coupling to cell metabolism is investigated by Nir Gov.

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and double resonance spectroscopic (ENDOR) techniques are developed and applied by Daniella Goldfarb for the characterization of metal active sites in porous inorganic catalysts and metalloenzymes and for the study of the formation mechanism of the mesostructured mesoporus materials. New multidimensional methods of analysis in solution, solid-state and imaging magnetic resonance are also being developed by Lucio Frydman and his group, for the investigation of metabolism, of biomolecular structures and for dynamic elucidations. NMR methods are also used by Zeev Luz to investigate ordering and dynamics processes in condensed phases. Recently, Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) Spectroscopy has been applied to enhance the sensitivity of high resolution NMR spectra and to follow metabolic pathways in biological samples. In addition a new DNP spectrometer has been constructed to 144 Chemical Physics investigate the mechanism and possible improvements of the enhancement of nuclear polarization. Molecular motion at the solvent-surface interface inside mesoporous materials is studied and new experimental approaches for improving solid state proton-NMR are developed and tested in terms of bimodal Floquet theory by Shimon Vega.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/ Chemical Physics 145 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Ilya Averbukh, Ph.D., USSR Academy of Science Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation The Patricia Elman Bildner Professor of Solid State Chemistry Lucio Frydman, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Daniella Goldfarb, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Erich Klieger Professor of Chemical Physics Gershon 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 Eli 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 (retired May 2008) The Jacques Mimran Professor (until May 2008) David Tannor, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, United States The Hermann Mayer Professor Shimon Vega, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Joseph and Marian Robbins Professor

Professor Emeritus

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

Associate Professor

Gilad Haran, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Barak Dayan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Nir Gov, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Incumbent of the Alvin and Gertrude Levine Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Edvardas Narevicius, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 146 Chemical Physics Israel

Senior Staff Scientist

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

Associate Staff Scientists

Valery Ilyin, Ph.D., Kiev State University Alexander Milner, Ph.D., Ukrainian Academy of Science, Ukraine Anna Pomyalov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Amos Bardea, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Akiva Feintuch, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Junior Staff Scientist

Mark Vilensky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contract

Victor Lvov, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

Engineer

Naomi Raz, M.Sc., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada (retired December 2008)

Consultants

Eshel Ben-Yaakov, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Rangeet Bhattacharyy, State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA Eran Bouchbinder, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Anatoly Burshtein Einat Frishman (left June 2008) Detlef Reichert, University of Halle, Germany Nurith Schupper (left December 2008) Mordechay Segev, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (left February 2008) Sergei Shchemelinin (left April 2008) Arik Yochelis, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Chemical Physics 147 Visiting Scientists

Gonzalo Alvarez, University of Cordoba, Argentina Stefano Boccaletti, Nat. Inst. of App. Optics, Firenze, Italy Paul Brumer, University of Toronto, Canada Roberto Cao, University of Havana, Cuba Agneta Caragheorgheopo, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania Stanislav Fedorenko, Russian Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, Russia Sergei Feskov, Volgograd State University , Russia Ari Gafni, University of Michigan, U.S.A. Yong He, Central South University , Changsha, PR China G.E. Hentschel, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. Anatoly Ivanov, Volgograd State University , Russia Ting Shek Lo, Chinese University, Hong Kong, PR China Perunthiruthy Madhu, TIFR, Mumbai, India Michael Mundt, University of Bayreuth, Germany Arnold Raitsimring, University of Arizona, U.S.A. Shulamit Schlick, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. Santanu Sengupta, Indian Inst. of Tech., Kharagpur, India Moshe Shapiro Hava Siegelman, University of Mass., Amherst, U.S.A. James Tour, Rice University , Houston, TX, U.S.A. David H. Waldeck, University of Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Laurent Boue, Université Paris 6/ENS, Paris Sudheesh Chethil, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai Jens Clausen, Ph.D., Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Durga Bhaktavatsala Dasari, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Noam Erez, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Patrick Giraudeau, University of Nantes Yair Goldfarb, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Bat Ami Gotliv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Doron Kabaso, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, NY Mor Mishkovsky, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jeremy Moix, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology Vijayasarathi Nagarajan, Ph.D., University of Leipzig Maria Ott, Ph.D., University of Luebeck Yuri Paskover, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Hubert Marek Piwonski, Ph.D., Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS Sharon Ruthstein, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nurith Schupper, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Timur Shegai, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Joerg-Elmar Willem Tatchen, Ph.D., Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf 148 Chemical Physics Mark Vilensky, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Alexander Zakrassov, Ph.D., Technion, Israel

Research Students

Tal Amitay- Rosen Tali Aqua Oshrit Arviv David Avisar Noam Ben-Eliezer Eyal Benisaac Guy Bensky Eyal Capua Sharona Cohen Yossi Cohen Reuven Eitan Sharly Fleischer Marc Florent Zeev Fradkin Maayan Gal Erez Gershnabel Ben Golan Goren Gordon Michal Gordon- Grosman Gilad Gotesman Tal Honig Yonatan Hovav Ilia Kaminker Roy Kaner Royi Kaufmann Yuri Khodorkovsky Yulie Klerman Gregory Kopnov Edan Lerner Michal Leskes Nataliya Makedonska Tal Markus Erez Matalon Mor Mishkovsky Moshe Naoz Yuri Paskover Dana Peled Menahem Pirchi Alexey Potapov Marina Radoul Ido Regev Oleksii Rudenko Sharon Ruthstein Andrey Shalit Timur Shegai Eilon Sherman Roie Shlomovitz Yoav Shrot Assaf Tal Mark Vilensky Noa Zamstein Guy Ziv Nir Zohar Jacques Zylberg Administrator

Varda Katzir Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 149

Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

Dan Yakir, Head

Research in the department includes both experimental/field & theoretical studies focused on understanding the complex inter-relationships among the major Earth systems, and on the human need for non-polluting energy sources.

Scientists in the department have expertise in a range of Earth-Science disciplines, including climate dynamics, oceanic circulation, hydrology, paleoceanography and the study of past climatic patterns, plant-environment interaction, atmospheric chemistry and earth system dynamics. These disciplines, and topics studied in each one of them, are ultimately integrated as a means to understand and predict local, regional and global changes.

Our main objective for the future is to develop scientific activities that explore the critical interfaces coupling the Earth systems. These include the biosphereatmosphere, ocean atmosphere, oceansediment, and land surfaceground water interfaces. We also aim to offer solar energy sources as alternative to those which are adversely affecting our environment.

Research topics in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research include:

Atmospheric chemistry: Analytical chemistry of the atmosphere; Aerosol physics and chemistry including surface and heterogeneous chemistry; Aerosol optical properties; vegetation-climate interactions; Aerosol-climate interactions, Nano-particle chemistry in the atmosphere(Principal investigator: Yinon Rudich)

Clouds and cloud-aerosol interactions: Using remote sensing to study the radiation transfer in the atmosphere, cloud microphysics, inversion of the physical properties of the clouds and aerosols. Remote sensing and patterns and texture in clouds are also used to estimate manmade impacts on the radiation and the thermodynamic balance of the atmosphere, as well as on the water cycle. (Principal investigator: Ilan Koren)

Hydrology: Integration of laboratory and field studies with theoretical models to understand flow of water, and transport of conservative and reactive chemicals, from the ground surface, through the unsaturated zone, and within 150 Environmental Sciences and Energy Research saturated geological formations. Transport in porous media. Development of chemical methods for remediation of contaminated water. (Principal investigator: Brian Berkowitz)

Biogeochemistry: Plant-atmosphere interactions; Environmental influence on the exchange of trace gases and energy between land ecosystem and the atmosphere; Climatic influence on the natural abundance of carbon; oxygen

and hydrogen isotopes in CO2, H2O and organic materials; Scaling biological processes from cellular to global scales. Tracing photosynthetic CO2 fluxes with Carbonyl Sulfide (COS).(Principal investigator: Dan Yakir)

Physical Oceanography and climate dynamics: Interactions between ocean biota and climate; Climate dynamics and paleoclimate; Dynamics of the Gulf of Eilat; Radio-wave oceanography. (Principal investigator: Hezi Gildor)

Paleoceanography and climate change: Global climate change reconstructions from stable isotope records in marine and continental sediments; Southern Ocean paleoceanography. Oxygen isotopes in biogenic silica; Stable isotopes in diatom records; Carbon and oxygen stable isotopes in corals. (Principal investigator: Aldo Shemesh)

Geophysics: Dynamics of the solid Earth. Applying computer modeling and experiments to processes of geological plate movements from the grain to the global scales; Brittle and chemical compaction; experiments and models of pressure solution; granular dynamics; flow and initiation of landslides. (Principal investigator: Einat Aharonov)

Energy Research: Focusing mainly on finding methods of utilization of concentrated solar radiation for efficient, cost-competitive solutions affecting

♦ Electricity production ♦ Energy storage ♦ Energy transportation

This includes the development of new solar thermal systems; solar derived clean fuels; concentrated photovoltaic systems; high temperature water splitting and carbon dioxide dissociation; high temperature water splitting; high temperature catalytic processes. (Principal investigator: Jacob Karni)

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/ Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 151 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Brian Berkowitz, D.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Sam Zuckerberg Professor Israel Dostrovsky, Ph.D., University of London, London, United Kingdom Institute Professor The Agnes Spencer Professor of Physical Chemistry Yinon Rudich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 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, Israel Martin M. Halmann, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professors

Jacob Karni, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States Aldo Shemesh, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Barry Rymer Family Professor

Senior Scientists

Einat Aharonov, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States (left September 2008) Incumbent of the Anna and Maurice Boukstein Career Development Chair (until September 2008) Hezi Gildor, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Career Development Chair Ilan Koren, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Incumbent of the Benjamin H. Swig and Jack D. Weiler Career Development Chair

Associate Staff Scientists

Irina Vishnevetsky, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation Ruth Yam, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel 152 Environmental Sciences and Energy Research Assistant Staff Scientists

Ishai Dror, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Regina Katsman, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel (left August 2008) Eyal Rotenberg, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Special Contract

Robert Nathan Katz, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

Engineer

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

Consultants

Rimon Arieli, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Yosef Ashkenazy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Israel Carmi Erick Fredj, Jerusalem College of technology, Jerusalem, Israel Joel R Gat Ellen Graber, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel Martin M. Halmann Emanuel Mazor Tamar Moise Harvey Scher Bruno Yaron, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Emmanuel Boss, University of Maine, Orono, ME, U.S.A. Abraham Kogan, Technion, Haifa, Israel Alex Kostinski, Tech. University of Michigan, U.S.A. Erika Toth, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary Eli Tziperman, Harvard University , MA, U.S.A. Karen Willbrand, University of Cologne, Germany

Postdoctoral Fellows

Ali Abo-Riziq, Ph.D., University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Luis David Aimola, Ph.D., Universidade de Sao Paulo Orit Altaratz Stollar, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Alexandra Chudnovsky, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Miryam Greenstein, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 153 Oren Levy, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Karen Gabriele Elke Willbrand, Ph.D., Universite Paris 7

Research Students

Yury Alioshin Rotem Bar-Or Yuval Ben Ami Tal Ben Moshe Eliyahu Biton Daniel Carlson Elad Dinar Gidon Fridman Ilya (Ilia) Gelfand Liran Goren Maxime Gouet-Kaplan Nili Greenberg Tamir Klein Leehee Laronne Ben-Itzhak Naama Raz Yaseef Shira Rubin Guy Sisma - Vantora Keren Stimler Ilya Taraniuk Miriam Trainic Administrator

Hila Shochat 154 Materials and Interfaces

Materials and Interfaces

David Cahen, Head The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Professor in Energy Research

The Department of Materials and Interfaces of the Weizmann Institute of Science is an interdisciplinary scientific unit composed of chemists, (bio) physicists, and (bio)materials researchers. A common theme of much of the research done in the department is the design of materials from elementary units with unique, pre-designed functionality. A complementary effort involves the understanding of the functionality of various materials, based on their supra-molecular or, in the case of non-molecular materials collective, architecture.

The research includes a broad range of materials, such as solids with extended bonding displaying cooperative properties (dielectric and opto-electronic materials); nanomaterials, like carbon and inorganic nanotubes; ultra thin pyro-electric films; solids and liquids with mainly molecular bonding, such as complex fluids and molecular crystals; ultra-thin organic, inorganic and biological films and assemblies; size- quantized nanoparticles and fulleroids; molecularly functionalized semiconductors and metals, also for (bio) sensors and for (bio)molecular electronics; polymers, including polymer brushes and polymers for cloud seeding; and nano-composites displaying unique mechanical properties. Biopolymer mechanics and molecular transport phenomena in the cell are studied, also for imitation of biological transport strategies. Further activities include solar cell (photovoltaic) materials and device structures and planned self-assembly of novel nanostructures on scanning probe-patterned organic monolayer templates. Several new research groups have been established in the last decade: - in the areas of carbon nanotubes and scanning probe microscopy; - of mechanisms of biological transcription on Si chips, using micro-fabrication and micro-fluidics; - in computational materials research, a group that focuses on to the study of clusters, magnetic nanoparticles, nano-crystalline materials, inorganic-organic interfaces and optical phenomena in semiconductors; and one in the general area of elastic effects in the chemistry of materials, that focuses on nano-crystalline electroceramic films, and quasi-amorphous ceramic films.

A further theme is the development of novel theoretical and experimental methods for probing interfaces between liquids, solids and gases. These include force measurement techniques at sub-nm surface separation; Materials and Interfaces 155 nano-mechanical testing of nanotubes; electrochemical, X-ray diffraction and reflectivity approaches, the latter two using bright and collimated light from synchrotron sources; optical tweezers; functional scanning probe microscopies and spectroscopies, grazing angle IR spectroscopy; and unique applications of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Many research facilities that are used extensively by department scientists are part of the Chemical Support Services unit. These include the high-resolution electron microscopy laboratories, FIB, lab for surface sciences (scanning probe microscopies and photoelectron spectroscopy), combined clean rooms / micro-fabrication / biological specimen manipulation ("nano-bio") laboratories. Further facilities in the department or Chemical Support Services that have just started or are in various stages of planning are systems for low temperature electrical transport and for optical characterization of materials.

In addition to new insights in how materials properties can be understood from their atomic, molecular, macromolecular and over-all composition and structure, this strategy permits us to explore new materials and materials combinations. In several cases potential applications are part of the research goals.

Recent accomplishments include:

Bar-Ziv Roy - Genetic circuit elements were constructed in vitro by engineering transcriptional activation and repression cascades, in which the protein product of each stage is the input required to drive or block the following stage.

Cahen David - Electronic quality molecular monolayers were made that allow studying Si-based hybrid systems for molecular (with simple molecules) and bio-electronics (with proteins). For solar cell work see Hodes and Lubomirsky.

Elbaum Michael - Studies focus on thermodynamics of molecular exchange at the cell nucleus, on biomaterials involved in gene transfer between living organisms, and on soft X-ray microscopy.

Hodes Gary - 1 ppm impurities were shown to dictate the success or failure of solution deposition of ZnO films and to determine the chemical identity of semiconductor composites. New nano-crystalline solar cells were studied and tested.

Joselevich Ernesto - Growing carbon nanotubes on crystal surfaces led to their organization into well-defined geometries, such as serpentine, coiled, and more Torsion-induced conductance oscillations and torsional stick-slip behavior were found by twisting carbon and inorganic nanotubes. 156 Materials and Interfaces Klein Jacob - Charged and zwitter-ionic polymer brushes, as well as surfactant layers in aqueous media, reduce friction between sliding surfaces to uniquely low values at mammalian joints, with implications for both tissue engineering and prosthetic implants.

Kronik Leeor - Major advances in quantitative first principle calculations of molecular assemblies that were made include, among others, accounting for dispersive interactions and describing charge transfer excitations.

Lubomirsky Igor - Novel quasi-amorphous piezo-electric films were produced and their unique structure and properties studied. Approaches to improving photovoltaic solar cells via optical and optics-based pathways were critically examined; an ultra-cheap, simple system for solar spectral splitting was developed.

Rubinstein Israel - Discontinuous, island-type gold films on transparent substrates exhibiting morphology-dependent optical properties were studied and used as transducers for chemical and biological sensing.

Safran Sam - Self-assembly of inhomogeneous and charged membranes with application to rafts in biological cells, as well as elastic interactions and orientations of cells in gels and applications to biomaterials were studied.

Sagiv Jacob - Rapid multiple replication of hydrophilic-hydrophobic organic monolayer patterns via a novel "contact electrochemical" process based on wetting discrimination was proposed and demonstrated.

Tenne Reshef - The first core-shell nanotubes of layered compounds were synthesized. With abberation-corrected transmission electron microscopy (0.7 A resolution), the details of the growth mechanism of WS2 nanotubes were elucidated.

Wagner Daniel H - The microstructure-property relation of dentine viewed as a composite was studied by nano-indentation with micro sized pillar-like specimens, under compression; adhesion energies of a single carbon (C) nanotube to a polymer matrix and organic liquids were determined; mechanical behavior of single C and inorganic nanotubes was studied; spontaneous anisotropic change in size and shape of live cell focal adhesion on fibronectin-coated glass surfaces was studied with composite mechanics.

Lahav Meir - Spontaneous enantio-selective polymerization of racemic amino acids into homochiral peptides in water, thin films and crystals was accomplished; its relevance to the origin of bio-chirogenesis was hypothesized. Materials and Interfaces 157 Leiserowitz Les - Anti-malarial drugs can be designed via hemozoin crystal inhibition and models on hemozoin nucleation. 2D crystal alignment of oligopeptide α-helices & β-sheets on water can be induced by a polarized IR laser field.

Reich Shimon - The relationship between superconductivity and the size of lead nanoparticles was determined; dating of archeological lead artifacts using the superconductivity of this metal was undertaken. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/materials/ 158 Materials and Interfaces Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

David Cahen, Ph.D., Northwestern University, Evanston, United States The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Professor in Energy Research Jacob Klein, Ph.D., University of Cambridg, Cambridge, United Kingdom The Hermann Mark Professor of Polymer Physics Israel Rubinstein, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Samuel Safran, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States The Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Professor Jacob Sagiv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Reshef Tenne, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Drake Family Professor of Nanotechnology Daniel 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, Israel Joseph Jagur-Grodzinski, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Meir Lahav, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Leslie Leiserowitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Moshe Levy, Ph.D., State University of New York, Syracuse, United States Joost Manassen, Ph.D., University of Amsterdam Shimon Reich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professors

Michael Elbaum, Ph.D., University of Washington, Seattle, United States Gary Hodes, Ph.D., Queen's University of Belfast Ernesto Joselevich, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Incumbent of the Dr. Victor L. Erlich Career Development Chair (until November 2008) Leeor Kronik, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Incumbent of the Delta Career Development Chair (until November 2008) Igor Lubomirsky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Materials and Interfaces 159 Senior Scientist

Roy Bar-Ziv, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Beracha Foundation Career Development Chair

Senior Staff Scientists

Rivka Maoz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Alexander Vaskevich, Ph.D., Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, Moscow, Russian Federation Isabelle Weissbuch, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (until September 2008)

Associate Staff Scientist

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

Assistant Staff Scientists

Nir Kampf, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Alla Milner, Ph.D., National Polytechnical University, Kharkov, Ukraine Ayelet Vilan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contract

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

Engineer

Baruch Ittah, M.Sc., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel

Consultants

Gabriel Agar, Assaf Harofeh Hospital, Zerifin, Israel Maya Bar Sadan, Julich Research Center, Julich, Germany Yaron Bar-Ziv, Assaf Harofeh Hospital, Zerifin, Israel Tatyana Bendikov (left November 2008) Haim Grunbaum, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Joseph Jagur-Grodzinski Valery Kaplan Haim Leader, Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel Gideon Levin (left January 2008) Moshe Levy Joost Manassen 160 Materials and Interfaces Alexander Margolin, NanoMaterials Ltd., Rehovot, Israel Doron Naveh, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA Leonid Odnopozov, IF, Consult, Rishon LeZion, Israel Lev Rapoport, Holon Institute of Technology, Honon, Israel Meir Redlich, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Raymond Tung, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, NY, USA Isabelle Weissbuch Ana Yaron Albu Ella Zak, Nanomaterials Ltd, Rehovot, Israel Daniel Ziskind, Private Clinic, Jerusalem

Visiting Scientists

Yong Seok Cho, University of California at Santa Barbara, U.S.A. Ronit Goldberg, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Richard Hardiman, Hebrew University , Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel Ze'Ev Porat, Negev Nuclear Rese., Beer Sheva, Israel Tamar Seideman, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, U.S.A. Oscar M. Staffsud, UCLA, CA, U.S.A. Haim Tobias, Negev Nuclear Rese., Beer Sheva, Israel Harry Tuller, Oak Ridge Nat. Lab., TN, U.S.A. Gleb Yurkov, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, Russia

Postdoctoral Fellows

Maya Bar, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yoav Biton, Ph.D., Rutgers, the state university of NJ Robert Charles Brewster, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles Amnon Buxboim, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yaron Caspi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Liraz Chai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yaron Cohen, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Rumi De, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science David Ehre, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Leonard Deepak Francis, JNCASR Racheli Gabai-Malka, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Roni Antoine Illos, Ben-Gurion University, Israel Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ganesan Karuppiah, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India Nagapriya Kavoori Sethumadhava, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science Ronen Kopito, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Frieda Kopnov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Maria Osipova, Ph.D., Institute of Problem of Chemical Physics RAS Miles G. Page, Ph.D., University of Sydney Materials and Interfaces 161 Tutiki Umasankar Patro, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India Arockiasamy Sebastian, Ph.D., University of Madras Tali Sehayek, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gabriel Shemer, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Xiaomeng Sui, Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Science

Research Students

Aviad Baram Tsevi Beatus Jonathan Berson Amnon Buxboim Yaron Caspi David Ehre Anna Faingold Jonathan Garel Olga Guliamov Rotem Har-Lavan Ariel Ismach Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri Tanya Karakouz Sari Katz Michael Kokotov Frieda Kopnov Anna Kossoy Ronen Kreizman Noa Lachman Adi Makmal Noa Marom Amir Natan Doron Naveh Olivia Niitsoo Lior Nissim Elena Rabinovich Dikla Raz-Ben Aroush Izhar Ron Lior Segev Jasmine Seror Hagay Shpaisman Gilad Silbert Ronit Snir Miri Sokolovski Sarah Sultan Alexander Tesler Ofer Tevet Allon Weiner Inna Wiesel Noga Yaakov Omer Yaffe Assaf Zeira

Administrator

Yehudit Rousso 162 Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Ronny Neumann, Head The Rebecca and Israel Sieff Professor of Organic Chemistry

The research in the Department of Organic Chemistry spans a wide range of topics, including synthetic-, mechanistic and structural aspects of organic, inorganic-, organometallic-, polymer-, bioorganic-, biological- and computational chemistry.

Soluble metal oxide clusters termed polyoxometalates are being investigated and developed as homogeneous oxidation catalysts by Ronny Neumann. Polyoxometalates have the ability to activate environmentally benign oxygen donors such as molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrous oxide and ozone. In the presence of hydrocarbons, selective oxidation reactions can be carried out. Catalytic oxidation reactions which are being investigated include the epoxidation of alkenes, the hydroxylation of alkanes, oxydehydrogenation of alcohols and other substrates and oxyhalogenation. Mechanistic and kinetic studies using a large variety of spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques allow the identification of active intermediates, the determination of different modes of activation of oxygen donors and the preparation of improved catalysts.

The team of Milko van der Boom is working to create novel films with desirable electronic and optical qualities. The formation of organic thin films is at the forefront of nanotechnology research. His team is hoping to replace today's conventional inorganic materials with organic compounds, which would be much easier to modify, 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 as well as thick enough to efficiently convey optical signals.

The group of Michael Bendikov who has joined the department recently, explores the structureproperty relationship in conducting polymers and their oligomers, aiming at the design of novel electronic materials. The chemical reactivity of carbon-nanotubes is also explored. The research combines synthesis, physical measurements and theoretical quantum mechanical studies.

The computational chemistry group of Jan (Gershom) Martin is engaged both Organic Chemistry 163 in the development of highly accurate ab initio computational thermochemistry methods (W1 and W2 theory) and in the methodology and applications of density functional theory, with a particular focus on organometallic reaction mechanisms relevant to homogenous catalysis. Theoretical vibrational spectroscopy beyond the harmonic approximation and basis set development (the SDB-cc-pVnZ basis sets) are subsidiary research interests.

Electron-rich complexes of transition metals, capable of insertion and activation of some of the strongest bonds are being developed by David Milstein. The selective insertion of a metal into a simple carbon-carbon bond presents new prospects for selective hydrocarbon functionalization. Activation of N-H and O-H bonds opens new directions for the selective use of ammonia and water. Facile activation of bonds to carbon by specifically-designed complexes has led to new catalytic reactions of significance to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, including highly efficient carbon-carbon bond formation. A new approach towards catalysis based on the ordering of metal complexes in thin films was demonstrated (with Meir Lahav, Materials and Interfaces). The use of metals for the generation, stabilization and controlled release of biologically relevant, unstable organic transients is being studied. New ligands and complexes for MRI imaging, which are receptor specific, are being developed (with Hadassa Degani, Biological Regulation).

Biological activity of visual pigments and bacteriorhodopsin is related to a photocycle during which both the retinal and the opsin moieties undergo a series of structural changes. The molecular changes and their correlation with the corresponding biological functions are of primary importance. The use of artificial pigments, model compounds and spectroscopic methods by Mudi Sheves has resulted in the clarification of the role that single and double bonds play in the photocycle; protein-chromophore interactions in the binding site; the role of water and light in retinal protein activity; cations-protein interaction in bacteriorhodopsin; and the mechanism of rhodopsin light activation.

In Abraham Shanzer's group the principles of Biomimetic Chemistry are being applied to mimic bioactive molecules with emphasis on natural iron-carriers that are recognized by microbial receptors and consequently transported into the living cells. When labeled with fluorescent markers, these carriers proved to be useful diagnostic kits. When linked to a cytotoxic agents, they are envisioned as a new generation of anti microbial agents. Molecular electronics is being persued, including: (a) Preparation of molecules with desired optical, electronic and magnetic properties, and their assembly on gold surfaces (with Israel Rubinstein, Materials and Interfaces); (b) Sensors based on imidazolyl ligands capable of axial coordination of metalloporphyrins in a predetermined location above the conductive surfaces have been developed and used as sensors for oxygen, NO and CO; (c) Design and preparation of devices acting 164 Organic Chemistry as static and dynamic molecular switches for memory storage and Molecular Logic-Gates for executing algebraic operations.

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

Chemical, biological and clinical studies of modulatory peptides including immunomodulator antibacterial anticancer and neuroactive compounds are being carried out by Mati Fridkin. Novel technologies for drug delivery and stabilization have been developed and applied to several proteins (e.g. insulin, growth hormone, interferon), peptides (e.g. GnRH ,exendin ) and small molecules ( antibiotics and anticancer drugs ). The clinical-pharmaceutical potential of several compounds are being evaluated. A novel approach toward Fe- chelation in relation to neuroprotection is being developed. En route to anti-Alzheimer and anti-Parkinson drugs.

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 of the diversity functions of Tat protein, which might be critical for anti-AIDS strategies.

DNA organization and survival under stress is being studied by Avi Minsky. Morphological changes that occur within living cells, following their exposure to various stress conditions are being studied by electron microscopy and X-ray scattering. Under such conditions, genomic DNA undergoes either a spontaneous or a protein-promoted phase transition into highly packed and ordered structures in which the DNA molecules are sequestered and effectively protected. A new and general mode of protection through biocrystallization is indicated. The structural properties of stress-induced DNA-binding proteins that are involved in these structural transitions are being studied. Ultrasensitive calorimetrical methods are used to assess the effects of the large intracellular crowding and viscosity upon the thermodynamic features of interactions between macromolecules, such as DNA and proteins.

The group of Yossi Sperling is studying the structure and function in pre-mRNA processing of supraspliceosomes. These huge macromolecular assemblies contain, in addition to pre-mRNAs, all known components required Organic Chemistry 165 for their post-transcriptional processing (capping, polyadenylation, editing and splicing). Hence, they can be regarded as representing the nuclear RNA processing machinery. A new mechanism that regulates splicing by affecting splice site selection has been discovered. This discovery implies that the reading frame of mRNAs can be recognized in the nucleus prior to splicing. A model derived from structural studies of supraspliceosomes by electron microscopy is being developed to explain this unexpected finding. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Organic_Chemistry/ 166 Organic Chemistry Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Gershom (Jan) Martin, Ph.D., University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium The Margaret Thatcher Professor of Chemistry David Milstein, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Israel Matz Professor of Organic Chemistry Abraham Minsky, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Professor T. Reichstein Professor Ronny Neumann, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Rebecca and Israel Sieff Professor of Organic Chemistry Abraham Shanzer, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Charlotsville, United States The Siegfried and Irma Ullmann Professor Mordechai Sheves, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Ephraim Katzir-Rao Makineni Professor of Chemistry

Professors Emeriti

Mario D. Bachi, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusaelm, Jerusalem, Israel Yigal Burstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Matityahu Fridkin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Valeri A. Krongauz, Ph.D., L.Y. Karpov Physical Chemistry Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation Aviva Lapidot, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Abraham Patchornik, Ph.D., The Hebrew Univesity of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Joseph Sperling, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professor

Milko Van Der Boom, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Dewey David Stone and Harry Levine Career Development Chair (until November 2008)

Senior Scientists

Michael Bendikov, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Incumbent of the Recanati Career Development Chair of Energy Research Boris Rybtchinski, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Abraham and Jennie Fialkow Career Development Chair Organic Chemistry 167 Senior Staff Scientist

Alexander M. Khenkin, Ph.D., Academy of Science, Russian Federation

Associate Staff Scientists

Irena Efremenko, Ph.D., Kazakh National Academy of Science, Alma-Ata, Russian Federation Edward E. Korshin, Ph.D., Kazan State University, Russian Federation Moshe Peretz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Yaniv Barda, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Yana Sheynin, Ph.D., Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation Haim Weissman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientist

Tamar Eliash, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contract

Alexander Berchansky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Itsik Bar-Nahum Virginia Buchner Yigal Burstein Shlomo Dukler Edi Goichberg, Insight Biogharmacenticals, Rehovot, Israel Amiram Hirshfeld Yitzhak Ittah (left March 2008) Boris Kraiz Michal Lahav Edna Schechtman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Oren Zimhony, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Mahdi Abu Omar, Purdue University , W. Lafayette, IN, U.S.A. Joyanta Choudhury, Indian Inst. of Tech., Kharagpur, India Antonino Gulino, S. Fraser University , Vancouver, Canada Tarkeshwar Gupta, Indian Inst. of Sci., Bangalore, India 168 Organic Chemistry Postdoctoral Fellows

Eyal Ben-Ari, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Alexander Berchansky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gnanaprakasam Boopathy, Ph.D., Bhavnagar University Gunanathan Chidambaram, Ph.D., Bhavnagar University Balaraman Ekambaram, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad. Tamar Eliash, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Joseph Englander, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Galina Golubkov, Ph.D., Technion, Israel Adina Haimov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Stephan Werner Kohl, Technical University Berlin, Dept. of Chemistry Jean-Francois C. M. Lamere, Ph.D., Universite Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Mao Li, Ph.D., Institute of Chemistry Tushar Kanti Maiti, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India Rajasingh Paramasivan, University of Kerala, Kerala Asit Patra, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Amaladass Pitchamuthu, Ph.D., University of Madras Ganapathysubramanian Santosh, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Thomas Schaub, Ph.D., University of Karlsruhe Madhu Vedichi, Ph.D., University of Hyderabad Haim Weissman, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Marc Altman Delina Barats Irit Ben-Avraham Graham de Ruiter Iraklii Ebralidze Jessica Ettedgui Moran Feller Eran Fogler Ori Gidron Hila Goldberg- Azoulay David Gruzman Eyal Kamhi Amir Karton Jenny Kolsenik Marina Konorty Elizaveta Kossoy Alexandr Laskavy Vered Lev-Goldman Noam Levi Anat Milo Michael Montag Leila Motiei Yael Mutsafi Emanuel Perugia Elena Poverenov Hiyam Salem Leonid Schwartsburd Yamit Sharaabi Nelia Shechter Elijah Shirman Tanya Shirman Maria Shoshan Elena Smolensky Alona Ustinov Yair Wijsboom Natalia Zamoshchik Nathan Moise Zauberman Olena Zenkina Organic Chemistry 169 Administrator

Tiki Rosen (until September 2008) Galit Zemel Saig (from October 2008) 170 Structural Biology

Structural Biology

Zippora Shakked, Head The Helena Rubinstein Professor of Structural Biology

The Department is committed to research in the major areas of structural biology and is investigating biological systems from the atomic to the cellular level of organization. The ultimate goal is to obtain a complete picture of biological structures in their complexity, with a continuity at all length scales, from Ångstroms to millimeters. The structures of biological macromolecules and their complexes are studied at the length scale of Ångstroms by X-ray diffraction from crystals, and in solution by advanced spectroscopic techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance and EXAFS. In addition, imaging techniques that span the range between nanometers and microns, such as electron microscopy, electron tomography and atomic force microscopy, are being used to study single molecules, macromolecular assemblies and whole tissue organization.

The elucidation of structure-function relationships of key components in main biological pathways is one of the general goals of the research conducted in the Department. One such pathway is the translation of the genetic code from DNA to proteins. A highlight of recent years has been the continued progress in determination of different ribosome structures also in complex with antibiotics. These significant achievements crown the titanic efforts of tens of years 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 the principal protein synthesis machinery of the cell. The mechanism of translation of the code into proteins is also investigated by X-ray crystallography of tRNA synthetases and their complexes. Additional research in this area includes work on helicases that unwind RNA and elucidation of the 3-D structures of DNA molecules and DNA-protein complexes. Research is also being carried out on molecular chaperones and catalysts of disulphide bridge formation that assist protein folding which is the one of the last stations in the pathway from genes to functional proteins.

Structural and dynamical aspects of enzyme and protein function and recognition constitute another 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 NMR and molecular biology tools in order to unravel the structural basis and energetics of these interactions. Antibody-antigen recognition is also being studied using Structural Biology 171 antibodies that interact with monolayer and crystal surfaces.

Studies on the relationships between organic and mineral components and between structure, function and mechanical properties of mineralized tissues including bone, teeth, shells and many others, are performed over the whole range of hierarchical organizations. The development of new techniques in Archeological Chemistry provides information about human 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 the electron microscopy facility with the addition of two high resolution transmission electron microscopes and an environmental field emission scanning electron microscope. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/sb/ 172 Structural Biology Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Lia Addadi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professor Jacob Anglister, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Joseph and Ruth Owades Professor of Chemistry Amnon Horovitz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Carl and Dorothy Bennett Professor of Biochemistry Zippora Shakked, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Helena Rubinstein Professor of Structural Biology Joel Sussman, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States The Morton and Gladys Pickman Professor in Structural Biology Stephen Weiner, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States The Dr. Walter and Dr. Trude Borchardt Professor of Structural Biology Ada Yonath, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Professor

Professors Emeriti

Henryk Eisenberg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Wolfie Traub, Ph.D., University of London, London, United Kingdom Edward Trifonov, Ph.D., Moscow Physico-Technical Institute, Russian Federation

Associate Professors

Deborah Fass, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States Mark Safro, Ph.D., Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, Russian Federation The Lee and William Abramowitz Professor of Macromolecular Biophysics Irit Sagi, Ph.D., Georgetown University, Washington, United States The Maurizio Pontecorvo Professor Structural Biology 173 Senior Scientists

Koby Levy, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Center for Complexity Science Fellowship Incumbent of the Lilian and George Lyttle Career Development Chair Itay Rousso, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Robert Edward and Roselyn Rich Manson Career Development Chair

Senior Staff Scientist

Tamar Unger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Shira Albeck, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Anat Bashan, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Elisabetta Boaretto, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Orly Dym, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Harry Mark Greenblatt, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Naama Kessler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yoav Peleg, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Haim Rozenberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tzvia Selzer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left January 2008) Ella Zimmerman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientists

Tamar Auerbach Nevo, Ph.D., Free University, Berlin, Germany (left April 2008) Osnat Rosen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Inna Solomonov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Ilana Agmon Yacov Ashani Felix Frolow, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv Michal Harel 174 Structural Biology Maggie Kessler, Banner Chemicals Ltd., UK Oren Zimhony, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Ivet Bahar, University of Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A. Elisabetta Boaretto, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Yaron Caspi Anatoly Frenkel, Yeshiva University Medical School, NY, U.S.A. Pupa Gilbert, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A. Ruth Gross, Hebrew University , Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel Osnat Herzberg, University of Maryland, U.S.A. Michael Levitt, Stanford University , U.S.A. Yael Mahler-Slasky, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Nina Moor, Russian Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, Russia Fred Naider, CUNY, Staten Island, Island Chris Sanders, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Menachem Shoham, Case Western University , Cleveland, OH, U.S.A. Ehud Weiss, Bar-Ilan University, Israel Oren Zimhony, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel

Postdoctoral Fellows

Zohar Biron Sorek, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Boris Brumshtein, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Gal Dela, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Leonid Gaidukov (Gaydukov), Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Netaly Khazanov, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Netta Lev-Tov Chattah, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Yurong Ma, Ph.D., Peking University Emanuel Perugia, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Noemi Rosa Rebollo Franco, University of California Santa Barbara Gabriel Rosenblum, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Netta Sela-Passwell, Tel-Hay College, Israel Dalit Shental, Tel-Aviv University, Israel Oded Suad, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Marianna Tsvitov, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Yechun Xu, Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, China Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Assaf Alon Maya Amit Maya Bar Meir Max Barak Structural Biology 175 Adi Behar-Eliyahu Avi Ben Shimon Moshe Ben-David Boris Brumshtein Chen Davidovich Amir Eldar Igal Finarov Gabriel Frank Ziv Frankenstein Dafna Geblinger Micha Gladnikoff Larisa Goldenberg Yael Goldwaser Moran Grossman Racheli Gueta (Fachima) Tzachi Hagai Motti Hakim Nimrod Heldman Yakov Kipnis Malka Kitayner Liron Klipcan Konstantin Kogan Nitzan Kol Avital Levy-Lior Julia Mahamid Omer Markovitch Inbal Mermershtain Adi Moseri Eran Noah Orly Noivirt Fabio Nudelman Ilona Nudelman Aviv Paz Yael Politi Lior Regev Gabriel Rosenblum Noa Rubin Einat Schnur Netta Sela-Passwell Liat Shimon Oren Tchaicheeyan Maria Tkachev Agnes Toth Elvira Vitu Dana Vuzman Itai Wekselman Tzviya Zeev Ben-Mordehai Roy Ziblat Administrator

Tiki Rosen (until September 2008) Galit Zemel Saig (from October 2008) 176 Solar Research Facilities Unit

Solar Research Facilities Unit

Jacob Karni, Scientist-in-Charge

Michael Epstein, Head

The Solar Research Facilities of the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) are among the most advanced laboratories in the world for concentrated solar energy research. A major feature of the Unit is a Solar Power Tower containing a field of 64 large, multi-faceted mirrors (heliostats), each measuring 7x8 meters. A picture of the Solar Tower is shown in Figure 1. Each heliostat tracks the movement of the sun independently and reflects its light onto a selected target on a 54-meter high tower containing five separate experimental stations, each of which can house several experiments. Light can be reflected toward any or all of these stations, allowing a number of experiments to be carried out simultaneously. This is the only Solar Tower facility in the world located on a campus of a research or academic institute and is solely dedicated to scientific work. WIS invested over $15M in the construction and maintenance of this laboratory.

Recently a new optical feature was added in the form of a 75 m2 reflector attached to the tower at about 45 m above ground level. Using this reflector about one megawatt of concentrated sunlight can be beamed down onto a ground target. This is a unique feature existing only at the Weizmann Institute Solar Tower. WIS is presently upgrading the heliostat mirrors to improve their optical performance. The cost of this renovation project to the Institute is about $1M.

Research Projects Conducted at the Solar Research Facilities Unit

Our goal is to explore solar-driven thermal and chemical processes, enabling power production, fuel alternatives, long-term storage and convenient transportation options. Work at WIS is diverse and evolves based on the scientists vision and imagination. At present, our research programs address the following topics:

1. Electricity production developing cost effective ways for environmentally clean, solar-driven electricity production. The scientists involved in this program are Jacob Karni and Michael Solar Research Facilities Unit 177 Epstein. 2. Hydrogen production WIS scientists work on several methods to produce hydrogen (a clean and efficient fuel) using solar energy. These methods include: (i) hydrocarbon reforming, (ii) methane decomposition, and (iii) solar thermal-electrochemical dissociation of water at high temperatures. The scientists involved in these programs are Abraham Kogan, Michael Epstein, Alexander Berman and Jacob Karni. 3. Biomass gasification developing means to use solar energy to convert biomass (such as organic waste) to fuel. The scientists involved in this program are Roman Adinberg, Michael Epstein and Jacob Karni. 4. Developing of high temperature stable catalyst for steam reforming of methane. The scientists involved are alexander Berman, Rakesh Kumar Karn, Michael Epstein and Jacob Karni. 5. Solar reduction of metal oxides, for example, the production of zinc from zinc oxide, for developing a clean process to provide zinc for fuel cells and for the production of hydrogen. The scientists involved in this program are Michael Epstein, Irina Vishnevetsky, Tareq Abu-Hamed and Jacob Karni. 6. Developing of heat storage in a phase change material (PCM) medium. Scientists involved are Roman Adinberg and Michael Epstein. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/People/Karni/research-kar.html

Staff

Associate Professor

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

Associate Staff Scientist

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

Engineers

Rami Ben-Zvi, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Michael Epstein, B.A., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Doron Lieberman, M.Sc., Ben-Gurion Univesity of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Consultant

Rimon Arieli, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel 178 Solar Research Facilities Unit

1Department of Envionmental Sciences and Energy Research Chemical Research Support 179

Chemical Research Support

Brian Berkowitz, Head The Sam Zuckerberg Chair

The Department of Chemical Research Support, comprising 14 major units, offers advanced and routine facilities for analytical and preparative chemical techniques to Institute scientists.

Each unit is headed by a Research Fellow or a Staff Scientist and is operated by qualified technical staff. The development program for the Department of Chemical Research Support and its mode of operation are supervised by Users Committees and by scientific advisors.

Chemical and Biophysical NanoSciences (Person in charge: Shirley Daube)

The objectives of the unit are to promote research in processes and phenomena in (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics and materials research on the nm scale, which cannot be addressed within the existing facilities of the WIS. An important aspect of this development is technological need for miniaturization. Fundamental scientific issues are addressed in the areas of synthesis of nanomaterials, nanomanipulation of matter, chemistry and physics of mesoscopic objects and of biomaterials.

More specifically we refer to the emerging capability to design and prepare systems, showing predetermined heterogeneity at the atomic and molecular levels. Towards this, conceptual capabilities of molecular control and self-assembly (ready-made components) are combined with those of sturdy supra- or non-molecular components.

The center of the unit is a class 10,000 clean room complex, including facilities for optical and electron beam lithography, a mask aligner MA-6, and a dry etching ICP apparatus. The facility has, in addition, apparatus for thermal and electron beam evaporation of metallic and dielectric films. It has a confocal optical microscope, and equipment for characterization of surfaces (wettability/contact angle, a Rudolf ellipsometer, a surface profiler-Dektak 3ST). A chemical hood inside the clean rooms provides capabilities for a broad range of chemical manipulations. 180 Chemical Research Support In order to advance research towards implementation of biologically active molecules as integral components in inorganic devices, the center includes a Nano Bio lab. The Nano Bio team aid physicists and chemists in the design and performance of their research involving biological molecules. In addition, the Nano bio lab provides the means to perform experiments and produce pre-designed biological molecules using basic molecular biology and biochemical techniques. The lab is equipped with a variety of centrifuges, gel electrophoresis apparatus of nucleic acids and proteins, an AKTA basic FPLC protein purification apparatus, a PCR machine, NanoDrop and GeneQuant spectrophotometers, gel imagining apparatus, equipment for bacterial growth including a sonicator, etc. A workstation for 32P and 35S radioactive work is also available.

Computational Chemistry Unit (Person in Charge: Mark Iron)

State-of-the-art software packages can be used to accurately calculate molecular properties. Many of these properties mirror those that can be measured experimentally. Through informed choice of methodology, the results of calculations can be used to predict molecular features, interpret experimental data and understand molecular effects and behavior.

We use commercial software packages (such as Gaussian03) to calculate electronic structure, molecular properties and molecular mechanisms using ab-initio, Density Functional Theory (DFT), semi empiric and force field methods. More specifically, the following information can be retrieved from electronic structure calculations:

Reaction Mechanisms

♦ The characterization of organic and organometallic reactions is one of the most common goals of computational chemistry. Relative energies for products, transition states and intermediates can be computed to give the researcher insight into a reaction pathway. Electronic Properties

♦ Atomic charges ♦ Molecular orbitals ♦ Ionisation (oxidation) potentials Vibrational Properties

♦ Infrared (IR) frequencies and intensities ♦ Raman frequencies Kinetics and Thermochemistry Chemical Research Support 181 ♦ Reaction kinetics (calculations of rate constants) ♦ Reaction thermochemistry ♦ Solvent effects Future services:

♦ Single-Molecule electronic transport calculations. Computational Chemistry Unit Website

Electron Microscopy Unit (Administrative Manager: Orna Yeger)

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

For general applications, there are three high resolution (HR) scanning electron microscopes (SEM), ESEM FEI, ULTRA-55 ZEISS and a SUPRA-55 VP ZEISS with a new nanomanipulator and Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) imaging system. The ESEM and the SUPRA microscopes are equipped with EDS systems for elemental analysis. There is a high resolution TEM microscope Tecnai F-30 FEI for materials science applications (resolution of 1.7A), equipped with a double tilt holder. Attached to this 300kV microscope there is a post column Gatan Imaging mFilter (GIF) which enables EELS measurements (electron energy loss spectra) and elemental mapping at nanometer scale. An additional TEM for materials science, CM-120 PHILIPS, is equipped with EDS for elemental analysis. For special applications there is a NOVA 600 FEI dual beam microscope, including a focused ion beam (FIB) column and a SEM column. This microscope has excellent HR imaging, nano-scale patterning (material deposit or etch) and timesaving sample cross-sectioning for TEM analysis, using an advanced Omniprobe micromanipulator. The NOVA FIB/SEM is suitable for both materials and biology studies. For samples of biological interest there are three more TEMs, TECNAI T-12 FEI, TECNAI F-20 FEI and CM-12 PHILIPS. The TEMs are suitable for low-temperature applications and they are equipped with digital slow-scan cameras (CCDs) for low-dose work. The newest cryo-capable TEM, TECNAI F-20 FEI, also includes a computer-controlled sample stage and high-resolution 4k x 4k CCD camera (TVIPS), for automated tomographic applications.

In addition, various pieces of auxiliary equipment for sample preparation are available in the unit. These include polishing apparatus, dimpling and ion milling machines, sputter, and physical evaporation apparatus, a critical point dryer, and several ultramicrotomes. The EM unit is also equipped for 182 Chemical Research Support conventional as well as low-temperature preparation of biological samples and immuno-labeling. There is equipment for cryo-applications such as high-pressure freezing, cryo-plunging, freeze substitution and cryo-sectioning.

Image processing facilities include Unix workstations, and several Macintosh and PC computers, with advanced software for image analysis, 3-D reconstruction and visualization. A laser optical bench allows for quantitative analysis of negatives, and there is one high-resolution scanner for digitization of images.

Electron Microscopy Unit Website

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) (Person in Charge: Lev Weiner)

The Electron Spin/Paramagnetic Resonance (ESR/EPR) Unit is equipped with a Bruker ELEXYS 500 (X and Q bands, 9.5 and 35 GHz) and ER 200 D SRC (9.5 GHz, X band) spectrometers. The various techniques for measuring the structure and properties of free radicals and paramagnetic ions in solid state and in solution are available for a wide range of temperatures.

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

Site directed spin labeling of mutants of diamagnetic proteins provides unique information about properties of biopolymers under physiological conditions (pH, temperature, etc.)

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

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

Laboratory for Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Materials (Person in Charge: Gregory Leitus) Chemical Research Support 183 The unit provides research services for scientists who develop new materials or devices with special physical properties. The investigation in the Unit is based on Quantum Design's Magnetic Property Measurement System (MPMS2) which is amplified with various additional devices and systems. The MPMS2 provides DC (direct current) and AC (alternative current) magnetic measurements. It involves:

1. Temperature Control System provides precision control of the sample temperature in the range 1.8 to 350 K. 2. Magnet Control System provides magnetic fields from zero to positive and negative 1 T. The superconducting magnet can be operated in either persistent or non-persistent modes, and several charging option can be selected by the user. 3. Superconducting SQUID Amplifier System (SQUID detector) provides reset circuitry, auto-ranging capability, a highly balanced second-derivative sample coil array and environment magnetic influence protection. 4. Sample Handling System. Ability to step the sample smoothly through the detection coil without transmitting undue mechanical vibration to the SQUID. It allows for varied scan lengths and options. 5. Computer Operating System (upgraded in 2004). All operated features of the MPMS and external devices are under automated computer control including individual functions and measurement sequences.

The MPMS has expanded by Kethley's and SRS's external devices which together with Manual Insertion Utility Probe are organized in: 6. DC resistivity and Hall effect measurements System provides 4-probes and van der Pauw electric transport measurement in direct current range from 0.1 pA to 5 mA 7. AC conductivity measurements System provides electric transport measurement in alternative current ranges: amplitude from 2 pA to 5 mA, frequency range from 1 mHz to 100 kHz. 8. Reciprocating Sample Option (RSO) employs small-amplitude, periodic displacement (down to 0.5 mm) of a sample inside MPMS' second-order gradiometer. High sensitivity: absolute: 10-8 emu, relative: 5x10-9 emu at field: 0-1 T and low frequency: 0.5 to 4.0 Hz. 9. Continuous Low Temperature Control (CLTC)/Temperature Sweep Mode provides sweep with definite rate: 0.001 - 10 K/min, continuous operation below, upper and over 4.2 K (over 45 hours at 1.8 K), and temperature stability of +/-0.005K in the whole of temperature range. 10. Fiberoptic Sample Holder (FOSH) allows user to illuminate a sample with an external light source during magnetic measurements.

Mass-Spectrometry and Chemical Analysis (Person in Charge: Arye Tishbee) 184 Chemical Research Support The Chemical Analysis Laboratory, provides training, consultation and method development for measurement, separation, purification, and isolation of a wide range of Organic compounds by Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Amino Acids, Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry, RAMAN ,Micro RAMAN, Infra Red (IR), Micro IR spectroscopy, and Rapid Kinetics monitoring using Stopped Flow instrument.

The RAMAN unit provides Raman measurements, using 1064 µm 1.5W Laser excitation With a target area of 100 µm.

Available equipment: Bruker FT RAMAN - RFS 100/S Ge Diode detector Spectral range of 3600 - 70 cm-1. (stokes shift) and 100-2000 (anti-Stokes shift) . Controlled by PC based OPUS spectral software.

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

Available equipment : Renishaw Micro Raman Imaging Microscope Controlled via a PC base software, with temperature control, moving xyz stage, dual lasers 633 and 780nm, and Grams 2c spectral manipulation software.

The IR unit provides standard IR measurements

Available equipment: Nicolet IFS - 66. Controlled by PC based OPUS spectral software

The Micro IR unit provides micro IR Transmission and reflection measurements

Available equipment: VECTOR 22 FT-IR instrument attached to an IR/Optical Microscope. IRscope II, with Transmission and reflection, measurement modes. 15X IR Objective Measured Area: 20 µm Minimum. Mid Range MCT detector 7000-600 cm-1.

Rapid Kinetic Instrument unit provides Stopped Flow measurements, for enzyme reactions, Single, double, triple mixing with intermediate ageing, variable mixing ratio and dilution, µvolume operation using absorbance, fluorescence, or circular dichroism.

Available equipment: BioLogic MOS-450 with MPS 60. Consists of 4 syringes 10 - 2,5 ml, Min. Dead Time 0.98 ms, Min Ageing Time 1.63ms. Light source Chemical Research Support 185 : 150W Xe , reflective achromatic monochromator , 180 to 800 nm. 1 nm. Steps. slits :2,4 or 8 nm, data acquisition rate, 50 ms/sample to 1000s/sample. Acquisition time 50 ms to 20s/nm .

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

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

Available equipment: HPLC - MS Micromass ZMD 4000 Mass Spectrometer equipped with ESI and APCI probes for Electrospray and APCI analysis.Connected to a MassLynx data station. UPLC - MS Micromass Q-TOF Premier, Quadrupole Time Of Flight High Resolution Mass Spectrometer equipped with ESI for Electrospray analysis. Connected to a Masslynx data station.High Sensitivity GCQ Polaris Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer with MS/MS capabilities for volatile compound, connected to Xcalibur data station equipped with NIST Library search capabilities.

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

Available equipment : Waters PicoTag Work Station for gas phase Hydrolysis Hewlet Packard 1090 HPLC equipped with Diode array Detector and autoinjector with a PC based Chemstation database, utilizing Amino Quant chemistry for the analysis. Waters 2690 Alliance HPLC equipped with fluorescence and Diode Array detectors and autoinjector , utilizing AccQ.Tag and or Pico Tag chemistries for the analysis of Hydrolizates and some physiological Amino acids.

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

Available equipment : Perkin Elmer 5100 atomic absorption unit equipped with HGA Graphite furnace, and PC based gem software to control the instrument. 186 Chemical Research Support

Molecular Modeling Unit (Person in Charge: Miriam Eisenstein)

This unit offers diverse structure analysis and molecular modeling services to many groups in the Chemistry and Biology faculties. These include homology modeling for proteins, protein-protein docking and conformational analysis of organic molecules. The available equipment is a 2-processor PC equipped with a high-end graphics card and a Silicon Graphics Octane work station. Several different computer programs and packages are in constant use: For example, the Accelrys InsightII package for display, homology modeling, energy minimization and molecular dynamics. The protein-protein docking program MolFit, originally developed by M. Eisenstein, I. Shariv and E. Katchalski-Katzir, is continuously being improved and extend by Dr. Eisenstein.

MolFit Website

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) (People in Charge: Peter Bendel and Tali Scherf)

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Unit comprises five High-Resolution NMR spectrometers ranging from 300-800 MHz, as well as a 400 MHz widebore spectrometer and two horizontal bore Biospec systems used mainly for imaging.

The new low-field NMR instrument (Bruker AVANCE III-300) is used primarily for routine identification and standard work with small organic molecules. Equipped with the QNP (5 mm) probe for 1H, 13C, 19F, and 31P measurements.

The Bruker Avance DRX-400 spectrometer includes seven different probes (5 and 10 mm). The selective 1H dedicated (5 mm) probe (high sensitive); a QNP (5 mm) probe, switchable by computer for 1H, 13C, 19F, and 31P nuclei; a BB (5 mm) broad band probe; a TBI (5 mm) Inverse with Z-gradient; a TXI (5 mm) Inverse(triple-channel) with Z-gradient; a BB (10 mm) multinuclear probe covering the range 107Ag to 31P; a BB (10 mm) low-frequency probe (39K -193Ir). It mainly serves scientists in the Department of Organic Chemistry.

A new Bruker AV-500 spectrometer was recently installed at the Institute. It also serves mainly scientists in the Department of Organic Chemistry and provides a modern facility for their analyses. This instrument has three channels and is equipped with six uniqe probes: a micro, 2.5mm Triple-Resonance Inverse TXI probe,(1H, 13C, 15N) equipped with Z-gradients; Chemical Research Support 187 a 5mm multinuclear, Broad Band probe in the low frequency range (BBO), 109Ag to 31P,equipped with an automatic tuning and matching (ATM) as well as Z-gradients; a 5mm Inverse Triple-resonance probehead in multinuclear version, TBI (1H, 31P, BB) with Z-gradient. The BB range is 109Ag-31P; a 5mm multinuclear (109Ag-31P) Inverse probe (BBI) that includes z-gradient, an automatic tuning and matching (ATM) as well as a special tuning for 103Rh; and a new CP-MAS probe.

The Bruker DMX-500 is mainly used for specialized research, including 2D NMR and biologically 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-MAS probe. It has a new, 5mm Triple-Resonance Inverse CryoProbe, TXI, (1H, 13C, 15N) equipped with Z-gradients

The 800 MHz high-resolution spectrometer (Bruker, DRX Avance-800) provides access to the highest magnetic field currently available in Israel, enabling state-of-the-art high-resolution multi-dimensional experiments for macromolecular structure determination. The accessories include a multi-nuclear TXI probe with z gradient ( 15N, 13C, 1H, 5mm), a multi-nuclear QXI probe with x, y and z gradients ( 15N, 13C, 31P, 1H, 5mm), and two solid-state MAS probes covering both low and high multi-nuclear frequency ranges. Recently, a new, 5mm Triple-Resonance Inverse CryoProbe, TCI, (1H, 13C, 15N) equipped with Z-gradients was installed, which uses an automatic tuning and matching (ATM) device.

In addition, a Bruker 400-Avance III widebore spectrometer is used for NMR microscopic imaging. Spectroscopic capabilities include 1H and broad band multi nuclei probes and an automatic QNP probe, switchable by computer. Imaging is provided by two systems: a microscopy probe includes actively shielded gradients (up to 200 G/cm) with 5 mm rf coils for 1H, 1H/ 13C and 1H/ 31P. A mini-imaging probe with actively shielded gradients (up to 150 G/cm) includes several 1H RF coils, with diameters between 4 and 30 mm. The spectrometer is used mainly for research in biology and for non-invasive physiological and metabolic measurements of small samples.

The Biospec laboratory contains an NMR spectrometer (Bruker) based on a 4.7 Tesla magnet with 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 an assortment of resonators and surface coils with active coil detuning for crossed-coil operation. The system performs NMR spectroscopy and imaging experiments on animals, plant systems and other large and heterogeneous samples and specimens. It is being used by researchers from the Chemistry and Biology faculties for investigating tumors implanted in mice, models for angiogenesis of tumor blood vessels, spinal 188 Chemical Research Support cord vessels, spinal cord damage and its treatment in rats, and characterizing flow and transport in three-dimensional porous media and rock fracture models.

Since March 2007, an additional horizontal-bore imaging spectrometer (Bruker Avance-II 94/20) was installed in the new 'Mamtak' (Center for Preclinical Research) building. The magnet has a field strength of 9.4 Tesla and an accessible bore of 20 cm.

High-Resolution NMR Website

MRI- Tips and Bugs

Organic Synthesis Unit (Person in Charge: Veronica Frydman)

The Organic Synthesis Unit provides a service to all the scientists in the Institute who need non-commercial chemicals in order to perform their research work. The Unit carries out upon request the synthesis and characterization of a wide variety of organic compounds, including (but not limited to) polymers, porphyrins, steroids, isotopically-labeled oligopeptides, spin-labeled chemicals, etc. Synthezised quantities range from small to medium scale. The Unit counts with a fully equipped organic synthesis laboratory, and uses the facilities provided by other units (e.g., NMR, ESR, MS, etc.) to characterize the intermediates and final products. The staff also provides consultation about experimental procedures and techniques.

Solar Optics Design; Mathematical Modeling (Person in Charge: Akiba Segal)

This unit offers assistance in the modeling of the solar optics systems connected with the main research around the utilization of concentrated solar energy at high temperatures. In this range we have a remarkable experience in the development of the non-imaging secondary optics devices. As example, we designed a new optical feature, which was added as a 75 m2 reflector attached to the Solar Tower at 49 m above ground level. Using this reflector, about one megawatt of concentrated sunlight can be beamed down onto a ground target. This is a unique feature exists only at the Weizmann Institute. We also designed the biggest solar energy concentrator in the World, which was also built, according to our design, at the Weizmann Institute. Both the tower reflector and the big concentrator are currently used in various researches that are recognized as between the most advanced solar researches in the World. We have also capabilities to design small energy concentrators, providing big light energy concentration, which can be used for various chemical processes, Chemical Research Support 189 studied in the Faculty laboratories, which need high temperatures. These concentrators will use the solar energy with an appropriate optical system from the Institute's solar facilities, or, in laboratory, using an adequate light source as simulator of energy. Also we can offer assistance in conceiving mathematical models for various chemical processes that are in study by the scientists from the Faculty in order to complete and finish their research work. This means that we can provide consultation and development of methods for solving the various mathematical models and, eventually, the mathematical optimization of the results.

Spectroscopy Unit (Person in Charge: Leonid Konstantinovski)

Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy consists of a Nicolet 460 single beam infrared Fourier transform spectrophotometer (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 and data storage. The optical bench provides a maximal resolution of 2 cm-1 over the complete spectral range from 4000 to 400 cm-1 and contains a sample compartment built especially for introducing various IR accessories, such as gas cell, ATR, and so forth. This equipment is suitable for a large variety of analytical IR applications, offering high sensitivity and photometric accuracy and computerized data manipulation capabilities.

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

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

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

Surface Analysis Unit (Person in Charge: Sidney Cohen)

The surface analysis group provides the means for a variety of surface-sensitive measurements. These include chemical composition of the exposed atomic layers, atomic scale surface topography, electronic and mechanical surface properties, and detection of adsorbed molecules.The various units of this group are housed in two laboratories and include facilities for rudimentary sample preparation and cleaning, such as ozone cleaner, clean 190 Chemical Research Support hood, and so forth.

The Ultrahigh Vacuum Unit is a multifaceted system for surface analyses at pressures below 10-9 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 nm with sensitivity of 0.1%. The system includes an ultraviolet lamp for valence band measurements, monochromator for high resolution work, ion gun for sputtering the surface, and flood gun for insulating samples. In addition, an electron gun for performing electron energy loss spectroscopy has been installed. A second vacuum chamber attached to the analysis chamber contains a VG Low Energy Electron Diffractometer to determine the surface crystalline state.

The Scanned Probe Microscopy Unit contains three separate scanning tunneling/scanning force microscopes (Digital Instruments Nanoscope, NT-MDT P47/LS and NTEGRA) that enable determination of surface topography and mechanical and electrical properties at resolutions ranging from tens of microns down to atomic scale. Liquid cells,heated/cooled stages, and a gas inlet allow working in different media and under controlled temperature and humidity.

Surface Analysis Unit Website

X-Ray Crystallography (Person in Charge: Linda J. W. Shimon)

The X-ray Crystallography Laboratory of the Weizmann Institute is both a service and user facility. It is well equipped for the single crystal diffraction experiments needed for structural biology and chemistry research. We apply a variety of experimental methods to these investigations.

Since each crystal is unique, we tailor each experiment to the individual sample and offer expertise in the following areas:

1. Air sensitive crystals 2. Unusually small crystals 3. Low-temperature data collection 4. Disorder or twinning 5. Absolute structure determinations, including all-light atom structures 6. Database searches A structure determination of molecular crystals will typically involve the following:

1. Crystal Sample inspection under the polarizing microscope 2. Determination of unit cell parameters, crystal system and space group Chemical Research Support 191 3. Structure solution and refinement 4. Creation of tables in CIF and other formats 5. Publication-ready molecular and packing plots The measurements of organic and organometallic materials are performed using a Nonius KappaCCD diffractometer mounted on a FR590 generator Mo radiation. Measurements may also be performed on a Nonius Mach3 Kappa diffractometer mounted on a FR590 generator with Cu radiation. Inorganic materials are measured on a Rigaku AFC5R 4 circle diffractometer mounted on a Rigaku RU300 rotating anode. Measurements may be performed at either LN or ambient temperatures Low temperature has many benefits for X-ray structure determination, including better quality data in less time than room-temperature work and the ability to handle highly reactive compounds with minimal fuss. We typically collect data at 120K, but on occasion, destructive phase transitions force data collection at higher temperatures

For the Structural Biologists, the X-ray laboratory is a user facility. Macromolecular crystallographic measurements are made on two R-Axis IV++ systems. The image plate detectors are mounted on RU-H3R Rigaku rotating anode generators equipped with Osmic confocal focusing mirrors. One of these systems is outfitted with a 2-theta stage allowing high resolution data collection. Both systems are equipped with Oxford cryostream cooling systems for LN, low-temperature measurements. Also available in the laboratory are light-microscopes for sample inspection and mounting as well as a digital camera for crystal photography. Training is available for users, so that they can perform their own experiments.

X-Ray and Light Scattering (Person in Charge: Ellen J. Wachtel)

The aim of the laboratory for X-ray and light scattering is the structural characterization of both natural (organic and inorganic) and synthetic materials in a variety of forms and aggregational states and in a variety of environments. These materials include powders, thin films, dilute solutions, dispersions, microemulsions, liquid crystals, fibres and fibrous tissues, polymer composites.

X-ray diffractometry is a non-destructive, powerful yet simple technique capable of obtaining information on the structure of a material at the atomic level. Crystalline or semi-crystalline powders and thin films may be studied. Our instrumentation includes a Rigaku D-Max/B horizontal goniometer fitted with a diffracted beam graphite monochrometer , and a Rigaku RU200 rotating anode X-ray generator (12kW) with Cu target. Data acquisition is computer controlled and data analysis is performed on a separate platform with Jade5.0 software.Search/match protocols use the Powder DIffraction FIle of the ICDD (International Center for Diffraction Data) on CD-Rom. 192 Chemical Research Support Small angle and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) cameras are available on an Elliott GX6 rotating anode generator (3kW) with copper target. Sample temperature may be controlled between 0 to 200°C, and 7kG and 13kG rare earth permanent magnets are used for alignment of macromolecules. Data acquisition is via a linear position sensitive detector of the delay line type with computer interface or imaging plates. Software is provided for calculating Guinier fits and Patterson-like functions and for determining structure factors. Simple modeling programs are also available.

The light scattering apparatus consists of a Spectra Physics argon ion laser; goniometer and index matching bath; temperature controller (5-40°C); photomultiplier tube selected for photon counting; Brookhaven Instruments correlator 2030AT and software for calculation of hydrodynamic size distributions via the inverse Laplace transform (CONTIN algorithm).The instrumentation is used to characterize the hydrodynamic size and/or molecular weight of biological macromeolecules in aqueous solution; of synthetic polymers in organic solvents; of micellar or liposomal preparations; and of microemulsions.

In March 2006 the laboratory will take delivery of two theta-theta diffractometers: the sealed tube generator-based ULTIMA III (Rigaku) and the rotating anode generator-based TTRAXS III (Rigaku). These instruments will add significant new capabilities: texture determination using pole figure measurements; measurement of residual stress; measurement in inert environment; variable temperature control; capillary sample holders; thin film reflectivity.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Chemical_Services/ Chemical Research Support 193 Staff

Professor

Brian Berkowitz1, D.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Sam Zuckerberg Professor

Senior Research Fellow

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

Senior Staff Scientists

Peter Bendel, Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, United States Hagai Cohen, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Sidney Cohen, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Miriam Eisenstein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Konstantin Gartsman, Ph.D., Physical Technical Institute, Russian Federation Eugenia Klein, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Leonid Konstantinovski, Ph.D., Rostov University, Rostov on Don, Russian Federation Ronit Popovitz-Biro, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Akiba Segal, Ph.D., Jassy University, Romania Linda J.W. Shimon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Vera Shinder, Ph.D., Moscow University, Biochemical Institute, Academy of Science Ellen Wachtel, Ph.D., Yale University, New Haven, United States Lev Weiner, Ph.D., Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation Sharon G. Wolf, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Staff Scientists

Shirley Daube, Ph.D., University of Oregon, Eugene, United States Yishay (Isai) Feldman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Veronica Frydman, Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Grigorii Leitus, Ph.D., Metallurgy Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation Tali Scherf, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Eyal Shimoni, Ph.D., ETH, Zurich, Switzerland 194 Chemical Research Support Assistant Staff Scientists

Yoav Barak, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tatyana Bendikov, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Arkady Bitler, Ph.D., Leningrad State University, Leningrad, Russian Federation Yael Diskin Posner, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Mark Alan Iron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Palle Von Huth, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Junior Staff Scientist

Inbal Biton, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Engineers

Gregor Rory Leitch Alexander Yoffe, M.Sc., University of Tashkent, Russian Federation

Administrator

Hila Shochat

1Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Center for Energy Research 195

The Center for Energy Research

Jacob Karni, Director

The Energy Research Center was established in 1980 to promote and encourage research in all aspects of energy-related research. Energy research covers a broad range of disciplines, and all the Faculties in the Institute are involved. The basic philosophy of the Center is to keep the various energy projects within the framework of the departments in which they originated as long 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 and disseminates information.

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

Within the commissioning of the Canadian Institute for the Energies and its Solar Research Facilities Unit, and the operation of the Schaeffer Solar Furnace, it became possible to carry out 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 and urban waste. At high temperature of the solar receiver, the carbonaceous materials are reacted with Zn oxide to produce CO and Zn vapor. The reaction products are then reacted with water to produce hydrogen and recover the Zn oxide.

High temperature receivers

A new generation of receivers that can reach higher temperatures by direct heating of compressed gas is being developed. The goal of the research is to achieve temperatures above 2000°C. These receivers will be used in the future to operate a new generation of thermal machines or chemical systems that are now under development. 196 The Center for Energy Research Novel solar optical systems

The goal of this project is to achieve peak solar concentrations above 20,000 in solar central receiver systems. This goal will be achieved by closed loop continuous tracking of the sun by heliostats, improved imaging optics and new concepts of nonimaging optics. High peak solar concentration will improve the performance of existing solar thermal systems, and will allow in 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 phase conjugate mirrors for high power solar lasers to improve beam quality that will support in the future transmission of high power lasers, and communication in space systems. In another research, gas phase solar molecular dimer lasers are being developed. These lasers will be the first 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 was established in 1995 as part of the MAGNET Program of the Israeli Ministry of Industry for the industrialization of the solar technologies that were developed under the framework of the Energy Research Center, completed its successful second year of operation. The goal of these projects is to develop the technologies of small- and large-scale solar thermal and solar photovoltaic electric systems, and solar lasers.

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

An industrial consortium based on cooperation between Israeli and European organizations was established under the Fourth Framework Program of the European Union. The goal of this organization is to develop advanced solar-assisted systems that will use synthesis gas obtained by solar reforming to operate gas turbines and fuel cells. The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry 197

The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry

Lucio Frydman, Director

The Fritz Haber Center supports various scientific activities in the fields of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics. The support of the Center is given directly to research groups to help initiate new endeavors and for ongoing activities. The support is usually dedicated to the purchase of new scientific equipment, upgrade of operating laboratories and extension of existing experimental systems.

During the 2005/2006 period the Center supported the design, upgrade and purchase of the following scientific equipment:

1. A solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) magic angle spinning probe capable of operating at spinning frequency of 30 kHz was repaired and upgraded. This renovated probe is an integral part of our departmental 600MHz Solid State NMR Spectrometer and will enable the detection of two and three dimensional proton NMR spectra supporting structural study of organic polycrystalline solids (Prof. Shimon Vega, Dept. Chemical Physics, PI).

2. The software required to run an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) system was purchased. So far, this EIS system was not computerized, which hindered severely its effective use in research. With the new software the system is now fully computerized and operational (Prof. Israel Rubinstein, Dept. Material and Interfaces, PI).

3. A freeze quench electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) attachment was purchased for mechanistic investigations of enzymatic reaction. It is attached to a rapid mixing apparatus and allows to "freeze quench" reaction mixtures at times of 10 msec and above. The frozen mixture is injected into an EPR tubes such that reaction intermediates are trapped as the reaction proceed and can be further characterize by various EPR techniques (Prof. Daniella Goldfarb, Dept. Chemical Physics, PI).

4. An OPO laser covering the entire visible range from 200 nm to 2.5 micrometers, was purchased. The laser is now part of an operating cavity ring down (CRD) spectrometer. This new spectrometer is used to derive the optical properties like complex refractive indices, from 198 The Fritz Haber Center for Physical Chemistry particles relevant to the atmosphere (Prof. Yinon Rudich, Dept. Environmental Sciences, PI).

5. An imaging system for the study of coherent controlled photoemission from surfaces and surfaces covered with organized organic layers, was purchased. This imaging system consists of a microchannel plate, a phosphorous screen and the relevant electronics (Prof. Ron Naaman, Dept. Chemical Physics, PI).

6. Two lasers were purchased for single-molecule setups: one operating at 532 nm and one at 650 nm. These two lasers are used for experiments where molecules are optically excited through a microscope and their fluorescence is detected on ultrasensitive detectors, either a camera or a photodiode (Prof. Gilad Haran, Dept. Chemical Physics, PI). The Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research 199

The Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research

Yehiam Prior, Director The Sherman Professor of Physical Chemistry

The Institute was established in November 2000 with a generous founding endowment made by 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 and magnetic resonance at the Weizmann Institute. Both fields represent to date spear points of technologically advanced interdisciplinary research, encompassing topics ranging from medicine to physics, through chemistry and biology. Large investments are required in infrastructure and instrumentation, including support for the personnel responsible for the laboratories. This is the main focus of the Ilse Katz Institute. In addition, the Ilse Katz Institute encourages and supports young investigators committed to advanced research in any field of materials and magnetic resonance. 200 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Sciences

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Sciences

Stephen Weiner, Director The Walter and Dr. Trude Brochardt Chair of Structural Biology

Archaeology is the study of ancient cultures based on the material remains that have survived the ravages of time. This represents a challenging objective that requires on the one hand, some of the most sophisticated analytical tools available, and on the other hand a keen understanding 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 its relatively mild climate, are two of the main reasons why this small country is so well endowed with a wonderfully rich archaeological record.

The achievements of the archaeological community of this country over the last 80 years have contributed enormously to the overall knowledge of past human culture. The last 40 years have, however, witnessed a shift in the way archaeological research is practiced. There is an increasing use of the scientific method, along with a dependence on more and more sophisticated analytical capabilities. This trend in turn has exasperated a situation that exists in Israel, and almost all western countries, namely that archaeologists are educated in the faculties of humanities, yet the practice of archaeology in many respects is most suited to the natural sciences.

This situation prompted the Weizmann Institute to establish the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science, with its primary aim being the training of students in both the natural sciences and archaeology. In November 1997, the Center was formally established in a newly renovated building on the campus designed by the famous architect, Mendelsohn.

In 2006 a formal agreement was signed by the presidents of the Weizmann Institute and Bar Ilan University to conduct joint research and teaching in the field of archaeological science. Three archaeological scientists now perform most of their research at the Institute and most of their teaching at Bar Ilan university. From 2007 a new undergraduate program will enable students at Bar Ilan University to obtain bachelors degrees in archaeology and chemistry, biology or geography. Post graduate students (M.Sc and Ph.D.) perform their research at the Kimmel Center. Students starting a Ph.D. in archaeological science who do not have a background in natural sciences or archaeology, The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Archaeological Sciences 201 spend their first year studying the necessary courses. The remaining 4 years are devoted to research and some course work.

The Center's resources are used primarily for fellowships and modest research funds for post graduate students.

Some of the research topics currently being investigated are the structure and preservation of charcoal from archaeological sites, the study of minerals that form as a result of exposure to high temperatures as a means of deciphering past activities involving high temperatures, and the development of computerized approaches to characterizing the typologies of ceramic vessels (with Prof Uzy Smilansky). Each summer the Kimmel Center students and staff spend several weeks in the field. An on-site laboratory is operated. Current sites being studied in Israel include Tel Dor, Tel es Safi, Tel Megiddo and Kebara Cave.

The Center also supports the maintenance and upgrading of the technological infrastructure required for archaeological research at the Institute. The main campus facilities currently used for archaeological research, include the Radiocarbon Laboratory, 3-dimensional typology laboratory, a laboratory for archaeometallurgical research, electron microscope facilities for imaging and elemental analyses, Raman and infrared vibrational spectrometers, and thermogravimetric and CHNO analysers. The Center also supports scientific exchanges with foreign scientists, and holds weekly meetings and seminars for scientific communication. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/kimmel-arch/home.html 202 The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design

David Milstein, Director The Israel Matz Chair of Organic Chemistry

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Molecular Design is aimed at the design and synthesis of organic and organometallic molecules of novel properties and at the development of new synthetic methodology. Cooperation between scientists working on various aspects of these areas is strongly encouraged.

The Center deals currently with the following topics:

The design and synthesis of novel metal-binding coordination compounds with special chemical properties.

Development of methodology for the synthesis and structural modification of organic compounds of importance for the pharmaceutical- and fine chemical industries.

Development of novel molecular catalysts for efficient, selective and environmentally friendly processes of high industrial and academic interest.

The design and synthesis of biomimetic transition-metal coordination compounds.

The synthesis of novel metal-containing chromophores as selective sensors at ppm levels.

Development and application of theoretical calculations of molecular properties and computational studies of the reactivity of organic and organometallic molecules.

The synthesis of new conducting polymers.

Non-covalent synthesis by self assembly. The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science 203

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Nanoscale Science

Reshef Tenne, Director The Drake Family Professor in Nanotechnology

Objectives: The objectives of the Helen and Martin Kimmel center for Nanoscale Science is to encourage research in this burgeoning scientific discipline in general, and to help establish the links between molecular biology and nanoscale science, in particular; Another objective of the center is to promote education of young researchers who will be the future generation scientists in this field.

Means: To achieve these goals, the center supports the Helen and Martin Kimmel Nanoscale Laboratories (NL) in the basement of the Perlman building, which include clean rooms; molecular biology laboratories, and auxiliary laboratories for the characterization and manipulation of nanomaterials. It further supports laboratories engaged in nanomaterials synthesis and their characterization, and the activity in computations of nanomaterials. During this first year of operation, the NL have been completed and its scientific and technical staff has been established. The JEOL 6400 scanning electron microscope (SEM) was moved to the NL and an electron beam lithography system was installed on it.

Highlights of the scientific activities during this year: The mechanical properties of individual WS2 nanotubes were further investigated. This work suggests numerous applications for such nanotubes, especially in high strength nanocomposites (R. Tenne). Cell-free genetic circuit elements were constructed in a transcription-translation extract. For this purpose transcriptional activation and repression cascades were engineered, in which the protein product of each stage is the input required to drive or block the following stage (R. Bar-Ziv). A new microfluidic-based 1D solid made of an array of water droplets in oil with attenuated sound velocity was discovered and physically characterized (R. Bar-Ziv). A new carbon nanotube based nanoelectromechanical device was fabricated and its quantum mechanical current oscillations measured (E. Joselevich). 204 The Helen and Milton A.Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly

The Helen and Milton A.Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly

Ada Yonath, Director The Martin S. and Helen Kimmel Chair

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 scientific problems concerning the assembly of biological macromolecules into functionally active intracellular units and organelles.

The center is supporting research projects in the following aspects of bio-macromolecular structural research: nucleic-acids and protein expression, purification, crystallization, crystallographic data collection at international state-of-the-art facilities, display and visualization of life processes.

The center is actively involved in educating graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This includes participation in international conferences and workshop alongside inviting distinguished professors for short and long periods.

It also shares responsibility for various functions of the chemical infrastructure facilities and biological services alongside providing the means for key inter-departmental common facilities.

Funds are being divided into the following categories:

1. Purchasing, installation, and development of state-of-the-art sophisticated equipment to be used for the investigation of structural aspects of life sciences. Examples are cryo and ambient-temperature X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, cryo and ambient-temperature EM imaging and time-resolved experiments at the micro-second limits. This includes also the upgrading, maintenance and repair of the existing instrumentation on a regular basis and by emergency calls.

2. The biocrystallographic laboratory: a common facility for large scale preparations of sensitive biological materials in purity allowing high performance of crystallographic analysis and/or NMR studies.

3. Funding selected programs of an outstanding quality, albeit premature and/or risky to be funded by the common agencies. The Helen and Milton A.Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly 205

4. Assisting the first steps of young scientists as well as of more experienced new comers.

5. Providing means for the organization of conferences, seminars, courses and symposia dealing with aspects of structural biology. Assisting short and long term visits of leading scientific figures as well as post doctoral fellows. Facilitating the attendance of graduate students in workshops and advanced courses, carried out in Israel and/or abroad. The center also stimulates interactions with worldwide experts with specific skills in the area of structural biology. 206 The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology

The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology

Zippora Shakked, Director The Helena Rubinstein Professor of Structural Biology

The Joseph and Ceil Mazer Center for Structural Biology, established in 1980, encourages research 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 significant albeit risky problems; (b) participation in providing biological, chemical, and crystallographic services, in purchasing equipment and in improving experimental facilities; and (c) sponsoring seminars, 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 biological structure determination. Support was also given to Chemical and Biological Services. The Gerhardt M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center on Supramolecular Architecture 207

The Gerhardt M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center on Supramolecular Architecture

David Cahen, Director The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Chair in Energy Research

The Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Center for Supramolecular Architectures was founded in 1995 to promote interdisciplinary research in the field of condensed matter and molecular chemistry, physics and biophysics.

Within the framework of the centre both experimental and theoretical studies are carried out, generally by way of support for contacts of the Weizmann faculty members with German scientists, aid for ongoing projects and contributions to critical equipment needs.

Areas that have been supported in the recent past include structure and function of thin films, made of molecular organic as well as of hard (inorganic) materials; studies on architectures of soft materials, such as micelles, vesicles and membranes, studies of the inorganic-organic materials interface and mesoporous materials.

The centre provides travel support for genuine, bona-fide collaborative studies between German and Israeli scientists, mostly of, students, postdocs and young scholars.

The Centre organizes or participates in joint meetings, especially student-organized ones, schools, and more formal conferences. The 7th student workshop on "Bioinspired Materials" was held jointly with a Minerva school in May June, 2007 in Berlin.

Often the centre joins forces with other centres and foundations so as to able to spread its resources. Thus, at times there are activities jointly with the Minerva Centers for Micro/Nanoscale Particles and Films as Tailored Biomaterial Interfaces at Bar-Ilan University and the Stadler Minerva Center for Mesoscale Macromolecular Engineering at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, such as a mini-workshop for finishing Israeli PhD students on Nano-, Macro- and Supra-Molecular Materials and Phenomena that was held September 18/19, 2007 near Rehovot.

The Centre aided a Minerva School on "Unique Molecular Effects in Electronic Materials and Devices" held April 29 - May 4, 2007 in Zefat 208 The Gerhardt M.J. Schmidt Minerva Center on Supramolecular Architecture (Safed), Israel.

In Sept. 2008 the most recent Student Symposium took place, on "Molecules as Sensors in Israel, this time more student -focused (i.e., more like the first such student symposia), joint with Bar-Ilan Universitys Minerva Centre for Nanoscale Particles and Films. The faculty advisors were Prof. Ron Naaman from the Weizmann Institute and Prof. Marc Tornow from the Techn. Univ. Braunschweig. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/chemphys/cinaaman/Minerva2008/

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/centers/Schmidt_Minerva_Center.pdf The Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging 209

The Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging

Avi Minsky, Director The Professor T. Reichstein Chair

The Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging was established in 2006. The primary aim of this center is to support activities that will enhance the capacities of the imaging unit of the Weizmann Institute and maintain its position as a worldwide center of excellence.

The policy of the Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging is to encourage new initiatives for internal development. These initiatives, conceived and carried out by the center staff in collaboration with students and Post-Doc fellows, are aimed at promoting and improving imaging techniques and capabilities.

The center supports the purchase of new, state-of-the-art equipment and the upgrade of existing facilities.

The center sponsors participation of students and staff members in conferences and meetings dedicated to microscopy, as well as visits to other laboratories and participation in professional training and evaluation of new methods and equipment.

In 2008 the Moskowitz Center for Nano and Bio-nano Imaging supported a project conducted by a software engineer in collaboration with members of the center staff that was aimed at bringing current image analysis techniques to the stage that they can be used reliably to analyze electron tomography data.

The center supported the purchase of a state-of-the-art cryo-microtome that enables cryo-sectioning of biological samples under conditions that optimally preserve their native structures. Additionally, the center supported the purchase of a STEM attachment to the ZEISS ULTRA SEM microscope, that provide a continuity in the possibility of observing details of specimens from very low (50 X) to very high (1 000 kX) magnification.

The center sponsored participation of staff members in the European Meeting on Electron microscopy. 210 The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences

The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences

Dan Yakir, Director

The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences was established in 1993. Its main goals are to promote, coordinate, and support research on the environment in the Institute in general, and in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research in particular. In recent years, the Sussman Family Center supported the acquisition and upgrading of equipment needed for a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art environmental sciences research. This included the purchase of a computing system needed for large-scale climate and geophysical modeling; and purchase of components needed to upgrade research instruments in the department's laboratories.

In recent years, the Sussman Family Center focused its efforts on supporting the recruitment of Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows to carry out research in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research. Linked to this effort, the Sussman Family Center also invested in supporting visits by distinguished scientists from the various environmental science disciplines, both on an individual basis and as part of workshops and symposia organized by the Department. The Sussman Family Center will continue to allocate funds for the acquisition of new equipment, for individual research projects, and to promote scientific interactions between scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and students, both from the Weizmann Institute and from other international centers of environmental research.

In 2007, funding was allocated for the following:

New Faculty - The support for the research program of our newest faculty member, Dr. Ilan Koren, a cloud physicist who arrived at the Institute after completing his postdoctoral research at NASA. Dr. Koren has established a new research group in the Departent of Environmental Science and Energy Research, and has been a very valuable addition to our team.

The establishment of the Postdoctoral Award program - This is a new initiative launched by the Center in 2007 in order to promote the postdoctoral research of highly talented Ph.D. graduates of all Israeli institutions of higher learning. A $10,000 Postdoctoral Award program was established for carrying out postdoctoral research in environmental sciences at a prominent laboratory abroad (see http://www.weizmann.ac.il/ESER/about.html). This will serve as a unique tool for the Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences 211 Research to identify the best potential candidates for future faculty recruitment. Ms. Shimrit Finkel, a Marine Biologist from Tel Aviv University, was the first person to be awarded this new fellowship.

Conferences, Visitors, and Fellowships - The Sussman Center sponsored three scientific conferences, and a number of prominent visitors. (See following sections below).

Equipment - The generous funds from the Sussman Center assisted in the purchase of a computer cluster that currently enables us to run high resolution numerical models of a cloud resolving model, as well as calculate a complete full radiation of cloud fields. This is the first time since the establishment of our group in the Weizmann Institute that we have been able to perform such high resolution modeling. These modeling capabilities enable us to perform cutting-edge research in one of the most important investigations in climate studies today, which is the effect of aerosols on clouds. This aerosol effect poses the largest uncertainty in climate change studies, as shown in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (IPCC, 2007).

Although observations and in-situ measurements provide direct evidence of physical phenomena, they cannot provide a comprehensive description of processes and their feedbacks, due to lack of information in time and/or in space. Models, provided they adequately resolve physical processes and their couplings, are the main tool through which all the information can be integrated, and the effects of aerosols can be studied from the microphysical to the whole-cloud dynamical scale. Cloud-resolving numerical models are probably the only tool that can separate cause-and-effect and give a more complete physical interpretation of the observed correlations. As computers become more powerful, the capacity of numerical models is improving significantly. Today, with clusters of many CPUs, models representing various physical variables can be run at high spatial and temporal resolution over large domains. Our new modeling unit has already helped us to solve a few of the key questions on the interplay between clouds and aerosols over our region.

Land Preservation - The Sussman Family Center also supports public outreach activities associated with the preservation of the unique and pristine landscapes of the Negev desert, which is currently being endangered from mining and other human activities. Prof. Emanuel Mazor has continued his efforts, supported by the Center, to increase awareness of sustainable development in the Negev, through research and educational initiatives, and through an effort to obtain UNESCO World Heritage Status for the three craters: Makhtesh Ramon, Makhtesh Gadol (see picture below), and Makhtesh Katan. Visitors. 212 The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences In the past year, the Center also focused on promoting international scientific interactions between Institute scientists and prominent scientists in other major research centers around the world. This activity aims to provide opportunities for discussion, teaching, and training associated with issues that are at the cutting-edge of global environmental research. This effort brought to the Institute guests from Harvard, NASA, MIT, as well as other esteemed institutions. Visiting scientists were involved in special workshops, colloquia, and seminars.

This years guests included:

Dr. Lorraine Remer, NASA/GSFC, USA. Dr. Remer is an associate member of the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Science Team and a member of the Global Aerosol Climatology Project Science Team at NASA, and studies climatic effects and remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols.

Prof. Daniel Rothman, MIT, USA. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Prof. Rothman is a Professor of Geophysics, and his research interests include complex geological and geobiological systems.

Prof. David Sparks, Texas A&M University, USA. Department of Geology, Prof. Sparks is an Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics, and his research focuses on granular dynamics in earth systems.

Prof. Sherwin Spencer, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus. Department of Aeronautics, Prof Sherwin is Professor of Computational Fluid Mechanics, and develops new techniques for computational fluid mechanics.

Dr. Yeonghee Ahn, Dong-A University, Korea. Department of Environmental Engineering, Dr. Ahn studies microbial populations and their activity in the environment in order to develop and implement new environmental biotechnology.

Dr. Mira Olson, Drexel University, USA. Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Dr. Olson studies bacterial responses and accumulations surrounding immiscible water contaminants in porous and fractured media.

Prof. Riccardo Valentini, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy. Department of Forest Science and Environment, Prof. Valentinis expertise concerns forest ecology and biogeochemistry; particularly carbon balance estimation by means of different methodologies, including eddy covariance measurements and models. The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences 213 Prof. Russell Monson, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Prof. Monsons research focuses on the subalpine-forest ecosystem carbon balance, and the nature of forest hydrocarbon emissions and its relationship to atmospheric chemistry.

Prof. Josep Penuelas, Research Professor at the National Research Council of Spain (CSIC), and Director of the Plant Ecophysiology and Global Change Unit in the CREAF-Universitat Aut noma de Barcelona. Prof. Penuelas is an ecologist studying plant ecophysiology and atmosphere-biosphere interactions. His recent research topics include; global change, climate change, atmospheric pollution, biogenic volatile organic compounds, emissions, remote sensing, and functioning, and the structure of Mediterranean terrestrial plants and ecosystems.

Prof. Roni Avissar, Duke University, North Carolina, USA. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Prof. Avissars work includes analytical, numerical, and observational studies as focused on the development and evaluation of various environmental fluid dynamics models to study ocean-land-atmosphere interactions at the various spatial and temporal scales.

Prof. Alex Kostinski, Michigan Tech, Michigan, USA. Department of Physics, Prof. Kostinksis recent research has been in cloud, aerosol, and precipitation physics, radar meteorology, astrophysics, wave propagation in random media, turbulent fluids, adaptive optics, and polarization optics.

Prof. Eli Tziperman, Harvard University, MA, USA. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Prof. Tziperman studies large scale climate and ocean dynamics, including El Nino, thermohaline circulation, abrupt climate change, glacial cycles and equable climates; and advanced methods of ocean data assimilation.

Dr Jesse H. Kroll, Center for Aerosol and Cloud Chemistry, Aerodyne Inc., Dr. Krolls research interests center on the atmospheric chemistry of organic species, particularly the gas- and particle-phase reactions involved in the formation and evolution of organic aerosols. His research experience includes chamber studies of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, and flow-tube studies of gas-phase chemical reactions.

Conferences The Sussman Family Center generously supported three conferences that were organized by scientists from the Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research (please see additional information under Events in the Department webpage).

International Workshop on Global Dimming And Brightening, Ein Gedi, 214 The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences Israel, February 10-14, 2008. (see http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~srb/GDB_meeting/GDB_meeting.htm). This workshop brought together the top scientists in the field of Global Dimming and Brightening with the following objectives: to critically review the surface and satellite observational evidence for global dimming/brightening, evaluate possible causes, assess the impact of global dimming/brightening on climate change and biogeochemistry, including land use, hydrology and agriculture, recommend research activities to advance our knowledge of all aspects of the this problem, and to plan coordination mechanisms to facilitate progress on needed developments. Papers presented at the conference were published in a special issue produced by the American Geophysical Union, one of the leading scientific journals in the field.

A special Conference of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) titled, "Afforestation to Control Desertification" was held in April 2007 in Jerusalem. In an effort to bring together leaders in the science and practice of afforestation and sustainable forest management in arid and semi-arid zones, this conference provided a broad forum for the summary and synthesis of state-of-the-art afforestation practices, as well as an introduction to the achievements of the Israeli arid lands afforestation during the last six decades. The Sussman Family Center for the Study of Environmental Sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science also hosted this event and invited a number of the esteemed Additional Institutes that have contributed to Scientific Advancement 215

Additional Institutes that have contributed to Scientific Advancement

Perlman Institute of Chemical Sciences 216 Additional Institutes that have contributed to Scientific Advancement 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 218 Faculty of Physics

Faculty of Physics

Dean: Yaron Silberberg (until 14 May 2008) The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser Physics

Dean: Yosef Nir (from 15 May 2008) The Amos de Shalit Professor of Theoretical Physics

The Faculty of Physics consists of three departments: Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Department of Particle Physics. In addition, a unit of Physical Services support the experimental groups. The research in the faculty is conducted by 42 faculty members, about 130 graduate students and about 40 post doctoral fellows and visitors.

The research in the faculty covers a wide range of experimental and theoretical areas. The experimental effort includes studies of solid state and semiconductor physics, superconductivity, plasma, radiation detection physics, nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, hydrodynamics and optics. In addition, the faculty is involved in large scale high energy experiments done at accelerators in Brookhaven, Geneva and Hamburg. The experimental activity is carried out by some 20 groups operating within the faculty, most of which established and developed during the last decade. The faculty is now extending its activities in atomic and laser physics, and entering into new areas such as experimental astrophysics.

Theoretical studies at the faculty cover areas like high energy physics, string theory, mesoscopic systems, interacting electron systems, equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics and astrophysics.

In addition, a new interdisciplinary direction of research, biologically oriented physics, has been developed within the faculty. Several research groups are engaged in theoretical and experimental studies in cooperation with groups from other faculties.

The faculty hosts The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics, The Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, The Center for Experimental Physics, The Crown Photonics Center, The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics, The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems, Faculty of Physics 219 and the Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/homepage/pages/dphys.shtml 220 Condensed Matter Physics

Condensed Matter Physics

Mordehai Heiblum, Head The Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics

Research in our department covers a broad range of subjects in condensed matter physics and in astrophysics. It can be broadly divided into three main groups: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics, Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and 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 probe measurements, optical spectroscopy and superconductivity. An important part of this activity is conducted within the Braun center for sub-micron research, which provides state of the art fabrication and measurements facility. The experimental activities in more details are:

Moty Heiblum: - Controlled dephasing of electrons -'Which Path' type Experiments (with D. Mahalu, V. Umansky and H. Shtrikman). - Phase measurements of Electrons (with D. Mahalu and H. Shtrikman). - Charge and statistics of fractional charges in the fractional quantum Hall effect regime (with V. Umansky and D. Mahalu). - Growth of High Purity Semiconductors by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (with V. Umansky).

Israel Bar-Joseph: - Exciton Physics - Molecular electronics - Nano-Plasmonics

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. Condensed Matter Physics 221 Eli Zeldov: - High-temperature superconductivity - Vortex dynamics - Vortex matter phase transitions - Magneto-optical imaging - Scanning nano-SQUID microscopy

Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics:

Ehud Altman: - Strongly correlated quantum states of ultracold atoms. - Non equilibrium quantum phases and phase transitions. - Theory of high Tc superconductivity.

Alexander Finkelstein: - Disordered Conductors, Metal-Insulator Transition; - Low-Dimensional and Strongly Correlated Electron Systems; - Fundamentals of the Fermi-Liquid Theory; - Thermoelectric Phenomena; - Superconductivity in Amorphous Systems; - Electron Systems near Quantum Critical Points; - Fundamentals of Spintronic Devices.

Yuval Gefen: - Strongly correlated electronic systems out of equilibrium - Tunneling of fractionally charged quasi-particles - Fractional charge and fractional statistics of anyons - 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.

Yoseph Imry: - Slow relaxation modes, their distribution and the resulting relaxation and "aging" in electron glasses in with Y. Oreg and A. Amir (Ph. D. student). Experimental results by Z. Ovadyahu HU. - Hierarchical decay and the Dicke effect in quantum dots coupled to reservoirs, with Y. Oreg and A. Amir (Ph. D. student).

- Mesoscopic superconductivity, superconducting fluctuations above Tc and the effects of pair-breaking -- towards explaining large mesoscopic persistent currents, with O. Entin-Wohlman (BGU) and H. Bary-Soroker (Ph D student). - Transport through molecules having vibrational modes, the effects of the inelastic channel opening, the resulting noise and decoherece (with A. Aharony and O. Entin-Wohlman, BGU). 222 Condensed Matter Physics - Quantized AC charge-relaxation resistance and Coulomb blockade in capacitively coupled quantum dots, with O. Entin-Wohlman (BGU) and Z. Ringel (M Sc thesis, completed). - Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem in nonequilibrium steady states and attempts for generalization to non-stationary states, with U. Gavish (Université Paris VI).

Shimon Levit: - Non classical light - squeezed photons, nano-optics, microcavities. - Semiconductor optics with non classical light. - Photonic Crystals. Quantum Mechanical Techniques. Path Integrals.

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). - Topological Insulators

Ady Stern: - The fractional quantum hall effect. - Non-abelian statistics and topological quantum computation. - Topological insulators. - Transport in novel materials (e.g., p-wave superconductors).

Theoretical Astrophysics:

Tal Alexander: - Massive black holes (MBHs)

♦ Stellar dynamics near MBHs ♦ Close interactions of stars and MBHs ♦ Gravitational wave sources - The MBH in the Milky Way ♦ The origin of young stars near the Galactic MBH ♦ Post-Newtonian effects near the Galactic MBH ♦ Interpretation and modeling of observations of the Galactic Center Experimental Astrophysics:

This is a new research area being developed by the department. Dr. Gal-Yam is the first faculty member working in this area, in close collaboration with the Theoretical Astrophysics group members. The activities in experimental astrophysics include: Condensed Matter Physics 223 Avishay Gal-Yam: My research is focused on cosmic explosions: the catastrophic deaths of stars. Huge amounts of energy are released within hours in events so bright they are seen from the edge of the Universe. The resulting extreme physical conditions involve huge densities, pressures and temperatures, strong magnetic fields, nuclear and high energy particle reactions, and strong relativistic effects (special and general). These topics are at the forefront of research in high energy particle astrophysics and gravity theories, with implications from the source of life to cosmology.

Moti Milgrom: - Underlying theories for the modified dynamics. - Black holes at the center of galaxies. - High energy astrophysics. - Phenomenology of galaxy dynamics.

Vladimir Usov: - Quark stars and their observational appearance (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: - Neutrino astrophysics - High-energy astrophysics - Relativistic plasma astrophysics http://www.weizmann.ac.il/condmat/ 224 Condensed Matter Physics Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Israel Bar-Joseph, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Jane and Otto Morningstar Professor of Physics Alexander Finkelstein, Ph.D., Landau Institue, Moscow, Russian Federation The Charles and David Wolfson Professor of Theoretical Physics Yuval Gefen, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel The Isabelle and Samuel Friedman Professor of Theoretical Physics Moty Heiblum, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States The Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics 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 Adi Stern, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Vladimir Usov, Ph.D., Space Research Institute, Moscoe, Russian Federation Eli Waxman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Eli Zeldov, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The David and Inez Myers Professor

Professor Emeritus

Yoseph Imry, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Max Planck Professor of Quantum Physics

Associate Professors

Tal Alexander, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Incumbent of the William Z. and Eda Bess Novick Career Development Chair (until November 2008) Yuval Oreg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Dan Shahar, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United States

Senior Scientists

Ehud Altman, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Avishay Gal-Yam, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel Shahal Ilani, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Condensed Matter Physics 225 Senior Staff Scientists

Hadas Shtrikman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Vladimir Y. Umansky, Ph.D., Academy of Science of the USSR, Leningrad, Russian Federation

Associate Staff Scientist

Yuri Myasoedov, Ph.D., Franko Lvov State University, Ukraine

Junior Staff Scientist

Gabor Kupi, Ph.D., Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary

Engineers

Michael Fourmansky, B.A., Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel Diana Mahalu, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Olga Raslin, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Michael Shneiderman, M.Sc., University of Tashkent, Russian Federation (deceased October 2008) Nahum Stern, M.Sc., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Amnon Aharony, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Ora Entin, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yigal Gat, Ma'aynei Ha'Yeshua Hospital, Bnei Brak, Israel Yehoshua Levinson (deceased July 2008) Yigal Meir, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (left June 2008) Shay Zucker, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Alexey G. Aksenov, Moscow Inst. of Phys. & Tech., Russia Yunchul Chung, Nat. University , Pusan, Korea Stephanie Curnoe, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John, Canada Yadin Y. Goldschmidt, University of Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A. Altuntas Halit, University of Gazi, Ankara, Turkey Martin Huber, University of Colorado at Denver, U.S.A. Gabor Kupi, University of Heidelberg, Germany Andzej Lucun, Semiconductor Physics Institute, Vilnius, Lithuania Samuel Moukouri, University of Michigan, U.S.A. Jean Louis Pichard, CEA Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France 226 Condensed Matter Physics Nikoly Pilyugin, Moscow State University , Russia Benjamin Sacepe, CEA, Paris, France Anatoly Shabad, Russian Acad. of Sci., Moscow, Russia Petr Silvestrov, University of Ruhr, bochum, Germany Algirdas Suziedelis, Semiconductor Physics Institute, Vilnius, Lithuania Felix Von Oppen, Free Univ., Berlin, Germany Xiang Yu Wang, University of Nanjing, PR China

Postdoctoral Fellows

Muhammad Akashi, Ph.D., Technion, Israel Aveek Bid, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science Gabriele Campagnano, TU Delft Tali Dadosh, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Eytan Grosfeld, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Sebastian David Huber, ETH Zurich Pradip Khatua, IIT Kanpur Andrey Kretinin, Ph.D., University of Exeter Gabor Kupi, Ph.D., Eotvos Lorand University Budapest Zhuo Li, Ph.D., Nanjing University, China Izhar Neder, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Georg Schwiete, Ph.D., Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Ruhr-Uni Bochum Swati Sudhakar Soman, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Michael Stern, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Ariel Amir Nurit Avraham Hamutal Bary-Soroker Haim Beidenkopf Kfir Blum Michal Bregman Ran Budnik Assaf Carmi Tali Dadosh Emanuele Dalla Torre Merav Dolev Amit Finkler Valery Garmider Eran Ginossar Sarah Goldberg Lilach Goren Eran Grinvald Eytan Grosfeld Avraham Guttman Tal Hazak-Verdene Roni Ilan Boaz Katz Doron Kushnir Dganit Meidan Karen Michaeli Nissim Ofek Maoz Ovadia Hagai Perets Itay Rabinak Zohar Ringel Yehonathan Segev Vadim Shpitalnik Michael Stern Emil Weisz Oded Zilberberg Condensed Matter Physics 227 Administrator

Tomer Hansen 228 Particle Physics

Particle Physics

Itzhak Tserruya, Head The Samuel Sebba Chair of Pure and Applied Physics

The Department of Particle Physics is composed of several groups which have inter-related research directions.

In Experimental Physics, we have groups in Heavy Ions, High Energy Physics, Molecular Physics, Nuclear Physics, Plasma Physics and Radiation Detection. In Theoretical Physics, we have activities in Field Theory, Many Body Theory, Particle Physics and Quantum Mechanics.

The Department has a total of 14 tenured faculty members, 8 experimentalists and 6 theorists. We also have 1 professor on extension of service and 12 professor emeriti.

Experimental Physics

Heavy Ions: the PHENIX and CERES Experiments

Led by Itzhak Tserruya, the group includes also Zeev Fraenkel and Ilia Ravinovich. The main activity of the group is focused on the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. RHIC is dedicated to the study of QCD and in particular

high density QCD via heavy-ion collisions at energies up to √sNN= 200 GeV. PHENIX was designed to measure all potential signatures of the phase transition leading to deconfinement and chiral symmetry restoration expected to take place in these collisions. As part of its contribution to the PHENIX detector, the group is responsible for the innermost set of pad chambers, called PC1, that are essential elements of the charged particle tracking system. The group is particularly interested on the measurement of low-mass vector mesons, via their decay into electron-positron pairs, which are sensitive probes of chiral symmetry restoration. The group has recently developed a novel Hadron Blind Detector (HBD) as an upgrade of the PHENIX detector for the measurement of low-mass electron pairs at RHIC. After a comprehensive R&D phase, the HBD has been constructed and installed in the PHENIX set-up for an engeneering run in 2007. Particle Physics 229 The CERES/NA45 (Cherenkov Ring Electron Spectrometer) experiment is devoted to studying the production of low-mass electron-positron pairs in heavy-ion collisions at the CERN SPS. The analysis of data taken with an upgraded spectrometer in order to elucidate the intriguing excess of low-mass pairs previously observed by CERES in central Pb-Au collisions, has been completed.

High Energy Physics: ATLAS, OPAL, ZEUS

The group which includes Giora Mikenberg, Ehud Duchovni, Eilam Gross and Daniel Lellouch, is mainly involved now in the preparations for the ATLAS experiment that will start collecting data in 2008 at the LHC, situated at CERN Geneva. The hardware contribution of the group to the experiment includes a major part of the forward muon trigger system based on the TGC technology which was developed at Weizmann. The analysis topics in which the group is engaged are mainly the search for a light Higgs boson and searches for physics beyond the Standard model: supersymmetric particles and black holes in particular. The group participated in the OPAL experiment at the LEP collider and is still analyzing some of the data.

The group led by Uri Karshon and including also Yehuda Eisenberg, participates in the ZEUS experiment run at the HERA accelerator which provides e-p collisions at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. The group is specifically involved in the analysis of the production of heavy quarks (charm and beauty), the measurement of the gluon density in the proton and the study of the photon structure, in particular its charm content.

Molecular Ion Quantum Dynamics

Led by Daniel Zajfman, the group works in the field of molecular astrophysics, ion trapping, cluster physics, nanosecond and femtosecond laser and electron induced processes. Experiments are being carried out both at the ion trap laboratory at the Weizmann Institute, and at the Test Storage Ring, located at the Max-Planck Institut, Heidelberg, Germany. The experiments study the internal dynamics of few body quantum systems.

Nuclear Physics

Led by Michael Hass, the group also includes Gvirol Goldring. Measurements are carried out in two major areas: a) Nuclear Structure and electromagnetic moments in nuclei with extreme values of isospin as exist far from the valley of stability. At the REX-ISOLDE (CERN), GANIL (France) and GSI (Germany) centers the group uses various production means to reach such exotic nuclei and measure the electromagnetic moments of ground states and isomeric states. b) Nuclear-astrophysics experiments such as measurement at 230 Particle Physics the 3 MV VDG accelerator of the 7 Be(p,γ)8B and 3He(4He,γ)7Be cross sections that are essential for understanding the issues of solar-neutrino oscillations and mass and are connected to Big-Bang Nuclear-Synthesis. The group is also involved in measurements of nuclear reactions devoted to the understanding of explosive nucleo-synthesis scenarios that occur in, e.g., x-ray bursts and supervovae

A new developing activity is the initiative to work with radioactive beams in Israel. Such nuclear structure and astrophysics measurements may become possible in the near future with the commencement of construction of the high-current, 40 MeV deuteron accelerator, SARAF, at Soreq. The possibilities with the SARAF are strongly coupled to planned activities at the next-generation, SPIRAL-II facility at GANIL(France),to utilize light radioactive like 14O, 15O, 18Ne and 6He for basic research in nuclear astrophysics of explosive phenomena (see above) and neutrino physics . This part is in collaboration with Dr.Dan Berkovits (Soreq Nuclear Research Centre).

Plasma Physics

Led by Yitzhak Maron, the Plasma Laboratory investigates nonequilibrium plasmas under high energy-density and their interaction with strong, pulsed electric and magnetic fields. The investigations include time-dependent, 3D spatially-resolved measurements of fundamental plasma properties, ion dynamics, and the generated electric and magnetic fields in plasmas under high current densities. The research is particularly based on the development of novel spectroscopic methods of high spectral, temporal, and spatial resolutions that span over the visible-UV, VUV, and X-ray bands, combined with detailed atomic physics modeling and magnetohydrodynamic computations. The theoretical calculations allow for modeling the effects of plasma density, radiation transport, and oscillating fields on the atomic level populations and spectral line shapes in dense plasmas. Applications are pursued in the fields of inertial confinement fusion, Z-pinch physics, laser-produced plasmas, high-current switching, X-ray sources, and space physics, with implications to X-ray lasers, X-ray lithography, and high-resolution X-ray photography.

Radiation Detection

The work led by Amos Breskin and including Rachel Chechik, Sergei Shchemelinin and Sana Shilstein, involves study of radiation interactions with gas and solid matter and the development of novel methods to exploit the resulting secondary charges for radiation detection. This permits conceiving fast and accurate advanced radiation imaging detectors equipped with novel Particle Physics 231 electron multipliers and efficient radiation converters, such as photocathodes for ultraviolet and visible light, and X-ray and neutron converters. The research program includes both experimental investigations and theoretical modeling. An important activity is the development of modern detection concepts for nuclear, particle and astroparticle physics, synchrotron radiation, material science, medicine and radio-biology. New methods are investigated for early detection of prostate cancer, positron emission tomography (PET) and for quantifying radiation damage to DNA.

Theoretical Physics

Field Theory

The work of Ofer Aharony involves field theories, string theories, and the recently discovered relations between them along the lines of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Particular interest is in the study of string theory duals for non-conformal field theories like QCD, in understanding non-gravitational non-local field theories (such as "little string theories") and in finding a general non-perturbative definition for string theory / M theory.

The work of Micha Berkooz includes String Theories, Gravity, Field Theories, and their interplay. 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 phase transitions, strongly coupled string theories, string theories without gravity, black holes, the quantum behavior at singularities of spacetime, and the cosmological constant. Another interest is in phenomenological aspects of String theory in particular in the astro-particle context.

The work of Doron Gepner is centered around two subjects: 1) Solving the quantum field theory associated with manifolds of exceptional holonomy: minimal models associated with the so called Shatashvili-Vafa algebra are investigated and smooth non-orbifold constructions are realized in analogy with the Gepner construction. 2) Realizing pseudo conformal field theories: these have the same fusion rules as known affine or bosonic theories, but different modular matrix. All pseudo bosonic theories and also some of the pseudo affine theories can be 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. In a recent work, with John Ellis,the spectrum of exotic baryons in two-dimensional QCD is discussed together with various other properties. Two-dimensional QCD provides overall support to the chiral-soliton picture for the structure of normal and exotic baryons in four dimensions. 232 Particle Physics

Nuclear Theory

Michael Kirson works on the theory of the structure of atomic nuclei. Recent work has concentrated on the systematics of nuclear masses and spectra, with particular reference to semi-empirical mass formulas and to random two-body interactions.

Particle Physics

Led by Yossi Nir, subjects include flavor at the LHC; phenomenology and flavor issues in supersymmetric theories; particle cosmology, especially leptogenesis; CP violation, especially in B decays.

Quantum Mechanics

The work of Shmuel Gurvitz includes multi-dimensional tunneling; quantum measurement and decoherence; Zeno effect; quantum transport in mesoscopic systems; deep inelastic scattering in nuclei, especially near the N = Z line and in connection with even-even ground state systematics.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/particle/ Particle Physics 233 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Ofer Aharony, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Amos Breskin, Dr. Ing., University of Grenoble, France The Walter P. Reuther Professor of Research in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy Shmuel Gurvitz, Ph.D., Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, Russian Federation Haim Harari, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Institute Professor The Annenberg Professor of High Energy Physics Michael Hass, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Murray B. Koffler Professor Yitzhak Maron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Stephen and Mary Meadow Professor of Laser Photochemistry Giora Mikenberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Lady Davis Professor of Experimental Physics Yosef Nir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Amos de Shalit Professor of Theoretical Physics Itzhak Tserruya, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Samuel Sebba Professor of Pure and Applied Physics Daniel Zajfman, D.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Simon Weinstock Professor of Astrophysics

Professors Emeriti

Abraham E. Blaugrund, Ph.D., State University of Utrecht Yehuda Eisenberg, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United States Zeev Fraenkel, Ph.D., Columbia University, New York, United States (deceased February 2008) Yitzhak Frishman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Gvirol Goldring, Ph.D., University of London, London, United Kingdom Uri Karshon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Michael W. Kirson, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United States Moshe Kugler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Harry J. Lipkin, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United States Avraham S. Rinat, Ph.D., University of Amsterdam Igal Talmi, Dr. Sc. Nat., E.T.H., Zurich, Switzerland Zeev Vager, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Zeev Zinamon, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel 234 Particle Physics Associate Professors

Micha Berkooz, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Piscataway, United States Ehud Duchovni, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Doron Gepner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Eilam Gross, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Alexander Milov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Gilad Perez, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Staff Scientists

Vladimir Fisher, Ph.D., Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Moscow, Russian Federation Daniel Lellouch, Ph.D., University of Paris VI, Paris, France Ilia Ravinovich, Ph.D., Yerevan Physics Institute, Armenia

Associate Staff Scientists

Vladimir Bernshtam, Ph.D., Donetsk State University, Donetsk, Ukraine Eyal Kroupp, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Vladimir Smakhtin, Ph.D., Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation Alexander Starobinets, Ph.D., The Institute of High Current Electronics, Russian Federation

Junior Staff Scientist

Daniel Strasser, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contracts

Rebehan Maria Darcy, Ph.D., National University of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland (left January 2008) Jun Miyamoto, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Leonid Weingarten, Ph.D., ivanovo State Universtiy, Ivanovo, Russian Federation

Senior Intern

Amit Klier, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Particle Physics 235 Engineer

Donald Hochman, Ph.D., SUNY, Stony Brook, United States

Consultants

Ron Arad, Center for Nuclear Research, Nahal Soreq, Yavne, Israel Yosef Babichenko, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Rachel Chechik Roman Dovgard Shmuel Elitzur, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Amnon Fisher, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Amnon Fruchtman, Center for Technology Education, Holon, Israel Amit Giveon, The Hebrew University of Jerusaelm, Jerusalem Gvirol Goldring Marek Karliner, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Edmond Klodzh, IDF Barak Kol, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Yakov Krasik, Technion - Israel Institute of technology, Haifa, Israel (left January 2008) Yuri Krichevets, Micro Component ltd., Migdal HaEmek, Israel Harry J. Lipkin Eran Nardi, Nahal Soreq, Yavne, Israel Nisan Itzhaki, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yaron Oz, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Avraham S. Rinat David Salzmann Sariel Shalev, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel Sergei Shchemelinin Jacob Sonnenschein, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Igal Talmi David Vartsky, Soreq NRC, Yavne, Israel Rafael Yaari Rafael Yaari

Visiting Scientists

Michel Fabre, University of Paris XI- Orsay, France Alexander Kozlov, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Vladimir Peskov, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden Daniel Robles Llana, University of Utrecht, Nederland Dirk Schwalm, Max Planck Inst., Heildelberg, Germany Prashant Shukla, Homi Bhabha Nat. Inst., Mumbai, India Pekka K. Sinervo, University of Toronto, Canada 236 Particle Physics Postdoctoral Fellows

Henrik Buhr, Ph.D., Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Kuljeet Singh Chakkal, Ph.D., Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chd. Cedric A. A. Delaunay, University of Paris XI and SPhT CEA-Saclay Zeev Fradkin, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Masanori Hanada, Ph.D., Department of Physics, Kyoto University Tamar Kashti, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Amit Klier, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Vivek Kumar, Ph.D., Department of Physics, Panjab University, India Seung Joon Lee, Cornell University Lorenzo Mannelli, Ph.D., University of California Santa Cruz Dmitry Osin, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Daniel Robles Llana, Ph.D., Stony Brook University Michele Rosin, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison Severino Tessarin, Ph.D., Trinity College Dublin

Research Students

Raz Alon Dror Alumot Yaron Emanuel Antebi Ofer Aviv Leon Berdichevsky Marco Cortesi Adi Diner Guy Engelhard Matan Field Ofir Gabizon Oram Gedalia Tsviki Hirsh Yonit Hochberg Tamar Kashti Zohar Komargodski Uri Lev Alexey Lyashenko Arie Melamed-Katz Dmitry Milstein Maxim Naglis Dmitry Osin Dori Reichmann Boaz Rubinstein Deepali Sharma Ohad Silbert Yoni Toker Ofer Vitells Administrator

Kobi Ben-Shmuel Physics of Complex Systems 237

Physics of Complex Systems

Gregory Falkovich, Head

Elisha Moses is an experimentalist studying Neuro-Physics: We are interested in experimental investigation of physical aspects in the brain. At present we are pursing three main directions. Information flow. We construct living linear neural networks under our microscope that allow us to follow precisely the propagation of information along a biological Shannon-like information channel. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional hippocampal cultures are studied using both optical and electric detection. Using a novel application of percolation theory, we obtain quantitative biological information about the connectivity of the living neural network. Interaction of neurons with electromagnetism. We stimulate neurons using a non-invasive method, both in human brains and in cultured dishes, by applying a strong and short magnetic pulse. Applications to synchrony in the brain and the study of aspects of Schizophrenia offer a fascinating perspective.

Joel Stavans' group is currently engaged in studies of the interaction of proteins and DNA using single-molecule techniques, and the behavior of genetic networks in bacterial cells. Research on protein-DNA interactions is currently focused on the properties of homologous recombination. These studies are conducted using a variety of fluorescence techniques including fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) at the ensemble and single-pair level. The group is also characterizing and modelling the properties of the dynamical response of small genetic networks in bacterial cells, 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) small RNA-controlled networks.

Victor Steinberg's group is studying dynamics of various single flexible micro-objects and hydrodynamics of their solutions and suspensions. This year the following projects were under investigation: (i) Properties of elastic turbulence and mixing in polymer solutions for polymer concentrations from dilute till concentrated regimes; (ii) Single polymer dynamics and conformations in elastic turbulence and molecular stress sensor; (iii) Convective turbulence in SF6 near its gas-liquid critical point; (iv) Turbulent drag reduction in swirling flow due to addition of polymers; (v) Dynamics of a vesicle in shear, mixed and elongation flows (vi)Hydrodynamics and rheology 238 Physics of Complex Systems of vesicle suspension; (vii) Development of technology of uniform size vesicles production.

Eytan Domany's research turned in the last years towards problems in Biology and Bioinformatics, with emphasis on development and application of methods for the visualization and analysis of data from high thoughput experiments. Computers play a central role in nearly all aspects of the group's work. Clustering, sorting and a variety of other statistical methods are used to study biological data - in particular, expression profiles obtained from DNA microarrays. We collaborate with several Weizmann research groups from the Life Sciences, as well as with laboratories at other Israeli institutions and hospitals, and also with groups from the US, Switzerland, France, Italy and Singapore on analysis of their gene expression data. Our main focus is on cancer, but we are open to other problem areas as well. Our activities range from rigorous mathematical work, through searching for binding sites of transcription factors, development of novel tools and their algorithmic implementation, to their application to analyze data obtained by our collaborating labs. A certain level of activity in Statistical Mechanics is maintained; for example, the structure of the low temperature phase of short-range spin glasses and properties of Hidden Markov processes are among the topics studied.

Gregory Falkovich studies systems far from equilibrium, in particular, turbulence. His main interest on a fundamental side is in symmetries. He studies anomalies i.e. breakdown of symmetries that do not disappear when symmetry-breaking factor goes to zero. With collaborators in France and Italy, he discovered new emerging symmetries like conformal invariance in inverse turbulent cascades and now tries to incorporate this in turbulence theory. He also studies spectral condensates that appear in inverse cascades and condensate-turbulence interaction. On a practical side he is working on the quantitative theory of rain initiation in turbulent warm clouds and on the way large-scale coherent flows (condensates) affect turbulence.

David Mukamel's group is active in the general area of statistical physics. In particular extensive studies of collective phenomena far from thermal equilibrium have been carried out. Models corresponding to phase separation, wetting and roughening transitions, and coarsening processes have been introduced and studied. Equilibrium collective phenomena are also investigated in various contexts. The denaturation and unzipping phase transitions of DNA molecules have been analyzed. Peculiar phenomena which are characteristic of systems with long 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 Physics of Complex Systems 239 formulae. The morphology of nodal lines of billiards wave functions and the number of nodal domains are investigated, with two aims: To establish a criterion of quantum chaos, and to determine the extent by which knowledge of the nodal set determines the billiard shape. We have still some interest in the following subjects: Conditions for hyperbolicity for billiards on surfaces with constant curvatures. Quantization of billiards in homogeneous magnetic fields, and the density of exterior 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 which spontaneous emission of photons is suppressed. Such traps provide long atomic coherence times and hence enable extremely accurate spectroscopic and dynamical measurements, including observation of chaotic motion of ultra-cold atoms in optical "billiards". They are also conducting experiments in a Bose-Einstein condensate including measurements of its zero-temperature excitation spectra its ground state properties and its coherence.

Asher A. Friesem and his group are conducting basic investigations on non-conventional elements based on diffractive and planar optics, on the resonance behavior of grating-waveguide structures, on the performance of special phase elements inside laser cavities, and on new optical architectures for a variety of applications. These investigations are leading to new laser configurations, highly advanced optical arrangements for displays, high-speed electro-optic devices and special biological and chemical sensors.

Yaron Silberberg and his group are studying ultrafast and nonlinear optics. Using femtosecond optical pulses, they study how the shape of these pulses affects the interaction between the light and atoms or molecules. In particular, the group investigates how shaped pulses can be used in nonlinear laser spectroscopy. Shaping also affect nonclassical sources of light, and shaping of single photon sources has been demonstrated. In another effort, the group investigates nonlinear microscopy - using femtosecond pulses in biological microscopy. The group has developed a new type of microscope based on third-harmonic generation and it tests it on various types of biological specimens. Finally, the group also works on soliton physics, and continues its studies of discrete solitons in waveguide arrays.

Adam Schwimmer continued to study various aspects of Quantum Field Theory and String theory and their interrelation. In particular the group studied the relation between Conformal Field Theories appearing on the boundary of AdS type space-times and the String Theory description in the bulk. The role played by the stringy Solitons ("D-branes") in holographic theories was elucidated. 240 Physics of Complex Systems

Tsvi Tlusty and his group deal with modeling living information systems, their molecular components and the way they evolve. A central question in this field is the impact of the inherent molecular recognition noise on the design of information channels. We examine this question in the contexts of the genetic code and the transcription regulatory network (with Uri Alon). A specific example that is currently considered is the circuitry that controls the p53 tumor-suppressor (with Tzachi Pilpel). On a more microscopic scale, we examine the actual physical forces that act during molecular recognition and suggest that the structure of certain bio-recognizers has evolved to optimize the quality of detection. The suggested design principles are considered as possible engines that could drive the evolution of biological information systems. Other research activities include modeling 2D neural networks in terms of percolating random graphs (with Elisha Moses) and the theory of particle-laden microfluidic flow (with Roy Bar-Ziv).

Dan Oron and his group are studying nonlinear dynamics in nanocrystals using ultrafast time-resolved techniques as well as quasi-continuous-wave energy- and frequency- resolved methods. Much of the research effort is aimed towards utilizing the unique resonant properties of semiconducting and metallic nanoparticles towards applications as nonbleaching contrast agents in bioimaging. The group also studies the fundamental aspects of exciton-exciton interactions in multicomponent semiconductor quantum dots and in doped quantum dots. In this context, possible applications in optical gain devices and in photovoltaics are explored.

Roee Ozeri's group uses laser cooled and trapped ions for quantum information, quantum optics and quantum metrology experimental studies. In particular we focus on the quantum information aspects of ion-photon interactions. The coupling of an ion-qubit to the elecro-magnetic vacuum through spontaneous photon scattering is studied as a generic model for quantum noise. The decoherence induced as well as active methods to correct for it through quantum feedback are explored.

Nirit Dudovich's group studies basic phenomena in strong field light-matter interactions. In particular, the group focuses on the generation and measurement of attoseconds pulses (1 attosecond is 10-18 seconds). The advent of time resolved measurements with attosecond resolution opens new fields in which the observation of fast electronic dynamics can be attained. The group develops new approaches to observe highly nonlinear interactions and to manipulate their evolution in time and space.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/complex/ Physics of Complex Systems 241 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Nir Davidson, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Peter and Carola Kleeman Professor of Optical Sciences Eytan Domany, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, United States The Henry J. Leir Professorial Professor Gregory Falkovich, Ph.D., Novosibirsk State University Elisha Moses, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel David Mukamel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Harold J. and Marion F. Green Professor Yaron Silberberg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Harry Weinrebe Professor of Laser Physics Uzy Smilansky, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (on extension of service) The Wolfgang Gentner Professor of Nuclear Physics Joel Stavans, Ph.D., University of Chicago, United States Victor Steinberg, Ph.D., Laboratory of Critical Phenomena, Moscow, Russian Federation (on extension of service) The Harry de Jur Professor of Applied Physics

Professors Emeriti

Asher Friesem, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Adam Schwimmer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Nirit Dudovich, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Dan Oron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Roee Ozeri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Tsvi Tlusty, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Center for Complexity Science Fellowship

Engineers

Rostyslav Baron, Ph.D., Institute of Low Temperatures, Kharkov's, Russian Federation Yuri Burnishev, Ph.D., Ural Branch of the USSR Academy of Science, Russian Federation 242 Physics of Complex Systems Consultants

Rakos Attila (left April 2008) Ittai Fattal, Belinson Hospital, Petach-Tikva, Israel Itzhak Fouxon, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Asher Friesem Michael Golub, ExPlay Ltd., Herzliya, Israel (left April 2008) Nissan Itzhaki, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yariv Kafri, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Ido Kanter, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Nava Levit Binnun, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya Eliezer Rabinovici, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Shahar Seifer, Independent Noam Shental, The Open University, Raanana, Israel Shmuel Starobinets Shimon Yankielowicz, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Norman Zabusky, Rutgers University, NJ., USA Or Zuk, MIT, Harvard, USA

Visiting Scientists

Michael Aizenman, Princeton University , NJ, U.S.A. Abraham Beltzer, Holon Inst. of Technology, Israel David Biron, University of Chicago, Il, U.S.A. Raphael Chetrite, Ecole Normale Superiuer de Lyon, France Julien Deschamps, University of Marseille Provence, France Jean-Pierre Eckmann, University of Geneva, Switzerland Vasiliy Kadtsler, University of California at San Diego, CA, U.S.A. Vasiliy Kantsler, University of California at San Diego, CA, U.S.A. David Kutasov, University of Chicago, Il, U.S.A. P.K. Mohanty, Tata Inst. of Fund. Rese. Mumbai, India Roberto Morandotti, University of Quebec, Varennes, Canada Gunter Schutz, HLRZ, Julich, Germany Ilan Sharon, Hebrew University , Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel Jordi Soriano-Fradera, University of Postdam, Germany Norman Zabusky, Rutgers University , NJ, U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

David Ben-Shlomo, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Dipankar Bhattacharyya, University of Calcutta Barry Dov Bruner, Ph.D., University of Toronto Choeng Ryul Choi, Kyunghee University Julien Samuel Kevin Deschamps, Ph.D., IRPHE Adi Diner, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Physics of Complex Systems 243 David Jacques Gachet, Ph.D., Fresnel Institute, Aix-Marseille III university Nicolas Alexandre Be Galle, University of LILLE 1 Leore Grosman, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Shamik Gupta, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Yair Horesh, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Shimshon Jacobi, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yonggun Jun, University of Pittsburgh Vasiliy Kantsler, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Nava Levit-Binnun, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yonggang Liu, Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Sciences Madhavan Unni Perincherry Kulappar, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Science Vaibhav Shridhar Prabhudesai, Ph.D., Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Maria Rodriguez Martinez, Ph.D., Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris Assaf Rotem, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Tal Shay, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yair Shokef, Technion, Israel Sanjiv Kumar Tiwari, Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur India

Research Students

Itai Afek Nitzan Akerman Amnon Amir Amit Aronovitch Assaf Avidan Ram Band Nir Bar-Gill Yaron Bromberg Zvicka Deutsch Yotam Drier Vardit Eckhouse Yehonatan Elon Moti Fridman Hilah Gal Yinnon Glickman Tzahi Itzhak Grunzweig Shimshon Jacobi Vasiliy Kantsler Tsvi Katchalski Ori Katz Shlomi Kotler Yoav Lahini Adam Lampert Adina Lederhendler Adam Mani Adi Natan Shiri Nitzan- Meshner Idan Oren Rami Pugatch Oren Raz Assaf Rotem Eitan E. Rowen Yoav Sagi Yonatan Savir Dror Shafir Tal Shay Michal Sheffer Haim Suchowski Marija Vucelja Amit Zeisel Administrator

Israel Gonen 244 Physics Services

Physics Services

Amos Breskin, Head The Walter P. Reuther Professor of Research in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy

The Physics Services, comprising of five different units, offers advanced services in particle accelerators, electronics, data acquisition, vacuum and cryogenics, thin films and mechanical workshop. These units provide services to the scientific groups throughout the institute as well as 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 instruments Real-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

Professor

Amos Breskin11, Dr. Ing., University of Grenoble, France The Walter P. Reuther Professor of Research in the Peaceful Uses of Physics Services 245 Atomic Energy

Senior Staff Scientists

Oded Heber, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Lorne Levinson, Ph.D., Brown University, Providence, United States Michael Rappaport, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States

Assistant Staff Scientist

Enrico Segre, Ph.D., University of Turin, Turin, Italy

Engineer

Alexander Roich, M.Sc., Technological Institute for Electricity and Communication, Tashkent

Administrator

Kobi Ben-Shmuel

1Department of Particle Physics 246 The Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics

The Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics

Eli Waxman, Director

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics promotes research in theoretical and experimental astrophysics, cosmology, and related topics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In addition, it supports collaborations with academic institutions in Israel and abroad, and the training of young researchers studying for MSc and PhD degrees, and postdoctoral fellows.

For more information, check the center's web-page: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/astrophysics/ The Center for Experimental Physics 247

The Center for Experimental Physics

Yaron Silberberg, Director (until 14 May 2008)

The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser Physics

Yosef Nir, Director (from 15 May 2008)

The Amos de Shalit Professor of Theoretical Physics

The Center for Experimental Physics was established in 2002. The main emphasis of the Center is to foster high-level research in all areas of experimental physics. The Center supports experimental efforts through human-contact activities, such as hosting experimental physicists visiting from abroad and post-doctoral trainees working with different experimental groups in the Institute. The Center also supports, partially or fully, small topical meetings and workshops. It also supplies partial help for the purchase and maintenance of special experimental equipment.

The research in Experimental Physics at the Weizmann Institute ranges from the most basic aspects of particle physics, usually carried in major facilities abroad, through experimental studies, at the Faculty laboratories, of basic material properties such as semiconductors and superconductors; of atomic, molecular, plasma and optical physics, to interdisciplinary studies of the physics of biological systems. 248 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics

The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics

Giora Mikenberg, Director The Lady Davis Chair of Experimental Physics

Although the universe in which we live looks very complex, with a large variety of different molecules and forces that binds them together, it is commonly assumed that shortly after the moment of creation the universe was a much simpler place. In particular, it is believed that only a single (unified) force existed. During the expansion of the universe its temperature dropped 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 viable models of the unification concept were suggested about 25 years ago and were experimentally confirmed some 15 years ago. A major consolidation of this concept was later done at LEP, the Large Electron Positron accelerator situated at CERN. Virtually all of the present knowledge about the fundamental particles and their interaction is included in a model named 'Standard Model'. In spite of its spectacular success and its incredible predictive power, the Standard Model cannot be the ultimate theory of particles and their interactions. Few fundamental measurements are still to be done and few crucial questions are still to be answered. The following projects that are supported by the Benoziyo center, address some of the more fundamental aspects of the Standard Model.

The ATLAS Project at the LHC Accelerator

The ATLAS group concluded, during the last year, a successful installation of its 3600-detectors Thin-Gap Chamber (TGC) system. The system was fully operational and collected LHC induced beam events, as well as a large amount of cosmic radiation.

The team is also involved in R&D work required for the adaptation of the TGC to the harsh environment of the future Super-LHC (SLHC). At the SLHC the Israeli system will perform two tasks: Triggering on muonic events; and tracking muons which emerged from the interaction point with small angle with respect to the beam direction.

The group has also constructed part of the readout system of the TGC complex. The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics 249 The hardware was commissioned together with the chambers.

In order to carry out the physics analysis millions of events need to be simulated. The complexity of the ATLAS detector coupled with the high beam energy of the LHC will result in complex events whose simulation require more than 30 minutes per event. The large amount of computing power required can be obtained by large number of closely linked computers within a system called GRID. The Weizmann group has spearheaded the GRID activity in Israel.

Contemporary basic physics is confronting three major issues:

♦ The origin of mass (or the search for the Higgs boson) ♦ The amazing weakness of gravitation (or completing Einstein's dream of unifying all the forces in nature) ♦ The source of CP violation (or why the universe contains only matter and no anti-matter) The Weizmann team is focusing on the first two issues. One part of the group (which now has eight students, a postdoc, three technicians, two programmers and six faculty members) is working on various aspects of Higgs boson searches. In particular, the group is very active in preparing the statistical tools that will be used for the interpretation of the results. It focuses on the Supersymmetric case in which five Higgs bosons are expected and searches for the charged and lightest Higgs particles through their decay into tau-lepton(s).

The other part of the team focuses on the most popular model that goes well beyond our present knowledge. This model, known as Supersymmetry (SUSY), assumes that each of the known particles has a partner with different spin-statistics. The SUSY partners escape detection, but are expected to be indirectly detected at LHC due to their high mass. Supersymmetry is the first step for the long sought unification of forces. If found, it will solve some major problems in our present models, and will take us a long step toward unification. In particular the group is focusing on inclusive searches, on high jet multiplicity events and, as a first step, on better understanding of jet-energy calibration and resolution and on better identification of high pT b-quark jets.

The Physics of Heavy Ions: the PHENIX Experiment

The main activity of the Heavy Ion group at the Weizmann Institute is centered on the PHENIX Experiment at BNL. The PHENIX Experiment deals mainly with the study of a new state of matter called Quark-Gluon Plasma. This particular state characterizes the Universe a few microseconds after the Big-Bang. The Weizmann Heavy Ion Group is mainly involved in the detection of low mass electron-positron pairs which will follow very 250 The Nella and Leon Benoziyo Center for High Energy Physics interesting results obtained by the group in previous experiments. For this reason, and under the leadership of the Weizmann Group, a new "Hadron Blind Detector" has been developed. This detector has been installed in 2007, fully instrumented with new GEMs. The analysis of data collected in the 2007 run clearly demonstrated the ability of the HBD to reject the combinatorial background originating from pi-zero Dalitz decays and gamma conversions, in the measurement of low-mass electron pairs, by more than one order of magnitude. The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research 251

The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research

Mordehai Heiblum, Director The Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics

Research activities at the Center are concentrated on fabrication and investigation of small semiconductor structures. The energy spectrum, interactions, and dynamics of electrons in these structures are strongly affected by the reduced dimensions. The structures are grown by state-of-the-art molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), patterned using very high resolution electron beam writing system and processed using advanced techniques.

Research at the Center is conducted by staff and students of approximately 30 people, organized in three scientific groups (headed by Israel Bar-Joseph, Moty Heiblum, and Shahal Ilani). Major research activities are directed toward studying the transport properties of electrons and holes in a large parameter range: from DC to microwave frequencies, 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 toward studying 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 of the research at the Center is the development of new confining structures and the fabrication of very pure material.

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 interference of the electronic waves vanishes. For example, a biased Quantum Point Contact (QPC) in close proximity to an Aharonov-Bohm ring interferometer induces dephasing (destruction of interference) and is easily controlled by the QPC. Phase detection as well as current detection were exploited. Recently, an edge state, in the quantum Hall effect regime was employed as a 'which path' detector, leading to total dephasing of a two path interferometer. Moreover, by employing a simple cross-correlation measurement between the detector and the interferometer, the phase information was recovered. (Izhar Neder, Diana Mahalu, H. Shtrikman, Vladimir Umansky, and Moty Heiblum). 252 The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research Statistics and charge of Fractional Charges

The charge of the quasiparticles in the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) regime had been predicted to be a fraction of the electronic charge. Via shot noise measurements this charge was 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. More recently, a charge of e/4 was measured in filling factor 5/2. Its importance is that it is proposed to be of a non-abelian nature [Yunchul Chung (Post Doc), Merav Dolev, 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, was constructed. It is an electronic analog of the optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer. It has a high sensitivity and high visibility (~94%), and is going to be a useful tool to study coherent effects under extremely high magnetic fields. Unexpected behavior was observed with the interference pattern exhibiting strong lobe structure as function of injection energy (instead of a monotonic type behavior) The interferometer was used to dephase a coherent system and to recover the interference via 'post selection measurements. Moreover, a modified interferometer was employed to measure the interference between two indistinguishable electrons (Izhar Neder, Nissim Ofek, Diana Mahalu, Vladimir Umansky and Moty Heiblum).

Exciton Physics: we study the phase diagram of indirect excitons in coupled quantum wells, and show that the system undergoes a phase transition to unbound electron-hole plasma. This transition is manifested as an abrupt change in the photoluminescence linewidth and peak energy at some critical power density and temperature. By measuring the exciton diamagnetism, we show that the transition is associated with an abrupt increase in exciton radius (Michael Stern, Valery Garmider, Vladimir Umansky, Michael Rappaport and Israel Bar-Joseph).

Molecular electronics: We study electrical transport through nano-particles and molecules in dimeric structures, consisting of two metal nanoparticles connected by a small organic molecule. We measured the conductance of BPD molecules and found two types of behaviors. One in which is characterized by nearly periodic peaks, spaced by a few hundreds of mV, and another, which is characterized by a conductance features with a typical spacing of a few tens of mV. We developed a quantitative model of the dimer conductance, which takes into account the charging of the metal spheres, and treats the molecule either as a tunnel barrier, or as a metallic island. This model was found to The Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Center for Submicron Research 253 provide a good description of the conductance of the dimers, and is in agreement with the experimental results (Avi Gutman, Tali Dadosh, Joseph Sperling, Gilad Haran and Israel Bar-Joseph).

Nano-Plasmonics: We study surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of individual organic molecules embedded in dimers of two metal nanoparticles. The good control of the dimer preparation process, based on the usage of bifunctional molecules, enables us to study quantitatively the effect of the nanoparticle size on the SERS intensity and spectrum at the single molecule level. We find that as the nanoparticle size is increased the total Raman intensity increases and the lower energy Raman modes become dominant. We perform a full electromagnetic calculation of the Raman enhancement and show that this behavior can be understood in terms of the overlap between the plasmonic modes of the dimer structure and the Raman spectrum. As the nanoparticle size increases the plasmonic dipolar mode shifts to longer wavelength and thereby its overlap with the Raman spectrum changes. This suggests that the dimer structure can provide an external control of the emission properties of a single molecule (Tali Dadosh, Eyal Cohen-Hoshen, Joseph Sperling and Israel Bar-Joseph). http://www.weizmann.ac.il/smc/ 254 The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics

The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics

Eli Waxman, Director

The Albert Einstein MINERVA Center for Theoretical Physics was established in 1980 with the generous donation of an endowment fund from the Bundes Ministerium f?r Forschung und Technologie (BMFT) of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the joint committee for German Israeli Scientific Cooperation (Minerva). The main emphasis of the Center is to foster high level research in theoretical physics, while promoting cooperation among German and Israeli theorists. The Center supports human contact activities, such as theoretical physicists visiting from abroad and consultants working with different theory groups in the Institute. The Center also supports, partially or fully, small topical meetings and workshops. Naturally, most of the activity of the Center is related to research projects based at the Faculty of Physics, but considerable 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 an important role in almost all the research in theoretical physics at the Institute.

Visiting Theoretical Physicists

During 2008 we supported 55 visitors who came to the Institute to collaborate and to give lectures. The visitors came from Germany (12), United States (22), Italy (4), France (3), UK (3), The Netherlands (3), Russia (2), China (2), Austria (1), Canada (1), Sweden (1), and India(1).

The Advisors (Associate Membership) Program

The advisors are theoretical physicists, with appointments in other academic institutes in Israel, who come to the Weizmann Institute for up to 1 day per week for part or the whole of the academic year. They collaborate with scientists from the Weizmann Institute and give lectures here. Much joint work results.

In 2008, three advisors were in the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, nine in the Department of Particle Physics, and four in the Department of Complex Systems. The advisors for Condensed Matter Physics were Prof. The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics 255 Amnon Aharony, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Prof. Ora Entin-Wohlman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Prof. Yigal Meir, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The advisors for Particle Physics were Dr. Yosef Babichenko; Dr. Roman Dovgard; Prof. Amit Giveon, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Prof. Nissan Itzhaki, Tel Aviv University; Prof. Marek Karliner, Tel Aviv University; Prof. Barak Kol, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Yaron Oz, Tel Aviv University; Prof. Jacob Sonnenschein, Tel Aviv University, and Prof. Shmuel Elitzur, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The advisors for Complex Systems were Prof. Shimon Yankielowicz, Tel Aviv University, Dr. Yariv Kafri, Technion, Prof. Eliezer Rabinovici, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and Prof. Ido Kanter, Bar-Ilan University.

Center supported conferences (2008):

Turbulence and Mixing - Eilat, Israel, 03.11.2007 - 08.11.2008

"Dynamics & Spectra of Complex Systems" Mathematical & Physics Days at WIS - Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 16.12.2007 - 19.12.2007

Ultracold-Ultrafast Processes - Ein Gedi, Israel, 24.02.2008 - 29.02.2008

Winter Master Class on Enveloping Algebras and Related Topics - Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 20.01.2008 - 10.02.2008

Einstein Minerva Center Rapid School - Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 01.04.2008 - 04.04.2008

3rd Curie-Weizmann Symposium; Interfacing Physics and Biology - Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 07.09.2008 - 10.09.2008

Einstein Colloquia

In celebration of Einstein's Annum Mirabilis centennial, a special series of physics colloquia, the "Einstein Colloquia", was initiated and supported by the center. The colloquia were given by distinguished physicists, describing recent progress in research related to Einstein's great contributions of 1905.

Eberhard Bodenschatz (MPI, G?ttingen) "Lagrangian Properties of Fluid Turbulence"

Nathan Seiberg (IAS, Princeton) "Supersymmetry and its Breaking"

Helmut Rechenberg (MPI, Munich) "Fluctuations and Large Deviations in Non-Equilibrium Systems" 256 The Albert Einstein Minerva Center for Theoretical Physics Hans Mooij (Delft University of Technology) "Superconducting Flux Qubits as Macroscopic Quantum Objects"

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/physics/einstein_physics.html The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics 257

The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger Center for Nanophysics

Mordehai Heiblum, Director The Alex and Ida Sussman Professor of Submicron Electronics

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 to promote theoretical and experimental research in Nanophysics at WIS. This is done by funding student and postdoc fellowships, and by supporting physics students who travel to workshops and schools in this field. An important priority of the center is enhancing the collaboration between nano-physicists at WIS and their peers abroad. The center provides funds for visitors and for organizing workshops in this field. 258 The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems

The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems

Itamar Procaccia, Director The Barbara and Morris L. Levinson Chair of Chemical Physics

The Center was established jointly by the Technion and the Weizmann Institute. It maintains strong links with the Max Planck Institute for Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden. The Center supports the activities of three groups at the Weizmann Institute, in addition to a variety of exchanges, workshops, schools and seminars.

The main subjects covered by the Center in the last few years were:

Hydrodynamics, Turbulence and Pattern Formation-Theory

1. Turbulence. Our research in the last few years concentrated on understanding the universality of turbulence, with a focus on the "anomalous" exponents that characterize the scaling properties of correlation functions and structure functions. We had three major lines of progress, in each of which we have achieved significant results. First, anomalous scaling was related to the existence of "Statisticallly Preserved Structures", which remain invariant (on the average) on the background of the turbulent flow. Such invariant functions are responsible for the observed anomalous exponents that were mysterious for decades to turbulence researchers. Now we can identify them as eigenfunctions of eigenvalue 1 of appropriate operators. Second, we have presented a systematic and accurate approach to peeling off anisotoropic contributions from turbulent statistical objects. We showed how each isotropic sector exhibits its own set of anomalous exponents which are universal. This way we have settled long standing issues related 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 polymeric additives, and proposed a rather complete theory of this mysterious phenomenon. In particular we explained the universal "Maximum Drag Reduction" (MDR) asymptote, and offered explanation to the non-universal cross over back to Newtonian behavior. The theory provides an explanation to the common aspects and to the differences in drag reduction by flexible and rodlike polymers. The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems 259

2. Fractal Grourth. We considered Laplacian growth and Diffusion Limited Aggregates (DLA). By constructing conformal maps from the unit circle to the fractal patterns we obtained dynamical equations for the conformal maps, allowing us to solve for the interesting patterns that evolve in these systems. We understood completely Laplacian dynamics and developed a theory of DLA which is able to predict all the multifractal properties from first principles. In particular we have offered a convergent calculation of the fractal dimension of DLA, settling a long standing question whether it is fractal or not (it is).

In the last year we have developed the dynamics of conformal maps to problems of fracture of brittle materials. We have solved the quasi-static fracture problem and are making progress in dynamic fracture. We have offered novel methods to analyze the roughening of fractured interfaces, and begun to explore the physics of plasticity and its implications on fracture.

Hydrodynamics, Turbulence, and Pattern Formation-Experimental

During the past years the main progress has been made on the following projects: 1. Elastic turbulence and Batchelor regime of mixing in dilute polymer solutions. The central subject in the laboratory during this period was the investigation of various aspects of hydrodynamics of polymer solutions. Significant progress has been made in our understanding of the role of elastic stresses in hydrodynamics of polymer solutions. Statistics of global (torque and injected power) and local (velocity and velocity gradient fields) characteristics of the elastic turbulence in a flow of a polymer solution between two disks was experimentally investigated. Analogy with a small scale fast dynamo in magneto-hydrodynamics and with a passive scalar turbulent advection in the Batchelor regime was used to explain the experimentally observed statistical properties, flow structure, and scaling of the elastic turbulence. Dependence of properties of elastic turbulence on polymer concentration was studied in detail. Next step in this project was to study turbulent mixing of very viscous fluids by adding polymers. We studied mixing in curved channels of macroscopic size (3mm side size in cross-section) and in a micro channel of 100 micron side size cross-section. It turned out that these studies have besides obvious importance for application also rather important implications in our basic understanding of chaotic mixing. Indeed, it was demonstrated that mixing due to elastic turbulence is an ideal system to study the Batchelor regime of mixing. The latter is a rare example of the model of dynamics of a passive scalar in a turbulent flow, for which the 260 The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems analytical solution was obtained. Mixing due to elastic turbulence regime provided quantitative verification of theoretical predictions and further initiated theoretical activity to quantitatively understand the results. 2. Single polymer dynamics and conformations in a random flow. Single polymer dynamics and statistics of conformation were studied in shear and random flows. Coil-stretch transition in polymer conformation in a random flow was identified and characterized. Dependence of the coil-stretch transition on polymer concentration and molecular weight are studied, and also the degree of polymer stretching in a random flow on its closeness to a wall. New fluorescent labeling technique with quantum dots is developing in the lab in order to conduct experiments on a single polymer in various flows to measure end-to-end vector that is used in a theoretical model. Further experiments on synthetic polymer molecules are in progress. 3. Hydrodynamics of complex fluids in micro-channels. Dynamics of vesicles and rheology of vesicle solutions are realistic models for blood flow. Different regimes in dynamics of a single vesicle in shear flow that appears between two disks and in micro-channels were quantitatively studied. It was demonstrated that in tank-treading regime a vesicle dynamics in a wide range of vesicle deformations is described quantitatively well by the recently developed theoretical model. On the other hand, a transition from tank-treading to tumbling regime occurred rather differently from what expected. First, a new regime of vesicle trembling at lower shear rates was identified when both vesicle inclination angle and shape deformation were oscillated. Second, these shape deformations persisted also in the tumbling regime. Recently, hydrodynamics of concentrated solution of vesicles was studied by measurements of its global (pressure drop as a function of discharge in a micro-channel flow) and local (dynamics of a single vesicle) properties. Strong fluctuations in vesicle inclination angle due to vesicle interaction via flow (up to two orders of magnitude larger than thermal noise) were observed and studied specifically in a case of two vesicles interaction. Investigation of dynamics in other flows such as elongation and random flows is currently on the way. Finally, we are going to identify rheology of vesicle solution to compare it with empirical constitutive equations used for blood rheology. Similar research we are planning to perform for solution of worm-like micelles and any other fluids that show visco-elastic properties. 4. Further development of new acoustic detection technique of vorticity distribution in turbulent flows and its application for turbulent drag reduction. During the last several years we developed a new sound scattering technique for measurements of velocity and vorticity fields in a turbulent flow. We use this technique together with Laser Doppler and particle image velocimetry methods, hot-wire anemometry, precise The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems 261 measurement of torque, and pressure fluctuations to study turbulent drag reduction. The latter problem we study in von Karman swirling flow between two counter-rotating disks of water or water-sugar solutions with different concentration of PAAm 18M molecular weight. 5. Convective turbulence in SF6 near its gas-liquid critical point. Turbulent convection was studied in a gas SF6 near the gas-liquid critical point. This unique system provides us an opportunity to reach extremely large Raleigh numbers (up to 1015) and to study the Pr dependence over an extremely wide range (up to 500) in the same system. The existence of the critical fluctuations provided us the possibility to perform laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements of the velocity field in a rather wide range of the closeness to the critical point. Using this novel technique developed in our laboratory, we studied statistical properties of the velocity field in a wide range of Re and Pr numbers. Together with the local temperature and global heat transfer and temperature and velocity profile measurements it provided us complete information about convective turbulence. A surprising outcome of theses studies was a very weak influence of strong non-Boussinesq effect on global and local scaling properties of convective turbulence. Quantum Chaos - Theory

The main problem in "quantum chaos" is to reveal the quantum mechanical implications of classical chaos. Chaotic dynamics - a generic property in classical physics, leave universal fingerprints in quantum physics, which are unraveled by the on going research in "quantum Chaos". The results are relevant and applicable in Mesoscopics, Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear physics. As a matter of fact, "quantum chaos" appears in all problems where wave propagation is studied in the short wavelength limit. Thus, "quantum chaos" is also studied in acoustics, electromagnetic propagation, cavities etc. The observation which brought "quantum chaos" to the focal point of modern theoretical physics, was the intimate connection between the distributions and statistics of many quantum observables, and the underlying classical dynamics. More precisely, it was found that the predictions of random matrix theory, a minimum-information statistical approach, accurately reproduce the properties of simple quantum systems, as long as the underlying classical dynamics is chaotic. In this way, the ergodicity which is the hallmark of classical chaos is extended into the quantum domain. In our recent research we contributed to this effort along the following lines: 1. Quantum graphs. In the quest for the simplest quantum systems which display spectral fluctuations which are reproduce by random matrix theory, we proposed quantum graphs, for which an exact trace formula exists, and the "classical dynamics" was shown to be mixing. 262 The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems An extensive test of the spectra of simple graphs have shown an excellent reproduction of various statistical measures derived from random matrix theory. Moreover, the derivation of spectral correlation functions can be reduced to the solution of combinatorial problems. With this insight, the applicability of random matrix theory for graphs was theoretically established to better degree than hitherto achieved in any other system. Various other problems of interest, such as isospectrality (which relates to the question- "Can one hear the shape of a graph?"), quantum irreversibility (dephasing) and nodal structures of wave functions on graphs are also studied. Recently we introduced a method to construct graphs which are isospectral but are not congtuent.

2. 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 the underlying 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 nodal domains. We derived the universal features of this distribution for quantum integrable problems, and conjectured its behavior for chaotic ones.

3. Can one count the shape of a drum? We study the sequences obtained by counting the number of nodal domains of wave functions ordered by increasing energies. We have shown that these sequences of integers store geometric information on the shape of the boundary of the "drum". Moreover, we conjectured and verified the conjecture numerically that these sequences resolve isospectral ambiguities. Recently we proved the validity of the conjecture for a certain class of isospectral graphs. The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems 263 264 The Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Dean: Zvi Artstein The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics

Aryeh Dvoretzky, Ph.D. (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Institute Professor 266 Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Dean: Zvi Artstein The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics

The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science consists of two departments: the Department of Mathematics, and the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. The research is spread over many areas in mathematics, applied mathematics, and computer science.

There are no clear-cut lines separating the different areas, and many projects span more than one of them. The research itself ranges from abstract and very theoretical considerations within mathematics and computer science, through applying mathematics and computer science in other sciences, including Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and the Social Sciences. It is not easy to divide the faculty members into well identified research groups, as there is a large overlap in research interests and expertise, an overlap that in turn contributes to the strength of the Faculty. Thus, the best way to see what is done in the Faculty is to read the research summaries provided in our Faculty brochure for each of the departments and for each individual scientist.

The Faculty also hosts the The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, The John von Neumann Minerva Center for Development of Reactive Systems, The Prospective Institute for Biomatics and the Moross Laboratory for Vision Research and Robotics.

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/ Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 267

Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Uriel Feige, Head The Lawrence G. Horowitz Professor

Research in computer science encompasses theoretical studies on the foundations of computer science, experimental aspects of computer science, computer vision and robotics, machine learning and statistical data analysis, and the study 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 and development, logics of programs, combinatorics and number theory, combinatorial games, information retrieval, and numerical analysis. Experimental research includes the development of concurrent languages, visual languages, and programming environments. The study of vision, robotics, and motor control includes both theoretical and experimental components. We have expanded our activity at the interface of biology and computation by adding a program in bio-informatics, and studying computations by biological machinery and modeling and analysis of biological systems.

Research in applied mathematics includes two main themes. The first is the basic study of applied mathematics and the development of new mathematical tools of general applicability in science and engineering. The second theme is the use of mathematical techniques to elucidate phenomena of interest in the natural sciences, such as biology, medicine, and physics.

Complexity theory deals with classifying computational problems by the amount of computational resources they require; in particular, the number of processing steps and the memory required for their solution. In addition to studies aimed at providing absolute answers to questions of the above nature (e.g., lower bounds on the complexity of specific types of computational tasks), much study evolves around relating seemingly different computational phenomena (e.g., the PCP characterization of NP).

Algorithms: Research on algorithms includes the design of approximation algorithms for difficult (NP-hard) optimization problems, the design of heuristics for such problems, and the design of algorithms that work efficiently on large data sets. The analysis of these algorithms often involve the use of tools from mathematical areas such as probability theory and high dimensional 268 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics geometry.

Cryptography deals with methods for protecting the privacy, integrity, and functionality of computer and communication systems. The research activities on the area range from providing firm foundations to the construction of such methods to providing actual constructions for specific needs. Correspondingly, research in Cryptography ranges from very abstract (or theoretical) to very applied (or concrete). The full range of these activities is represented in our department.

Randomness is related to computation in various ways, and a central question is whether randomness is inherently useful in various computational settings. Research in this area evolves around finding new ways of using and manipulating randomness (e.g., extracting pure randomness from impure random sources) on the one hand, and finding ways to dispense of randomness on the other hand.

Program verification: Research on the automatic verification of computer systems, including digital circuit design, reactive and real-time systems, and reactive systems. Current research includes 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 complex reactive systems. Work focuses on visual formalisms, based on topological and geometric constructs. It includes the semantics and implementation of Statecharts, an object-oriented version 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 graphs and blob/window hierarchies.

Distributed computing and communication networks: Work in this area includes the design of efficient communication patterns and efficient transmission of information between sites in a network.

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 a desired position.

Video analysis and application: using video analysis to handle and manipulate Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 269 information from multiple video cameras imaging the same scene (either simultaneously or at different times). Video enhancement, video indexing and browsing (e.g., over the internet), compression (for storage and transmission), video-based surveillance and monitoring, and multi-media applications.

Motor control and robotics: Movement control in biological and robotic systems: studying the processes of motion planning and control in biological systems and the strategies employed by the brain in the planning, execution and control of multi-joint movements and different motor tasks, such as reaching, pointing, grasping and drawing. Studies of movement generation in flexible biological and robotic arms.

Motor learning and adaptation: Investigating the rules that govern skill acquisition and learning in humans, and developing learning algorithms and architectures for robotic systems.

Movement disorders research: In collaboration with neurologists we investigate and characterize the motor impairments manifested in neglect patients, Parkinson's disease patients and other movement disorders.

Machine learning and statistical data analysis: development and theoretical analysis of algorithms to perform various data analysis tasks including clustering classification and regression, specifically in high dimensional settings.

Scientific computing: Developing new efficient methods for solving equations that appear in many natural problems. Solving the mathematical equations that describe natural phenomena in physics, chemistry, and other branches of science, is often a formidable computation task. We are involved in developing more efficient computational methods with possible applications in diverse areas, such as fluid dynamics, medical imaging, image processing, astrophysics, and others. One major direction is the development of hierarchical methods that approximate 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 discrete computer calculations, and developing methods for controlling such errors.

Dynamical systems, partial differential equations and applications: We develop and use dynamical systems approach and PDE tools to analyze nonlinear evolution equations which arise in diverse fields of interest. The applications include fluid mechanics, geophysics, chemical reactions, combustion theory, nonlinear fiber optics, lasers, elasticity, biological models and control theory. Our research lies at the interface between rigorous applied analysis and physical applications. Current projects that deal with finite dimensional systems include studying the motion of particles in optical traps 270 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics (billiards), various aspects of mixing in fluid flows, 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 of nonlinear Hamiltonian systems. Projects which deal with infinite dimensional systems include the study of complex nonlinear phenomena, such as turbulent flows and the long-term behavior (global attractors) to nonlinear dissipative partial differential systems, such as the Navier-Stokes equations, reaction-diffusion systems and other related systems. The dynamics of such dissipative nonlinear PDE models involves a wide spectrum of temporal and spatial scales. This often makes it prohibitively expensive computationally. We approach this challenging problem by developing reliable reduced approximate PDE models, which are possible to implement computationally and to be validated rigorously, for the relevant spatial and temporal scales.

Bioinformatics and computational biology: The recent sequencing projects provide us with all the basic "building blocks" of life, including a nearly complete description of all of the genes. The next challenge is to unravel how these parts interact and assemble into larger cellular machines, capable of carrying out increasingly complex functions. Our research activities address this challenge by developing computational frameworks that model complex biological systems, through integration of heterogeneous sources of biological data. Recent directions include development of: models of transcriptional control that incorporate transcription factors, DNA sequences, transcription degradation, binding competition and synergy; models of translational control through microRNA-RNA interactions; models of chromatin structure through nucleosome positions, post-translational histone modifications, and chromosomal expression domains. Applications of these models that are currently being pursued include understanding pattern formation during development and understanding control of gene expression during the cell cycle. The underlying computational techniques and algorithms are statistical in nature, including general tools from Machine Learning and probabilistic graphical models.

Biomolecular computers: Engineering of computers made of biological molecules. A programmable, autonomous computer made of DNA and enzymes, capable of sensing and diagnosing molecular disease symptoms, and in response releasing a drug-like molecule, was demonstrated in vitro. The next challenge is demonstrating the operation of the computer in a living cell.

Cell lineage analysis and its applications: We developed a method for reconstructing cell lineage trees based on the detection and analysis of somatic mutations, and now explore its application to cell lineage analysis in mice as well as its application to the analysis of the development of cancer.

Biological modeling: We are involved in several efforts of modeling and Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 271 analyzing complex biological systems. We view this as reverse engineering, and use techniques from systems and software engineering, including visual formalisms, such as statecharts and LSCs, advanced model executability techniques, such as smart play-out, reactive animation, and verification. In particular, we have been working on cell fate determination in C. elegans and on T cell development in the thymus. We are currently working on pancreatic cell development, and on lymphocytes in the lymph node. A particularly interesting aspect of the work is the use of verification techniques to prove the consistency between proposed mechanistic models of behavior and laboratory observations.

Olfaction: Our work on the synthesis and communication of odors and on the analysis of eNose signals for olfaction continues. We have worked on predicting the actual response of a biological olfaction receptor (I7) from eNose experiments, and are now looking into the possibility of extending these results to odor perception space, possibly using advanced imaging and sensing techniques. http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/ 272 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Ronen Basri, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Uriel Feige, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Lawrence G. Horowitz Professor Tamar Flash, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States The Dr. Hymie Moross Professor Oded Goldreich, Ph.D., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel The Meyer W. Weisgal Professor Shafrira Goldwasser, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States David Harel, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States The William Sussman Professor of Mathematics Michal Irani, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Moni Naor, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, United States The Judith Kleeman Professor David Peleg, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Norman D. Cohen Professor of Computer Sciences Ran Raz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Vered Rom-Kedar, Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States The Estrin Family Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Adi Shamir, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Paul and Marlene Borman Professor of Applied Mathematics Ehud Shapiro, Ph.D., Yale University, New Haven, United States The Harry Weinrebe Professor of Computer Science and Biology Edriss S. Titi, Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington, United States 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 States Achi Brandt, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Aviezri S. Fraenkel, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, United States Amir Pnueli, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 273 Associate Professors

Irit Dinur, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Daniel Michelson, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Omer Reingold, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

Robert Krauthgamer, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow Boaz Nadler, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Eran Segal, Ph.D., Stanford University, Stanford, United States Yigal Allon Fellow Incumbent of the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Career Development Chair Amos Tanay, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Yigal Allon Fellow

Associate Staff Scientist

Meirav Galun, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientists

Dorit Ron, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Adina Weinberger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Special Contracts

Hila Amir-Kroll, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (left January 2008) Guy Kindler, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (left September 2008) Gregory Linshiz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Engineers

Yorram Kalef, M.Sc., Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, çéôä, Israel Leah Mory, M.Sc., Weizmann Institute of Science

Consultants

Yaron Caspi, FuturEyes, Ness-Ziona, USA Nimrod Dorfman Aviezri S. Fraenkel Iftach Haitner, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel (left August 2008) 274 Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Boris Levant, Geomage Ltd., Modiin Felix Polyakov, Bank Leumi, Israel

Visiting Scientists

Claude Bardos, University of Paris VII Denis Diderot, Jussieu, France Sol Efroni, NIH, MD, U.S.A. Daniel Freedman, Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (RPI), U.S.A. Evelyn Fox Keller, MIT, Mass. Inst. of Tech., U.S.A. Nathan Enoch Lewis, Vacciguard, Misgav, Israel Oded Maler, CUNY, Staten Island, Island Raffaella Rumiati, SISSA, Trieste, Italy Gregory Shakhnarovich, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Karl Skorecki, Technion, Haifa, Israel Nathan Srebro Bartom, University of Chicago, Il, U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Eden Chlamtac, Princeton University Maya Dadiani, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jason Friedman, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Ariel Gabizon, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Lee-Ad Gottlieb, New York University Shalev Itzkovitz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Guy Kindler, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Leonid Kontorovich, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University Uri Maoz, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Fabio Antonio Ramos Tavares, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Alex Rav-Acha, Ph.D., The Hebrew University Liam Roditty, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Avital Sadot, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yoram Yekutieli, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Research Students

Sharon Alpert Mica Arie-Nachimson Yoram Atir Shai Bagon Avi Barliya Barak Blumenfeld Oren Boiman Zvika Brakerski Michael Dinerstein Zeev Dvir Yuval Emek Yair Field Darya Frolova Ronit Fuchs Ariel Gabizon Matan Gavish Daniel Glasner Ya'ara Goldschmidt Michal Gordon Lena Gorelick Computer Science and Applied Mathematics 275 Ronen Gradwohl Refael Haddad Iftach Haitner Daniel Harari Ya'akov Hoch Aron Inger Ram Jaschek Erez Kantor Noam Kaplan Leonid Karlinsky Irena Kemelmacher-Shlizerm Michael Kertesz Orit Kliper Gillat Kol Dan Kushnir Boris Levant Dan Levi Jasmine Linshiz Shai Litvak Noam Livne Shachar Lovett Roy Malka Shahar Maoz Or Meir Yaron Meirovitch Tal Moran Dana Moshkovitz Lior Noy Asaf Nussboim Marina Ousov-Fridin Tom Ran Yaniv Sa'Ar Tali Sadka - Raveh Avital Sadovski-Sadot Ilya Safro Bernard Sarel Itai Segall Gil Segev Yaakov Setty Eilon Sharon Eli Shlizerman Eliezer Shochat Denis Simakov Eitan Yaffe Amir Yehudayoff Danny Zeevi Ido Zelman Administrator

Raanan Michael 276 Mathematics

Mathematics

Sergei Yakovenko, Head The Gershon Kekst Professor

The principal research interests of the Department lie in the three general areas of Analysis (understood in the broadest sense, including applications), Geometry and Algebra.

Topics covered in Analysis include operator and matrix theory, function theory on the plane, graphs and Riemann surfaces, spectral theory, several aspects of probability, and some applications of statistics, linear and nonlinear ordinary and partial differential equations, harmonic analysis, dynamical systems, control theory in its various manifestations, optimization, game theory and mathematical economics, approximation and complexity of functions, numerical analysis, singularity theory, and robotics.

The areas of Geometry studied at the Department are the structure of finite and infinite dimensional spaces, geometric aspects of random walks and percolation, real analytic geometry and o-minimal structures, topology of singular holomorphic foliations.

The direction of Algebra includes some aspects of algebraic geometry, non-Archimedian analytic spaces, representation theory, quantum groups, combinatorics, number theory, automorphic forms, ring theory, and enveloping algebras. Although the approach taken is primarily that of pure mathematics, some of the research leans toward possible applications. Listed below is a sample of some of the specific topics that the department's members have pursued lately or are involved in now.

Algebraic Geometry: Work has be continued on so called algebraic and analytic geometry over the field of one element. Roughly speaking, algebraic geometry over the field of one element studies algebraic varieties defined by binomial equations in a way that does not regard the addition operation. This way reveals additional structures of combinatorial nature on binomial algebraic varieties, which are not seen in the presence of the addition operation. Analytic geometry over the field of one element is related to the corresponding algebraic geometry in a similar way as in the classical situation, and studies objects that encode a skeletal structure of algebraic varieties and non-Archimedean analytic spaces. Mathematics 277

Analytic theory of ordinary differential equations: A comlete solution of the Infinitesimal Hilbert 16th Problem was achieved: the number of isolated zeros of complete Abelian integrals is explicitly bounded by the double exponential of the degree. A similar bound for the oscillarion of solutions of Fuchsian systems with real spectra of all residues was achieved; in this case the bound is non-uniform but growing polynomially near the frontier of Fuchsian class.

A general finiteness result for zeros of pseudo-Abelian integrals was achieved for perturbation of non-Hamiltonian (Darbouxian) integrable systems.

Deep relations between the Hilbert's problem (as well as another closely connected one - Poincare's Center-Focus problem) and several fields in Classical and modern Analysis and Algebra have been found. Among them Generalized Moments, Several Complex variables, Composition Algebra and D-modules. These promising relations are now investigated.

Analytic and real algebraic geometry: Polynomials associated with geometric objects (smooth manifolds and convex sets) are studied. The volume of a tubular neighborhood of a manufold, as a function of the radius of the manifold, is one example of such a polynomial. Special functions appear naturally in this study. Interesting relations are discovered. In particular, distribution of zeros of such polinomials is investigated for some manifolds.

The Maxwell problem (the question about the number of equilibrium points for the electrostatic field created by three charges) was advanced and an upper bound 12 was achieved (the conjectured number is 4 and previous results were in the range of billions).

A new demonstration of the Gromov theorem was achieved.

Automorphic forms: On the one hand, joint work is finishing up on lower bounds for automorphic L-functions at the edge of the critical strip; on the other, we are seeing how these results fit into the general scheme of bounds for these L-functions.

Banach spaces: The geometry of finite and infinite dimensional normed spaces and maps between them is investigated. A topic of particular interest is classification problems in the class of Banach spaces under Lipschitz and uniform homeomorphisms, and under Lipschitz and uniform quotient maps. Another main subject is tight embedding results, particularly for finite dimensional subspaces and subsets of Lp.

Combinatorics: The study of various permutation statistics on the symmetric 278 Mathematics groups and on related groups continues. New refinements and extensions of MacMahon's classical equidistribution theorem are found, relating that sub-area of Enumerative Combinatorics to the sub-area of Shape-Avoiding Permutations.

Differential and integral operators: The well-known asymptotic formulas for the Heat Kernel on the Heisenberg Group (for small time) are not uniform near the conjugate line. In particular the power laws are different for generic points and conjugate points. We establish an integral formula whose Laplace asymptotics clearly show how the asymptotic law is deformed as one approaches the conjugate line. The sub-Riemannian nature of the geometry dictates application of the Hamiltonian formalism (on the cotangent bundle) rather than the more conventional approach involving connections on the tangent bundle. Explicit formulas for wave kernels of degenerate hyperbolic and elliptic operators are obtained, using Laplace transformation and sophisticated inversion formulas for products of confluent hypergeometric functions. The resulting formulas involve hypergeometric functions of rational functions of the arguments.

Game theory and mathematical economics: Costs of time and negotiations were incorporated into a dynamic system leading to the Nash bargaining solution for cooperative games. A strategic model of financial markets, in which a central bank determines interest rates and creates money, is developed. Nash equilibria for the price-taking agents are studied. As the number of individual agents increases, the price making strategic behavior becomes indistinguishable from that of price takers, a-la Walrasian models.

Dynamical systems: Coupled slow and fast ordinary differential equations were examined via singular perturbations analysis. Attention was paid to the structure of switching between manifolds of equilibria of the fast motion. Invariant measures of multi-valued dynamics were characterized.

Modeling biological system: How long does it take in average for a random particle to escape from a sphere with a small hole? this question is at the basis of many problems related to chemical reactions in microstructures. In particular, it is possible to redefine the forward binding rate constant in confined geometry. Applications go from dendritic spine and synapses, to the analysis of noise in photoreceptors.

Operator theory and Matrix Function theory: Finite dimensional reproducing kernel Krein spaces were used to obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions to a number of biangential interpolation problems in the extended Schur class of meromorphic matrix valued functions with a finite number of poles in the domain of interest. Linear fractional descriptions of these solutions were also obtained when the Mathematics 279 conditions for existence were met.

The final draft of a monograph devoted to the theory of J-contractive and J-inner matrix valued functions and a number of applications of this theory was submitted for publication.

Optimization and control: The control of coupled slow and fast motions was examined. The model is of singular perturbations with, possibly, measure-valued variables representing the limit of the fast variables. Design of switching modes between manifolds of equilibria or invariant measures of the fast dynamics were examined. The possibility to ignite impulses of the slow dynamics was demonstrated. The limit occupational measures of controlled dynamics were examined utilizing general convexification techniques.

Partial Differential Equations and global analysis: Influence of small noise on dynamical systems on Riemannian compact manifolds can be studied using the asymptotic of the probability density function. As the noise goes to zero, the ground state solution gets concentrated on the subsets of the recurrent set of the dynamical system, where the topological pressure (formulated as a variational problem) is achieved.

Probability and geometry: Several subjects relating probability and geometry of sets in finite dimensional space or in discrete structures are investigated. These include problems pertaining to Statistical Physics; in particular, percolation, random walks on diverse geometrical structures, motion in random media, the study of convex sets in high dimensional Euclidean space, as well as the study of random matrices. Also studied are various aspects of stochastic analysis and filtering theory.

Representation theory and related topics: This concerns the representation theory of algebraic groups, enveloping algebras and quantum groups -- specifically at present, the construction of adapted pairs leading to affine slices for coadjoint orbits, the path model of crystals for Borcherds algebras, embedding of reflection groups in Weyl groups and constructing invariants by reverse transgression.

Another direction is the representation theory of classical Lie superalgebras and related vertex algebras. Specifically, a criterion of simplicity of vacuum module was conjectured and it was proven for simple Lie algebras and some Lie superalgebras. This was applied to study of W-algebras. Vacuum Shapovalov-Kac determinant for Virasoro and Neveu-Schwarz algebras was computed.

For both associative and Lie algebras with polynomial identities, the study of their codimension growth is continued, via the applications of the 280 Mathematics representation theory of the Symmetric groups. The Vershik-Kerov representation theory of the infinite symmetric group, together with Probability and with the Theory of Symmetric Functions, are applied to the study of combinatorial identities.

Spectral theory of differential operators: The Dirichlet Laplacian in a class of narrow planar domains is considered. The asymptotic behaviour of its spectrum is studied when the width of the domain tends to zero. It is shown that this behaviour is determined, up to the second term of asymptotics, by the germ of the function defining the shape of domain, at its maximal point. Applications to the spectrum of thin waveguides are given.

http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/ Mathematics 281 Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Zvi Artstein, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Hettie H. Heineman Professor of Mathematics Itai Benjamini, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Vladimir Berkovich, Ph.D., Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation The Matthew B. Rosenhaus Professor Aryeh Dvoretzky, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (deceased May 2008) Institute Professor Stephen Gelbart, Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, United States The Nicki and J. Ira Harris Professor Anthony Joseph, Ph.D., University of Oxford, United Kingdom The Donald Frey Professor Yakar Kannai, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The Erica and Ludwig Jesselson Professor of Theoretical Mathematics Victor Katsnelson, Ph.D., Kharkov University, Kharkov, Ukraine The Ruth and Sylvia Shogam Professor Amitai Regev, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (on extension of service) The Herman P. Taubman Professor of Mathematics Gideon Schechtman, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel The William Petschek Professor of Mathematics Sergei Yakovenko, Ph.D., Institute of Control Science, Moscow, Russian Federation The Gershon Kekst Professor Yosef Yomdin, Ph.D., Novosibirsk State University, Russian Federation The Moshe Porath Professor of Mathematics Ofer Zeitouni, Ph.D., Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Professors Emeriti

Harry Dym, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States Michael Solomyak, Ph.D., University of Leningrad, Russian Federation

Associate Professors

Maria Gorelik, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Frances and Max Hersh Career Development Chair (until November 2008) 282 Mathematics Gady Kozma, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Elchanan Mossel, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Senior Scientists

David Holcman, Ph.D., Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris VI, France Incumbent of the Madeleine Haas Russell Career Development Chair Dmitry Novikov, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Gil Alon, The Open University, Raanana, Israel Yevgenia Apartsin, Bar-Ilan University Yosef Bernstein, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Anna Melnikov, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel Andrei Reznikov, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Nina Roytvarf Eitan Sayag, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel Boaz Tsaban, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Victor Zalgaller

Visiting Scientists

Damir Arov, S. Ukrainian University , Odessa, Ukraine Yuri Bahturin, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John, Canada Vladimir Derkach, Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine Andrei Gabrielov, Purdue University , W. Lafayette, IN, U.S.A. Jacob Greenstein, University of California at Riverside, U.S.A. Anne Henke, University of Oxford, UK William B. Johnson, Texas A&M University , U.S.A. Sergei Mishchenko, Ulyanovsk State University , Russia Boris Mityagin, Ohio State University , U.S.A. Asaf Naor, NYU, U.S.A. Victor Petrogradskiy, Ulyanovsk State University , Russia Iosif Polterovich, University of Montreal, Canada Grigori Rozenblioum, Chalmers Inst. of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden Joseph Slawny, Virginia Tech., U.S.A. Marshall Slemrod, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, U.S.A. Yael Vodovotz, Ohio State University , U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Gil Alon, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Yoel Feler, Ph.D., Technion, Israel Mathematics 283 Lucas Fresse, Ph.D., Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Crystal Hoyt, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley Elena Kireeva, Ph.D., Moscow Pedagogical State University Dalia Krieger, Ph.D., University of Waterloo Adi Shraibman, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Atilla Yilmaz, Courant Institute - New York University

Research Students

Avraham (Rami) Aizenbud Gal Binyamini Ido Bright Klim Efremenko Dominik Reinhard Freche Dmitry Gourevitch Ori Gurel-Gurevich Dvir Haviv Polyxeni Lamprou Roni Haim Machluf Shifra Reif Niv Moshe Sarig Eric Shellef Adi (Arkadi) Taflia Ariel Yadin Gal Zahavi Administrator

Raanan Michael 284 The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science

The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science

Zvi Artstein, Director The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics

The endowment of the Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science secures financial support for the entire spectrum of research activities of the Faculty, and related research at the Institute; it enables our scientists to expand existing projects or pursue new initiatives in areas which seem to hold great potential for future development.

One significant aim of the Belfer Institute is to support visits to the Institute campus of the best talents in mathematics and computer science, including short-term visiting lecturers, as well as longer-term researchers, both from Israel and abroad. Another aim of the Institute is to support workshops 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 personal computers, servers and communication equipment, thus updating and improving our ability to communicate with the world at large and to carry out our computerized research with state-of-the-art means. Occasionally, the Institute provides salary support to distinguished students and post doctoral fellows.

The Center plans to initiate activities that do not normally fall under the day-to-day activities of the Faculty, such as visits of groups of scientists to work on joint projects not necessarily represented by current efforts of the Faculty, and advanced courses to be given by outsiders whose fields are not necessarily represented within the Faculty. We hope thereby to enhance our visibility and to attract more outstanding students, thus contributing the overall quality and impact of our work.

In the 2008 fiscal year, the Belfer Institute sponsored many programs and projects. Here we list the main ones only: The 2008 Pekeris Lecture, delivered by Prof. Evelyn Fox Keller of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "Bringing System Biology to life". Support for several scientific meetings, including Experimental Biologists meet Theoreticians conference; Dynamics and Spectra of Complex System Workshop; Mini-workshop on Matrix; winter master Class on Enveloping Algebras and Related Topics. Support for a range of Faculty Seminars including the program of Distinguished Lecture Series. Direct support for scientists including salary support for several students. The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science 285 Travel support for the doctoral students. Support for a long list of guests, including: Daniel Freedman, Elchanan Mossel, Luc Illusie, Asaf Naor, Victor Kac and others. Support for system administrators, providing computer backup, maintenance and troubleshooting. Support for new equipment (mostly workstations for students), continual upgrading of communication equipment and ongoing supplies. Continued support to the Faculty Library including enriching our book collection. 286 The Ida Kohen Center for Mathematics

The Ida Kohen Center for Mathematics

Zvi Artstein, Director The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics

The Ida Cohen Center for Mathematics provides support for across-the-board activities within the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. Most of the fund is divided up and given to the two department heads to supplement their regular budgets. For further details and the description of activities in the Departments, please see the corersponding scientific descriptions. The John von Neumann Minerva Center for the Development of Reactive Systems 287

The John von Neumann Minerva Center for the Development of Reactive Systems

David Harel, Director The William Sussman Professorial Chair in Mathematics

The John von Neumann Center was established in December 1997, 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-Israeli cooperation. Prof. Amir Pnueli was director until March 31, 2005, and Prof. Harel took over on April 1, 2005. The title of the center also changed somewhat.

The mission of the center is to advance and promote the state of the art of developing complex reactive systems, mainly through the processes of specification (modeling) and analysis.

Our research concentrates on visual formalisms and supporting tools for modeling, and on powerful simulation and analysis methods, including verification. We emphasize both intra-object and inter-object approaches, using state-based and scenario-based languages and methodologies (e.g., statecharts and live sequence charts). We also work on related topics, such as layout of graphs and GUI-based programming.

Throughout, the relationship between our work and accepted standards, such as the UML, is carefully maintained and extended. We also cultivate joint work with industry and case studies, so that our work does not result in academic advances only.

We also work quite heavily on several application areas, first and foremost amongst them is biological modeling, using similar techniques taken from reactive system development. Others include service-oriented computing, tactical simulators and health care processes. 288 The Prospective Institute for Biomatics

The Prospective Institute for Biomatics

Zvi Artstein, Director The Hettie H. Heineman Chair of Mathematics

The Prospective Institute for Biomatics promotes the understanding of Biology via the Mathematical and Computer Science approach. The Center has supported collaborative work in the area, carrying out computations and the establishment of a wet laboratory for our biomaticians. The Prospective Institute for Biomatics 289 290 The Prospective Institute for Biomatics Feinberg Graduate School

Dean: Yosef Yarden The Harold and Zelda Goldenberg Professor of Molecular Cell Biology 292 Feinberg Graduate School

Feinberg Graduate School

Dean: Lia Addadi The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professor

The Feinberg Graduate School [FGS], the educational arm of The Weizmann Institute of Science, was founded in 1958.

Mission The School's goal is the advanced training of new generations of creative and original researchers in the natural sciences and mathematics, or, in other words, the education of future scientific leaders. Therefore, all FGS students are directly involved in the research conducted at the Institute.

Accreditation The School is registered as an accredited higher education institution both in Israel and in the USA.

Study Programs FGS offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees: Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

Major Fields of Study and Research Study programs are offered in five major fields of study: Physical Sciences Chemical Sciences Life Sciences Mathematics and Computer Science Science Teaching.

Dean The FGS Dean is Prof. Lia Addadi.

Steering Committee The Dean is assisted by a Steering Committee consisting of the directors of the Research Schools (see below), and the Chair of the Board of Studies in Science Teaching: Prof. Shimon Levit (Physical Sciences) Prof. Gilad Haran (Chemical Sciences) Prof. Elior Peles (Life Sciences) Prof. Ran Raz (Mathematics and computer Science) Feinberg Graduate School 293 Prof. Omer Reingold (Mathematics and computer Science) Prof. Nir Orion (Science Teaching)

Research Schools Studies at FGS are conducted within the framework of research schools. Each school is headed by a director appointed by the FGS Dean. Each director is assisted by a Board of Studies. The director of each school coordinates all activities in the relevant field of study. These include: guidelines for academic requirements, courses, laboratory work, admission of students, and evaluation of their progress in both research and studies.

Research School of Physical Science Director: Prof. Shimon Levit Field of Study: Physical Sciences

Dwek Family Research School of Chemical Science Director: Prof. Gilad Haran Field of Study: Chemical Sciences

Lorry I. Lokey Research School of Biochemical Science Director: Prof. Elior Peles Field of Study: Life Sciences

Research School of Biological Science Director: Prof. Elior Peles Field of Study: Life Sciences

Research School of Mathematics and Computer Science Co-directors: Prof. Ran Raz and Prof. Omer Reingold Field of Study: Mathematics and Computer Science

The Graduate School Office: The FGS office coordinates the operations of the School. Its director and academic secretary is Dr. Ami Shalit.

Thesis Advisors and Lecturers The instructors and mentors of FGS students are Weizmann Institute of Science faculty members as are most of the lecturers teaching the courses offered by FGS.

Language of Instruction The official language of instruction at FGS is English. This enables foreign students to also benefit from its programs. 294 Feinberg Graduate School

Admission FGS admits to its programs students of any race, color, nationality and ethnic origin. A total of 301 new students were accepted during the academic year 2007/2008 (i.e. from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008). Of these students 140 were accepted to the M.Sc. program and 161 to the Ph.D. program.

Graduates In 2008, a total of 274 degrees were conferred upon FGS graduates. Of these, 144 were Ph.D. degrees and 130 were M.Sc. degrees. 47.5% of the graduates were women.

Fellowships All FGS students receive fellowships so they can devote their time to research and study. The fellowships are supported by competitive research grants, competitive fellowship awards, the Ministry of Science and Technology in Israel, the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education in Israel, several private foundations and by more than 300 private endowment funds established by supporters of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Tuition Fees All FGS students are exempted from paying tuition fees.

Financial Support For many years, the Feinberg Graduate School has been the recipient of financial support from the United States Government through the Agency for International Development (USAID), within the framework of the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program. The 2007/2008 USAID grant was $1,000,000. AID funds are used to purchase a significant portion of the scientific equipment and literature needed by students for their advanced research projects.

Applications Applications to the Ph.D. tracks are accepted throughout the year, while applications to the M.Sc. degree must be received before the end of May for the following academic year, typically beginning in late October.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship Program In addition to the degree programs, the School administrates the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the Institute. The Head of the Program is Prof. Michal Irani. Currently, there are over 250 fellows in this program. Applications to this program are accepted throughout the year. Feinberg Graduate School 295 http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Scientific_Activities/current/feinberg_degrees.html http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Scientific_Activities/current/Scholarship.html http://www.weizmann.ac.il/feinberg/ 296 Feinberg Graduate School

Ph.D. Degree Recipients - Graduation Ceremony 2008

Name Title of Thesis Advisor/s Depatrment

Sheera Adar Analysis of DNA damage Professor Zvi Biological tolerance mechanisms in Livneh Chemistry mammalian cells Professor Uri Nudel

Daniela Identification of Professor Jacques Molecular Amann-Zalcenstein susceptibility genes for Beckmann Genetics schizophrenia Professor Doron Lancet

Nira Amar Characterization of Professor Zvulun Biological pathways for vacuolar Elazar Chemistry protein degradation in the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae

Gideon Amir Random walks and Professor Itai Mathematics random graphs Benjamini

Michael Anbar Epigenetic gene silencing Professor David Biological and retroposons in Mirelman Chemistry Entamoeba histolytica

Yaron Emanuel String theory backgrounds Professor Micha Particle Antebi with fluxes and Berkooz Physics singularities Professor Ofer Aharony

Efrat Assa-Kunik The role of kuzbanian like Professor Molecular (Kul) in regulating the Ben-Zion Shilo Genetics Delta/Notch signaling Pathway

Hila Avidan Cellular manipulation of Professor Michal Neurobiology autoimmune response Schwartz promotes recovery in the traumatized CNS, evidence of synergy with adult neural progenitor cells Feinberg Graduate School 297

Nurit Avraham Local magnetization Professor Eli Condensed measurements of Zeldov Matter high-temperature Physics superconductors and single molecule magnets

Anat Bahat Sperm thermotaxis Professor Michael Biological Eisenbach Chemistry

Maya Bar A beta-helical antifreeze Professor Structural protein for the design of Deborah Fass Biology surface-binding biomolecules

Maya Bar Sadan Synthesis of inorganic Professor Reshef Materials and fullerene-like structures by Tenne Interfaces laser ablation, and their characterization by advanced microscopy techniques

David Baram Structural studies on Professor Ada Structural ribosomal tunnel mobility Yonath Biology and nascent chain emergence from the ribosome

Ayelet What do students want to Dr. Anat Yarden Science Baram-Tsabari know about science? using Teaching students' questions to identify their scientific interests

Eyal Ben-Ari Activation of strong bonds Professor David Organic by electron-rich iridium Milstein Chemistry and rhodium complexes

Irit Ben-Avraham The role of protein W in Professor Organic the process of myxoccocus Abraham Minsky Chemistry xanthus sporulation

Sarit Bendetz-Nezer Regulation of the ERK Professor Rony Biological cascade through Seger Regulation protein-protein interactions

Hana Berger 298 Feinberg Graduate School

An "Evidence-based" Professor Science professional development Bat-Sheva Eylon Teaching program for physics Dr. Ester Bagno teachers focusing on knowledge integration

Tal Birnberg studying the in-vivo Dr. Steffen Jung Immunology functions of dendritic cell subpopulations

Rafi Bistritzer 1. Low dimensional Professor Ady Condensed ultracold atom Stern Matter interferometers 2. Non Physics linear transport in high Landau levels

Shlomit p120 catenin beyond Professor Molecular Boguslavsky cell-cell junctions: Alexander Cell Biology Association with dynamic Bershadsky actin structures, involvement in cell motility and trafficking

Miriam Activity-dependent Professor Neurobiology Brodt-Ivenshitz plasticity in hippocampal Menachem Segal cultures

Amnon Buxboim Cell-free gene expression Dr. Roy Bar-Ziv Materials and on a chip Interfaces

Jonathan Caspi The effect of cellulosomal Professor Ed Biological assembly on the Bayer Chemistry synergistic cellulose degrading activity of thermobifida fusca cellulases

Antonio Castillo Unveiling the role of Professor Jeffrey Molecular Flores MSO1 in the late secretory Gerst Genetics pathway of saccharomyces cerevisiae

Liraz Chai Forces between polymer- Professor Jacob Materials and and charge - bearing Klein Interfaces surfaces across aqueous media Feinberg Graduate School 299

Silvia G. Remodeling of chloroplast Professor Ziv Biological Chuartzman thylakoid membranes in Reich Chemistry state transitions

Dana Chuderland The subcellular Professor Rony Biological localization of Seger Regulation extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs)

Judith Cohen Protein tyrosine Professor Ari Molecular phosphatase epsilon as Elson Genetics regulator of cell proliferation and cell growth

Michal The innate effects of Professor Irun Immunology Cohen-Sfady mammalian heat shock Robert Cohen protein 60 on B cell physiology

Maya Dadiani Angiogenesis regulation Professor Hadassa Biological and invasiveness in human Degani Regulation breast cancer; Investigation by molecular biology and magnetic resonance tools

Tali Dadosh Conductance and surface Professor Joseph Condensed enhanced Raman Sperling Matter scattering of single Professor Israel Physics molecules Bar-Joseph

Vered Daniel Carmi Human 1-8D gene, a new Professor Lea Immunology pro-apoptotic gene, is Eisenbach overexpressed in colon cancer: Characterization of an absurd situation

Adi Diner Effects of pulse shape on Professor Daniel Particle the photodissociation of Zajfman Physics hydrogen molecular ions

Iris Edry The role of PDE3A in rat Professor Nava Biological oocyte maturation Dekel Regulation 300 Feinberg Graduate School

Tammy Eisenmann The same teacher, the Professor Ruhama Science same curriculum materials, Even Teaching different schools: What is the enacted curriculum?

Guy Engelhard CP asymmetries and flavor Professor Yosef Particle physics in the standard Nir Physics model and beyond

Oran Erster Ligand interaction scan: A Professor Biological general method for Mordechai Regulation engineering Liscovitch ligand-modulated protein alleles

Ianai Fishbein Neurons need network Professor Neurobiology activity Menachem Segal

Zeev Fradkin Laser controlled Professor Ron Chemical photoemission from Naaman Physics surfaces

Marcel Frailich Implementation and Professor Avi Science evaluation of a web-based Hofstein Teaching learning environment in 10th grade high schoool chemistry

Moshe Fried The roles of fixational eye Professor Ehud Neurobiology movements in visual Ahissar perception Dr. Amos Arieli

Dan Frumkin A method for inferring Professor Ehud Biological cellular lineage and its Shapiro Chemistry application in cancer Professor Gideon research Rechavi

Rachel Patterning and mapping Professor Ernesto Materials and Gabai-Malka molecules and Joselevich Interfaces one-dimensional nanostructures at surfaces via hierarchical self-assembly and entropic control Feinberg Graduate School 301

Leonid Gaidukov Directed evolution and Professor Dan Biological (Gaydukov) mechanistic studies of Tawfik Chemistry serum paraoxonases

Yoav Gal Nitric oxide - a critical Professor Yoram Biological endogenous factor Salomon Regulation mediating tumor Professor Avigdor eradication in vascular Scherz targeted photodynamic therapy

Sergiy Single polymer dynamics Professor Victor Physics of Gerashchenko in random and laminar Steinberg Complex flows Systems

Sharon Shape processing and Professor Rafael Neurobiology Gilaie-Dotan selectivity in high order Malach visual cortex Professor Shimon Ullman

Vladislav Gladkikh Spin-selective reactions of Professor Eli Chemical non-contact electron Pollak Physics transfer Professor Anatoly Burstein

Ofir Goldberger Adoptive cell transfer for Professor Lea Immunology cancer immunotherapy Eisenbach pitfalls and resolutions

Yair Goldfarb Solution of the Professor David Chemical time-dependent Tannor Physics schrodinger equation via complex quantum trajectories

Ya'ara Goldschmidt Fast multiscale methods Professor Achi Computer for data mining Brandt Science and Applied Mathematics

Alexander The role of YABBY genes Professor Yuval Plant Sciences Goldshmidt in shoot phyllotaxis Eshed

Yoav Gordin Measurement of the Professor Amir Condensed conductance properties of Yacoby Matter single organic molecules Professor Israel Physics 302 Feinberg Graduate School

using gold nanoparticles Bar-Joseph

Shira Granot-Attas Characterization of the Professor Ari Molecular molecular functions of Elson Genetics protein tyrosine phosphatases in osteoclasts

Eytan Grosfeld Physical properties of Professor Ady Condensed non-Abelian fractional Stern Matter quantum hall states Physics

Tzahi Itzhak Dynamics and coherence Professor Nir Physics of Grunzweig of cold atoms in atom Davidson Complex optics billiards Systems

Adina Haimov Preparation, Professor Ronny Organic characterization and Neumann Chemistry catalysis by polyoxometalate-synthetic protein and polyoxometalate-protein hybrid assemblies

Iftach Haitner New implications and Professor Omer Computer improved efficiency of Reingold Science and constructions based on Applied one-way functions Mathematics

Gili Hart The molecular mechanism Professor Idit Immunology controlling splenic Shachar targeting and homing of immature B cells

Tal Hazak-Verdene Study of the dynamic and Professor Eli Condensed theromdynamic vortex Zeldov Matter matter phase diagram in Physics high-Tc and low-Tc type II superconductors

Aron Inger On the aesthetic layout of Professor David Computer higraphs Harel Science and Applied Mathematics

Berith Isaac Involvement of Professor Organic cytoskeletal elements and Abraham Minsky Chemistry Feinberg Graduate School 303

the nuclear envelope in Professor Abby F. chromosome dynamics Dernburg during C. elegans meiosis

Diego Jaitin Differential responses to Professor Gideon Biological type I interferons: Schreiber Chemistry Regulation of the differential activity of a cytokine protein family

Vasiliy Kantsler Hydrodynamics of fluid Professor Victor Physics of vesicles Steinberg Complex Systems

Ifat Kaplan-Ashiri Studying the mechanical Professor Reshef Materials and properties of individual Tenne Interfaces WS2 nanotubes

Alon Karpol Structural and functional Professor Ed Biological elements of different Bayer Chemistry dockerin types, and their contributions to cellulosome architecture

Nadav Kashtan Evolution in varying Professor Uri Molecular environments: Rapid Alon Cell Biology emergence of modular systems

Tsvi Katchalski Novel configurations of Professor Asher Physics of resonant grating A. Friesem Complex waveguide structures Professor Yaron Systems Silberberg

Nathali Kaushansky Multi antigen/multi Professor Immunology epitope directed immune - Avraham specific modulation of Ben-Nun humanized "complex EAE"

Itai Kela Exploring the variability of Professor Zelig Immunology prostate cancer progression Eshhar in TRAMP mice Professor Eytan Domany

Yakov Kipnis 304 Feinberg Graduate School

Studying mechanisms of Professor Amnon Structural action of the chaperonin Horovitz Biology GroEL Professor Gilad Haran

Tali Kobilo-Moav Learning and memory of Professor Yadin Neurobiology taste in the rat insular Dudai cortex: formation and stability

Benjamine Ronen Simple thermodynamic Professor Michael Materials and Kopito underlie Elbaum Interfaces nucleocytoplasmic transport

Frieda Kopnov Study of the electrical Professor Reshef Materials and transport, electronic and Tenne Interfaces structural properties of the WS2 fullerene-like particles

Alexandre Kozlov Professor Itzhak Particle Tserruya Physics

Polyxeni Lamprou Some combinatorial and Professor Mathematics geometric aspects in the Anthony Joseph Representation theory of Lie algebras

Limor Landsman Studies on the Dr. Steffen Jung Immunology mononuclear phagocyte system: The role of the CX3CR1 chemokine receptor and the origin of pulmonary dendritic cells and macrophages

Michal Lapidot Sequence elements Professor Yitzhak Molecular controlling gene Pilpel Genetics expression: The case of transcription regulatory motifs and of antisene transcripts

Vered Phototoxic derivatives of Professor Organic Lev-Goldman gonadotropin releasing Matityahu Fridkin Chemistry Feinberg Graduate School 305

hormone (GnRH) for targeted therapy: Synthesis and evaluation

Anna Levant Multi dimensional Professor Vered Computer billiard-like potentials Rom-Kedar Science and Applied Mathematics

Tami Levy Nahum Teaching the concept of Professor Avi Science chemical bonding in Hofstein Teaching high-school: Developing Dr. Rachel and implementing a new Mamlok-Naaman framework based on the analysis of misleading systemic factors

Gregory Linshiz Recursive construction of Professor Ehud Computer error-free DNA molecules Shapiro Science and and libraries from Applied error-prone components Mathematics

Naomi Litichever Characterization and Professor Yitzhak Neurobiology regulation of the rat Koch ovarian LHbeta mRNA Professor Irith Ginzburg

Gila Lustig The role of phospholipase Professor Biological D in signalling pathways Mordechai Regulation and in cancer cell survival Liscovitch

Neta Madar-Kela Autoimmunity against Professor Immunology CNS neuronal/myelin Avraham proteins and potential Ben-Nun contribution to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS)

Orna Man The involvement of Professor Joel Structural regulation of protein Sussman Biology expression in species Professor Yitzhak divergence Pilpel

Lea Marash DAP5 promotes Professor Adi Molecular cap-independent Kimchi Genetics translation of Cdc2 and 306 Feinberg Graduate School

Bcl-2 to facilitate cell survival during mitosis

Emanuel Milman On the distribution of Professor Gideon Mathematics volume in convex bodies Schechtman

Oren Milstein Sparing and reconstituting Professor Yair Immunology the host Immune system in Reisner allogeneic stem cell transplantation: specific tolerance induction by donor CTLs and adoptive transfer of host T cells

Yaron Mosesson Regulation of EGF recptor Professor Yosef Biological and its endocytic adaptor, Yarden Regulation hLst2, by monoubiquitylation

Shmulik Motola The ovulatory response: Professor Biological The contribution of the Alexander Regulation follicle compartments Tsafriri

Nathalie Recombinant Professor Ruth Immunology Moyal-Amsellem flagella-MUC1-based Arnon vaccines for breast cancer therapy

Suha Discovery of Professor Molecular Naffar-Abu-Amara pro-migratory, cancer Benjamin Geiger Cell Biology associated genes

Fabio Nudelman Functional mapping of the Professor Lia Structural organic matrix of the Addadi Biology mollusk shell Professor Steve Weiner

Dmitry Osin Ion dynamics in hot and Professor Yitzhak Particle dense plasmas under Maron Physics intense magnetic fields

Yuri Paskover Single-shot time resolved Professor Yehiam Chemical four wave mixing Prior Physics spectroscopy Professor Ilya Averbukh Feinberg Graduate School 307

Assaf Patir On dualities in string Professor Micha Particle theory Berkooz Physics Professor Ofer Aharony

Vicki Plaks in vivo MRI studies of Professor Nava Biological angiogenesis in Dekel Regulation reproduction and Professor Michal embryonic development in Neeman transgenic mice

Ziv Porat Mechanisms of polyamine Professor Chaim Molecular regulation in yeast Kahana Genetics

Dina Preise Vascular-targeting Professor Yoram Biological photodynamic therapy: In Salomon Regulation situ antitumor vaccination

Son Preminger The dynamics of object Professor Dov Neurobiology learning and memory Sagi Professor Michail Tsodyks

Ofer Rahat Modularity and recurrent Professor Gideon Biological patterns in contact maps of Schreiber Chemistry proteins

Ophir Rav-Hon Architecture of chloroplast Professor Ziv Biological thylakoid networks in state Reich Chemistry I and in state II

Gabriela Ridner Molecular mechanisms Professor Michael Biological controlling the expression Walker Chemistry of pancreatic beta cell-specific genes

Asya Rolls Central nervous system Professor Michal Neurobiology plasticity mediated by Schwartz chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, its degradation products and its receptors

Gabriel Rosenblum Insights into structure and Professor Irit Sagi Structural dynamics of matrix Biology metalloproteinase-9 308 Feinberg Graduate School

Eitan E. Rowen Coherence and Professor Nir Physics of decoherence of excitations Davidson Complex in a trapped Bose-Einstein Systems condensate

Efrat Rubinstein Targeted photodynamic Professor Avigdor Plant Sciences drugs: Design, Synthesis Scherz and applications Professor Yoram Salomon

Irina Rubinstein Generation of homochiral Professor Meir Materials and oligopeptides from Lahav Interfaces racemates of amino acids in water with relevance to biochirogenesis

Sharon Ruthstein The formation mechanism Professor Chemical of mesoporous materials Daniella Goldfarb Physics studied by EPR spectroscopy and Cryo-TEM

Ilya Safro Multilevel algorithms for Professor Achi Computer combinatorial optimization Brandt Science and problems Applied Mathematics

Sivan Sapoznik Post-translational Professor Orly Molecular modifications of proteins Reiner Genetics involved in neuronal migration

Bernard Sarel Separating transparent Professor Michal Computer layers in images and video Irani Science and Applied Mathematics

Ofer Sarig Following the temporal Professor Naama Molecular response to mating Barkai Genetics pheromone at high time resolution to characterized the delayed specificity phenomena in the yeast MAPK cascade Feinberg Graduate School 309

Ruth A novel mechanism for Professor Zvulun Biological Scherz-Shouval redox regulation of Elazar Chemistry autophagy via the Atg4 cysteine protease

Tali Sehayek Template synthesis of Professor Israel Materials and novel nanostructures Rubinstein Interfaces

Eran Sela Dynamical effects in Professor Yuval Condensed interacting mesoscopic Oreg Matter systems Physics

Yaakov Setty Four-dimensional realistic Professor David Computer modeling of biological Harel Science and systems Professor Irun Applied Robert Cohen Mathematics

Amir Sharabi The mechanisms by which Professor Edna Immunology a peptide based on the Mozes CDR1 of an antibody immunomodulates autoimmune responses associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Maria Shatz Caveolin-1: role in cancer Professor Biological cell survival, migration Mordechai Regulation and invasiveness Liscovitch

Eli Shechtman From local to global visual Professor Michal Computer similarity in space and in Irani Science and time Applied Mathematics

Barak Shenhav Computational study of the Professor Doron Molecular "lipid world" scenario for Lancet Genetics the origin of life

Eilon Sherman Studying the energy Professor Gilad Chemical landscape of folding Haran Physics proteins on the single molecule level

Ayelet Shmueli Regulation of the p53 Professor Moshe Molecular network by ubiquitination Oren Cell Biology 310 Feinberg Graduate School

Eliezer Shochat Mathematical model for Professor Vered Computer G-CSF control of Rom-Kedar Science and neutrophils level in the Applied blood Mathematics

Nadejda Sigal Structural and functional Professor Eitan Biological aspects of secondary Bibi Chemistry multidrug transport by MdfA

Denis Simakov Visual summarization of Professor Michal Computer images and video Irani Science and Applied Mathematics

Tal Sines Identification of novel Professor Ari Molecular modes of regulation and Elson Genetics physiological functions of protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon

Perry Stambolsky The opposing roles of wt Professor Moshe Molecular p53 and mutant p53 in the Oren Cell Biology regulation of cell death Professor Varda Rotter

Michal Tabach Learning beginning Professor Science algebra in a computer Abraham Arcavi Teaching intensive environment Dr. Rina (CIE) Hershkovitz

Eran Tal New techniques in Professor Yaron Physics of nonlinear microscopy Silberberg Complex Systems

Shuki Vardi Precise temporal Professor Joel Physics of modulation in the response Stavans Complex of the SOS DNA repair Systems network in individual bacteria

Mark Vilensky Manipulating neutral Professor Ilya Chemical atoms and molecules by Averbukh Physics strong non-resonant laser Professor Yehiam fields Prior Feinberg Graduate School 311

Tomer Volansky From particle cosmology Professor Yosef Particle to string theory Nir Physics Professor Micha Berkooz

Adam Wasserstrom A method for inferring Professor Ehud Biological cellular lineage and its Shapiro Chemistry application to studying the Dr. Eldad Tzahor mouse cell lineage

Nomy Wender Identification and Professor David Biological characterization of two Mirelman Chemistry E.histolytica proteins with potential roles in virulence

Chunxiu Yu Thalamocortical Professor Ehud Neurobiology processing of active Ahissar vibrissal touch

Oren Zarchin Shot noise, phase and Professor Moty Condensed dephasing of a quantum Heiblum Matter dot Physics

Assaf Zemach Methylated-DNA/histone Professor Gideon Plant Sciences H3 binding proteins: Grafi Epigenetic effectors in Professor Robert plants Fluhr

Kaiyin Zhang Ablation by ultrashort Professor Yehiam Chemical laser pulses Prior Physics

Yaniv Ziv Immune-based regulation Professor Michal Neurobiology of adult neurogenesis Schwartz

Yehudit Zohar Role of arabidopsis Professor Robert Plant Sciences TIR-lectin novel family in Fluhr innate immunity

Or Zuk Graphical models: Theory Professor Eytan Physics of and applications to Domany Complex biological data Systems 312 Feinberg Graduate School M.Sc. Degree Recipients - Graduation Ceremony 2008

Name Advisor/s Field of Depatrment Study

Yoseph Addadi Professor Chemical Biological Michal Neeman Sciences Regulation

David Adjiashvili Professor David Mathematics Computer Science Peleg and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Orly Ester Alber Professor Ed Chemical Biological Bayer Sciences Chemistry

Assaf Alon Professor Chemical Structural Biology Deborah Fass Sciences

Raz Alon Professor Amos Physical Particle Physics Breskin Sciences Dr. Rachel Chechik

Dror Alumot Professor Physical Particle Physics Yitzhak Maron Sciences

Nir Auerbach Professor Uzy Physical Physics of Smilansky Sciences Complex Systems

Yaara Azaria Professor Adi Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Kimchi

Shai Bagon Professor Mathematics Computer Science Michal Irani and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Haim Barak Professor Doron Physical Particle Physics Gepner Sciences

Delina Barats Professor Ronny Chemical Organic Chemistry Neumann Sciences

Leehod Baruch Professor Ehud Mathematics Computer Science Shapiro and and Applied Feinberg Graduate School 313

Dr. Eran Segal Computer Mathematics Science

Sarit Batsir Professor Biological Yoram Salomon Regulation

Tal Ben Moshe Professor Brian Chemical Environmental Berkowitz Sciences Sciences and Energy Research

Nir Ben-Chetrit Professor Yosef Life Sciences Biological Yarden Regulation

Moshe Ben-David Professor Joel Life Sciences Structural Biology Sussman

Dan Ben-Zvi Professor Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Naama Barkai Professor Ben-Zion Shilo

Jonathan Berson Professor Jacob Chemical Materials and Sagiv Sciences Interfaces Dr. Rivka Maoz

Einat Blitz Dr. Elazar Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Zelzer

Kfir Blum Professor Eli Physical Condensed Matter Waxman Sciences Physics Professor Yosef Nir

Dario A. Breitel Dr. Asaph Life Sciences Plant Sciences Aharoni

Michal Carolina Professor Life Sciences Molecular Cell Brunner Benjamin Biology Geiger

Assaf Carmi Professor Yuval Physical Condensed Matter Oreg Sciences Physics Professor Micha Berkooz

Ori Cohavi Professor Life Sciences Biological Gideon Chemistry 314 Feinberg Graduate School

Schreiber

Sivan Cohen Professor Yair Life Sciences Immunology Reisner

Dror Eiger Professor Mathematics Computer Science Shafrira and and Applied Goldwasser Computer Mathematics Science

Ehud Eilon Professor Tal Physical Condensed Matter Alexander Sciences Physics

Reuven Eitan Professor David Chemical Chemical Physics Tannor Sciences

Yonat Eshchar Professor Life Sciences Plant Sciences Avraham Levy

Boris Ettinger Professor Edriss Mathematics Computer Science Titi and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Eli Ezrielev Dr. Alon Chen Life Sciences Neurobiology

Matan Field Professor Micha Physical Particle Physics Berkooz Sciences Professor Ofer Aharony

Danit Finkelshtein Professor Orly Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Reiner

Eynat Finkelshtein Professor Ari Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Elson

Nir Fluman Professor Eitan Life Sciences Biological Bibi Chemistry

Ofir Gabizon Professor Ehud Physical Particle Physics Duchovni Sciences

Elad Ganmor Dr. Elad Life Sciences Neurobiology Schneidman Dr. Ilan Lampl Feinberg Graduate School 315

Noam Ganot Professor Tal Physical Condensed Matter Alexander Sciences Physics

Valery Garmider Professor Israel Physical Condensed Matter Bar-Joseph Sciences Physics

Noam Geblinger Professor Chemical Materials and Ernesto Sciences Interfaces Joselevich

Boaz Gildor Professor Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Ben-Zion Shilo Dr. Eyal Schejter

Liat Goldshaid Professor Life Sciences Plant Sciences Avigdor Scherz Professor Yoram Salomon

Ido Goldshtein Professor Varda Life Sciences Molecular Cell Rotter Biology

Anna Gorelik Professor Orly Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Reiner

Gilad Gotesman Professor Ron Chemical Chemical Physics Naaman Sciences

Ben Gradus Dr. Eran Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Hornstein

Motti Hakim Professor Chemical Structural Biology Deborah Fass Sciences

Itamar Harel Dr. Eldad Life Sciences Biological Tzahor Regulation

Lior Harpaz Professor Eytan Life Sciences Physics of Domany Complex Systems

Nofar Harpaz Professor Talila Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Volk

Reut Hemo Professor Life Sciences Immunology Avraham Ben-Nun 316 Feinberg Graduate School

Yonit Hochberg Professor Micha Physical Particle Physics Berkooz Sciences Professor Yosef Nir

Devora Professor Brian Chemical Environmental Holder-Nuriel Berkowitz Sciences Sciences and Energy Research

Yonatan Hovav Professor Chemical Chemical Physics Shimon Vega Sciences

Tomer Itkin Professor Tsvee Life Sciences Immunology Lapidot

Stella Itzhakov Professor David Chemical Materials and Cahen Sciences Interfaces Professor Mordechai Sheves

Noga Karp Professor Lea Life Sciences Immunology Eisenbach

Asaf Kleinbort Professor David Mathematics Computer Science Harel and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Yulie Klerman Professor David Chemical Organic Chemistry Milstein Sciences

Gillat Kol Professor Moni Mathematics Computer Science Naor and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Itay Koren Professor Adi Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Kimchi

Tal Kramer Professor Omer Mathematics Computer Science Reingold and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Sharon Kredo Dr. Eran Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Feinberg Graduate School 317

Hornstein

Shira Kritchman Dr. Boaz Nadler Mathematics Computer Science and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Yifat Kronenfeld Professor Yehiel Life Sciences Molecular Cell Zick Biology

Elad Lavee Laviad Professor Life Sciences Biological Anthony Chemistry Futerman

Maya Lavid Dr. Gil Life Sciences Molecular Cell Levkowitz Biology

Tamar Lengil Dr. Ami Navon Life Sciences Biological Regulation

Edan Lerner Professor Itamar Physical Chemical Physics Procaccia Sciences

Naama Lev Professor Life Sciences Biological Yechiel Shai Chemistry

Noam Leviatan Professor Robert Life Sciences Plant Sciences Fluhr

Anat Professor Life Sciences Neurobiology London-Drori Michal Schwartz

Shlomi Madar Professor Varda Life Sciences Molecular Cell Rotter Biology

Rachel Magid Professor Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Shmuel Pietrokovski

Efi Marciano Professor Moshe Life Sciences Molecular Cell Oren Biology

Eldad Marom Professor Chemical Organic Chemistry Abraham Sciences Shanzer 318 Feinberg Graduate School

Or Meir Professor Oded Mathematics Computer Science Goldreich and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Shira Mintzer Professor Ziv Life Sciences Biological Reich Chemistry

Amir Monovich Dr. Eldad Life Sciences Biological Tzahor Regulation

Ifat Musseri Professor Yadin Life Sciences Neurobiology Dudai Dr. Alon Chen

Yael Mutsafi Professor Chemical Organic Chemistry Abraham Sciences Minsky

Zohar Noy Professor Lucio Physical Chemical Physics Frydman Sciences

Eran Ophir Professor Yair Life Sciences Immunology Reisner

Idan Oren Professor Uzy Physical Physics of Smilansky Sciences Complex Systems

Merav Parter Professor Uri Life Sciences Molecular Cell Alon Biology

Udi Peled (Hadad) Professor Mathematics Mathematics Aviezri Fraenkel and Professor Computer Amitai Regev Science

Yael Phillip Professor Life Sciences Biological Gideon Chemistry Schreiber

Ouri Poupko Professor David Mathematics Computer Science Harel and and Applied Computer Mathematics Science

Michal Rabani Dr. Eran Segal Mathematics Computer Science and and Applied Feinberg Graduate School 319

Computer Mathematics Science

Elena Rabinovich Professor Gary Chemical Materials and Hodes Sciences Interfaces

Tom Ran Professor Ehud Life Sciences Computer Science Shapiro and Applied Mathematics

Sharon Reikhav Professor Life Sciences Plant Sciences Avraham Levy Professor Naama Barkai

Zohar Ringel Professor Physical Condensed Matter Yoseph Imry Sciences Physics Professor Ora Entin-Wohlman

Jonathan Ronen Professor Zvi Mathematics Mathematics Artstein and Computer Science

Guy Rosenzweig Professor Physical Particle Physics Yitzhak Maron Sciences

Alon Rubin Professor Life Sciences Neurobiology Michail Tsodyks

Adi Sagiv Professor Ronen Life Sciences Immunology Alon

Sharbel Salame Dr. Elazar Life Sciences Molecular Genetics Zelzer

Nadav Samet Professor Mathematics Mathematics Gideon and Schechtman Computer Dr. Boaz Tsaban Science

Tamar Scharf Professor Science Science Teaching Abraham Arcavi Teaching

Temima Schnitzer Professor Eytan Life Sciences Physics of Domany Complex Systems 320 Feinberg Graduate School

Adam Schreier Professor Moty Physical Condensed Matter Heiblum Sciences Physics

Leonid Professor David Chemical Organic Chemistry Schwartsburd Milstein Sciences

Yifat Segev Professor Life Sciences Neurobiology Michal Schwartz

Yael Professor Nava Life Sciences Biological Shahar-Pomerantz Dekel Regulation

Revital Sharivkin Professor Life Sciences Biological Michael Walker Chemistry

Eilon Sharon Dr. Eran Segal Life Sciences Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Moriah Dr. Anat Yarden Science Science Teaching Sharon-Ariely Teaching

Eric Shellef Professor Itai Mathematics Mathematics Benjamini and Computer Science

Efrat Shema Professor Moshe Life Sciences Molecular Cell Oren Biology

Reut Shema Professor Yadin Life Sciences Neurobiology Dudai

Elad Shtilerman Professor Itamar Physical Chemical Physics Procaccia Sciences

Ohad Silbert Professor Eilam Physical Particle Physics Gross Sciences

Hadar Sinvani Professor Rivka Life Sciences Biological Dikstein Chemistry

Elena Smolensky Professor Chemical Organic Chemistry Mordechai Sciences Sheves Feinberg Graduate School 321

Shahar Sobol Professor Igor Chemical Materials and Lubomirsky Sciences Interfaces

Ari Tadmor Professor Nava Life Sciences Biological Dekel Regulation

Yael Vazana Professor Ed Life Sciences Biological Bayer Chemistry

Ofer Vitells Professor Eilam Physical Particle Physics Gross Sciences

Dana Vuzman Professor David Chemical Organic Chemistry Milstein Sciences

Allon Weiner Professor Chemical Organic Chemistry Abraham Sciences Minsky

Emil Weisz Professor Moty Physical Condensed Matter Heiblum Sciences Physics

Itai Wekselman Professor Ada Chemical Structural Biology Yonath Sciences

Inna Wiesel Professor Chemical Materials and Reshef Tenne Sciences Interfaces

Maya Yaskovich Professor Idit Life Sciences Immunology Gordin Shachar

Tsafrir Yedid-Am Professor Ron Physical Chemical Physics Naaman Sciences

Tatyana Zalogin Professor Life Sciences Biological Michael Walker Chemistry

Einat Zelman Professor Idit Life Sciences Immunology Shachar

Omer Ziv Professor Zvi Life Sciences Biological Livneh Chemistry

Nir Zohar Professor Gilad Chemical Chemical Physics Haran Sciences 322 Feinberg Graduate School Prizes for Ph.D. and M.Sc. Students 2008

The John F. Kennedy Prize

Recipients Advisors Department

Iftach Haitner Professor Omer Computer Science and Reingold Applied Mathematics

Zohar Komargodski Professor Micha Particle Physics Berkooz Professor Ofer Aharony

Elena Poverenov Professor David Organic Chemistry Milstein

Ivo Spiegel Professor Elior Peles Molecular Cell Biology

The Dimitris N. Chorafas Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Zeev Dvir Professor Ran Raz Computer Science and Dr. Amir Shpilka Applied Mathematics

The Elchanan E. Bondi Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Tomer Volansky Professor Yosef Nir Particle Physics Professor Micha Berkooz

The Dov Elad Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Liraz Chai Professor Jacob Materials and Interfaces Klein

The Gad Resheff Memorial Prize Feinberg Graduate School 323

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Shimon Bershtein Professor Dan Biological Chemistry Tawfik

The Giora Yoel Yashinski Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Tali Dadosh Professor Joseph Condensed Matter Physics Sperling Professor Israel Bar-Joseph

The Daniel Brenner Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Assaf Zemach Professor Gideon Plant Sciences Grafi Professor Robert Fluhr

The Lady Anne Chain Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Neri Minsky Professor Moshe Molecular Cell Biology Oren

The Esther Hellinger Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Asya Rolls Professor Michal Neurobiology Schwartz

The Haim Holtzman Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Benjamine Ronen Professor Michael Materials and Interfaces Kopito Elbaum 324 Feinberg Graduate School

The Menashe Milo Memorial Prize

Recipients Advisor/s Department

Boaz Katz Professor Eli Condensed Matter Physics Waxman

The Dean's Prize for Ph.D. Students

Recipients Advisors Department

David Ehre Professor Igor Materials and Interfaces Lubomirsky

Ariel Gabizon Professor Ran Raz Computer Science and Dr. Ronen Shaltiel Applied Mathematics

Assaf Rotem Professor Elisha Physics of Complex Systems Moses

Yaniv Ziv Professor Michal Neurobiology Schwartz

The Dean's Prize for M.Sc. Students

Recipients Advisors Department

Kfir Blum Professor Eli Condensed Matter Physics Waxman Professor Yosef Nir

Boris Ettinger Professor Edriss Titi Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Yonit Hochberg Professor Micha Particle Physics Berkooz Professor Yosef Nir

Gillat Kol Professor Moni Naor Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Elad Lavee Laviad Professor Anthony Biological Chemistry Futerman Feinberg Graduate School 325

Or Meir Professor Oded Computer Science and Goldreich Applied Mathematics

Yael Mutsafi Professor Abraham Organic Chemistry Minsky

Eran Ophir Professor Yair Immunology Reisner

Merav Parter Professor Uri Alon Molecular Cell Biology

Moriah Dr. Anat Yarden Science Teaching Sharon-Ariely

Reut Shema Professor Yadin Neurobiology Dudai 326 Feinberg Graduate School

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: Eugenia Manevich, Department of Immunology The Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen Scholarship Established in 1974 in Dr. Anfinsen's honor by the Washington Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Washington, DC Recipient: Kfir Lapid, Department of Immunology The Eda and Leon Asseo Scholarship Established in 1988 by Eda Asseo, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Avital Beer, Department of Biological Regulation The Jacob and Sonia Hager Axelrad Endowed Doctoral Scholarship Fund in Cancer Research Established in 1999 through a bequest of Sonia Hager Axelrad, New York Recipients: Ran Brosh, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Dana Chuderland, Department of Biological Regulation; Marco Cortesi, Department of Particle Physics; Dan Levy, Department of Molecular Genetics; Shani Raveh, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Eran Reem, Department of Molecular Genetics The Thomas Ayers Scholarship in Energy Research Established in 1994 by Thomas Ayers, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Liran Goren, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Lillian Baker Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Lillian Baker, Hallandale, Florida Recipient: Itai Afek, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Florence and Theodore Baumritter Scholarship Fund for Russian Students Established in 1991 by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Baumritter, Boca Raton, Florida Recipient: Livnat Afriat, Department of Biological Chemistry The J. Myron and Zachary Michael Bay Scholarship Established in 1979 by Jerry Adler and friends, The Magen David Wine Corporation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Eyal Capua, Department of Chemical Physics The Bayer Corporation Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1996 by the Bayer Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recipient: Suha Naffar-Abu-Amara, Department of Molecular Cell Biology Feinberg Graduate School 327 The Becker Family Fund Scholarship Established in 1975 through a bequest of Louis Becker, New York Recipient: Moran Feller, Department of Organic Chemistry The Mollie Freeman Becker Scholarship Established in 1971 by Mrs. Samuel Becker, Newton, Massachusetts Recipient: Ariel Amir, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Shlomo Beilitz Scholarship Established in 1979 through a bequest of Shlomo Beilitz, Ra'anana, Israel Recipient: Tali Aqua, Department of Chemical Physics The Abraham Berman Scholarship Established in 1966 through a bequest of Abraham Berman, South Africa Recipient: Avital Sadovski-Sadot, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Joseph W. and Emily J. Bernstein Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Amber Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Keren Ben-Yaakov, Department of Biological Chemistry The Dr. Henri H. Birnbaum Scholarship Established in 1979 through a bequest of Dr. Henri H. Birnbaum, New York Recipient: Maya Bar Sadan, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Abraham H. Blank Scholarship Established in 1979 by Myron Blank, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Iyad Dkeidek, Department of Science Teaching The Benjamin M. Bloch Memorial Scholarship Established in 1959 by the Faculty of the Weizmann Institute of Science Recipient: Tamar Avin-Wittenberg, Department of Plant Sciences The Alex and Yudas (Yetta) Bloom Scholarship Established in 1971 by Philip Bloom, New York Recipient: Gili Hart, Department of Immunology The Alan I. Bluestein Scholarship Established in 1990 by Milton J. Bluestein, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Tali Dadosh, 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: Amit Aronovitch, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Joseph Brainin and Sally Brainin Scholarship Established in 1967 in honor of Joseph and Sally Brainin by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Nissim Ofek, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Melva and Martin Bucksbaum Scholarship for Biomedical/Cardiovascular Research Established in 1996 in honor of Melva Bucksbaum and in memory of her husband Martin by family and friends, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Libbat Tirosh, Department of Biological Regulation 328 Feinberg Graduate School The Professor Arthur Charlesby Fund for Doctoral Student Scholarships Established in 2001 by Irene Charlesby, Swindon, UK, in memory of her husband Recipient: David Ehre, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Dr. Rebecca Chutick and Dr. Lillian Chutick Doctoral Scholarship Fund for Soviet Immigrant Students Established in 1994 through a bequest of Dr. Rebecca Chutick, New York Recipients: Liora Bialer, Department of Science Teaching; Shlomit Boguslavsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Boris Brumshtein, Department of Structural Biology; Racheli Fachima-Gueta, Department of Structural Biology; Yehudit Hasin, Department of Molecular Genetics; Itamar Yadid, Department of Biological Chemistry The Isidore and Theresa Cohen Scholarship Established in 1973 by the Israel, Theresa, and Ronald Cohen Charitable Trust, Cape Town, South Africa Recipient: Talya Belogus, Department of Biological Chemistry The Judith and Norman D. Cohen Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2005 by Judith and Norman Cohen, New York Recipient: Niva Blum, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Sam Cohen Windhoek Scholarships Established in 1981 by the Sam Cohen Trust, Namibia, South Africa Recipients: Tsevi Beatus, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Maya Dadiani-Chetrit, Department of Biological Regulation; Navit Dori, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Roman Dovgard, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Rofa Elfakess, Department of Biological Chemistry; Yuval Emek, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Ronen Gradwohl, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Gila Lustig, Department of Biological Regulation The Frank Considine Scholarship in Geophysics Established in 2000 in honor of Frank Considine by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Na'ama Raz-Yaseef, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Leo A. and Sarah G. Copin Scholarship Fund Established in 1994 through a bequest of Sarah Copin, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Tali Avnit-Sagi, Department of Biological Chemistry The Cowen Semester Scholarship in Molecular Biology, In Memory of Belle and Leonard Cowen and Sylvia and Irving Schwartz Established in 1996 by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. Cowen, Tenafly, New Jersey, in memory of their parents Recipient: Leah Armon, Department of Biological Chemistry The Dan Danciger Scholarship Established in 1960 by the Dan Danciger Foundation, Kansas City, Missouri Feinberg Graduate School 329 Recipient: Moran Feller, Department of Organic Chemistry The Joseph and Sadie Danciger Scholarships Established in 1960 by the Sadie Danciger Trust and the Joseph and Sadie Danciger Fund, Kansas City, Missouri Recipients: Sharon Ruthstein, Department of Chemical Physics; Tal Sines, Department of Molecular Genetics; Zohar Snapir, Department of Molecular Genetics The Amos and Hortense Deinard Memorial Scholarship Established in 1989 through a bequest of Hortense H. Deinard, Minneapolis, Minnesora Recipient: Maya Kahan, Department of Biological Chemistry The Jack and Simon Djanogly Scholarships Established in 1971 by Sir Harry Djanogly, London, UK Recipients: Silvia Chuartzman, Department of Biological Chemistry; Aron Inger, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Pearl and Morris Dry Scholarship Established in 1966 by Sidney Dry, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Maya Bar, Department of Structural Biology The Dr. Yehuda and Leah Dubowski Scholarship Established in 1988 by Leah Dubowski, Kiryat Ono, Israel Recipient: Hadar Less, Department of Plant Sciences The Florence Edelman Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1987 through a bequest of Florence Edelman, New York Recipient: Yair Haim Wijsboom, Department of Organic Chemistry The Dr. Joshua and Helene Ehrlich Memorial Scholarship Established in 1987 through a bequest of Helene Ehrlich, Miami, Florida Recipient: Itay Tirosh, Department of Molecular Genetics The Leon and Kathe Fallek Scholarships Established in 1974 by Fred S. Fallek, New York Recipients: Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich, Department of Plant Sciences; Assaf Zemach, Department of Plant Sciences The Dr. Eugene I. and Charlotte Falstein Graduate Scholarship Established in 1997 by Charlotte R. Falstein, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Elvira Vitu, Department of Structural Biology The Belle and Philip Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New York Recipient: Lior Zangi, Department of Immunology The Lillian Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New York Recipient: Adam Wasserstrom, Department of Biological Chemistry The Shirley and Judge Wilfred Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Abraham Feinberg, New York Recipient: Omer Barad, Department of Molecular Genetics The Dr. Judith Schneider and Dr. E. Richard Feinberg Scholarship Established in 1983 by Belle S. Meller, New York 330 Feinberg Graduate School Recipient: Liat Bahari, 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: Eli Shlizerman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Meyer Feldman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1973 through a bequest of Meyer Feldman, Tucson, Arizona Recipient: Anat Shmueli, Department of Molecular Genetics The Joel Fellner and Gisella Schreiber Fellner and Ernest Ludwig Mannheimer and Arabella Weiss Mannheimer Scholarship Fund Established in 1983 by the Leopold and Clara M. Fellner Charitable Foundation, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Rofa Elfakess, Department of Biological Chemistry The Joseph E. and Rose Fisher Scholarship Established in 1978 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Fisher, Canton, Ohio Recipient: Michal Kenan-Eichler, Department of Plant Sciences The Rita Friedell and Donald Fiterman Scholarship Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Morlan Fiterman, Highland Park, Illinois Recipient: Inbal Dangoor, Department of Plant Sciences The Stephen W. Fleck Scholarship Fund Established in 1995 through a bequest of Herta Fleck, New York Recipient: Amir Shlomai, Department of Molecular Genetics The Alexander and Lilly Foldes Memorial Scholarship Established in 1981 through a bequest of Lilly Foldes, New York Recipient: Leonid Karlinsky, 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: Avital Levy-Lior, Department of Structural Biology The Harry and Lillian Frankel Scholarship Established in 1959 through a bequest of Lillian Frankel, Shawnee Mission, Kansas Recipient: Ido Ben-Ami, MD, Department of Biological Regulation The Malcolm Fraser Scholarship in Medical Biology Established in 1987 in honor of Malcolm Fraser by the Australian Association for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Victoria, Australia Recipient: Limor Landsman, Department of Immunology The Samuel R. and Anna E. Friedman Scholarship Established in 1970 by the S.R. Friedman Charitable Trust, Palm Springs, California Recipient: Asaf Nussboim, Department of Computer Science and Applied Feinberg Graduate School 331 Mathematics The Margot and Alfred Furth-Regina Fleischer Scholarship in Chemistry Established in 1992 through a bequest of Regina Fleischer, and by Alfred Furth, New York, in memory of his wife, Margot Recipient: Eyal Kamhi, Department of Organic Chemistry The Rita Gehl Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1999 by Rita Gehl, London, UK Recipient: Noa Madar-Balakirski, Department of Biological Regulation The Bessie and Barnet Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1971 by the Bessie and Barnet Ginsburg Memorial Foundation, Westhampton Beach, New York Recipient: Aron Inger, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Israel, Sara and L. Chester Glaser Scholarship Established in 1975 through a bequest of L. Chester Glaser, New York Recipient: Ido Zelman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Yasha Gluzman Scholarship Established in 1998 by Ilan Gluzman, Nutley, New Jersey Recipient: Bareket Dassa, Department of Molecular Genetics The Goldberg-Guild Scholarships Established in 1984 by Bernard Goldberg, Hallandale, Florida, and by Irwin C. Guild, Palm Beach, Florida Recipients: Tal Amitay-Rosen, Department of Chemical Physics; Avital Beck, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Liora Bialer, Department of Science Teaching; Moran Feller, Department of Organic Chemistry; Ariel Ismach, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Erez Kantor, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Shulamit Kapon, Department of Science Teaching; Zohar Snapir, Department of Molecular Genetics; Michal Tabach, Department of Science Teaching The Dr. Anna Goldfeder Scholarship Established in 1994 through a bequest of Dr. Anna Goldfeder, New York Recipient: Oran Erster, Department of Biological Regulation The J. Barney and Pauline Goldhar Foundation Scholarship Established in 1982 in honor of Paul and Gella Rothstein by Mr. and Mrs. J. Barney Goldhar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Eyal Kamhi, Department of Organic Chemistry The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Scholarship Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Goldman, San Francisco, California Recipient: Yuri Alioshin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Phillip and Beverly Goldstick Scholarship Established in 1980 by Phillip C. Goldstick, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Talya Belogus, Department of Biological Chemistry 332 Feinberg Graduate School The Dorothy and Maurice Gordon Scholarship Established in 1968 by Centrose Associates, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Nissim Ofek, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Harold J. and Marion Green Scholarship Established in 1970 by Mr. and Mrs. Harold J. Green, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Adi Behar-Eliyahu, Department of Structural Biology The Linda, Tal and Akiva Gross Endowment Fund, in Memory of Heinrich Gross Established by Dr. Akiva Gross, Glencoe, Illinois, in memory of his father, Heinrich Recipient: Moran Feller, Department of Organic Chemistry The Nandor F. Gross Scholarship Established in 1982 through a bequest of Kalman Gross, New York Recipient: Inbal Dangoor, Department of Plant Sciences The Leanora, Judith and Samson Gruber Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 by Mr. and Mrs. Irving M. Gruber, New York, and named in memory of their son and their daughter Recipient: Dan Kushnir, 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: Yael Segal-Ruder, Department of Biological Chemistry 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: Dvir Haviv, Department of Mathematics The Gertrude and Benjamin R. Harris Scholarship Established in 1989 through bequests of Gertrude and Benjamin R. Harris, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ronit Nir, Department of Molecular Genetics The Dr. Esther Hellinger Memorial Scholarship Established in 1986 through a bequest of Dr. Esther Hellinger, London, UK Recipient: Gila Lustig, Department of Biological Regulation The Otto and Mary Hersch Scholarships Established in 1988 through a bequest of Mary Hersch, New York Recipients: Itai Afek, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Rafi Bistrizer, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Guy Engelhard, Department of Particle Physics; Eugene Frumker, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Yehonatan Elon, 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 Feinberg Graduate School 333 Recipient: Sharly Fleischer, Department of Chemical Physics The Fay and Harry Hoffman Scholarship Established in 1982 by Harry Hoffman, family and friends, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Maya Bar Sadan, Department of Materials and Interfaces The William T. Hogan and Winifred T. Hogan Scholarship Established in 1997 by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 714, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ya'ara Goldschmidt, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Lawrence Horowitz Scholarship Established in 1979 by Lawrence G. Horowitz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Recipient: Keren Ben-Yaakov, Department of Biological Cheimstry The Anna Hurwitz Scholarship Established in 1984 by Allan Hurwitz, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Lior Zangi, Department of Immunology The John F. Kennedy Memorial Fund Scholarships Established in 1965 by the John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, Rehovot, Israel Recipients: Tali Aqua, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Ran Budnik, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Gabriel A. Frank, Department of Structural Biology; Sarah Goldberg, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Eran Ginossar, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Eran Grinvald, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Yoav Gordin, Department of Condensed Matter Physics; Lena Gorelick, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Amir Karton, Department of Organic Chemistry; Noga Dalia Kowalsman, Department of Biological Chemistry; Eli Shechtman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Tal Shay, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Ravid Shechter, Department of Neurobiology; Guy Shinar, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Eliezer Shochat, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Malcolm Kingsberg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1972 through a bequest of Malcolm Kingsberg, New York Recipient: Asaf Nussboim, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Jeannine Klueger Scholarship Established in 1991 by Seraphina Klueger-Kraus, Dusseldorf, Germany, in memory of her daughter Recipient: David Baram, Department of Structural Biology The Neil David Konheim Memorial Scholarship Established in 1985 by George Konheim, Beverly Hills, California Recipient: Itamar Yadid, Department of Biological Chemistry The Richard Koret Scholarship Established in 1968 by the trustees of the Richard Koret Foundation, New 334 Feinberg Graduate School York Recipient: Itay Tirosh, Department of Molecular Genetics The Joseph Korodi Memorial Scholarship Established in 1993 by Emmy Singer Korodi, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Yaara Zwang, Department of Biological Regulation 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 Ronnie Kraut, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Recipient: Jaakov Kacher, Department of Biological Chemistry The Lillian Hellman Kugler Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1995 through the Saerree K. and Louis P. Fiedler Family Fund, Deerfield, Illinois Recipient: Anat Globerson, Department of Immunology The Robert Alan Kuniansky Memorial Scholarship Established in 1978 by Max L. and Helen Kuniansky, Atlanta, Georgia Recipient: Alona Keren-Paz, Department of Molecular Genetics The Liselotte and Richard Laster Endowed Doctoral Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 2001 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Laster, Chappaqua, New York Recipient: Lior Fisch, Department of Neurobiology The Harold J. Lawn, M.D. Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 by Dr. Harold J. Lawn, St. Paul, Minnesota Recipients: Vered Bar, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Zeev Dvir, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Tamar Eisenmann, Department of Science Teaching; Eyal Kalie, Department of Biological Chemistry The Dr. Sophie N. Leschin Scholarship Fund Established in 1985 through a bequest of Dr. Sophie N. Leschin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Inbal Dangoor, Department of Plant Sciences The Eudyce H. Levin Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1984 by Wallace "Bud" Levin, North Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Alona Keren-Paz, 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: Avi Barliya, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Morris I. Lewisohn Scholarship Established in 1976 through a bequest of Morris I. Lewisohn, Teaneck, New Jersey Recipient: Haim Beidenkopf, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Dorothy and Elias Lieberman Memorial Scholarship Feinberg Graduate School 335 Established in 1972 by the Elias Lieberman Memorial Foundation, Jamaica, New York Recipient: Gal Zahavi, Department of Mathematics The Sally and Jerome Lipper Scholarship Fund for Young Immigrants Established in 1993 by the Kenneth and Evelyn Lipper Foundation, New York Recipient: Nathali Kaushansky, Department of Immunology The Samuel and Eleanor London Scholarship Established in 1986 through a bequest of Eleanor J. London, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Liat Bahari, Department of Biological Chemistry The Meyer Loomstein Scholarship Established in 1982 by Meyer Loomstein, Hollywood, Florida Recipient: Iris Edry, Department of Biological Regulation The Lou and Miriam Ludwig Scholarship Established in 1974 through a bequest of Louis Ludwig, New York Recipient: Talya Belogus, Department of Biological Chemistry The Dr. Saul and Rose Mackoff Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2002 through a bequest of Dr. Saul Mackoff, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Meir Max Barak, Department of Structural Biology The Henry and Louis Malakoff Scholarship Fund, New Rochelle, New York Established in 1991 by Rebecca Malakoff, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Avihai Meiraz, Department of Immunology 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: Iftach Haitner, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Yoav Gal, Department of Biological Regulation The Rodolfo May Scholarships Established in 2000 through a bequest of Rodolfo May, Montevideo, Uruguay Recipients: Gil Hornung, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Maayan Gal, Department of Chemical Physics The Nora Menasce Scholarships in Cancer Research Established in 2002 through a bequest of Nora Menasce, Milan, Italy Recipients: Sigal Shachar, Department of Biological Chemistry; Ran Brosh, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Martin and Dianne Mendoza Scholarship Established in 1991 in honor of Martin and Dianne Mendoza by friends and admirers, London, UK Recipient: Adam Wasserstrom, Department of Biological Chemistry The Leo Meyer Scholarship Established in 1965 through a bequest of Leo Meyer, San Francisco, California 336 Feinberg Graduate School Recipient: Ronit Nir, Department of Molecular Genetics The Dr. Bert Migicovsky Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Ottawa Jewish Community, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Marc Altman, Department of Organic Chemistry The Minzer Family Fund Scholarship Established in 1978 by Margaret and Sol Minzer, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Gal Wittenberg, Department of Plant Sciences The Paul and Felicia Muskat Scholarship Fund Established in 1984 through a bequest of Paul Muskat, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipients: Jaakov Kacher, Department of Biological Chemistry; Yael Segal-Ruder, Department of Biological Chemistry The Inez P. and David N. Myers Scholarship Established in 1981 by the David and Inez Myers Scholarship Fund, Cleveland, Ohio Recipient: Assaf Rotem, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Gertrude and Valentin Nathan Scholarship Fund Established in 1997 through a bequest of Gertrude Nathan, New York Recipients: Liora Bialer, Department of Science Teaching; Boris Brumshtein, Department of Structural Biology; Racheli Fachima-Gueta, Department of Structural Biology; Itamar Yadid, Department of Biological Chemistry The Fanny Fletcher and Meyer Naxon Memorial Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1985 through a bequest of Meyer Naxon, Beverly Hills, California Recipients: Oran Erster, Department of Biological Regulation; Zohar Snapir, Department of Molecular Genetics The Clara and Bela B. Nevai Scholarship Established in 1972 by Mr. and Mrs. Bela B. Nevai, Dobbs Ferry, New York Recipient: Elisha Nathan, Department of Biological Regulation The Dr. Louis B. and Rose M. Newman Scholarship Established in 1971 by Dr. and Mrs. Louis B. Newman, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ido Ben-Ami, MD, Department of Biological Regulation The Cemach Oiserman Scholarship Fund Established in 1979 through Yehuda Assia, Geneva, Switzerland Recipient: Avi Mendelsohn, Department of Neurobiology The Dr. Oskar Oliven Memorial Scholarship Established in 2003 through bequests of Gerald and Hedy Oliven, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Leehee Laronne Ben-Itzhak, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Dora Ostre Memorial Scholarships Established in 1987 through a bequest of Dr. Sprinzl Weizenblatt, Feinberg Graduate School 337 Asheville, North Carolina Recipients: Hilah Gal, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Tal Sines, Department of Molecular Genetics; Yair Haim Wijsboom, Department of Organic Chemistry The Edith and Henry Plessner Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Edith Plessner, New York Recipient: Eli Shlizerman, 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: Aron Inger, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Rose Lee and Marvin Pomerantz Scholarship Established in 1998 by Rose Lee and Marvin Pomerantz and friends, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Hava Ben David Turgeman, Department of Immunology The Alfred Prager Scholarship Established in 1970 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science and through a bequest of Alfred Auerbach, New York Recipient: Oren Ben-Ami, Department of Molecular Genetics The Theodore R. and Edlyn Racoosin Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through bequests of Theodore and Edlyn Racoosin, New York Recipients: Amnon Amir, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Tal Birnberg, Department of Immunology; Carmit Cohen, Department of Science Teaching; Iyad M. Dkeidek, Department of Science Teaching; Ariel Gabizon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Goren Gordon, Department of Chemical Physics; Ronen Gradwohl, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Haim Haviv, Department of Biological Chemistry; Ya'akov Hoch, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Ron Izhar, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Limor Landsman, Department of Immunology; Orly Laufman, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Boris Levant, Department of Mathematics; Vered Lev-Goldman, Department of Organic Chemistry; Dan Levi, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Gil Lewitus, Department of Neurobiology; Orna Liarzi, Department of Biological Chemistry; Alexey Lyashenko, Department of Particle Physics; Lior Noy, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Reut Shalgi, Department of Molecular Genetics; Nadejda Sigal, Department of Biological Chemistry The Hirsch and Braine Raskin Foundation Scholarships Established in 1970 by the Hirsch and Braine Raskin Foundation, New York Recipients: Efrat Furst, Department of Neurobiology; Ido Horresh, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Leonid Gaydukov, Department of 338 Feinberg Graduate School Biological Chemistry The Harry, Lillian and Sylvan Ray Memorial Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1997 by Dr. M.L. Ray, Dallas, Texas Recipients: Omri Bauer, Department of Molecular Genetics; Naama Geva-Zatorsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Reiter Family Scholarship Established in 1984 by the Reiter Family Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Gili Hart, Department of Immunology The Harry and Mildred Remis Scholarship Established in 1973 by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Remis, Peabody, Massachusetts Recipient: Maya Bar Sadan, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Charles G. and Belle Reskin Doctoral Graduate Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1997 through a bequest of Charles Reskin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Jonathan Caspi, Department of Biological Chemistry The Burton and Sylvia "Sibby" Richards Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2001 by Mr. Burton Richards, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Recipient: Hagar Gelbard-Sagiv, Department of Neurobiology The Lillian L. Rolde Memorial Scholarship Established in 1981 by L. Robert Rolde, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Moran Bentzur, Department of Biological Chemistry The Dorothy and Irving Rom Scholarship Established in 1990 by the Irving and Dorothy Rom Charitable Trust, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Assaf Marcus, Department of Immunology The Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation Scholarship Established in 1990 by Ben and Esther Rosenbloom, Baltimore, Maryland Recipient: Hana Berger, Department of Science Teaching The Dr. Arnold Rosenblum Scholarship in Theoretical Physics Established in 1992 by Dorothy Rosenblum, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Tamar Kashti, Department of Particle Physics The Anna and Leo Rosner Scholarship Established in 1986 by the Leo Rosner Endowment Fund, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Gal Zahavi, Department of Mathematics The Celia and Nelson Rostow Scholarship Established in 1990 through a bequest of Nelson Rostow, New Haven, Connecticut Recipient: Iris Edry, Department of Biological Regulation The David and Eleanore Rukin Scholarship Established in 1981 by the David and Eleanore Rukin Philanthropic Foundation, Saddle River, New Jersey Recipient: Niva Blum, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Rymer Family Scholarship Established in 1989 by the Barry Rymer Trust, Chicago, Illinois Feinberg Graduate School 339 Recipient: Itay Tirosh, Department of Molecular Genetics The Sylvia and Aaron Scheinfeld Scholarship Established in 1977 by Mrs. Aaron Scheinfeld, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Nathali Kaushansky, Department of Immunology The Harry and Mae Schetzen and Prof. Martin Schetzen Scholarship Established in 1979 by Mrs. Mae Schetzen, New York Recipient: Yuval Emek, 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, Mexico Recipient: Avital Eisenberg, Department of Molecular Genetics The Harriet Schiller Scholarships Established in 2000 through a bequest of Harriet Schiller, Teaneck, New Jersey Recipients: Barak Blumenfeld, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics; Karen Rae Bone, Department of Molecular Genetics The Max Schoenfeld Scholarship Established in 1976 by Walter E. Schoenfeld, Seattle, Washington Recipient: Nataliya Borodovsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Rudolph Schoenheimer Memorial Scholarship Established in 1968 by Fritz Schoenheimer, New York Recipient: Dorit Cohen, Department of Molecular Genetics The Stuart and Sarah Schulman Scholarship Fund Established in 1991 by Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Schulman, Boca Raton, Florida Recipient: Ido Zelman, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Eugene and Lenore Schupak Endowed Doctoral Scholarship in Genetics Established in 1997 by the Schupak Family Foundation, Scottsdale, Arizona Recipient: Roni Golan-Lavi, Department of Molecular Genetics The David and Pauline Segal Scholarship Established in 1999 by George and Joan Segal, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Nitzan Censor, Department of Neurobiology The Bernard and Bernice Dorothy Segall Scholarship Fund Established in 2006 through a bequest of Bernice Dorothy Segall, New York Recipients: Ayelet Katzir, Department of Biological Chemistry; Elijah Shirman, Department of Organic Chemistry; Hilla Weidberg, Department of Biological Chemistry The Simon and Frieda Senderowicz-Perel Graduate Student Research Fund Established in 1999 through a bequest of Lea Senderowicz, Zurich, Switzerland Recipient: Liraz Chai, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Max and Lena Sharp Scholarship in Perpetuity 340 Feinberg Graduate School Established in 1972 by the Max and Lena Sharp Scholarship Fund, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Liat Shachnai, Department of Biological Regulation The Lily Sieff Doctoral Scholarship Established in 1998 by Helen and Martin Kimmel, New York Recipient: Elad Dinar, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Hon. Sir David Sieff Doctoral Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 2000 by family and friends, UK Foundation of the Weizmann Institute of Science Recipient: Moshe Fried, Department of Neurobiology The Irving I. Singer Foundation Scholarship Established in 1974 by the Irving I. Singer Foundation, New York Recipient: Adam Wasserstrom, Department of Biological Chemistry The Paula and Ernest Sommers Scholarship Established 2001 by Ernest Sommers, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Anat Shmueli, Department of Molecular Genetics The Blanche and Max Steig Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Blanche Steig, New York Recipient: Eyal Cohen, Department of Neurobiology The Oscar H. Stern Memorial Scholarship Established in 1976 through a bequest of Oscar H. Stern, New York Recipient: Edith Kario, Department of Biological Regulation The Roy L. Swarzman Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1990 by Matthew Bucksbaum, Marvin Pomerantz and Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Isaacson, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Maxime Gouet-Kaplan, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research 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: Ziv Porat, Department of Molecular Genetics The Armin and Etel (Angyal) Szolovits Doctoral Scholarship Established in 2001 through bequests of Armin and Etel Szolovits, Hollywood, California Recipient: Ariel Cohen, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Isaac H. Taylor Scholarship Established in 1972 by Isaac H. Taylor, Ellicott City, Maryland Recipient: Dror Cohen, Department of Neurobiology The Samara Jan Turkel Scholarship Fund for Autoimmune Diseases Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bach, New York, in memory of their granddaughter Recipient: Neta Kella-Madar, Department of Immunology The Frances L. Urban Scholarship Feinberg Graduate School 341 Established in 1978 through a bequest of Miriam B. Urban, Palo Alto, California Recipient: Mati Cohen, Department of Biological Chemistry The Guido Franklin van D. Memorial Scholarship Established in 2000 through a bequest of Hilda van D., Riehen, Switzerland Recipient: Arie Melamed-Katz, Department of Particle Physics The Minnie and Arthur Vare Scholarship Established in 1968 by the Minnie and Arthur Vare Foundation, New York Recipient: Iris Edry, Department of Biological Regulation The Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship Established in 1980 by the Swedish Committee and the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science Recipient: Nissim Ofek, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The George Wasserman Foundation/Janice Wasserman Goldsten Scholarship Established in 1994 by the George Wasserman Foundation and by Janice Wasserman Goldsten, Washington, D.C. Recipient: Lior Zangi, Department of Immunology The Paul and Greta Weinberger Scholarships Established in 1995 through a bequest of Paul Weinberger, New York Recipient: Dori Reichman, Department of Particle Physics The Erwin and Claire Weiner Scholarship Established in 1973 by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Naomi Coslovsky Litichver, Department of Neurobiology The Celeste and Joseph Weingarten Memorial Scholarship Established in 1987 by Nancy Weingarten and friends, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Hadar Less, Department of Plant Sciences The William W. Wilkow Scholarship Fund Established in 1987 by Mrs. William W. Wilkow, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Itzik Cooper, Department of Neurobiology The Dr. Albert and Blanche Willner Scholarship for Russian Students Established in 1993 by Dr. and Mrs. Albert Willner, Delray Beach, Florida Recipient: Anna Kaplan, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson Scholarship Established in 1996 by Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Yishay Shoval, Department of Molecular Genetics The Dr. Arthur Yarman and Gertrude Yarman Scholarship Fund Established in 2003 through a bequest of Gertrude Yarman, Miami, Florida Recipients: Ronen Levy, Department of Plant Sciences; Tal Markus, Department of Chemical Physics; Yehonathan Segev, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Milton Young Scholarship Established in 1983 by the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, New 342 Feinberg Graduate School York Recipient: Tal Sines, Department of Molecular Genetics The Samuel Zonne Scholarships Established in 1980 through a bequest of Samuel Zonne, Minneapolis, Minnesota Recipients: Moshe Fried, Department of Neurobiology; Adi Neufeld, Department of Neurobiology; Lior Noy, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

Annual and Semester Ph.D. Scholarships

Anonymous Scholarship in Alzheimer's Disease Established in 2006 by an anomymous donor, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Recipient: Evan Elliott, Neurobiology The CAMBR Foundation Doctoral Scholarships Established in 2006 by Mr. Allen Skolnick, Lynbrook, New York Recipients: Olga Guliamov, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Amnon Koren, Department of Molecular Genetics The Fanny Denes Scholarship Established in 1969 by Dr. George Denes, Zurich, Switzerland, in memory of his mother, Fanny Recipient: Anat Milo, Department of Organic Chemistry The Daniel Falkner Scholarship Established in 2001 by Daniel Falkner, London, UK Recipient: Lior Izhar, Department of Biological Chemistry The Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Scholarships Established in 1997 by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, San Francisco, California Recipients: Anna Aronovich, Department of Immunology; Igal Finarov, Department of Structural Biology; Zeev Fradkin, Department of Chemical Physics;Galit Fridman-Marueli, Department of Organic Chemistry; Michal Kenan-Eichler, Department of Plant Sciences; Yamit Sharaabi, Department of Organic Chemistry 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: Hadas Cohen, Department of Biological Regulation The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation Scholarship for Russian Students Established in 1996 by the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, New York Recipient: Roman Gersner, Department of Neurobiology The Joseph Meyerhoff Scholarships Established in 1983 through the Joseph Meyerhoff Fund and the Rebecca Meyerhoff Fund, Baltimore, Maryland Recipients: Nataliya Borodovsky, Department of Molecular Cell Biology; Feinberg Graduate School 343 Darya Frolova, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation Scholarship Established in 1995 by the Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation, Reno, Nevada Recipient: Tiruwork Mulat, Department of Science Teaching The James M. Senor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Perpetuity Established in 1986 by the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Noa Madar-Balakirski, Department of Biological Regulation The Herman de Stern-Stiftung Scholarship Established in 2007 by the Herman de Stern-Stiftung, Jerusalem, Israel Recipient: Dalia Berman-Golan, Department of Molecular Genetics The Zantker Charitable Foundation Scholarship Established in 1993 by the Zantker Charitable Foundation, Lexington, Kentucky Recipient: Liat Rousso Noori, Department of Molecular Genetics

Honorary Scholarships

The Hanan Bar-On Memorial Scholarship Established in 2003 by the Weizmann Institute of Science in honor and in memory of Hanan Bar-On, former Vice-President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Recipient: Yifat Peretz, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Midori Goto Scholarship Established in 1990 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Keren Ben-Yaakov, Department of Biological Chemistry The Elliott Gould Research Scholarship Established in 1989 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Hen Varol, Department of Immunology 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: Stav Sapoznik, Department of Biological Regulation The Richard M. Hornreich Scholarship in Physics Established in 1996 by the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, and family and friends in Israel and abroad, in memory of Prof. Richard Hornreich Recipient: Marija Vucelja, 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 York Recipient: Roni Golan-Lavi, Department of Molecular Genetics 344 Feinberg Graduate School The Shlomo Mintz Scholarship Established in 1982 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Rami Pugatch, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Barbara Walters Scholarship Established in 1990 by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, New York Recipient: Orna Man, Department of Structural Biology

M.Sc. Scholarships in Perpetuity

The I.W. Abel Scholarship Established in 2002 by the United Steelworkers of America, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recipient: Tal Ben Moshe, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Henrietta and Jack Abrams Scholarship Established in 1988 by Henrietta Abrams, Lauderhill, Florida Recipient: Moshe Ben-David, Department of Structural Biology The Egle Forti Ancona Scholarship in Perpetuity (The Dana Fund) Established in 1993 through a bequest of Mrs. Egle Forti, Rome, Italy Recipient: Einat Zelman, Department of Immunology The Harvey and Sandy Angell Master's Scholarship for Research for the Benefit of Children Established in 2001 by Harvey and Sandy Angell, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Tamar Scharf, Department of Science Teaching The Arizona Women and Science Scholarship Established in 1996 by Arizona Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science Recipient: Liat Elboim, Department of Immunology The Israel W. and Fannie Backe Scholarship Fund Established in 1987 through a bequest of Fannie Backe, Worcester, Massachusetts Recipient: Moshe Ben-David, Department of Structural Biology The Bendit Foundation Scholarship Established in 2000 by Dr. and Mrs. Emile Bendit and the Bendit Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland Recipient: Ilit Shlezak, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Abraham Berman Scholarship Established in 1966 through a bequest of Abraham Berman, South Africa Recipient: Jonathan Berson, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Carolyn and Marvin Birger Scholarship Established in 2000 by Marvin Birger, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Eli Ezrielev, Department of Neurobiology Feinberg Graduate School 345 The Louis C. and Edith B. Blumberg Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 by the Louis Blumberg Foundation, Southfield, Michigan Recipient: Emanuele Dalla Torre, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Irena-Ida Bogdanowicz Scholarship Established in 1994 through a bequest of Irena-Ida Bogdanowicz, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Matan Field, Department of Particle Physics The Dr. Louis D. Boshes and Natalie A. Boshes Endowed Master's Scholarship Established in 2005 through a bequest of Dr. Louis and Natalie Boshes, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ehud Eilon, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Harold and Harriet Brady Master's Scholarship Established through a bequest of Harriet Brady, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Amir Eldar, Department of Structural Biology 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, Illinois Recipient: Sarit Migdal, 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: Einat Zelman, Department of Immunology The Caspe Family Scholarship Established in 2000 by Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Caspe and the Caspe Family Foundation, Des Moines, Iowa Recipient: Ben Gradus, Department of Molecular Genetics The Helen and Harry Hans Davis Memorial Scholarship Established in 2002 through a bequest of Helen J. Davis, Wyncote, Pennsylvania Recipient: Yonit Hochberg, Department of Particle Physics The Kitty Waas Dekker, Simon Waas and Rosette Dekker Scholarship Established in 1998 through a bequest of Rosette Dekker, United Kingdom Recipient: Asaf Kleinbort, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Detroit Scholarship Fund for Soviet Students Established in 1992 by friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Detroit, Michigan Recipient: Rachel Magid, Department of Molecular Genetics The Alan Dixon Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1995 by the Hon. Alan J. Dixon, St. Louis, Missouri Recipient: Temima Schnitzer, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Bella and Hyman Eisenbaum Scholarship 346 Feinberg Graduate School Established in 1994 through the Bella Eisenbaum Trust, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Eldad Marom, Department of Organic Chemistry The Alex Elovic Memorial Scholarship Established in 1996 through a bequest of Bernat Elovic, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Tom Ran, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Louis E. Emerman Scholarship in Biomedical Research Established in 1999 by the Saul and Devorah Sherman Fund, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Efrat Shema, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Charles I. and Fanny Engelstein Endowment Fund Established in 1995 through a bequest of Fanny Engelstein, New York Recipient: Amir Monovich, 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: Matan Mussel, Department of Particle Physics The Aaron and Zlata Fish Memorial Bursary Established in 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Abe Fish, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Zohar Noy, Department of Chemical Physics The Sonia Floomberg Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 through a bequest of Sonia Floomberg, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recipient: Eliran Reuven, Department of Immunology The Joyce and Joseph J. Freed Family Scholarship Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Freed, Wheeling, Illinois Recipient: Idan Oren, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Yeheshkel and Fruma Freedman Education Fund Established in 2001 through a bequest of Isaac Freedman, Boston, Massachusetts Recipient: Merav Parter, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Helen and Charles Friedman Scholarship Fund Established in l986 by Helen and Charles Friedman, Paradise Valley, Arizona Recipient: Michal Rabani, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The William F. Fuerst Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 through a bequest of Madeleine Fuerst, New York Recipient: Sharon Reikhav, Department of Plant Sciences The Naomi and Morris Futorian Scholarship Established in 1994 by Naomi Futorian, Northbrook, Illinois Recipient: Jonathan Ronen, Department of Mathematics Feinberg Graduate School 347 The Prof. Eugene Gadol Scholarship Established in 2004 through a bequest of Prof. Eugene Gadol, Vienna, Austria Recipient: Guy Rozenzweig, Department of Particle Physics The Leo and Frances Gallin Scholarship Established in 1994 by Leo and Frances Gallin, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Orly Salama-Alber, Department of Biological Chemistry The Florence Gambino Scholarship Established 2000 through a bequest of Florence Gambino, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Temima Schnitzer, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Morris and Rose Goldman Scholarship Established in 1996 by Mrs. Rose Goldman, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Tsafrir Yedid Am, Department of Chemical Physics The Samuel L. and Rebecca R. Goldstein Bursary Established in 1977 through a bequest of Samuel Goldstein, Lynn, Massachusetts Recipient: Omer Ziv, Department of Biological Chemistry The Ethel and Anne Gordon Scholarship Established in 1990 through a bequest of Ethel Y. Gordon, New York Recipient: Nir Zohar, Department of Chemical Physics The Helena F. and Jacob Y. Gordon Scholarship Established in 1973 by Mrs. Jacob Y. Gordon, Newton, Massachusetts Recipient: Noga Karp, Department of Immunology The Salomon and Augusta Gottfried Scholarship Established in 1997 by Kurt and Sorel Gottfried, Ithaca, New York, in memory of his parents Recipient: Ori Cohavi, Department of Biological Chemistry The Scott David Greenberg Scholarship for Physics Research Established in 2001 by Scott D. Greenberg, Buffalo Grove, Illinois Recipient: Gilad Gotesman, Department of Chemical Physics The Harry and Isadore Gudelsky Memorial Bursary Established in 1974 by the Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Potomac, Maryland Recipient: Amir Gelman, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Haas Family Scholarship for Scientific Research Established in 2007 by Dr. and Mrs. David J. Haas, Suffern, NY Recipient: Michal Goldschmidt, Department of Structural Biology The Dr- Ing. Jerzy Hanowski Scholarship Established in 1992 through a bequest of Lola Hanowski, Aachen, Germany Recipient: Dana Vuzman, Department of Organic Chemistry The Harry Julius Harris Scholarship Established in 1997 through a bequest of Dorothy Harris and by Anne Ingber, New York 348 Feinberg Graduate School Recipient: Michal Breker, Department of Immunology The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 1997 by friends and supporters, Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, Ilinois Recipient: Elad Ganmor, Department of Neurobiology The Carylon and Julius L. Hemmelstein Scholarship Established in 2001 by the Carylon Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Sivan Barnees, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Otto and Mary Hersch Scholarships Established in 1988 through a bequest of Mary Hersch, New York Recipients: Raz Alon, Department of Particle Physics; Nir Auerbach, Department of Physics of Complex Systems; Assaf Carmi, Department of Particle Physics; Matan Field, Department of Particle Physics; Kfir Blum, Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Luta and Ludwig Heusinger Scholarships Established in 1993 through a bequest of Dr. Ludwig Heusinger, Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel Recipient: David Adjiashvili, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Benjamin S. Hornstein Scholarship Fund Established in 1989 through a bequest of Benjamin S. Hornstein, New York Recipient: Eldad Marom, Department of Organic Chemistry The Charles S. Dunn and Irene Hossman Bursary Established in 1972 by Lottie I. Hossman, Hickory Hills, Illinois Recipient: Zohar Noy, Department of Chemical Physics The Fanny E. and Lewis J. Isaacs Scholarship Established in 1989 through the Fanny E. Isaacs Living Trust, Glencoe, Illinois Recipient: Michal Rabani, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Thomas and Ruth Isackson Memorial Scholarship Awards Established in 1992 through a bequest of Ruth Isackson, Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Sharon Reikhav, Department of Plant Sciences The Benjamin Kaufman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1995 by Nathan Jacobs, New York Recipient: Ifat Musseri, Department of Neurobiology The Udi Khazam Memorial Scholarship Established in 1996 by the Khazam Family, London, UK and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Recipient: Roy Har-Tsvii, Department of Chemical Physics The Leon Kole Memorial Bursary Established in 1982 by Isabelle Kole Stein and children, Hollywood, Florida Feinberg Graduate School 349 Recipient: Mark Koudritsky, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Arthur Konviser Memorial Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 2007 by Dr. Eudice Goldberg, family and friends, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Dana Rabinovich, Department of Molecular Genetics The Frank Korrick Scholarship Established in 1991 through a bequest of Francis Charles Korrick, Sydney, Australia Recipient: Dario Breitel, Department of Plant Sciences The Esther B. and Milton J. Krainin Master's Scholarship Established in 2006 by Dr. Milton J. Krainin, Atlanta, Georgia Recipient: Adi Lakritz, Department of Neurobiology The Margaret S. Kramer Scholarship Established in 1999 by Margaret S. Kramer, Palm Beach, Florida Recipient: Nitzan Adam, Department of Immunology The David and Pola Kuppermann Scholarship Fund Established in 2000 through a bequest of Pola Kuppermann, Flushing, New York Recipient: Efrat Shema, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Alexander E. Langsam Memorial Master's Scholarship Established in 2001 by Florence Langsam, Rockville, Maryland Recipient: Libby Kosolapov, Department of Biological Chemistry The Susan Lazarus Perpetual Scholarship Fund in Cancer Research Established in 1985 by Charles and Ruth Lazarus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in memory of their daughter, Susan Recipient: Omer Ziv, Department of Biological Chemistry The Anne P. Lederer Master's Scholarship in Brain Research Established in 1998 by the Anne P. Lederer Research Institute, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Yifat Ben-Ami, 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: Ifat Musseri, Department of Neurobiology The Dr. Aaron M. Lefkovits Scholarship Fund Bursary Established in 1986 by Dr. Aaron Lefkovits, Memphis, Tennessee Recipient: Noga Karp, Department of Immunology The Chaim Michel and Chaya Freyda Levine Scholarship, Established by their Son, Jules Lawren Established in 1995 through a bequest of Jules Lawren, New York Recipient: Nir Zohar, Department of Chemical Physics The Leyfell Family Master's Scholarship Established in 2001 by Mr. and Mrs. Aleksander Leyfell, Cambridge, Massachusetts Recipient: Daniel Ben-Halevy, Department of Molecular Cell Biology 350 Feinberg Graduate School The Abe Lisan Educational Grant Bursary Established in 1974 through a bequest of Abe Lisan, Glenside, Pennsylvania Recipient: Lior Harpaz, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Josef and Avraham (Avi) Isser Luchfeld Memorial Bursary Established in 1986 by Mr. and Mrs. Josef Luchfeld, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recipient: Sarit Migdal, Department of Biological Regulation The Alexander and Mary Margolis and Bernard A. Margolis Perpetual Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Bernard A. Margolis, Brooklyn, New York Recipient: Amir Gelman, Department of Biological Chemistry The Ben and Ruth Marks Scholarship Established in 1990 by Ben and Ruth Marks, North Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Dana Vuzman, Department of Organic Chemistry The Paula Marshall Bursary Established in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Marshall, Downsview, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Eldad Marom, Department of Organic Chemistry The Joory Mashal Bursary Established in 1981 by Joory and Doreen Mashal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recipient: Zohar Noy, Department of Chemical Physics The Samuel Mayer Bursary Established in 1973 by Elsie Mayer, Santa Monica, California Recipient: Michal Rabani, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Joseph and Mable E. Meites Scholarship Fund Established in 1983 by Joseph and Mable E. Meites, Okemos, Michigan Recipient: Talia Harris, Department of Chemical Physics The Paul and Felicia Muskat Bursary Established in 1984 through a bequest of Paul Muskat, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Alon Rubin, Department of Neurobiology The Gertrude and Valentin Nathan Scholarship Fund Established in 1997 through a bequest of Gertrude Nathan, New York Recipient: Yonatan Hovav, Department of Chemical Physics The Harold Paul Novick Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Samson Novick, New York Recipient: Mark Koudritsky, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Walter Pancoe Scholarship Established in 1992 by Walter Pancoe, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Dario Breitel, Department of Plant Sciences The Gertrude and Ivar Philipson Bursary Feinberg Graduate School 351 Established in 1961 through bequests of Gertrude and Ivar Philipson, Stockholm, Sweden Recipient: Dana Bezalel, Department of Neurobiology The Rona and David Radler/Sun-Times Scholarship for Biomedical Research Established in 2002 in honor of F. David Radler by the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Eilon Sharon, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Anna and Max Resnick Scholarship Established in 1996 by Howard Resnick, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Omer Ziv, Department of Biological Chemistry The Prof. David Rittenberg Memorial Bursary Established in 1971 in memory of her husband by Mrs. S. Rittenberg and friends, New York Recipient: Nir Zohar, Department of Chemical Physics The Paul and Gabriella Rosenbaum Scholarship in Biology Established in 1999 by the Paul and Gabriella Rosenbaum Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Dan Ben-Zvi, Department of Molecular Genetics The Sara Rottenberg Scholarship in Cancer Research Established in 1994 by Sophie Kalina, New York Recipient: Temima Schnitzer, Department of Physics of Complex Systems The Dr. Alexander Salamon Memorial Endowment Fund Established in 2006 by Lilly Salcman, Julie Salamon, and Dr. Suzanne Salamon, Florida, New York, and Massachusetts Recipient: Sivan Cohen, Department of Immunology 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: Shalom Madar, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Marvin Sands Endowed Master's Scholarship Fund Established in 2003 in honor of Marvin Sands by South Florida Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science Recipient: Nir Flurman, Department of Biological Chemistry The Elsie Olin and Philip D. Sang Scholarship Established in 1995 by Elsie Olin Sang, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Nadav Samet, Department of Mathematics The Jerome D. and Beverly Scheer Scholarship Established in 1991 by Jerome D. and Beverly Scheer, Potomac, Maryland Recipient: Yael Shahar, Department of Biological Regulation The Alice and Lewis Schimberg Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 by Alice Schimberg, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Eli Ezrielev, Department of Neurobiology The Henry and Soretta Shapiro Master's Scholarship 352 Feinberg Graduate School Established in 1996 by the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Family Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Adi Sagiv, Department of Immunology The Sabina D. and Benjamin Shapiro Scholarship Fund Established in 1999 through a bequest of Sabina D. Shapiro, New York Recipient: Yael Shahar, Department of Biological Regulation The Ruth and Leonard Simon Scholarship in Leukemia/Cancer Research Established in 1999 by Mrs. Ruth Simon, Wilmette, Illinois Recipient: Sarit Michalovici, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Rochelle and Harold Simpson Scholarship Established in 2002 by Harold and Rochelle Simpson, Delray Beach, Florida Recipient: Idan Milo, Department of Immunology The Rachel and Arnold Smith Endowed Master's Scholarship Established in 1996 by Rachel and Arnold Smith, Phoenix and Paradise Valley, Arizona Recipient: Ifat Musseri, Department of Neurobiology The Sabine and Jeremy Smouha Scholarship Established in 2007 by Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Smouha, London, UK Recipient: Eynat Dellus, Department of Biological Chemistry The Elias and Hilda Sofaer Scholarship Established in 1994 by Michael Sofaer, London, UK Recipient: Elena Smolensky, Department of Organic Chemistry The Rabbi and Mrs. Aaron Solomon Bursary Established in 1982 by Dr. Jonathan G. Solomon, Hampton, Virginia, in honor of his parents Recipient: Ohad Silbert, Department of Particle Physics The Paula and Ernest Sommers Scholarship Established in 2001 by Ernest Sommers, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Ifat Musseri, Department of Neurobiology The Sylvia and Leonard Sorkin Scholarship Established in 1997 through a bequest of Leonard Sorkin, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Reut Shema, Department of Neurobiology The Keren Sotskover Scholarship Established in 1992 through bequests of Eliezer and Genia (Chaine) Sotskover, Ramat Gan, Israel Recipient: Nir Flurman, Department of Biological Chemistry The Hazel and David Spatz Scholarship Established in 2000 by the Spatz Family Foundation, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Elena Smolensky, Department of Organic Chemistry The Blanche and Max Steig Memorial Scholarship Fund Established in 1993 through a bequest of Blanche Steig, New York Recipient: Efrat Shema, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Gabriel Armand Stein Scholarship Fund Established in 1991 by Paul Stein, Jackson Heights, New York, in memory Feinberg Graduate School 353 of his son Recipient: Ariel Biller, Department of Organic Chemistry The Nachman Syrkin and Mendel Osnos Scholarship Established in 1999 by Drs. Morton G. and Zivia Wurtele, Berkeley, California Recipient: Gillat Kol, 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: Nofar Woller, Department of Molecular Genetics The Harry M. Tobe Memorial Bursary Established in 1981 by Dr. Barry A. Tobe, Downsview, Ontario, Canada Recipient: Erez Geron, Department of Immunology The Ann Turman Bursary Established in 1987 by Ann E.K. Turman, Great Barrington, Massachusetts Recipient: Ohad Silbert, Department of Particle Physics The Werner and Daughter Renee Usansky Memorial Bursary Established in 1982 by Sra. Sara Z. de Usansky, Buenos Aires, Argentina Recipient: Tamar Zil-Bar, Department of Neurobiology The Rose and Ben N. Vollen Scholarship Established in 1993 through a bequest of Ben Vollen, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Yifat Ben-Ami, Department of Neurobiology The Dr. Edgar Weil Memorial Bursary Established in 1975 by an anonymous donor, Los Angeles, California Recipient: Jonathan Berson, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Paul and Greta Weinberger Scholarships Established in 1995 through a bequest of Paul Weinberger, New York Recipient: Ofer Vitells, Department of Particle Physics The Joe and Celia Weinstein Scholarship Established in 1995 by Major Max and Sylvia Shulman, New York Recipient: Efrat Shema, 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: Hadar Sinvani, Department of Biological Chemistry The Sarah Werch Research Scholarship Fund Established in 1994 by the Solomon Carl Werch Trust, Chicago, Illinois Recipient: Yael Getz, Department of Biological Chemistry The J. Stanley Weyman Memorial Scholarship Established in 1998 by Anne Weyman, London, UK Recipient: Elad Shtilerman, Department of Chemical Physics The Rose Weyman Memorial Bursary Established in 1987 by Stanley Weyman, London, UK 354 Feinberg Graduate School Recipient: Irit Shachrai, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Pauline Whiteman Scholarship Fund Established in 2005 through a bequest of Pauline Whiteman, San Francisco, California Recipient: Shira Mintzer, Department of Biological Chemistry The Ruth Ann and Sam Wolfson Endowment for the Cure of Alzheimer's Disease Established in 2001 by Sam Wolfson, Dallas, Texas Recipient: Yifat Ben-Ami, Department of Neurobiology The Women of Vision Scholarship Fund in Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Established in 1996 by friends and supporters, Florida Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, North Miami Beach, Florida Recipient: Efrat Shema, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Dr. Arthur Yarman and Gertrude Yarman Scholarship Fund Established in 2003 through a bequest of Gertrude Yarman, Miami, Florida Recipient: Ophir Shalem, Department of Molecular Genetics The Yitzhak Fund (Heath Trust) Scholarship Established in 1992 through the offices of Martin Paisner, London, UK Recipients: Yanina Braginski, Department of Materials and Interfaces; Alik Demishtein, Department of Biological Chemistry; Klim Efremenko, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Milton Young Memorial Bursary Established in 1980 by friends of Milton Young, New York Recipient: Yael Shahar, Department of Biological Regulation The Louis and Celia Zeibell and Ida Zeibell Scholarship in Perpetuity Established in 1995 by Jack Zeibell, Forest Park, Illinois Recipient: Tamar Scharf, Department of Science Teaching The Ronald Zemell Memorial Master's Scholarship in Immunology or Biomedical Research Established in 2001 by Dr. and Mrs. David S. Papermaster, Bloomfield, Connecticut Recipient: Yael Klionsky, Department of Immunology The William N. Zinn Endowed Master's Scholarship Established in 2003 by Robert Zinn, Houston, Texas, and Natalie Zinn Haar, Cambridge, Massachusetts Recipient: Elad Lavee Laviad, Department of Biological Chemistry The Lillian and Samuel L. Zuckerman Bursary Established in 1959 in honor of their parents' golden wedding anniversary by the Zuckerman family, New York Recipient: Nadav Samet, Department of Mathematics

Annual and Semester M.Sc. Scholarships Feinberg Graduate School 355 The Leon David Asseo Foundation Scholarships Established in 2003 by the Leon David Asseo Foundation, Tel Aviv, Israel Recipient: Tomer Itkin, Department of Immunology The Tamara Harlap Scholarships Established in 2006 by Tamara Harlap, Herzliya, Israel Recipients: Revital Bazinin, Department of Organic Chemistry; Irit Shachrai, 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: Leon Peters, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Sam and Amelia Kopai Scholarship Established in 2004 through a bequest of Amelia Kopai, Victoria, Australia Recipient: Leehod Baruch, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics

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, Miami Beach, Florida 356 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center

Lia Addadi, Director The Dorothy and Patrick Gorman Professor

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center of the Weizmann Institute of Science was established in 1972, following the tragic death of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski at the hands of terrorists. The Center, set up as a living memorial to him, is administered through a Board of Trustees supported by an International Advisory Committee.

The Center promotes activities in physical biology and macromolecular science and in such other areas of science that fall within the wide-ranging interests of Aharon Katzir-Katchalski. The Center furthers international scientific cooperation through the organization of scientific meetings and the exchange of scientists. Of particular concern to the Center is the impact of scientific and technological advances on human society.

The Board of Trustee is presently composed of: E. Katchalski-Katzir, Chairperson; L. Addadi, Director (Dean of the Feinberg Graduate School, ex officio); and additional officers of the Weizmann Institute of Science (ex officio): Prof. Daniel Zajfman, President; G. Kober Vice-President for Administration & Finance; B. Geiger, Dean of the Faculty of Biology; and B. Shilo, Dean of the 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 Dean can appoint an advisory committee which is currently headed by Prof. R. Seger, The administrative coordinator is Y. Givoli

The Aharon Katzir-Katchalski Center has for many years been the recipient of financial support from various Foundations including the B. de Rothschild Fund for the Advancement of Science in Israel. The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center 357

Activities

The Annual Katzir-Katchalski Conference

These conferences are held annually, alternately in Israel and abroad. To date 22 conferences have 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 358 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center 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

2004: 28th The COP signalosome, the proteasome and e-IF3 at the interface between signaling and proteolysis M. Glickman, Technion

2005: 29th Molecular Perspective on Protein-Protein Interactions G. Schreiber,Israel

2006: 30th Optical of Biomolecular Dynamics II G. Haran,Israel

2007: 31th The Unbearable Complexity of Life A. Azem, N. Nelson

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 since 1975. 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

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 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center 359 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.

2004: 25th, Prof. David Baltimore, (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California): The Many Faces of NF-kB

2005: 26th, Prof. Roald Hoffmann, (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY): Honesty to the singular object: Some reflections on ethics, narrative, and science.

2008: 27th , Prof. David Baker, (University of Washington, Seattle, Wa.): From prediction of structure to design

Katzir-Katchalski Travel Grants 360 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center

Travel grants are provided to graduate students working within the areas of the Center's interests, to facilitate their participation in courses, schools, and workshops abroad. Students from all Israeli institutions of higher learning are eligible.

The program has been in operation since 1976. 55 such grants were awarded in 2008.

Special Activities

The Center assists with the organization of scientific meetings that fall within its scope. The latest were:

1987: 9th International Biophysics Congress Chaiperson: H. Eisenberg, Israel

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

2005: 29th Molecular Perspectives on Protein-Protein Interactions Chairperson: G. Schreiber, Israel

2006: 30th Life and Death in the Nervous System. Chairperson: M. Fainzilber, Israel

2006: 31st Optical Spectroscopy of Biomolecular Dynamics Chairperson: G. Haran, Israel

2007: 32nd The Unbearable Complexity of Life Chairperson: N. Nelson The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center 361

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/feinberg/katzir/contentE/index.html 362 The Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky Center Dean for Educational Activities

Dean: Israel Bar-Joseph The Jane and Otto Morningstar Professor of Physics 364 Science Teaching

Science Teaching

Avi Hofstein, Head (until June 2008)

Bat Sheva Eylon, Head (from July 2008) The Chief Justice Bora Laskin Professor of Science Teaching

The Department is composed of groups working in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, life sciences, and science and technology for junior-high school. In all these areas there are extensive research and development projects, aimed at (1) studying science and mathematics learning and teaching and their development, (2) producing and implementing improved and up-to-date learning and teaching materials that integrate the use of modern technologies, and (3) providing professional development for teachers, all over Israel. Work is based on an underlying philosophy that considers curriculum development and implementation, teacher professional development, research and evaluation as interrelated and continuous long-term activities. Research studies focus on cognitive, socio-cultural and affective aspects of learning, teaching and learning to teach science and mathematics, using various research methodologies: quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods.

The department operates three national centers for science teachers: physics, chemistry (until September,2007), and junior high school science and technology - specializing in the development of leadership among science teachers and in continuous professional development for science teachers using research-based models.

Mathematics Group Ruhama Even, Head

Below is a short description of this group's main projects:

The CompuMath (MatiMachshev) Project: Innovative approaches to teaching mathematics in junior-high school, based on a continuous use of technological tools for investigating problem situations. The research focuses on learning processes and studying habits. Science Teaching 365 The Heterogeneous Classes (Kulam) Project: Innovative approaches to teaching mathematics in junior high school (grades 7-8) to accommodate the needs of several student sub-populations in the same classroom.

Math for All" (the Shay Program) Project: This comprehensive R&D project started in 1992 with the development of materials for non-mathematically oriented students toward their matriculation (bagrut) requirements, based on informal sense-making and graphical methods. This project includes research aimed at uncovering, understanding and harnessing student capabilities (rather than describing their failures). Lately, this area of study expanded to include: a) research on successful high school students of Ethiopian origin, in order to identify components of success beyond the traditional explanation of "natural" abilities; b) research on the impact of technologies on students with difficulties in mathematics in 7th grade, and c) design, implementation and evaluation of a model for in-school guidance in deprived areas.

The MathComp (Machshavatika) Project: student workbooks for grades 7-12, using the capabilities of Computer Algebra Systems (CAS), accompanied by textbooks for teacher education. The research focuses on task design, changes that CAS brings to the mathematical environment of teachers, symbol sense with a symbolic-graphic system, and technological discourse on operative knowledge.

The Elementary Math Project (Chugim): Development and implementation of mathematical investigations for elementary school students.

Professionalization of Elementary School Teachers: Development and implementation of courses for elementary school teachers as part of a national project to professionalize the teaching of elementary school mathematics.

Teachers and PD providers' knowledge and development: This comprehensive R&D project started almost two decades ago and later became part of MANOR activities. It focuses on examining and developing teacher subject matter knowledge, teacher knowledge and understanding of students' talk and action, and PD providers' work, learning, education and development.

Evaluation of elementary school mathematics curricula: This evaluation study of six curriculum projects for grades 1-2 was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and was completed in December 2006.

Practices of mathematics teaching in different contexts: This research examines the role played by the context in determining the enacted curriculum, teaching practices and ways of offering mathematics to learners. 366 Science Teaching Physics Group Bat-Sheva Eylon, Head

The group carries out research, development and implementation activities to advance the teaching of physics in grades 7-12. The activities aim to enhance the learning of the basic syllabus by all the students and to provide special programs and activities for excellent and underachieving students. A central objective of the group is the long term professional development of the community of physics teachers in Israel. The Group operates an internet site for students (ALEPH.) Teachers use the site to run activities offered through the teacher site (see below). Current activities include:

Curriculum development and assessment methods for the new syllabus: In 2007 we have completed several units on the topic of "radiation and matter" and a revision of the mechanics course. The courses are accompanied by educational resources for students and teachers and include innovative formats for problem-solving activities, inquiry laboratories and computerized materials. We developed a new portfolio-based format for on-going assessment of laboratory work for the matriculation that would encourage the use of investigations and inquiry labs.

Modules for enhancing physics learning: These modules supplement the regular teaching: a. Knowledge integration modules support students in relating different aspects of their learning experiences (e.g. connecting lab work and theory); b. Problem-solving modules foster self-monitoring skills in physics learning (e.g. analysis of mistakes, preparation to tests, diagnosis of test solutions). Currently the Group prepares and implements web-based test preparation modules aimed at organizing students' knowledge and developing awareness of common misconceptions, in Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism. c. Contemporary physics modules using exemplary lectures. We have been researching how practicing physicists explain contemporary topics and how to support learning from such lectures by students and teachers. Instructional and design studies investigate the learning processes and the attainment of the goals targeted by these modules. We received an ISF grant to study of the effects of self-diagnosis tasks on learning from physics problem solving.

Out-of-School programs for excellent and interested students: Two programs are developed in collaboration with the Chais School at the Davidson Institute of Science Education and are conducted in regional classes: a. "Physics and Industry" is a 2-year program operating since 1999. It is a collaborative project with the Electro-optics Industries. Presently it is implemented also with excellent students from low socio-economic backgrounds. A comprehensive study on the program was completed this year. "Soft and Biological Matter" is a new 3-year interdisciplinary program intended for high school chemistry and Science Teaching 367 physics students. It is being developed in collaboration with other groups in the department and Weizmann Institute scientists.

The professional development of teachers is pursued mainly through the National Center for Physics Teachers run by the Group which is responsible for coordinating the professional development of physics teachers throughout Israel. The center focuses on the establishment of teacher leadership, publishes a journal for physics teachers, runs an annual conference and a variety of teacher seminars, designs and collects resource materials for the teaching of physics and runs a variety of projects (e.g. the "photo-contest" for students, analysis of the matriculation exams.) The Center runs an interactive didactic internet site for teachers. The site is used extensively by the teachers. The Group conducts studies on professional development of teachers and change in their practice. This year, we completed a three year study on an "evidence-based" approach to teacher development as part of a collaborative project with King's college in the UK. Additional studies explore models for collaborative action research workshops for high school physics teachers, and methods for integrating the study of content and pedagogy in pre-service training of physics teachers.

Earth and Environmental Sciences Group Nir Orion, Head

The Group is involved in curriculum development, implementation and evaluation involving students from kindergarten to high school. The curriculum materials are developed for a variety of learning environments: the laboratory, the outdoors, the computer and the classroom.

Ongoing projects include: Development of new curriculum materials for the senior high school;

Development of new curriculum materials for junior high school;

Development of new curriculum materials for elementary school;

The introduction of the outdoors as a an integral and central learning environment of the science curricula;

Intervention projects in elementary and junior high schools in order to introduce new strategies, methods and emphasis of teaching the science curricula;

Studying how to develop environmental insights among K-12 students; 368 Science Teaching Development of practical and effective ways and techniques for using science education as a tool to close social gaps and cultural differences;

Development of practical and effective ways to use the computer as a distance learning tool;

Development of practical and effective ways and techniques to lead changes among teachers;

Chemistry Group Avi Hofstein, Head

The Group is engaged in all facets of chemistry curriculum development, implementation and evaluation. In recent years, few textbooks and other learning materials were developed, in order to address the goals of the new chemistry curriculum in Israel. In order to disseminate innovative ideas in chemistry education, the group emphasizes the professional development of chemistry teachers in general and professional development of leading teachers in particular. The group is involved in several research studies focusing on chemical literacy, student understanding of concepts, and learning in the laboratory (development, implementation and assessment of inquiry-based chemistry experiments).The group is involved in a three years collaborative project with several European ( titled PARSEL in the capacity of PF6) nations aiming at popularization of science and in making science more relevant to the student.

In regard to curriculum development the group published two units for 11th grade students; "Chemistry is in us" and Relationships and bonding in the world of material. The chemistry group started developing a unit for 12th grade students titled "Environmental Chemistry".

The Chemistry Group undertakes action research in order to gain greater insight regarding the implementation of the chemistry curriculum and to learn more about the work of chemistry teachers in their classrooms. In addition, the Chemistry Group has developed and implemented methods for assessing student achievement in about 100 schools all over Israel.

The Chemistry Group runs a National Center for Chemistry Teachers (until September, 2007). The main goals of this center are: (1) Enhancing the Content Knowledge, (2) enhancing the Pedagogical Content Knowledge Creating a Leadership, and (3) establishing a core of chemistry teachers. The main activities focus on: (1) Conducting leadership workshops for chemistry teachers, (2) maintaining a journal for chemistry teachers, (organizing meetings and conferences, and (3) running an interactive website. Science Teaching 369 A Center for the liaison with the chemical industry in Israel has been established. The main goal of this Center is to provide instructional materials related to the applications of chemistry to industries. These materials include films and booklets that help in the planning and conducting of educational field trips to industrial sites in Israel. The Center operates a website containing a collection of pedagogical ideas relating the chemistry class to industry in order to make chemistry more relevant to students. In addition, the center is initiating the execution of small-scale industrial projects conducted by high school chemistry students (MEYZAM), which become part of the students' final matriculation examination in chemistry.

Computer Science Group Mordechai Ben-Ari, Head

The main focus of our research is on the use of visualization and animation in teaching computer science, in particular on the acceptance of these systems by teachers and on their contribution to students' learning. We are working on the Jeliot program animation system in collaboration with the University of Joensuu in Finland.

We also work on the following topics: (a) the development of learning materials (textbooks and software tools) for concurrent and distributed computation; (b) research on difficulties in learning the concept of nondeterminism; (c) evaluation of the Computer Science Unplugged activities on the attitudes of middle school children.

Science and Technology in Junior-High School Group Bat-Sheva Eylon, Head

The Group continues to run the National Teacher Center for Science and Technology in JHS. This center addresses all the relevant teachers (~4500) in the country, supports the regional teacher frameworks, and educates teacher leaders. It is an interdisciplinary center and relates to the main science education disciplines. The Center runs a web site, publishes a teacher journal, runs an annual conference for about 400 teachers, publishes various guides for leader teachers, and coordinates activities for supporting national initiatives for the teachers. In 2007 the leadership courses focused on initiatives to increase the participation of girls in science and to promote the use of strategies for developing scientific learning and inquiry skills.

The following are some additional activities that were carried out in 2007: The Fourth annual Ilan Ramon Olympiad: This annual science competition for JHS classes is carried out through the Center's website and culminates with a conference in which the winning students present their projects. The competition is carried out in collaboration with the youth activities center. In 370 Science Teaching 2007, 1500 students from 160 Hebrew and Arabic schools participated in the Olympiad.

Advancing the teaching of physics in JHS: In 2006-2007 a new method for teaching students how to construct explanations and predictions in the topic of "interactions, forces and motion" was introduced to about 900 teachers in various workshops and meetings. A PhD investigating the method was completed in 2007.

Promoters of Excellence in JHS: This initiative is run in collaboration with the Society for Excellence through Education (SEE), and the Davidson Institute of Science Education. It is concerned with the development of a new function in schools - "an excellence promoter" responsible for leading the activities concerned with advancing excellent students and school excellence. In 2007, a second course for promoters of excellence was completed we science teachers. We we carried out a design study on this course sponsored by the Initiative for Applied Education Research of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Israel Ministry of Education, and the Rothschild Foundation (Yad Hanadiv).

International activities: The "LSS - Learning Skills for Science" program has been adopted and farther developed for the British educational system as part of their "Science for the Scientists" and "Science for the Citizens" curriculum. It is published by the Nuffield Curriculum and has been implemented in about 1000 schools in Britain with our involvement in training the leading teachers and in the evaluation of the program. The Group participated also in the collaborative research project of the department with King's College in developing the "evidence-based" model for professional development of teachers. Another international activity involved the adoption of the"Blue Planet" program as an exemplary program by UNESCO (see the Earth and Environmental Sciences" Group).

Scientific Literacy Activities: The Group completed the design of 120 activities for developing scientific literacy skills in the physical sciences and in earth and environmental sciences. These activities are now being published by the ministry of education and will serve as resources for supporting the development of literacy in schools.

Life Sciences Group Anat Yarden, Head Science Teaching 371 The group's major objective is to establish means to bridge between the dynamics of biological discoveries and the biology that is taught in junior- and senior-high schools in Israel. Towards this objective the group developed a concept, which was adopted nation wide, to learn biology using scientific research articles that were adapted to the knowledge level of high-school biology students. We recently were able to show that learning biology using the adapted research articles promotes high school students' engagement with the subject matter, students' ability to integrate knowledge they acquired while learning other biological topics, as well as develop students' inquiry thinking skills.

Another way of adapting authentic scientific practices for the high school biology students is to use internet-based bioinformatics tools. A learning unit, which includes interactive activities, based on genome databases, was developed in order to teach high-school biology majors basic ideas in genetics. The environment is aimed at giving high-school biology students a feel for how scientists work in the field, as it exposes them to some of the tools and resources currently available in experimental molecular biology. We recently were able to show that when students participate in the simulation of authentic genetics research and use the bioinformatics tools provided within the learning environment, they expand their understanding of the relationships between molecular mechanisms and traits, and refine their understanding of certain genetic concepts

In line with our major objective, we recently developed learning materials in genetic engineering for high-school biotechnology majors. In these materials the main methods which are currently practiced in contemporary molecular biology laboratories are outlined alongside their possible applications. The unit is accompanied with interactive animations, which enable to view the molecular processes involved as well as practice problem solving activities on-line.

Most high schools are not equipped with the modern facilities that would enable carrying out laboratory experiments in molecular biology. Thus, we recently designed and enacted modern experiments in molecular biology that can be carried out by high-school biology students and teachers in the laboratories of the Davidson Institute of Science Education, in the framework of The Center for Inquiry Labs, Nechmad project (in collaboration with the Davidson Institute).

The group has also developed a strategy whereby the topic of the living cell is introduced together with the biological processes, which are studied at a more concrete level in junior-high school, rather than as an independent topic, as is common practice worldwide. We are currently observing the practical aspects of implementing the living-cell topic as a longitudinal axis in junior-high 372 Science Teaching schools.

A novel methodology to identify students' interests was recently developed by the group. We use children's self-generated questions sent to Ask-A-Scientist internet sites as an indication of their scientific interests. Analysis of more than 10,000 questions sent to both national and international internet sites indicated that the popularity of certain topics varies with age and gender. Significant differences were found between children's spontaneous (intrinsically motivated) and school-related (extrinsically motivated) interests. This methodology extends the context in which children's interests can be investigated and may play an important role in improving existing curricula to meet the students' needs.

Interdisciplinary Science Group David Fortus, Head

The group, which brings together faculty and students from a range of scientific disciplines, studies the development of scientific practices and core scientific ideas that are fundamental across all scientific disciplines, develops curriculum that coordinates across the disciplines, and investigates the ways different school and class settings influence students' motivation to engage in after-school science activities, formal and non-formal. The majority of the group's work is funded by the US-based National Science Foundation (NSF) and by the Asher and Jeannette Alhadeff Research Award.

The MoDeLS project (Modeling Designs for Learning Science) is developing and investigating an empirically-supported learning progression for scientific modeling in elementary and middle schools, in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science. It is also developing a framework for guiding the development and validation of learning progressions in general. The project is a joint endeavor with Northwestern University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University. The goals of the project are to provide an empirically-supported learning progression A) develop a better understanding of the role modeling should and can play in developing scientific literacy.

The IQWST project (Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology) aims to develop and test the next generation of inquiry-based science curricula for middle schools. The curriculum includes 12 units, 4 in each year, 3 in each of the following disciplines: physics, chemistry, life science, and earth science. The project collaborates with science educators, scientists, psychologists, and literacy experts from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois at Campaign-Urbana, Teachers College at Columbia University, and Project 2061 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The curriculum will be published by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Science Teaching 373 The DGOA project (Data Gathering, Organization, and Analysis) investigates how to develop students' skills in generating and working with evidence across various disciplines and what is the meta-knowledge associated with these skills.

The CMLeS project (Continuing Motivation to Learn Science) investigates the differences between the ways elementary and middle conventional schools, open schools, democratic schools, and anthroposophic schools foster student motivation to continue engaging in science-related activities after school.

The National Teacher Centers

The Department runs National Teacher Centers in mathematics, physics, chemistry (until 2007), science and technology in junior high school (in collaboration with Tel Aviv University), and computer science (in collaboration with the Technion in Haifa).

The aim of the Centers is to provide a framework to support teacher development. The main activities 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. http://stwww.weizmann.ac.il/menu/ 374 Science Teaching Research Staff, Visitors and Students

Professors

Bat 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, Israel (on extension of service)

Professors Emeriti

Maxim Bruckheimer, Ph.D., Southampton University Uri Ganiel, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Associate Professors

Abraham Arcavi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel The Lester B. Pearson Professor Mordechai Ben-Ari, Ph.D., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Ruhama Even, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States Nir Orion, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Scientists

David Fortus, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Anat Yarden, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Incumbent of the Helena Rubinstein Career Development Chair Edit Yerushalmi, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Senior Staff Scientists

Esther Bagno, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Alex Friedlander, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States Rachel Mamlok-Naaman, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Zahava Scherz, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Assistant Staff Scientist

Ron Blonder, Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

Science Education Staff

Ilana Hopfeld, PhD., Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel Shelly Livne, PhD., Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel Science Teaching 375 Naomi Robinson, MA., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel Adi Rosen, MA., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Josephine Shamash Smith, PhD., Yale University, CT., USA (left September 2008) Yetty Varon, MA., Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel

Consultants

Hanna Goldring (left August 2008) Rina Hershkovitz Ornit Spektor-Levi, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel Naomi Taizi Nurit Zehavi

Visiting Scientists

Yaron Lehavi, David Yellin College, Jerusalem, Israel Rafi Safadi, Acad. Arab College, Haifa, Israel Shay Soffer, El -Op, Nes Ziona, Israel Ayelet Weizman, University of Michigan, U.S.A.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Michal Armoni, Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, Israel Ayelet Baram-Tsabari, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Adi Ben-David, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Hana Berger, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Elisheva Cohen, Ph.D., Bar-Ilan University, Israel Eilat Hasson, Ph.D., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Guy Hed, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Yael Shwartz, Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Research Students

Zvi Arica Michal Ayalon Ayelet Baram-Tsabari Ronit Ben-Bassat Levy Hana Berger Liora Bialer Rachel Cohen Carmit Cohen Ish Shalom Iyad Dkeidek Tammy Eisenmann Osnat Eldar Hedda Falk Orna Fallik Hadas Gelbart Shulamit Kapon Dvora Katchevich Elon Langbeheim Daphna Mandler Tiruwork Mulat Menashe Puterkovski Ronit Rozenszajn Michal Stolarsky-Ben Nun 376 Science Teaching Dorit Taitelbaum Dana Vedder-Weiss Hagit Yarden Malka Yayon Administrator

Mali Karni Davidson Institute for Science Education 377

Davidson Institute for Science Education

Haim Harari, Chairman of the Board

Ariel Heimann, General Director

The Davidson Institute of Science Education aspires to nurture the scientific, mathematical, and technological education of students, teachers, and the public at large, in Israel and abroad. The Davidson Institute is located on the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot.

The Davidson Institute is a direct continuation and an expansion of the Weizmann Institute's activities in the field of science education, initiated in the early 1960's by the late Professor Amos De Shalit. Over the past year, the Davidson Institute has both expanded its activities and also launched a process of re-organization, merging all of the education activities taking place at the Weizmann Institute under the one roof of the Davidson Institute.

The Davidson Institute of Science Education is committed to promoting the science education and literacy of teachers, students and the general public on both national and international levels. The Institute's various programs are structured according to centers and projects that specialize in different aspects of science, technology, and mathematics education. The Davidson Institute benefits from its cooperation with the scientists of the Weizmann Institute, the Department of Science Teaching, as well as with the Israeli Ministry of Education and numerous other institutions of education in Israel and abroad.

The Davidson Institute's activities take place on two campuses within the Weizmann Institute area. The southern campus houses a number of educational units: the national headquarters of PERACH (tutorial project), three national teachers' centers (for physics, for computer science and for science and technology), and the Center for Developing Teaching Staffs (Pisgah) of Rehovot. The northern campus is located near the Clore Garden of Science, and includes the activities of the Garden of Science, Young@Science activities and the International Science Youth Village.

In 2008 the Davidson Institute included the following units: the Davidson Institute of Science Education, as established in November 2001; the Clore Garden of Science; the Young@Science activities; and the national 378 Davidson Institute for Science Education headquarters of PERACH (tutorial project). As a result of the re-organization process, in the upcoming year of 2009, Davidson Institute will be structured differently as follows: the Teachers' Center Unit, the Students' Activities Unit, the Unit of Science for the General Public and PERACH. However, for the purpose of the 2008 scientific activities report, which is attached herewith, the previous organizational structure will be followed. Davidson Institute for Science Education 379 Young@Science Zvi Paltiel, Director

Young@Science has been offering extracurricular science activities for youth at the Weizmann Institute of Science since the early 1960's, based on the pioneering work of the late Professor Amos de-Shalit. These activities are aimed at promoting the enthusiasm and interest of school students in science and scientific thinking. Young@Science (then The Youth Activities Section) was founded in 1972 and has been expanding and developing its activating constantly. Most of its programs are held at the Institute's Amos de-Shalit Youth Science Center, which includes the Laub International Science Youth Village and laboratories. Some Young@Science programs receive support from the Ministry of Education and from the Ministry of Science.

The Laub International Science Youth Village, which includes a dormitory facility with 12 units that accommodates up to 80 people, a clubhouse, office, and the village square, add another dimension to the activities. Besides giving participants in the summer programs modern accommodations, the youth village allows Young@Science to develop multi-day programs for students from all over Israel.

Young@Science draws heavily on the cooperation of the scientific community of the Weizmann Institute. The involvement of scientists and research students in all the programs provides school students with the unique and indispensable experience of interacting with active scientists.

In recent years, 2008 included, Young@Science activities have expanded significantly both in terms of the number and variety of programs, and in individual participation. 2008 (September 2007-August 2008) programs offered by Young@Science and the number of their participants were as follows:

Science Clubs Weekly Science Clubs: Afternoon courses in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, computers, astronomy, aerodynamics and space research (455 students).

Math-by-Mail: A nation-wide project via mail, email and the web aimed at math enthusiasts in 3rd to 10th grade - 1,219 Israeli students (Hebrew and Arabic versions). Math-by-Mail English and Spanish editions drew 605 Canadian and Mexican students.

Science-by-Mail: A nation-wide project via mail, email and the web aimed at science enthusiasts in 3rd to 10th grade. Introduced for the first time this year in the footsteps of the successful well established Math-by-Mail. Only Hebrew version was offered (282 students). 380 Davidson Institute for Science Education Sparks of Science: A unique science enrichment program, focusing on reinforcement of curricular math and English and on individual tutorship for 9th to 12th grade students of Ethiopian origin. The program's main goal is to bring these students to a level which will allow them to be admitted to academic science and engineering education (103 students).

Summer Science Residential Programs in which the participants work in actual research laboratories, two or three in a laboratory with a mentor:

The Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute: A four week summer science program for top pre-college high-school graduates conduct their own research at the Weizmann labs and research groups under the individual supervision of scientists and Feinberg School graduate students (72 students).

The Amos De-Shalit Summer Science Workshop: Two week research program for top Israeli 11th and 12th grade graduates (18 students).

Science Camp for Underprivileged Pupils - "University Within Reach:" a two week middle school program (14 students).

Camp Zutta: One week mini-project camp for 10th graders of the Young Researcher program (35 students).

Raya Cowan Science Camp: Held in cooperation with the World Ort organization for Jewish high school students from Israel and abroad. During the camp they conduct an individual research project mentored by graduate students (18 students).

Camp Mexico: An eleven day summer science camp for students of Monte Sinai middle school (Mexico City). Comprises of science workshops and visits to labs and industrial sites (26 students).

Competitions in Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics

Prof. Joseph Gillis Mathematics Olympiad for high school (69 students).

Junior High School Mathematics Olympiad for middle school in two stages (479 students).

Math Tournament: two day high school student team tournament (22 students).

Codeguru: a software and computer science competition in two stage (first at home and then on-campus). It is arranged in conjunction with several Davidson Institute for Science Education 381 organizations including the companies Aladdin and IBM. (95 students).

Codeguru Extreme: a computer science team tournament for high school students (22 students).

The Shalhevet Freier Physics Tournament: team competition for 11th and 12th graders, including teams from Canada, UK and USA, Italy, Russia and Moldova (225 students).

Chemistry Tournament: A four month competition, beginning with the early stages in which teams of high school students work at school and at home, and culminating in a two day on-campus event. The first day is devoted to learning modern chemical separation and compound identification instrumentation, followed by the tournament day itself (32 students).

Com.bina: A mixed youth-adult "treasure hunt" style team competition, covering a wide range of scientific fields, held during the Science Festival (32 participants).

Science Days

Adventures in Science: Advanced single or multi-day science programs for classes in 10th, 11th and 12th grade. These programs introduce topics in the frontier of science in physics, chemistry and biology. One-day programs - 79 classes (2,329 students), multi-day programs - 31 classes (966 students).

Morning One-day Courses for junior high-school classes. The topics include waves, energy, motion and the senses. Visits include a tour of the Garden of Science - 299 classes (8,354 students).

Science Mobile: A large van fitted with science demonstrations and models, which carries instructors and their programs to remote schools and communities - 186 classes (7,883 students).

"Young Researchers": A project to nurture young scientists. 10th grade students are accepted to a three year project. Starting with an overview of modern science (10th grade), to involvement in research projects (11th grade) and working on an individual science project under the supervision of a scientist. 133 students in total participated in the program this year.

"Avodot Gemer" research projects: An individual research project under the supervision of a scientist or research students. The final report is submitted to the Ministry of Education as an optional part of the matriculation exams. In 2008 44 "Young Researchers" and other high school students took part. 382 Davidson Institute for Science Education Popular Science Lectures

The fourth annual Katzir-Makineni lectures: A lecture attended by 600 students on-campus and broadcasted by remote live web to three sites across the country.

The Amos De-Shalit Popular Science Lectures: A series of three lectures by prominent Weizmann Institute scientists open to the public (500 students).

"Science Cafe": informal meetings in which scientists discussed their research field drew the attendance of 1,150 participants, mostly adults (14 events).

Astronomy Club: Six on-campus and two off-campus Astronomy Club meetings and lectures about astronomy and astrophysics, followed by naked eye and telescope star gazing (165 adults and school students).

Research Project Youth Conference: A one-day conference for high school students who submitted their research work to the Ministry of Education as part of their matriculation duties. 77 students presented their science and technology projects in eight parallel sessions.

Researchers Night: A single evening event held simultaneously by universities, science museums and research institutes all across Israel in late September (proximity to the fall solstice). The event is initiated, funded and coordinated by the European Union and takes place all across Europe. At Weizmann Institute it comprises of open lab tours, guided visits to the Foucault Pendulum, and the 3D Molecular Theater, and simultaneous on- and off-campus "Science Cafe" lectures in Rehovot and nearby towns (5,300 participants, including attendance at the Clore Garden activities).

Attendance in Foreign Programs

London International Youth Science Forum: A delegation of four high school students attended this annual science camp in London along with more than 250 from over 50 countries.

Space Camp Turkey: Twenty eight middle school students from schools all over Israel attended in one of our three delegations to the one week program at the SCT near Izmir, Turkey. Four of them won the Ilan Ramon Space Competition organized by the National Middle School Science Teachers Center.

Korea Science Festival and the International Science and Engineering Camp (ISEC-2008): Five high school students operated the Israeli booth of Davidson Institute for Science Education 383 the Korea Science Festival in Seoul (August 2008) and demonstrated to its visitors the physics of electricity and magnetism, heat, pressure and energy in selected exhibits. Prior to the festival the students took part in the ISEC 2008 science camp along with students from other countries such as the USA, Australia, Japan, China, Singapore and Korea.

Stockholm International Youth Science Forum is a one week symposium of selected high school graduates, held in conjunction with the Nobel Prize ceremonies. One student participated in this forum.

Other Science Camps - were attended by high-school students: PI camp at Petnica Science Center, Serbia (2 students); RSC in Hungary (3 students); NYEX at XLAB Güttingen in Germany (1 student); RSI at MIT, Cambridge Massachusetts (1). http://www.weizmann.ac.il/zemed/

Staff

Dr. Zvi Paltiel, Director Dr. Yossi Elran Orit Kaufman Dr. Felix Laub Batya Levy Dr. Netta Maoz Dr. Dan Perry Dr. Rakefet Shtoyerman-Chen Dr Smadar Zeidman 384 Davidson Institute for Science Education The Davidson Institute of Science Education

Haim Harari, Chairman of the Board

Yehuda Ben-Hur, Managing Director

The Davidson Institute was established in November 2001 with a large endowment from William Davidson of Detroit. It is a direct continuation and expansion of the Weizmann Institute's activities in the field of science education, initiated in the early 1960's by the late Professor Amos De Shalit. It complements the research, curriculum development and preparation of teaching materials performed at the Department of Science Teaching.

The Davidson Institute has considerably broadened its activities during the academic year of 2007-8. Existing projects have been expanded and several new projects were initiated: Chais Family School of Contemporary Science extended the scope of its activities to outstanding and particularly interested high school students, thanks to the generous donation of the Chais Family. The CAMP and KAMATZ activities were broadened to additional authorities country-wide.

Teachers' Professional Development

The Center for Teachers' Training and Professional Development in Science, Technology, and Mathematics Head of program: Dr. Miri Kesner

The Teachers' Training Center promotes scientific, technological, and mathematical education in schools ranging in student age from kindergarten to high school. A variety of in-service training courses for teachers are conducted in order to encourage successful implementation of curricular materials, integration of innovative teaching methods and learning strategies, and enrichment of the learning environment. In addition to workshops, conferences, and one-day meetings, we also offer a wide range of annual and summer teacher courses During the school year 2007-8 around 70 in-service training courses and 8 one-day conferences were offered, in which more than 3000 teachers participated. Most of the courses took place at the Davidson Institute of Science Education campus, although some were conducted in schools or in other regions of the country. The Center's activities are monitored by a steering committee, which brings together science education experts from the Davidson Institute and the Department of Science Teaching at the Weizmann Institute of Science, and delegates from Ministry of Education. Davidson Institute for Science Education 385 The Center for Integrating Outdoors Learning into the School Curriculum The center develops instructional materials, guides science teaching staff, and supports schools, with the goal of integrating an outdoor learning environment into the school curriculum. Some one hundred and fifty teachers and educators attended the fifth national teacher's conference, which included a spectrum of lectures, workshops, and outdoor activities. In addition, the center provided support programs to elementary schools implementing the principals of an outdoor environment and held courses for kindergarten and elementary schools teachers on the subject.

"SHLAV"1: A program for the Advancement of Low Achievers in Mathematics Head of program: Dr. Ronnie Karsenty

The SHLAV program for advancing low achievers in mathematics at the secondary school level aims at increasing the number of at-risk students who pass the matriculation exam in mathematics. The program seeks to promote equity in the mathematical education offered to Israeli students by improving the quality of mathematics teaching in low-track mathematics classes, especially in the peripheral and low-income areas of Israel. The program, started in 2004, shifted in 2007-8 from its pilot phase to an extended mode of implementation. As of September 2008 the program is running in 19 schools spread all over Israel, including schools from the Arab and Druze sectors.

Program for Promoting Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education In order to address the special needs of outstanding students, and to give priority to the issue of excellence in the school system, a group of leading junior high-school science and mathematics teachers from around the country - "promoters of excellence" - is being trained over a two-year period. This unique program is conducted in cooperation with the Israeli Center for Excellence through Education. 2008 saw the integration of the teacher who graduated in 2007 in the schools, while the second class of teachers entered their third year, and the fourth class began their first.

Conferences The Davidson Institute hosts numerous conferences and seminars for thousands of science and mathematics teachers as well as for other educators. These events include conferences for middle school teachers, organized by the National Teachers Center of Science and Technology and conferences for high-school teachers in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics, organized by the relevant National Teachers' Centers. In addition, a special day for students and science teachers from the central district was organized 386 Davidson Institute for Science Education during 2007-8, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education. Central themes of this event were issues of "environmental science and sustainability".

Formal Science and Mathematics Education This area of activities addresses students at secondary school level, as an integral part of their formal science and mathematics school curricula.

"NECHMAD"2- Advanced Inquiry Laboratory Activities for High-School Students Head of program: Dr. Hannah Margel

The Center for Advanced Inquiry Laboratories (NECHMAD) was established to enable high-school teachers and students to conduct modern and advanced inquiry experiments in science on topics connected to their respective curricula, using state-of-the art equipment. The Center trains high-school science teachers to carry out these experiments through active experience. The teachers are then invited to conduct these experiments with their students at the Davidson Institute's laboratories. This year, the Center successfully performed various experiments and programs in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences. During 2007-8 academic year the NECHMAD program hosted nearly 160 schools from all over the country, a total of 280 teachers, 370 classes and approximately 8000 students.

"KATOM"3- Preparing the teachers and students for education in the digital era by integrating laptop computers into class educational activities Head of program: Avi Bernstein

KATOM is an educational program whose goal is to investigate the effects of integrating laptop computers (or any other future technical appliance) into class activities, as well as paving the road to adopting advanced teaching and learning methods. Based on the experience of 2007, 2008 focused a great deal on establishing a 'KATOM community' intended to support teachers along the process. The program opened a special purpose website to facilitate the Katom community. A special emphasis is also placed on a teachers' development program, focusing on the new educational process and the changes it requires from all parties involved - teachers, students, parents and the local authorities. In order to study the effects of this intervention, a process of control and feedback is being applied as an essential part of the experiment, thus enabling appropriate adjustments based on data collection analysis. The program has significantly expanded since it began in 2004, and is implemented in 2008 in five municipalities (Yavne, Rosh Ha'ain, Migdal Ha'Emek, Tel-Aviv Yaffo and Kfar Saba) encompassing 6 junior high schools, Davidson Institute for Science Education 387 22 classes and all in all, involves about 600 students accompanied by 120 teachers. 2008 also focused a great deal on planning the future expansion in 2009.

The Chais Family School of Contemporary Science Head of program: Dr. Yehuda Ben-Hur

The Chais Family School, operating within the formal educational system, attempts to assist outstanding students interested in expanding their knowledge beyond the level taught at school, by discovering the latest advancements and developments in science and technology. Meeting the highest standards, the school offerd interdisciplinary courses not offerede within the regular school system in modern sciences taught by a highly professional staff and supported by the advanced laboratories of the Davidson Institute of Science Education. The courses are carried out in the framework of regional classes. Depending on the particular course, students are usually eligible for academic credit towards the matriculation exams.

The Chais School offered seven courses in the academic year of 2007-8. The courses, as well as the teaching materials, were developed by the Davidson Institute of Science Education in strong collaboration with the Department of Science Teaching at the Weizmann Institute and, in some cases, in collaboration with outside organizations such as Hemda in Tel Aviv and El-Op Industries. The unique courses of study offered by the Chais School include: "MOACH"4 (Computational Science); Physics and Industry; Computer Science, Academia and Industry; Physics of Music and the Music of Physics; Earth and Environmental Sciences; Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology; Soft Matter (physics and chemistry). More than 500 students took part in the various courses of the Chais School in the past academic year. Plans for 2008-9 include continuation and expansion of School's spectrum of activities both by offering new courses and by accommodating more students in existing programs. A new course, "Energy and Environment", is being developed at present and will be offered in the 2008-9 academic year.

Science Education Activities for Youth at Risk Head of program: Dr. Oved Kedem

"C.A.M.P.5 Davidson" - Empowering Youth at Risk through Science Education This program creates science activities for high-school students who have dropped out of the formal educational system. The program provides not only science skills and knowledge, but also uses science education as a tool to empower and affect the behavior and the self-image of the participants. 388 Davidson Institute for Science Education In the framework of the program, 15-18-year-old boys and girls participate in a four-hour science course with their social leader once a week for three years. The courses focus on scientific topics intended to attract, challenge and interest the participants, such as "Science and Music," "Science of Toys," "The Environment and Me," "The Art of Measurement," "Astronomy and Space Exploration," and "Light, Color, Shadows and Photography." In the course of the academic year 2007-8, around 60 boys and girls from the towns of Lod, Rehovot, Rishon-LeZion, Nes-Ziona, Yehud, Gedera, and Ramle took part in the program, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the local municipalities. Another group of 20 Arab boys and girls from the town of Tamra in northern Israel is joining the project in the academic year of 2008-9.

"KAMATZ"6 - Science activities for underachieving students Encouraged by the success of C.A.M.P, the Davidson Institute launched in December 2006 a similar program for junior-high school students (12-14 years old) to prevent them from dropping out in the future. The program is geared at children at the bottom third of their classes, who are underachieving but are not necessarily less talented than their peers. KAMATZ program was initiated in five towns: Ashdod, Kiryat Malachi, Nes Ziona, Sderot and Rishon LeZion. In the course of the academic year 2007-8, nine groups took part in the program. Each group was led by a team of two instructors. Members of the Davidson Institute staff carefully train, support, and guide the instructors, and provide supervision throughout the program season. At the conclusion of the year, the young students present their individual and group projects in a "Science Fair" for parents, teachers, and peers. The influence of this program on the students' performance in school is currently investigated by a Ph.D. student from the Department of Science Teaching of the Weizmann Institute.

"Meetings at the Frontiers of Science" - a series of lectures in popular science Head of program: Dr. Zahava Scherz The program encourages "science literacy for all" as a life-long learning experience, by introducing the general public to cutting-edge scientific research in a popular manner. The lectures, given by Weizmann Institute scientists, introduce the general public to the frontiers of science and their influence on medicine, industry, environment, and other aspects of our lives. The series of lectures are given at both the Davidson Institute campus, and in Hemda Science Education center in Tel-Aviv. In the academic year 2007-8 the program was expanded to the city of Herzliya and is now also given in two Hi-Tech industry companies: El Op, the electro optic industry and the Israel Aerospace Industry. The program is divided into two academic semesters (fall and spring), each including four or five courses covering different aspects of a broad scientific field. Each course Davidson Institute for Science Education 389 consists of eight two-hour lectures, given once a week. The series attracts a mixed audience of all ages (8-85). The 2008 spring semester attracted more than 200 participants for a series of four courses, and a similar number of people are currently participating in the 2008/9 fall semester.

Debates: Bioethics Issues In 2008 Davidson Institute held three topic evenings dealing with different issues of bioethics, drawing an audience from various parts of the country and from different sectors of society. These discussions brought together two or three leading experts who presented different perspectives on bioethics, followed by a panel discussion with audience comments and active participation.

International Activities Head of program: Dr. Zahava Scherz The International Leading Science Teachers' Program utilizes the experience and expertise of the Davidson Institute in the area of professional development of teachers in order to promote science education towards excellence on an international level. The program promotes innovation in science education in Israel and abroad by establishing an international leadership in science teaching and a base for collaboration under the auspices of the Davidson Institute of Science Education and the Department of Science Teaching at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Schwartz Family International Leading Science Teacher Seminar

In this framework, international summer seminars for leading science teachers from Israel and abroad are conducted annually. The seminars are sponsored by Mrs. Sheila Schwartz from Phoenix Arizona and her family. These intensive, 9-10 day seminars, which take place on campus of the Davidson Institute, represent a unique opportunity for science teachers from different countries to experience hands-on scientific research in advanced laboratories at the Weizmann Institute and to learn about new curriculum materials and innovations in science education. Participating teachers also experience advanced laboratories for school students and plan collaborative projects with their colleagues. The first Schwartz Family International Leading Science Teachers' Seminar took place in July 2006 at the Davidson Institute, and was successively followed by the second and third in the summers of 2007 and 2008 respectively. In summer 2008 we also conducted a 5 day workshop for middle school teachers from Ramaz in New York which served as pilot to explore the possibly for expanding the focus of the International seminars to middle school teachers. So far, the summer seminars brought together 80 leading teachers from USA, Canada, Europe, Singapore and Israel. As part of the seminar philosophy we 390 Davidson Institute for Science Education try to encourage collaborative projects and initiative between the seminar participants. So far we succeeded: a. to attract several groups of students from abroad who came to the Weizmann labs for a full day of "Investigation into Science" activities; b. to include one group of middle school students in the Youth Space Olympiad in the memory of Ilan Ramon; c. to offer a web forum in which teachers can share ideas and collaborate; d. to establish exchanges and collaborations in the university of Colon in Germany; and e. in February 2009 two groups of our researchers are going to give workshops for teachers in Singapore . Future plans include a fourth International Seminar in the summer of 2009, as well as a 2-3 day workshop for graduates of the previous seminars. We are also considering the expansion of the program to other fields of science (mathematics and computer science), additional school levels (junior high school), and additional countries.

Connections with Science Education Institutions around the world The Davidson Institute maintains close connections with various science education institutions around the world. These activities include hosting a large number of delegations, including teachers, government officials, and educators from different countries, the distribution of the EMBL journal 'Science in School', video conferences, and many other collaboration activities.

http://davidson.weizmann.ac.il

Staff

Dr. Yehuda Dr. Dorothy Ben-Hur Langley Dr. Roni Avi Bernstein Mualem Dr. Oved Kedem Oren Eckstien Dr. Miri Kesner Rachel Silbiger Dr. Hana Margel Ilan Keren Dr. Dvora Dr. Zahava Scherz Cohen Dr. Ronnie Yardena David Karsenty Dr. Oshrit Navon Lea Ilani Dr. Marcel Miriam Oren Frailich Dr. Dana Yaron Naomi Marcovich Robinson Ruth Stanger Davidson Institute for Science Education 391

Dr. Bruria Haberman Dr. Cecile Dr. Shmuel Yehezkel Berman Dr. Rami Arieli

1 "SHLAV" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for Improvement of Mathematics Learning. "Shlav" also means 'level' in Hebrew. 2"NECHMAD" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for the Inquiry Labs at the Davidson Institute. "NECHMAD" also means 'lovely' in Hebrew 3"KATOM" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for the Computer for Every Class, Student and Teacher. 4"Moach" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for "Computational Science". "Moach" also means 'brain' in Hebrew. 5"CAMP" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for Active Science Community. 6"KAMATZ" is an acronym (in Hebrew) for "Young Science Groups". 392 Davidson Institute for Science Education Davidson Institute for Science Education 393 The Clore Garden of Science Moshe Rishpon, Director

The Clore Garden of Science, established in 1998, is unique among science museums in that its entire collection of exhibits is displayed outdoors. The Garden aspires to familiarize its visitors, students, families and the general public by its one-of-a-kind exhibits, which demonstrate various principles in physics.

Science education has not been the same ever since - as the Clore Garden of Science has been a center for innovation and inspiration to science museums all over the world. The following report gives some of the highlights of the activities of the Clore Garden of Science in 2008.

In the course of 2008 a total of 56,401 visitors toured the Clore Garden of Science. Of them 28,226 were students visiting with their classes, 6221 visited in other group visits, 11,952 visited as individuals and 10,000 visited during the Science Festival.

Here are the various programs and activities they attended in their visits to the Garden:

Educational programs The Garden offers twelve different educational programs: "Sensing our Senses," "Sand on the Beach," "Balancing Act," "Discovering the Garden," "Water, Water Everywhere," "Something Electric," "Waves," "Why the Sun," "Come for a Spin," "Connections in Math," "A Taste of Science," "Science and Weizmann House," etc.) During 2007 the Garden adopted a new approach: themed tours. Two new programs were developed accordingly: "About Music and Science" and "Energy Transfer." Both tours use specific exhibits as a platform to explore, demonstrate and explain the selected themes.

The EcoSphere

Ecology program: A series of four meetings over the year, in which the students explore, design and build their own experimental systems. Each group of students focuses on a different Ecological topic such as - compost, light and growth, biodiversity and more. The experimental systems are composed of a few ongoing experiments utilizing the resources and unique conditions of the EcoSphere and the changes in the environment. A pilot program was conducted during 2007 with one class in the 8th grade. 394 Davidson Institute for Science Education New one day programs: In addition to constant updates and renewal of the EcoSphere's ongoing ecological programs, we added two new programs dealing with waste management in the past year. The first program - "Waste and Recycling" - introduces students to one of today's primary global ecological problems: waste management. The workshop's activities familiarize students with various considerations relating to waste, and discuss a variety of possible solutions (4th to 7th grades). The second program - "Going Green" answers such questions as "what is recycling?" "what can we recycle?" "what is compost, and what do worms have to do with it?" This activity introduces young kids to the issues of waste management (1st to 4th grades).

The Everett Competition: "For the Environment": There is a moral and educational urgency in developing the Israeli students' awareness and abilities to face the issues concerning the environment and its quality. For this reason the Clore Garden of Science created a model competition to challenge teams of Israeli middle school students (grades 7-9) to (a) identify a specific environmental problem and (b) design, build and test specific solutions to this problem.

The garden's EcoSphere was awarded the 2007 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award of "Visitor Experience" by ASTC (The Association of Science - Technology Centers). As the Award committee declared: "The Ecosphere is an ideal venue for understanding the interdependence of biological systems". This was the second award ASTC has given to The Clore Garden of Science.

Activities for the whole family and special events

The Garoon Family Science Festival 2008: Thousands visited the Weizmann Institute campus during the Passover holiday to participate in the Weizmann Institute's 9th Annual Science Festival. The festival, supported for years by the Clore Foundation, welcomed a new major sponsor, Philip Garoon of Chicago, and was thus renamed the "Garoon Family Science Festival." Visitors enjoyed a variety of activities, including workshops, musical performances, exhibits, tours, and scientific demonstrations that took place throughout the campus. The Institute made a special effort to invite and include special guests from the town of Sderot, with several busses chartered to bring people from the battered town close to the Gaza Strip.

Summer 2008: During the summer vacation of 2008, the Clore Garden of Science's special activities focused on water, presenting its many characteristics from different scientific perspectives in an exhibit entitled "Wet Summer in the Garden." The activity featured demonstrations and workshops dealing with the chemistry and physics of water, as well as educational activities stressing the Davidson Institute for Science Education 395 importance of conserving water in Israel.

Sukkot 2008: "We found water" - A new exhibition was opened in the temporary exhibition room, located in the Jeanne and Joseph Nissim pavilion featuring artistic photography on the theme of water in Israel. Some of the pictures were also situated outdoors among the permanent exhibits of the Garden. The photos, taken by Dubi Roman, are all of well known sites in Israel, and show beautiful aquatic scenery. The exhibition was open during the Sukkot vacation.

Side: Photo taken by Dubi Roman from exhibit at the Clore Garden of Science.

September 2008 - Researchers night

The activity took place on one evening in September and included a tour in the Garden of Science, "The purple room"- activity in the EcoSphere: demonstrations of fluorescence and light reflection from different objects, and ultra-violet phenomenon, the Foucault pendulum, "Scientists in Focus" - scientists' photograph exhibition, "September Sky" - an astronomic observation and a crystal and fire jugglery show.

Celebrating the Garden's 10th Birthday

The Board of Governors celebrated the tenth birthday of the award wining outdoor science museum and toasted the family of friends who have supported science education in Israel. During the celebration, President Daniel Zajfman and Dame Vivien Duffield presented Dr. Moshe Rishpon with a plaque for his exceptional contribution to science education and for his deep devotion as the 396 Davidson Institute for Science Education founding director of the Clore Garden of Science. Rabbi David Hartman, founder of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem was the keynote speaker at the birthday luncheon.

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/diff_angle/garden/

Staff

Dr. Moshe Rishpon, Director Dr. Netta Maoz Dr. Roni Ashkenazi Hadas Cahlon Davidson Institute for Science Education 397 398 Davidson Institute for Science Education Institute-Wide Centers 400 The Clore Center for Biological Physics

The Clore Center for Biological Physics

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

The Clore Center for Biological Physics was founded in 2001, with the primary objective of initiating and supporting research activities in the field of biological physics. Under its auspices, biologists, chemists, computer scientists, and physicists work together to explore a variety of fundamental issues in biology, and develop new approaches to address them.

The activities of the Clore Center during the past year were largely driven by our "call for proposals" in 2007, coupled with implementation of the recommendations of the Scientific Academic Advisory Committee, which evaluated the achievements of Weizmann Institute research in the field of "biological physics" (or, more specifically, in the field known as "soft matter physics"). A two-year program, initiated in 2007, provided funds for 14 exciting projects, as well as special support for new Faculty members. In addition, the Clore Center supported scientific meetings and research visits, as well as the "Clore Seminar Series," which has turned out to be a great success. Noteworthy are the strong ties that have developed with the Curie Institute in Paris, with which we recently organized a joint conference. The meeting was outstanding, and stimulated the initiation of several scientific collaborations.

This past year, the Clore Center also continued its traditional support of equipment purchases. We focused on the purchase of essential imaging software. As part of our research support, we elected to support two outstanding new projects. The first involves the proteomic work of Dr. Michal Sharon, a new recruit to the Institute's Department of Biological Chemistry, who is developing new technologies for the analysis of large protein complexes, and implementing these innovations in her work. The second is a joint project of Prof. Itamar Procaccia, a theoretician from the Institute's Department of Chemical Physics, and Dr. Talma Hendler from the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. Together, they focus on complex network imaging approaches for assessing perturbations to cortical activity in the brain. The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research 401

The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

The Dolfi and Lola Ebner Center for Biomedical Research promotes forefront research of human diseases at the molecular level. Studies addressing biochemical mechanisms that underlie the major threats to human health, such as cardiovascular defects, cancer and infectious diseases will be supported by the Center. In addition to investment in major instrumentation, individual grants are awarded in two categories:

1. Start-up support - during the first three years after joining the Institute, selected investigators receive support for start-up and seed money, allowing for later applications to external granting agencies.

2. A significant portion of the Center's resources supports research into the development of experimental models of human diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. Grants are generally based on applications to external grant foundations that have received ratings of very good or better but received insufficient funding to carry out the project. 402 The J & R Center for Scientific Research

The J & R Center for Scientific Research

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

This Center funds a broad spectrum of research activities as well as the purchase of new instruments. On the order of ten internal grants per year are allocated; in many cases, the grants are leveraged by other funding provided by the individual scientist, Department or Dean. The Kahn Family Research Center for Systems Biology of the Human Cell 403

The Kahn Family Research Center for Systems Biology of the Human Cell

Eytan Domany, Director The Henry J. Leir Professorial Chair

The Center for Systems Biology was launched in 2003. The main emphasis of the Center is to foster high-level research in Systems Biology, a new and exciting area of highly interdisciplinary scientific investigation, based on intensive collaboration between medical researchers, biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists. To understand life at the system level, it is necessary to study biology on all scales, ranging from the molecular , via the cellular all the way to that of the multicellular organism. The research goals supported by the Center are

♦ To elucidate the design principles of biological networks ♦ To create new experimental and computational technologies ♦ To apply these techniques to the study of cancer and other diseases ♦ To devise new methods for modeling network-based biological activity

To help reach these goals, the Center will support purchase of scientific equipment, award research grants, research fellowships, organize and sponsor symposia and meetings, support student participation in conferences abroad and maintain a visitor program aimed at attracting high level researchers to visit the Weizmann Institute for short as well as long durations.

Research Fellowships: Two fellowships, of 10,000$ each, are awarded for Ph D students and post-doctoral Fellows.

Symposia: All Weizmann Faculty are invited to submit proposals for one or two day Symposia on subjects that are relevant to Systems Biology, by email to [email protected]

Seminars: Monthly seminars are held under joint sponsorship of the Center and BigRoc, usually on the last Monday of each month.

Student travel grants: The Center for Systems Biology is awarding travel fellowships for Weizmann students who present papers/posters at conferences abroad. Awards will match funds provided by the student's advisor but will not exceed $500. Advisors who wish to apply for this award should send a letter (hard copy) and email to [email protected] listing the students 404 The Kahn Family Research Center for Systems Biology of the Human Cell name, degree of studies, the subject of his/her research, title of talk, name and date of the conference, an estimate of the travel costs and the source of the travel allocation (which is supplemented by the contribution of the Center).

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/centers/system_biology.html The Health and Sciences Center 405

The Health and Sciences Center

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

The Health Sciences Center promotes forefront research addressing causes, mechanisms and treatment methods of human diseases and other threats to human health. 406 The Center for New Scientists

The Center for New Scientists

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

This Center provides startup funding for new scientists. The allocation is provided in conjunction 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 of laboratory supplies and instruments, postdocs, graduate students and other personnel during their first three years at the Institute. During that period, the new scientists are encouraged to apply to external grant agencies for their future research support. The Jeanne and Joseph Nissim Foundation for Life Sciences Research 407

The Jeanne and Joseph Nissim Foundation for Life Sciences Research

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

The Nissim Foundation for Life Sciences Research was established in 2006. Its purpose is to support innovative initiatives that are deemed by the Institute's management to be at the cutting edge of biomedical science, and where philanthropic support can make an essential contribution. Funds will be directed toward recruitment of new scientists, purchase of scientific equipment, refurbishment or upgrade of laboratories, research grants, graduate student scholarships, or any other relevant investment in the support and advancement of science at the Institute. 408 The Center for Scientific Excellence

The Center for Scientific Excellence

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

This Center supports activities at the Institute in all areas of research, on the basis of scientific excellence and needs. Scientists can apply for interim support by the Center for bridging funds or support of special programs. In addition, the Center supports research equipment and startup funds for new scientists. The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research 409

The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research

David Cahen, Director The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Chair in Energy Research

The Center started operation in 2008, with as purpose support for research by Weizmann scientists in Alternative Energy. It constitutes a major pillar of the institutes Alternative, sustainable energy research Initiative (AERI). Information on the mode of activities can be found on AERIs homepage, http://www.weizmann.ac.il/AERI and are given also below.

In terms of direct support for research, AERI issues calls for proposals once a year via the Research Grants and Projects office, http://www.weizmann.ac.il/RGP, where details can be found.

The Need for Alternatives to Present Energy Resources:

Life in modern society is fueled by relatively cheap, high density and readily available energy sources. Without such sources, the industrialized world would be unable to provide the power to maintain its standard of living. To be able to leave the next generations a safer and healthier world, this generation needs to assure them of the needed energy resources, both instantaneously available (electricity) and stored ones (fuel).

The main questions that arise are:

♦ Reduced carbon (fossil fuel) is one of scarcest natural resources that we have, if viewed as a "mineral" resource. Does the earth have enough fossil fuels to fulfill the growing energy demand, both with respect to total energy and in terms of the rate at which the energy is generated, at least to carry us over to the period where we will be able to manage without fossil fuels? ♦ The most abundant fossil fuel resource is coal. Therefore, if the answer to the first questions is yes, we should look at coal as one of the intermediate paths to carry us to the stage where we will be fossil fuel independent. There are also a variety of other reasons, including geopolitics, the value of oil as raw material for plastics, that lead to the need to become oil-(and gas-) independent as soon as possible. All this leads to the question if we can find ways to base a near future energy supply on coal, a fuel that with todays practical technologies, 410 The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research produces some pollutants as well as CO2, a greenhouse gas, and does so even more than oil and gas fossil fuels? ♦ If the answer to the first question is negative, then this leads to the question of how we can limit and ultimately eliminate the effects of the fossil fuel burning rate for life on earth? Clearly this suggest to become independent of fossil fuels, which then begs the question of how we can best prepare viable alternative, sustainable energy resources? The challenge, posed by these questions is of such proportions that it demands a coordinated response from the worlds scientific, technological, government and industrial/financial communities. It is a global challenge that should be met by an integrated approach.

In the long term the solution is the development of energy sources that are Carbon-free or Carbon-neutral (taking from the atmosphere, land and oceans what you put into it, at comparable rates) i.e., renewable and nuclear energy.

Although the amount of non-fossil fuel-based energy that will keep the current balance of nature is a matter of discussion, it appears likely that by 2050 the world will need at least another 20 Terawatts of power (a terawatt, TW, is 1000 gigawatts, GW; the Hadera power station complex has a capacity of 1.4 GW). 20 TW is more than the energy consumption of the whole world today. To produce 20 new TW in a sustainable manner by 2050, the basic science on which the solutions will be based must become available by about 2020 to allow manufacturing and installation by 2050, after the normal applied scientific and then technological development stages.

The first challenge is to bridge the period till 2050, something that will require mostly building on the basic scientific knowledge that is available today (evolutions in science).

The second challenge, and one particularly well-suited for the Weizmann Institute's main mission, fundamental scientific research, is to explore ways to introduce clean energy sources. The obvious ones are solar (which also includes biomass, wind, hydroelectric), nuclear and geothermal. Any solution is very likely to involve all these and other options. However, as things stand now it would appear that only solar and nuclear have the potential to reach 20 TW within the next 30-40 years.

For example, the practically realizable potential of solar energy has been estimated at 600 TW with no inherent or clearly manageable environmental concerns. However, without new ideas to effectively utilize this source, we will not be able to get even close to this.

To arrive at such new ideas suggests, in addition to the above-mentioned evolutions, the need for revolutions. AERI and its sources try to help pave the The Mary and Tom Beck Canadian Center for Alternative Energy Research 411 way, to facilitate such (r)evolutions to occur, by educating, stimulating and funding Weizmann scientists to work towards the above-stated long-range goals. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/centers/Back_Canadian_Center.pdf 412 The Yeda-Sela (YeS) Center for Basic Research

The Yeda-Sela (YeS) Center for Basic Research

Haim Garty, Vice President The Hella and Derrick Kleeman Chair of Biochemistry

The YeS Center for basic research was established by a generous gift of Prof. Michael Sela and royalty income received from Yeda R&D Ltd. The YeS Center aims to support basic research projects in all areas of the exact and natural sciences which are less appealing to many of the problem oriented funding sources available to Weizmann scientists. This is in recognition of the fundamental importance of basic, curiosity driven research and the lack of adequate support to research projects with no practical goals. The Yeda-Sela (YeS) Center for Basic Research 413 414 The Yeda-Sela (YeS) Center for Basic Research Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

Head: Boaz Avron Academic Secretary 416 Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs

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 (until September 2008) The head of the Directorate is directly subordinated to the President and carries the overall responsibility for the proper functioning and administration of the Offices included in the Directorate. Academic Affairs Office 417 Academic Affairs Office

Esti Krieger, Head

The Academic Affairs Office assists the Academic Secretary in the performance of his duties.

The Offices 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 as well as appointments and promotions to the rank of Senior Research Fellows). 2. Administration of appointments of Deans, Department heads, Institute heads and Center heads and internal academic administrative committees. 3. Appointments of external academic consultants, interns and senior interns. 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. Presidents Advisory Committee meetings. 8. Non tenured academic staff (i.e., scientific personnel as well as staff scientists) appointments and their extensions as relevant, as well as the Staff Scientists Tenure Committee. 9. Academic Grants allocations. 10. Clore (Sir Charles) Prize, Kimmel (Helen and Martin) Prize, Lombroso (Sergio) Award in Cancer Research and the Wolgin Prize for Scientific Excellence. 11. Goldschleger Conference Foundation. 12. Extension of Service Committee. 13. New Immigrants Funding Support. 14. Visiting Professorships Program. 15. Summer Students Program. 16. Weizmann Lectures Series. 17. Annual disclosures of Academic Staff. The Academic Affairs Office publishes annually: ♦ Scientific Activities ♦ Current Research Activities 418 Academic Affairs Office Appointments and Promotions

Appointments

To the Rank of Associate Professor

Elchanan Mossel -Mathematics

To the Rank of Senior Scientist

Barak Dayan - Chemical Physics Shahal Ilani - Condensed Matter Physics Tali Kimchi - Neurobiology Ron Milo - Plant Sciences Alexander Milov - Particle Physics Edvardas Narevicius - Chemical Physics Gilad Perez - Particle Physics Maya Schuldiner - Molecular Genetics Oren Schuldiner - Molecular Cell Biology Rotem Sorek - Molecular Genetics

To the Rank of Associate Staff Scientist

Vladimir Smakhtin - Particle physics

To the Rank of Assistant Staff Scientist

Avital Adato - Plant Sciences Tatyana Bendikov - Chemical Research Support Moshe Goldsmith - Chemical Physics Rotem Sertchook - Biological Services Haim Weissman - Organic Chemistry

To the Rank of Junior Staff Scientist

Gil Amitai - Molecular Genetics Anat Bahat - Chemical Physics Inbal Biton - Chemical Research Support Sergey Bujanover - Molecular Genetics Tamar Eliash - Organic Chemistry Galit Eliyahu - Biological Regulation Yael Feinstein Rotkopf - Molecular Genetics Daniel Harari - Chemical Biology Masha Khoutorsky - Molecular Cell Biology Academic Affairs Office 419 Amit Klier - Particle Physics Per Magne Knutsen - Neurobiology Gabor Kupi - Condensed Matter Physics Alexandra Lichtenstein - Molecular Cell Biology David Omer Bakalash - Neurobiology Osnat Rosen - Structural Biology Hila Rubin-Lifshitz - Molecular Cell Biology Inna Solomonov - Structural Biology Daniel Strasser - Particle Physics Mark Vilensky - Chemical Physics Esther Witsch - Immunology Zhong Yao - Biological Regulation

Promotions

To the Rank of Professor

Ofer Aharony - Particle Physics Uri Alon - Molecular Cell Biology Nir Davidson - Physics of Complex Systems Michael Hass - Particle Physics Vered Rom-Kedar - Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Yinon Rudich - Environmental Science and Energy Research

To the Rank of Associate Professor

Tal Alexander - Condensed Matter Physics Yuval Eshed - Plant Sciences Maria Gorelik - Mathematics Ernesto Joselevich - Materials and Interfaces Gady Kozma - Mathematics Leeor Kronik - Materials and Interfaces Yitzhak Pilpel - Molecular Genetics Milko Van Der Boom - Organic Chemistry

To the Rank of Senior Staff Scientist

Esther Bagno - Science Teaching

To the Rank of Associate Staff Scientist

Meirav Galun - Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Harry Mark Greenblatt - Structural Biology Tsviya Olender - Molecular Genetics 420 Academic Affairs Office To the Rank of Assistant Staff Scientist

Vladimir Hurgin - Molecular Genetics Irina Lavelin - Molecular Cell Biology Yael Paran - Molecular Cell Biology Ilana Rogachev - Plant Sciences Hadas Zehavi - Plant Sciences

Awards and Honors

Awards

Allon Fellowships

The Allon Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to outstanding young researchers by the Council for Higher Education. In 2008 the incumbents were:

Asaph Aharoni Plant Sciences Ehud Altman Condensed Matter Physics Eli Arama Molecular Genetics Alon Chen Neurobiology Nirit Dudovich Physics of Complex Systems Eran Hornstein Molecular Genetics Robert Krauthgamer Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Dan Oron Physics of Complex Systems Rony Paz Neurobiology Eran Segal Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Amos Tanay Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Center for Complexity Science Fellowships

The Center for Complexity Sciences was established in 2001. It is aimed at promoting the Science of Complexity which integrates disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Psychology. In 2008 the incumbents were:

Koby Levy Structural Biology Elad Schneidman Neurobiology Tsvi Tlusty Physics of Complex Systems Minerva Junior Research Group

Minerva Junior Research Group are run at Israeli universities and research institutions and are headed by young junior researchers who have demonstrated that they are capable of qualifying themselves for key positions Academic Affairs Office 421 in research. In general, the groups run for five years and are devoted to innovative and promising areas of mutual interest to research in Germany and Israel. In 2008 the incumbents were: on Biological Computation Uri Alon Molecular Cell Biology on Molecular Materials and Interface Design Milko Van Der Boom Organic Chemistry Ministry for Immigrant Absorption Fellowships

The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption maintains several programs to aid in the absorption of new immigrants holding a Ph.D. in the Higher Education Institutions of Israel. During the calendar year of 2008, the following number of fellowships were in efect in the Weizmann Institute of Science: 13 Fellowship for initial absorption of new immigrant researcher and 31 Kamea Fellowships.

Institutional Awards

The Sir Charles Clore Prize for Outstanding Appointment as Senior Scientist in the Experimental Sciences was established in 1981 by Mrs. Vivien Clore Duffield, Geneva. The 2008 prize was awarded to Dr. Rotem Soreq, Department of Molecular Genetics.

The Gruber Award fo a newly appointed researcher. The 2008 prize was awarded to Dr. Avishay Gal-Yam, Condensed Matter Physics.

The Helen and Martin Kimmel Award for Innovative Investigation was extablished in 2007. The Kimmel Award is a distinction bestowed annually on one Weizmann Institute researcher. The award consists of a substantial research grant ($1 million allocated as $200,000 annually over a five year period) and is intended for a researcher who is in the forefront of leadership in his/her area of research. The recipient of the award in addition to significant past achievements is judged to be in a position to reach new heights of scientific achievement in his/her broad area of research within the coming five year period as well as to provide scientific leadership to a group of younger investigators. The 2008 prize was awarded to Prof. Yinon Rudich, Environmental Sciences and Energy Research.

The Sergio Lombroso Award in Cancer Research was established in 1998. The award is given once in two years to an internationally distinguished scientist, medical researcher, or physician, who has made highly significant contributions to the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of cancer, or 422 Academic Affairs Office to its diagnostics and therapy. The candidate should be affiliated with a research or medical institution, and should be engaged full-time in scientific or clinical activity at the time of this award. In alternate years the award is given to a Weizmann Institute researchers, who has made highly significant contributions to the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of cancer. The 2007-2008 prize was awarded to Prof. Varda Rotter, Weizmann Institute of Science .

The Serge Rosa and Emilio Research Awardwas established in 1999. The 2008-2009 prize was awarded to Prof. Ehud Duchovni, Prof. Eilam Gross and Prof. Giora Mikenberg from Particle Physics.

The Wolgin Prize for Scientific Excellence was established in 2005. The prize is awarded to a scientist who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in research, who has been reviewed by an international committee. The 2008 prize was awarded to Prof. Gershom (Jan) Martin, Organic Chemistry.

Scientific Council Awards

The Morris L. Levinson Prizes were established in 1982 by Mr. Morris L. Levinson, New York. The Physics Prize for 2008 was awarded to Dr. Tsvi Tlusty, Department of Physics of Complex Systems, for his works on general theory for the evolution and emergence of molecular coding systems . The Mathematics Prize in 2008 was awarded to Prof. Maria Gorelik, Department of Mathematics, for her research in the novel and fast developing field of representation theory of lie superalgebras and their enveloping algebras. The Biology Prize in 2008 was awarded to Dr. Asaph Aharoni, Department of Plant Sciences, for his discovery of novel regulatory programs of plant metabolism.

The Scientific Council Prize in Chemical Research. In 2008, the Prize was awarded to Dr. Nir Gov, Department of Chemical Physics, for his development of analytical models using soft condensed-matter physics and biophysics for understanding the interaction between the active cytoskeleton and the cell membrane.

The Maxine Singer Prize to Outstanding Staff Scientists was established in 1991. In 2008, the Prize was awarded to Dr. Shirley Horn-Saban, Department of Biological Services, for her devotion, outstanding ability and her pleasant personality in leadership of the DNA array laboratory - a laboratory supporting the scientific work of the Weizmann Institute researchers and others across the country and to Dr. Alexander Vaskevich, Department of Materials and Interfaces, for his showing unusual scientific leadership in studies of nanometric multilayers, plasmonic systems based on gold island films, and template synthesis of novel nanomaterials Academic Affairs Office 423 Honors

Awarded to Weizmann Institute Academic Staff

Honorary degrees and Awards bestowed by the Institute

• Ph.D. Honoris Causa • Weizmann Awards and Honorary Fellows 424 Academic Affairs Office 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 in 2001 and is supported by patrons of the Chicago Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. 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 research and education at the Weizmann Institute of Science through a Professorial Chair, a summer scholarship program, as well as through support of other projects endowed in their names by the Getz Foundation.

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 the Institute. The students work under the supervision of a scientific personnel member and spend between 10 weeks to 4 months, during their summer holidays, working on the research project to which they have been assigned.

In 2008 the Participants were:

Adi Ashkenazi, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Tatyana Belenkova, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Yamit Beny, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Shai Cohen, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Oshrit Feder, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Hagit Harel, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan Haim Horowitz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Yoel Koenka, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa Michael Levant, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Ben Maoz, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Adi Niv, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan Navit Ogen Shtern, University of Haifa, Haifa Michael Pitt, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan Yuval Ronen, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Dana Rosen, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Liron Rozenkrantz, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan Ron Sabo, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Fabian Schvartzman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Grisha Spektor, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa Yael Zenziper, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Academic Affairs Office 425 Karyn Kupcinet International Science School

The Karyn Kupcinet International Science School was established in 1971 in memory of Karyn Kupcinet by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Irving Kupcinet of Chicago, Illinois, USA. The Academic Secretary's office organizes and runs the 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 the Institute. The students work under the guidance of a scientific personnel member and spend between 10 weeks to 4 months, during their summer holidays, working on the research project to which they have been assigned. A few students from the Southern Hemisphere attend during the winter months, coinciding with these students' university holidays.

The overseas participants are given opportunities to tour Israel, to participate in various social activities and, of course, to interact with the other summer students and graduate students and staff from the Institute.

In 2008 the Participants were:

Eran Agmon, University of California, San Diego, CA., USA Onur Alper, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA., USA Eszter Bakos, University of Debrecen, Hungary Anna Budanova, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia Maria Magdalena Falla Solorzano, Cauca University, Popayan, Columbia Claudia Fernandez, Cauca University, Popayan, Columbia Stephen Fried, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA., USA Rebecca Goldman, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA., USA Andrey Gubichev, University of Saint-Petersburg, Saint-Petersburg, Russia Daniel Hochbaum, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA., USA Maciez Koch-Janusz, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands Jonathan Lansey, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ., USA Jordan Ledvina, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA Joel Leibo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA., USA Tamara Litwin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA., USA Oren Mangoubi, Yale University, New Haven, CT., USA Rachel Meisel, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA., USA Ivonne Monje Lopez, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Columbia Tess Oram, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA Danielle Pajek, Leopold-Franzens-University, Innsbruck, Austria Marina Petrova, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian 426 Academic Affairs Office Federation Jessica Rosenberg, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL., USA Daniel Schlam, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada Ariel Shnidman, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA Bharat Tanmay, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Alissa Trepman, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA Erin Twilley, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD., USA Jedrzej Tworzydlo, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland Zvonimir Vrselja, University of Oxijek School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia

Visiting Professors Program

The Visiting Professorships are made available to suitable candidates from all countries. They are intended for outstanding scientists from institutions of higher learning and research institutions, who have achieved appropriate recognition in their fields of activity and who hold the rank of Full Professor (or an equivalent rank) in their home institutions.

Visiting Professors in 2008 were as follows:

The Morris Belkin Visiting Professorship

Prof. David Hansel, CNRS University Rene Descartes, Paris, France Prof. Norman Zabusky, Rutgers University, NJ, USA

The Joseph Meyerhoff Visiting Professorship

Prof. Jean-Pierre Eckmann, University of Geneva, Switzerland Prof. Yadin Y. Goldschmidt, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA Prof. Dirk Shwalm, Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Germany Prof. Harry Tuller, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, USA

The Erna and Jakob Michael Visiting Professorship

Prof. Eli Tsiperman, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA Prof. Gerard Wagemaker, Harvard University, MA., USA

The Rosi and Max Varon Visiting Professorships

Prof. Paul Brumer, University of Toronto, Canada Prof. Agneta Caracheorgheopol, Romanian Academy, Bucharest Prof. Alex Kostinski, Michigan Technological University, Michigan, USA Prof. Pekka K. Sinervo, University of Toronto, Canada Academic Affairs Office 427 The Weston Visiting Professorships

Prof. Boris Mityagin, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA Prof. Vladimir Peskov, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Prof. Gunter Schutz, HLRZ, Julich Prof. Tamar Seideman, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA Prof. Menachem Shoham, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH, USA Prof. Avraham Soffer, Rutgers University, NJ, USA

Weizmann Memorial Lectures

The "Weizmann Annual Lectures" program is the most prestigious lectureship program at the Weizmann 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 for potential lecturers which are made by the members of the Institute's Scientific Council, the body representing all professors at the Institute.

The lectures are intended to review the state of the art and the newest developments of the particular field chosen. The series usually consists of two lectures, which are open to the Institute's faculty and staff and to the community at large. The first talk is usually aimed for anyone interested in science while the second lecture is mainly aimed for scientists at the Weizmann Institute as well as from other Higher Education Institutions in Israel. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Scientific_Activities/current/Chairs.html http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Scientific_Activities/current/Chairs_open.html 428 Academic Affairs Office

Weizmann Professorial Chairs, CDC's 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 Avi Ben-Nun, Department of Immunology The Norman and Helen Asher Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1986 by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Asher, Chicago Incumbent Professor Varda Rotter, Department of Molecular Cell Biology The Helen 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 Avihai Danon, Department of Plant Sciences The Bernstein-Mason Chair of Neurochemistry Established in 1985 by Stuart A. Bernstein and John J. Mason, Washington, DC Incumbent Professor Orly Reiner, Department of Molecular Genetics 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 Academic Affairs Office 429 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 Avraham Levy, 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 Dr. 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 Professor Sir Ernest B. Chain Chair Established in 1980 by his friends, London Incumbent Professor Talila Volk, Department of Molecular Genetics The Chaya Chair in Molecular Neuroscience Established in 2006 by an anonymous donor, Switzerland Incumbent Professor Michael Fainzilber, Department of Biological Chemistry 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 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 Yosef Nir, Department of Particle Physics 430 Academic Affairs Office 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 Drake Family Chair of Nanotechnology Established in 2005 by Mrs. Erica Drake of New York and Mr. Robert J. Drake, the Netherlands Incumbent Professor Reshef Tenne, Department of Materials and Interfaces 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 (until June 2008) 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 Sima Lev, 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 The Estrin Family Chair of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Established in 2000 by Judith Estrin and William Carrico, Profs. Thelma and Gerald Estrin, California Incumbent Professor Vered Rom-Kedar, 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 The 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 (until October 2008) The Donald Frey Chair Established in 1988 by his friends and associates, Chicago Academic Affairs Office 431 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 Yuval Gefen, Department of Condensed Matter 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 Marte R. Gomez Chair of Photosynthesis 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 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 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 Hanna Hertz Chair for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroscience Established in 2008 by the late Hanna Hertz and her daughters Deborah Hertz, Elise Hertz and Sherryl Dobson, Canada Incumbent Professor Elior Peles, Department of Molecular Cell Biology 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 Established in 1985 by Mr. Horowitz and his family, Philadelphia Incumbent Professor Uriel Feige, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Linda Jacobs Chair in Immune and Stem Cell Research 432 Academic Affairs Office Established in 2006 by Mr. Michael Jacobs, London, UK Incumbent Professor Ronen Alon, Department of Immunology The Erica and Ludwig Jesselson Chair of Theoretical Mathematics Established in 1985 by 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 Yonath, Department of Structural Biology The Peter and Carola Kleeman Chair of Optical Sciences Established in 1980 by Mr. Derrick Kleeman, London Incumbent Professor Nir Davidson, 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, London Incumbent 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 Idit Shachar, Department of Immunology The Erich Klieger Chair of Chemical Physics Established in 2006 by Mrs. Ingeborg Klieger, Berlin Incumbent Professor Daniella Goldfarb, Department of Chemical Physics The Philip M. Klutznick Chair of Developmental Biology Established in 1967 by their 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 Academic Affairs Office 433 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 (deceased October 2008) 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 Professorial 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 Levinson Chair of Brain Research Established in 2005 by the Morris L. Levinson Foundation, Palm Beach, Florida Incumbent Professor Rafi Malach, 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 Yale S. Lewine and Ella Miller Lewine Chair for Cancer Research Established in 2006 Established in 2006 through the estate of Yale S. Lewine and Ella Miller Lewine, Vintura, California Incumbent Professor Rony Seger, Department of Biological Regulation 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 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 434 Academic Affairs Office 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 Established in 1982 by the Mauerberger Foundation Fund, Capetown Incumbent Professor Michal Neeman, Department of Biological Regulation The Hermann Mayer Chair Established in 1980 by Mr. Mayer, Paris Incumbent Professor David Tannor, Department of Chemical Physics 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 in born Hannover 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 (until May 2008) 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 Biomedical Research 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 Gerald and Hedy Oliven Chair in Brain Research Established in 2003 by the estate of Gerald Oliven, Los Angeles, CA Academic Affairs Office 435 Incumbent 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 Established in 1968 by the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science Incumbent Professor Abraham Arcavi, Department of Science Teaching 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 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 (until June 2008) The Maurizio Pontecorvo Chair Established in 2005 by Dr. Clotilde Pontecorvo Incumbent Professor Irit Sagi, Department of Structural Biology The Moshe Porath Chair of Mathematics Established in 1990 by The Weizmann Institute of Science in honor 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 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 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 436 Academic Affairs Office Incumbent Professor Irith Ginzburg, Department of Neurobiology (deceased July 2008) 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 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 Aldo Shemesh, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Chair in Energy Research Established in 2002 by Mr. Rowland Schaefer of Pembroke Pines, Florida Incumbent Professor David Cahen, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Hermann and Lilly Schilling Foundation Chair Established in 1993 by the Herman and Lily Schilling Foundation for Medicine, Germany Incumbent Professor Shmuel Pietrokovski, Department of Molecular Genetics The Samuel Sebba Chair of Pure and Applied Physics Established in 1972 by 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 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 Academic Affairs Office 437 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 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 Edith Arnoff Stein Chair in Stem Cell Research Established in 2006 by Edith and Martin Stein, Roca Raton, FL Incumbent Professor Tsvee Lapidot, Department of Immunology The Fern and Manfred Steinfeld Chair Established in 1992 by Mr. Manfred Steinfeld, Chicago Incumbent Professor Samuel Safran, Department of Materials and Interfaces 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 The Alex and Ida Sussman Chair of Submicron Electronics Established in 2000 by S. Donald Sussman, New York Incumbent Professor Moty Heiblum, Department of Condensed Matter 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 Gershom (Jan) Martin, Department of Organic Chemistry 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 Robert Fluhr, Department of Plant Sciences The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Computer Science and Biology Established in 2005 by the Dorset Foundation, UK Incumbent Professor Ehud Shapiro, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Harry Weinrebe Chair of Laser Physics Established in 2003 by the Dorset Foundation, UK 438 Academic Affairs Office Incumbent 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 The 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 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 Maynard I. and Elaine Wishner Chair of Bio-Organic Chemistry Established in 1985 by his friends and associates, Chicago Incumbent Professor Ed Bayer, Department of Biological 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 Eli 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 Beracha Foundation Career Development Chair Established in 1978 by the Beracha Foundation, Geneva Incumbent Dr. Roy Bar-Ziv, Department of Materials and Interfaces The Adolfo and Evelyn Blum Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1979 by bequest of Mr. Blum, New York Incumbent Dr. Asaph Aharoni, Department of Plant Sciences The Anna and Maurice Boukstein Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by family and friends of the late Mr. Boukstein, New York Academic Affairs Office 439 Incumbent Dr. Einat Aharonov, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research (until September 2008) The Delta Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by Delta Textiles, Tel-Aviv Incumbent Dr. Leeor Kronik, Department of Materials and Interfaces (until November 2008) 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 (until November 2008) The Abraham and Jennie Fialkow Career Development Chair Established in 1990 by Lawrence Fialkow, New York Incumbent Dr. Boris Rybtchinski, Department of Organic 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 (until November 2008) 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 (until November 2008) The Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Career Development Chair Established in 1984 by Mr. and Mrs. Kimmelman, New York Incumbent Dr. Eran Hornstein, Department of Molecular Genetics The Carl and Frances Korn Career Development Chair in the Life Sciences Established in 1983 by Mr. and Mrs. Korn, Chicago Incumbent Dr. Ilan Lampl, Department of Neurobiology The Corinne S. Koshland Career Development Chair Established in 1978 by Dr. Dan E. Koshland, Jr. and Mr. Dan E. Koshland, Sr., Berkeley, California Incumbent Dr. Eli Arama, Department of Molecular Genetics The Daniel E. Koshland Sr. Career Development Chair Established in 1996 by Professor Daniel E. Koshland Jr. of, Berkeley, California Incumbent Dr. Yoav Soen, Department of Biological Chemistry The Alvin and Gertrude Levine Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1994 by Alvin and Gertrude Levine, Los Angeles, California Incumbent Dr. Nir Gov, Department of Chemical Physics 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 Mr. Stone and Mr. Levine Incumbent Dr. Milko Van Der Boom, Department of Organic Chemistry (until November 2008) The Lilian and George Lyttle Career Development Chair Established in 1985 by Mrs. Helen Kimmelman, New York Incumbent Dr. Koby Levy, 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 440 Academic Affairs Office Martin and Barbara Rich, Davenport, Iowa Incumbent Dr. Itay Rousso, Department of Structural Biology The Gertrude and Philip Nollman Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Debra Gallagher, Irvine, California Incumbent Dr. Eldad Tzahor, Department of Biological Regulation 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 Dr. Tal Alexander, Department of Condensed Matter Physics (until November 2008) The Recanati Career Development Chair of Energy Research Established in 1978 by the Recanati Family, Israel Incumbent Dr. Michael Bendikov, Department of Organic Chemistry The Pauline Recanati Career Development Chair of Immunology Established in 1980 by the Ralli Foundation, Geneva Incumbent Dr. Steffen Jung, Department of Immunology The Recanati Career Development Chair of Cancer Research Established in 1978 by the Recanati Family, Israel Incumbent Dr. Ami Navon, Department of Biological Regulation The Joseph and Celia Reskin Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Charles Reskin, Chicago Incumbent Dr. Abraham Zangen, Department of Neurobiology The Philip Harris and Gerald Ronson Career Development Chair Established in 1986 by Mr. Harris and Mr. Ronson, London Incumbent Dr. Alon Chen, Department of Neurobiology 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 Canada Incumbent Dr. Yitzhak Pilpel, Department of Molecular Genetics (until November 2008) The Helena Rubinstein Career Development Chair Established in 1981 by the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, New York Incumbent Dr. Anat Yarden, Department of Science Teaching The Madeleine Haas Russell Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Mrs. Madeleine Haas Russell, San Francisco Incumbent Dr. David Holcman, Department of Mathematics The Martha S. Sagon Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Martha Sagon, Washington DC Incumbent Dr. Elazar Zelzer, Department of Molecular Genetics The Rowland and Sylvia Schaefer Career Development Chair Established in 1989 by Rowland Schaefer, Miami, Florida Incumbent Dr. Hezi Gildor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research The Soretta and Henry Shapiro Career Development Chair Established in 1992 by Mr. Henry Shapiro, Chicago Incumbent Dr. Eran Segal, Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics The Tauro Career Development Chair in Biomedical Research Academic Affairs Office 441 Established in 1986 by the Tauro Stiftung, Switzerland Incumbent Dr. Gil Levkowitz, Department of Molecular Cell Biology 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. Ilan Koren, Department of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research

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 442 Academic Affairs Office 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 Professorships Established 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. Research Grants and Projects Office 443

Research Grants and Projects Office

Igal Nevo, Head

The principal 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 all that 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 different sponsored research projects. During the Academic Year 07/08 Institute researchers were active in nearly 1,000 research projects, totaling a gross external research income of over $60 million.

Sources of approved funding for research grants were geographically distributed between: Israel (over $25 million), Europe (nearly $20 million), the USA (over $10 million) and Bi-national and International sources (nearly $4 million).

The top sources providing external research grant support for research were the Israel Science Foundation, the European Union Framework Programme, research programs originating with the German government as well as research support programs of the Israel Ministry for Science and Technology. 444 Visiting Scientists Office

Visiting Scientists Office

Liza Leibowitz, Head (until September 2008) Tiki Rosen, Head (from October 2008)

This office deals with the non-scientific aspects of a researcher's visit to the Institute, especially when the visits last for a prolonged period. Prior to arrival, an informative guide is sent to the future visitor; accommodation, when available, is reserved. Before arrival, visitors are invited to consult detailed information that is available online on matters such as visas, schooling, purchasing or importing of a vehicle, customs, health insurance, public transportation. Visitors are encouraged to contact the office staff, even prior to their arrival, for any additional advice or assistance, which may be required. Help is extended to enable visitors to concentrate on research as much as possible, unhindered by administrative matters.

While on campus, visitors are informed about social and cultural events at the Institute, Jewish Holidays and so forth.

In 2008, the Institute hosted 610 visiting scientists who came from 29 different countries. Visiting Scientists Office 445 446 Visiting Scientists Office Division of Information Systems

Yigal Burstein

Senior Advisor to the President on Information Systems (until June 2008)

Ronit Segal

Head of Division of Information Systems (from May 2008)

The Division of Information Systems, located in the new Dr. Karl and Leila Ribstein Center for Information Technology, provides networking, communications, data processing, library and internet services to Institute scientists, students and administrators. It oversees the smooth implementation of an integrated computing environment, as well as maintaining 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 free flow of continually updated information.

The Division consists of five related departments:

♦ the Computing Center ♦ the Libraries ♦ the Department of Data Processing ♦ the Internet Services Unit ♦ the Telecommunication Services Unit The homepage of the Division of Information Systems is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/homepage/pages/infsys_home.html

Gershom Martin

Senior Academic Advisor to the Head of Division of Information Systems (from July 2008)

Prof. Martin acts as the academic advisor to the head of the Division, and also as advisor for IT affairs to the WIS President. The main focus of his activities is to articulate the special requirements of the academic sector to the division 448 Division of Information Systems and to improve the quality of service for IT services that are essential to the scientists (Email, internet access, end-user support, etc.).

Another focus is investigating future-proof next-generation technologies for the Division in general, and the Computing Center in particular.

A third area of attention is nurturing practical expertise in research computing (particularly HPC).

Fourth, he seeks to act as an integrator for problems where the solution requires bringing together expertise from different subspecialties of IT, and bridging the gap between them.

In addition, Prof. Martin acts as the academic overseer of the WIS Library System.

The Computing Center (WICC) Aviva Greenman, Head

The Weizmann Institute Computing Center strives to provide an advanced and efficient communications and computing environment for the Institute's faculty, students and staff. The Institute is a member of the Inter University Computing Center, (IUCC) popularly known by its Hebrew Acronym MACHBA http://www.iucc.ac.il. The eight member universities share technology and services, to the benefit of all. From the smallest personal computer to powerful multi-processor servers, WICC supports and facilitates the campus computing and communications infrastructure, together with providing the network-intensive applications necessary for the pursuit and advancement of science at the Weizmann Institute.

♦ Fully backed-up Open Enterprise Server, Linux, Unix and Macintosh file and print systems are now available for the thousands of personal computers at the Institute. ♦ The Tivoli Storage Management backup system has been upgraded and now runs on Linux servers. Both the TSM and the backup Express backup systems have been enhanced to allow faster processing by storing backed-up data on both disks and on faster and higher capacity LTO4 tapes. ♦ Support is provided for approximately 4000 personal computers running Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. Currently, about 60 new personal computers are installed on campus each month. ♦ The old IBM mainframe which served administrative data processing has been phased out. Division of Information Systems 449 During the last year we initiated several major projects and integrated new technologies into our system: ♦ The Institute communications infrastructure has been upgraded with a fully redundant 10 Gb network in the core and in the main buildings, and with dedicated 1 Gb bandwidth to every workstation on campus. The network is based on state-of-the-art networking technologies, and enables complete integration of the security policies of the campus. The entire Weizmann network, starting with our connection to the IUCC network and including almost the entire remaining network, is fully redundant. The network grows at a rate of 15% every year. ♦ The connection to the Internet via the IUCC network has been upgraded, and our main connection is now 1Gb with a backup line of 450Mb. ♦ We have deployed a centrally-managed Institute-wide wireless network. This allows all users to see the same wireless environment, no matter where they are located in the Instiute, and allows roaming between wireless access points without disconnecting from the network. We are also working on deploying access to a secure internal Internet connection for those scientists who have a need for such a service. Finally, we are in the process of building an authentication system which will ease connecting to the Institute Internal network, while still maintaining maximum security to our network ♦ The Computing Center oversees the implementation, integration and administration of HPC (high-performance clusters) in various scientific departments. We have integrated Lustre file systems to be used in Linux clusters. Lustre filesystems can support several thousand servers (petabytes of storage) and can have hundreds of gigabytes per second throughput. We are taking an active part in planning large HPC clusters in various scientific departments: in the Faculty of Mathematics two main clusters have been added, the Physics cluster has been rebuilt, and the compute cluster of Bioinformatics has been redesigned. The Unix group is also taking an active part in managing the cluster of the CERN GRID project, assisting scientists in choosing the optimal compute cluster for their needs. ♦ The UNIX group has created a dedicated High Performance Cluster based on Linux servers at WICC. Scientists are invited to add their own servers to that cluster so that all the computing resources of the High Performance Cluster can be shared. In this way we can achieve the best performance from the computing resources. Job management of the cluster is based on SGE (Sun Grid Engine) job management technology. ♦ The Oracle Collaboration Suite (OCS) mail server platform has been enhanced; as of the end of 2008 there are about 2000 registered users of the Oracle Collaboration Suite. Much effort has been involved to create a redundant and reliable mail system. 450 Division of Information Systems ♦ The GroupWise mail system has been upgraded to the latest version, GroupWise 8. The new version features an improved interface for Linux and Mac OS X users, better handling of international character sets, improved Calendar features, Web Publishing of Calendars and better option management, as well as a number of other improvements., ♦ The Computing Center supports mobility on both GroupWise and OCS mail servers using a NotifyLink mobile server to provide wireless access and management of Email, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks. We also maintain Intellisync software to support mobile connection for the GroupWise users, but the aim for the future is to concentrate on a single support for mobile connections. ♦ The security system for the Institute network continues to be upgraded with the latest available technologies. We have improved and expanded our Firewall and Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems. We have enhanced our state of the art anti-virus/anti-spam system, which monitors and filters all incoming mail, and have added several new levels of anti-spam protection. We continue to improve our security systems, balanced by scientific needs, and to add new technologies to protect our network and resources. We also have completed the implementation of full high availability for all the security systems. This will insure continuous operation of all the systems and will minimize, if not totally eliminate, maintenance downtimes. ♦ We continue to support the recent releases of the Macintosh OS X operating system, including OSX 10.5, as well as the new Intel Macintosh platform. All new machines come with our supported software installed. We support several solutions for Windows operating systems on the Macintosh and are developing a more rigorous backup system for the Macintosh. At this point, the Macintosh OSX system is widely used and supported in the Institute, although we continue to support the older system as needed. ♦ The EMC CX3-40 Storage Array has been extended. The Storage Area Network Infrastructure is being upgraded to two Cisco 9509 Storage Directors to supply more bandwidth, higher capacity and load balancing. The Network Appliance file server has been replaced, and we now have a clustered FAS3070 filer which provides NFS and CIFS services to servers and workstations on the campus and can be part of our SAN Infrastructure as well. ♦ The Meta-Directory has been expanded to manage and synchronize the identities of our users on a wide range of systems, including the new eTafnit ERP system, the Biological Services DAPSAS server, the Oracle Collaboration Suite email system, the Aleph Libraries System, the Human Resource System and others. ♦ Another directory connected to the meta-directory contains the contact information for all staff and faculty members. This is used by the Division of Information Systems 451 Internet Services Unit for publishing in the intranet. This contact information can also be accessed by a convenient application at http://uinfo.weizmann.ac.il. ♦ Athens is a joint project of the Library and Computing Center in the Weizmann Institute of Science. Using Novell Access Manager, users of the Weizmann Institute can now gain access to information resources throughout the world, regardless of where the user is located. Many information service providers in Europe and other parts of the World use a special authentication infrastructure, called "Athens", through which a user's identity is verified before granting access to any given resource. The project at Weizmann integrates "Athens" and Weizmann's Identity Management infrastructure, so that when our users need access to external information resources, the user identity and access rights are verified against Weizmann's local Identity Management infrastructure, without exposing the user's passwords and other sensitive information to any external resource provider. ♦ On an ongoing basis, we are working toward guaranteeing the fastest way to supply a fully-installed new PC. We continue to update the CD ROMs (containing our supported software) that we prepare and distribute to our authorized PC dealers. The dealers use these CD ROMs to install our computing environment on PCs they sell to the Institute. These PCs are then delivered directly to the end user, ready to be connected to our network. Our supported software can also be installed from a menu on PCs which are already connected to our campus network. This is enabled by a product called Zen for Desktops. Today we keep images of most of the standard PCs supported by the Computing Center, and instead of installing or re-installing Windows on user's PCs from Microsoft distribution CDs, we re-image them via the network. In most cases, in 6-8 minutes we have a new copy of Windows up and running. ♦ Administrative PCs: For 2008, the Weizmann Institute again selected a single PC and a single dealer for administrative PCs for a period of one year. Standardizing on a single PC allows us not only to negotiate a fair price with the vendor, it has also led to increased satisfaction from the user standpoint, and labor savings from the standpoint of the Computing Center. Standardizing on a single administrative PC allows us to utilize a standard "image" for the PC. If at any time there is a problem with the current copy of the system on the computer, we can ask the user to restart the computer and a fresh copy of the system will be downloaded over the network. ♦ Similarly we have selected a new, up-to-date hardware configuration for PCs which should satisfy the needs of most scientific departments. ♦ We have upgraded our range of supported Windows software to improve service and security. The home page of the Computing Center is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/CC/ 452 Division of Information Systems Research Staff

Senior Staff Scientist

Morton F. Taragin, Ph.D., George Washington University, Washington, United States

Engineers

Aviva Greenman, M.Sc., The Weizmann Institute of Science Shlomit Afgin, M.Sc., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Camille Botaz, M.Sc., University of Bucharest, Romania Yehezkel Bialik, B.Sc., Yeshiva University Stephen Druck, B.A., Cornell University (left December 2008) 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, Moscow Jerry Mersel, B.Sc., Hunter College, NY

The Libraries Ilana Pollack, Chief Librarian

The Libraries are responsible for acquiring, collecting, processing, distributing, and storing all printed material (books, journals, patents, articles, etc.) needed by the Institute faculty and staff, as well as for purchasing, licensing, implementing, maintaining, managing and ensuring online access to digital resources such as e-journals/series, e-books, databases, etc. The Library staff provides users with up-to-date techniques for locating and using library material and for searching the Library's online catalog, supports the Institute's personnel with sophisticated use of online electronic resources, and performs intermediated scientific literature searches upon request.

The Libraries are comprised of books and bound volumes of periodicals, of current periodical and book series subscriptions in printed form or in combined printed and electronic form, many electronic databases, and access to aggregated electronic collections. We maintain a constantly growing collection of thousands of electronic journals/series and e-books. A considerable portion of the electronic resources collection is a result of Israeli university libraries' consortium (MALMAD) consortium agreements.

The Institute's Archives, housed in the Wix Library building, document the history of the Weizmann Institute and its scientific, educational, and cultural contributions to the world of scientific endeavor, from its beginnings to the Division of Information Systems 453 present day.

Innovations during the past year include:

♦ We have further enriched the Library's electronic resources collections by purchasing more packages of journal and series archival collections with perpetual access rights, a significant number of e-book collections, electronic reference works, electronic scientific protocols (Springer protocols, CSH protocols), digital lectures (Henry Stewart Talks) and several new subscriptions to electronic book series in fields we did not have before. ♦ The above mentioned additions to our electronic collection entailed tedious uploading and updating on the part of our staff of our Library catalog and search tools. This process is still ongoing. Library users are constantly notified of new additions via the News page on our website, the Institute's Bulletin Board, and announcements sent to relevant users by the special Institute mailing system to specified groups. ♦ This year the Library has launched OneSearch - a new meta search tool for articles, journals and books. This federated search tool enables a single search across multiple information resources. With one click one can run a search simultaneously on different services and tools such as scientific databases, library catalogs, Internet websites and search engines etc. The user can either search resources already selected by the Library or choose his own resources to search, using the advanced search option. ♦ The following search tools have been enhanced and improved to enable managing electronic resources as well as facilitating their use. Both tools enable combined simultaneous searches for journals and e-books: ◊ The e-journals management system (TDNet) was expanded to include access to electronic as well as print journals and series, in all subject fields available to Weizmann. It is now called "Journal/series manager" (EJM). ◊ The Electronic books management system was enhanced and the display and functionality were improved. This tool was renamed "e-book manager" (EBM). ♦ The Library, with the help of the Computing Center, has launched Athens, a new service which allows the user to access the Library's subscribed or purchased online resources from out-of-campus locations anywhere around the world, using one's Weizmann username and password. The Weizmann Institute Library is the first university Library in Israel applying this new service, although it is still incomplete. We are working with all involved parties to expand and improve it. ♦ Toward the end of this year, after laborious effort and planning of contents, graphics and design, the Library, with the cooperation of the 454 Division of Information Systems Internet Services Unit, has finally launched its new, up-to-date, modern and professional website (http://www.weizmann.ac.il/library). The new website is still in its beta version. Its aim is to facilitate the navigation between all the different library services and information resources available to Weizmann faculty, students and staff. The Library has asked for feedback in order to enable further improvements. ♦ Training lectures to Institute staff and students, introducing and explaining various Library tools (such as services, new databases' features and platforms, as well as how to use them) were conducted or hosted by the Library staff. ♦ This year the Library completed the procedure for enabling entrance - after hours, weekends and holidays - to all Faculty Libraries, using employee cards of Weizmann faculty and students. ♦ Since it has already been decided that Library acquisitions (purchasing of journals and series as well as monographs) will be carried out via the ALEPH Library managing system, the Library staff had to adjust all its templates and work procedures. The necessary changes were implemented and appropriate reports were created by the staff to ensure smooth activity in the module. ♦ During the past year the majority of the Wix Library staff has been engaged in careful planning of the transfer of the Wix Library collections to the different relevant locations on campus: e.g. Faculty Libraries, the new main Library location, or to a recycling center. Lists were sent to the relevant Faculty Libraries and checked repeatedly in order to allow for the removal of material with electronic archives and absorption of material without electronic archives from the Wix Library. The titles on the shelves were very carefully checked against the lists in order to avoid possible irreversible decisions. Lists of hardcopy journal/series titles and holdings have been, and are still being, sent to the scientists for rechecking before recycling. ♦ A long, professional weeding process of the book collections in the Wix Library was carried on during the year, in consultation with Faculty Librarians and Faculty staff. Around 4,000 books have already been weeded, and the process continues. Special collections will be relocated in the new main Library building in due course. ♦ Planning has begun for the renovation of the new main Library Offices in the Fromer building. ♦ The Institute's Archives has reorganized the material on its premises, after many of its documents were transferred to an external archival storage. The Libraries' home page is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/library

The Department of Data Processing Rachel Kazmirsky, Head (until May 2008) Division of Information Systems 455 The Department of Data Processing is responsible for the development and maintenance of data systems for the use of Institute scientists and administrators. All systems have been, and are currently being, developed in accordance with the Internet/Intranet technology, 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 any specific desktop platform, and can communicate freely with any international Internet or local Intranet site. Within this structure, Oracle Development Tools serves as the department's vehicle for all current and new systems.

During the past year we have initiated the following projects:

♦ The extremely successful ERP system, based on eTafnit software, has been functioning smoothly for over 15 months, and is constantly being upgraded and expanded. The system includes the following main modules: Finance, Budgets, Travel, Research Grants, Purchasing & Logistics, Construction and Salary Accounting, as well as an interface with the existing HR Oracle Applications module. The reporting and management of Grants and Financing has been upgraded to one integrated system, providing information transparency and automatic data control, according to the accepted procedures and financial protocols. Data regarding where, when and by whom different operations were performed is stored and readily accessible. The whole process of a transaction, beginning with the request from the scientist and ending with the payment process and its connection to the research, is accomplished within one system. The ERP enables data retrieval and integration of data and processes from all information systems in the Institute, thus providing the complete and transparent information necessary for informed managerial decisions. This web-enabled system has had a campus-wide impact on documents workflow, control and reminders, where needed. In 2008, the ERP tools for data retrieval were expanded and improved, and control tools were implemented which focus on user friendliness, efficiency, and the improvement of service and processes. This includes links to the Internet and Excel, the ability to attach documents and send them by fax or by email, and independent generation of reports and data query by users. New developments resulted in improved performance and efficiency, according to administrators' and divisions' requests.

Further improvements that have been made during 2008 include:

◊ The improvement of budget control procedures, which ensures that purchasing requisitions approved by the department administrator will not be put on hold due to budget control 456 Division of Information Systems rules. ◊ The budget was converted from $ to shekels, at the request of the organization. ◊ Mass budget transfers for Research Grants reporting. ◊ The incorporation of approved price lists from suppliers, which enables department administrators to work directly with the supplier according to agreed prices and terms, thus saving purchasing and buyer's costs. ◊ The direct routing of requirements from initiators to the warehouses. ◊ The automatic issuing of a Debit Memo for suppliers. ◊ The improvement of the Self Invoice process for lecturer's salaries, according to tax brackets and regulations. ◊ Reports for scientists and administrators, e.g. bank statements, reports of sources and usages, reports by period, budgetary reports. ♦ The successful Internal Services project, which has been running smoothly in production for over ten years, is constantly being upgraded and expanded. This web-enabled system, which monitors all in-house transfer of goods and services, has had a campus-wide impact on internal campus communication. Its current roster of approximately one hundred services provides an on-line catalogue of items available from various Institute departments (providers), and a user-friendly interface for placing, processing, and tracking internal orders. Most importantly, the system automatically debits and credits the department budgets or projects for these transactions.

During the last year we converted the currency used in the system from $ to shekels, as a result of the decision to handle the budget in shekels.

New services added to the system during the past year include:

◊ Communication points: a service to transfer a communication point by an employee, including an automatic check versus budget and versus the communication ports database, to avoid mistakes. This service replaced a manual form. ◊ Microarray Queue: handles ordering a time frame to work on biological service machines. This service includes the payment process. ◊ Moross Cancer Bank: an application form for special orders from external sources. ◊ Viscotek: handles ordering a time frame to work on chemical services machines, and the charge involved. ◊ Safety & Environment Unit: enables Weizmann units to order First aid kits, and the charge involved. Division of Information Systems 457 ♦ The Human Resources system, based on Oracle Applications Human Resources software package, has been in production for eight years. This system has been instrumental in centralizing all of the human resources information and activities of the Institute, as well as providing, at long last, a single updated source of tabular information to be accessed by the entire campus. The Oracle Human Resources module serves as the single source of information for most of the Institute's online services, including LDAP, Internal Services, Feinberg Graduate School, and the future Portal-designed web sites. The integration the Academic Affairs Office into the larger Oracle data base has been completed. This new, comprehensive system monitors all administrative aspects of the scientific community, including sabbaticals, appointments, and organizational structure. Department administrators are able to access the application to produce reports on their own, which include all relevant information about their department members. In addition, the Safety & Environmental Compliance Unit can also access relevant information in order to maintain the highest standards of safety on campus. Additional modules and reports, which help systematize the Institute's organizational structure, are added regularly according to requests by the Division of Human Resources. The HR data base serves as a basis for campus-wide salary computations, the creation of individual employee information files, individually authorized entrance to campus buildings, and many other procedures. The system also enables total internet web-based interfacing with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat and other widely-used applications. The new Human resource portal now shows the personal file for each employee, including information such as: address, position percentage, bank details etc. The system now enables opening candidacy for a position to a former or active employee. One can organize a list of documents for a candidate, by choosing a category and document description from a list of values. Following the assimilation of a new finance module in the ERP system ("eTafnit"), the Oracle Human Resources module now transfers to it, by daily interface, data such as: employee information, budget data, etc. ♦ The Feinberg Graduate School (FGS) system, which has successfully been in production for almost eight years, enables students to register for laboratory time according to availability, to view their grade scores on-line via the web, to register on line for equipment and rooms, on-line registration for rotations and post-docs, course evaluation and scheduling, and an improved archive of graduate students. In order for students to view their grades, they must first award a grade to the lecturer of the course, and to the course itself. A complete menu of on-line interaction among students, lecturers, and the administration includes the automatic production of student cards, 458 Division of Information Systems on-line questionnaires, a dynamic exchange and updating of grant reports, and the tracking of student and alumni awards. Another service in the system, PAC (Ph.D. Approval Committee) assists the committee which awards Ph.D. degrees. It includes information on the committee members, dates and scheduling, candidate status, and oversees the smooth passage of all relevant forms and evaluations. The system also includes improved logistical options and flexibility for the FGS staff, computerized systems for student and lecturers' salaries and student attendance, complete computerization of admissions procedures, early registration for exams, a grant system for outstanding women scientists, a follow-up system for Feinberg graduates (coordinated with the Ministry of the Interior), an improved travel system for students, registration of visiting students, automatic production of reports, and a greatly improved group email system which allows for sending announcements/instructions/reminders/reports to specific population groups as needed. Other recent enhancements include a more friendly user interface, developed in Oracle new tools (html/apex) which improved the student-lecturer interface in the FGS system. Lecturers can now view the students' course evaluation for their courses. Application forms for the FGS for different degrees/fellowships (M.Sc.,Ph.D.Post-Doc) have been re-written, and acceptance/rejection letters can now be printed online. Currently in development are the forms and letters for the evaluation committee of the Women Scientists Fellowships, as well as Student Absentee reports via an html/web interface. In the past year we developed a Scholarships system, which connects between the Feinberg Graduate School and the Donors system. Every student receives a donated Scholarship every year, and the new system maintains these relationships. ♦ During the past year, the administrative system of The Association of Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel was converted to an on-line web-based system. The new system is comprised of the association's data base, which includes membership details, invitations to functions, donations, and committees, as well as various reports and mailing lists. ♦ The administrative system for the Davidson Institute of Science Education has been enhanced. The system monitors the continuing education programs, attendance of teachers as well as the general population, professional counselors and general programming at the Institute. The system also produces reports which are targeted for specific sectors of the education profession. ♦ A new web-based system was developed for the CAMP and KAMATZ projects of the Davidson Institute of Science Education. Division of Information Systems 459 This system includes a data base of students and counselors who participate in these projects, as well as follow-up data on project management, programs, and student attendance. The system also includes many report options, as well as mailing list management. ♦ A new web-based system was developed for handling potential volunteers to participate in experiments and matching them with planned laboratory research. The system helps control and schedule the experiments. ♦ In addition to the new projects described above, the department of Data Processing maintains and upgrades important systems whose initial development is complete. These include: ◊ LIMS - Laboratory Information Management System, requested by the new Israel Structural Proteomics Center housed on the Weizmann campus and run by Weizmann scientists. Researchers submit targets (DNA or purified protein) for cloning and expression of the target genes and purification, crystallization and 3D structure determination of the target proteins. The new system tracks all of the scientific stages along the way: from primers, PCR experimentation, cloning, mini-prep, expression, production and purification, to crystallization and 3D structure. We are now upgrading the system to a new html format. ◊ Total computerization of the Mathematics Library: loans and returns, inventory control, overdue fines and reports. ◊ An Administrative Assemblies Management System for the Department of Resource Development: enables group visit tracking, flight information, tours and events scheduling, nametags, place cards, and all other aspects of important group assemblies at the Institute. ◊ 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 information automatically to the Department of Resource Development. ◊ The Telephones Financial Management system. ◊ The young@science system, which monitors after-school science activities offered by the Institute to Rehovot children. A new addition to this system manages a multifaceted program of organized school outings to the Clore Science Park. The same system also manages all activities in the Garden of Science. ◊ The IACUC (International Animal Care and Use Committee) system, which enables scientists to submit applications for veterinary resources via the Internet, replacing the previous email/telephone system. This is one of the department's most successful smaller systems, and since it went into production in 460 Division of Information Systems November of 2002, a wide array of new features has been added every year. ◊ The system to monitor the working hours of the private Security Service personnel the Institute has employed. ◊ A Safety Services system, which monitors reports submitted by Heads of Research Groups about the levels of their biological, chemical and radiations hazards/data, student exposure, and vaccinations. ◊ The transportation system, which enables the ordering of transportation services and movement of goods via the campus Intranet. ◊ A Lab Manager system (an html product, using Oracle APEX), for management of materials and orders for labs at Weizmann. This product is currently in production at fourteen different laboratories. ◊ A management system for controlling the schedule of the Wix and Ebner auditoriums. Data Processing is moving steadily toward its goal of a completely web-enabled environment, using a variety of cutting-edge tools to build the most integrated applications possible.

The Home Page of the Department of Data Processing is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/DP/

The Internet Services Unit Malka Cymbalista, Head

Since its inception in 1999, the Internet Services Unit has played an integral role in the Division's principal goal of improved communications and the dissemination of information. While the Internet Services unit maintains the Institute's central web servers, its primary function is the creation of departmental web sites, as well as individually customized applications.

As the focus of web sites has shifted from static web pages to dynamic interactive ones, the unit has made great progress in this area. Together with the division's Computing Center and Data Processing Unit, Internet Services is concentrating on integrating the Human Resources database with the dynamic resources of the web, making even the smallest change in the data immediately visible and retrievable via the Internet.

In the past year we have been engaged in the following projects:

♦ All data, applications and content from the old web servers were moved to new and more powerful servers. This was a complicated and Division of Information Systems 461 delicate procedure, whose success can be measured by the fact that noone was aware of the move. ♦ Web authentication is now processed via the central LDAP server. This means that in order to authenticate themselves to gain entry to restricted web applications, Weizmann personnel can now use their standard userids and passwords and do not have to remember any others. ♦ All Weizmann personnel can now easily access a wealth of general information (such as Institute regulations in every area) and personal details, (such as vacation and sick days, and other items included on each staff member's "kartis ishi") via the new Human Resources web site. In an effort to eliminate much of the paper work at Weizmann, we are starting to take the many forms used by the Human Resources Division and upload them for retrieval on line. Our aim is to eventually create interactive versions of these forms, and to (in most cases) avoid printing them altogether. ♦ We have made the photos of all Weizmann personnel easily available for use on any website, drawn from the central collection of pictures maintained by the Photography department. ♦ We installed "Media Wiki" software which enables any interested group to set up a Wiki. This is particularly helpful in the collaborative research that makes the Weizmann Institute unique. The software is based on the popular Wikipedia phenomenon so prominent in web search results. ♦ We wrote a system to enable the Division of Human Resources manage registration for the Wizo gan on campus. ♦ We created a Resource Development Proposals data base that enables Weizmann Support Committees all over the world to match suggested potential donors with appropriate research proposals. ♦ The library web site has been redesigned. The Internet Services unit continues to rewrite applications so that all HR data is retrieved from the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server, which has been designated as the sole source of all Human Resources data at Weizmann. This ensures that all Human Resources data at Weizmann originates from the same source and is therefore totally uniform.

The unit continues to create web sites for any scientist who is interested in this service. These sites are created in a way that allows the scientists themselves (or their students) to easily update their data, and to take real advantage of the web's capabilities. We have built automatic systems for a picture gallery, for a group calendar and for group announcements. In addition, there is now a user-friendly process for uploading files and displaying information about presentations which are given by group members at group meetings. 462 Division of Information Systems In addition, the department maintains important systems whose development is ongoing. These include:

♦ The highly successful on-line Directory, which includes phone numbers, room numbers, email addresses and home pages of Weizmann personnel. ♦ The integrated on-line calendar, which is updated by many authorized personnel and displays information about all Weizmann events. ♦ The Email Distribution System, which enables authorized personnel to send email to selected groups on campus ♦ The Interactive Campus Map, which enables visitors and staff alike to easily navigate the campus ♦ We have brought the on-line updating of the annual Scientific Activites report to the point where it is now automatically produced. This provides both for creating the on-line file, as well as for a simpler, significantly cost-saving, method of printing the annual report. ♦ The Current Research Activities is also produced online and is updated weekly. This is an essential document, referred to by many (e.g. FGS students) as a primary and concise source of information about the scientific activities of group leaders at the Institute. ♦ At the request of the Directorate for Research and Academic Affairs, the Internet Services Unit has created an on-line system to manage the Minerva-Weizmann Projects program. Information about the projects is displayed on line, enabling young German researchers who are interested in coming to Weizmann to learn more about working with the scientists involved in the project. Because the Weizmann web site is often the initial contact between the Institute and the outside world, the Internet Services unit has an important role to play in terms of public relations, as well as its official role as a disseminator of information. By managing a continually evolving web site, ensuring the rapid flow of up-to-date information via a professional and efficient interface, the unit ensures that the Weizmann web site remains a dynamic reflection of a particularly multi-faceted campus.

The Internet Services Unit's home page is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/IU/ .

The Telecommunications Services Unit Achicam Rosen, Head

The Telecommunications Services unit provides and maintains all telephone communications on the Institute campus. The hub of its activity is the central switchboard installation, managed by four operators and one supervisor. The switchboard is a "Coral" product of Tadiran, supporting over 3,000 extensions throughout the campus. It has been recently upgraded to version 15, allowing Division of Information Systems 463 for IP-telephony and Softphone.

The Telephone Communications Services unit is responsible 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 infrastructure necessary for remote (off-campus) connections to the Institute's computer network, such as ISDN and fast Internet ADSL lines. This includes international connections as well, in conjunction with the various Israeli international telephone service providers. International telephone service is provided either directly, or via an international calling card.

The unit oversees and maintains all cellular telephone activity on campus, together with the local cellular service providers. To date, there are over 300 cellular phones under the management of the Telecommunications Services unit. The unit now supplies cellular modems to the scientists, either by purchasing or by borrowing, to enable wideband connection from laptops to the internet.

We have completed a comprehensive mapping of all the telephone cables on campus, radiating from the central switchboard to every single structure with a telephone. This information is an invaluable tool in maintaining the smooth running of the Institute's extensive telephone system, and enables the most efficient use of this cable network when installing new phones.

The unit works tirelessly to provide and maintain the most efficient service possible in all areas of communication on the Institute campus that pertain to telephones.

The home page of the Telecommunications Services Unit is: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/telecomm/ 464 Division of Information Systems Division of Logistics and Research Services

Asher Bar-on, Head

The division consists of highly skilled technicians and engineers, grouped into professional working 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 Security and Fire Department of the Institute.

This year the division made a number of significant changes in its organizational structure. Firstly, the Warehouses Unit left our division and is now part of the Procurement Division. Two units - Vacuum and Scientific Instruments Maintenance - were merged into one larger unit. The Vacuum unit moved from the Bamo"t Division with three of their technicians to our division. This unit is now headed by Mr. Chaim Yadin, previously head of the Vacuum unit. Two small units - raw materials warehouse and the welding shop - are now officially part of the Scientific Instrumentation Production - Rothberg workshop.

The major change in the division's organizational structure was the formation of two branches - each headed by a branch head. The branch of Engineering & Instrumentation, headed by Eng. Arik Velner. This branch includes both machine shops, the Instrument Design Unit, the Glassblowing Unit and the Scientific Instruments Maintenance Unit. The second branch - Design, Photography and Printing - combines these three units and is headed by Mr. Vadim Becker. Both branch heads work directly under the division head. This change has transformed the division's organizational structure into a pyramidal structure thereby allowing for much better managerial and control capabilities.

Scientific Instrumentation Production - Rothberg Avi Einhorn, Head

The workshop consists of a group of highly skilled technicians able to construct laboratory equipment from a wide range of materials. The workshop's machinery is designed to accommodate the demands of modern research laboratories, lathes, milling machines, sanders, drills and all other necessary equipment. 466 Division of Logistics and Research Services This year we replaced our old CNC milling machine with an up-to-date one. This new machine (Haas) enhances our capabilities to produce more complicated and intricate devices.

The workshop includes the following disciplines as well: raw material warehouse, CNC milling machine, welding shop, sheet metal shop and a small tinker shop allowing scientists and students to do some of their own work under the supervision of an experienced technician, sign production facility and production of unique laboratory apparatus made from plastic and PVC.

The design of the instruments is drawn up either by the scientist/student working in conjunction with the technicians or through the Instruments Design Unit using advanced CAD technologies.

The workshop produces and stocks a large range of Perspex appliances mainly for the use of the Biology faculties.

Instrument Design Unit Benny Pasmantirer, Head

The Instrument Design Unit, a team of skilled engineers, designs prototypes of versatile laboratory instruments according to specific research needs. Innovative solutions to technical problems that arose during the design process are worked out by the team in conjunction with the requesting scientist.

The design process is implemented using parametric software, which simulates the assembly as a solid on the screen, allowing quick changes until the final product is realized.

The team accompanies the manufacturing process of the prototype from the workshops of the Weizmann Institute (Precision Instrument and Engineering Workshop and Instrumentation Workshop, Physics) through its installation and finally to its successful operation in the laboratory.

Scientific Instrumentation Production - Physics Shlomo Asayag, Head

This unit's vast capabilities and experience enable it to produce custom made instruments for all the research laboratories in the Institute.

Available to the skilled technicians are lathes and milling machines that allow high precision metalwork 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 high precision and quality. Division of Logistics and Research Services 467 Here too we revamped old machines with new more accurate and easier to use ones.

Our technicians are able to produce equipment from plans drawn up after meetings and discussions with scientists or students. The Instruments Design Unit using CAD programs works in conjunction with the machine shop creating technical plans for scientific instruments to be produced in the workshop.

Scientific Glassblowing Unit Yossi Novema, Head

Provides services for scientific research in the campus including advice and design of special glassware.

Creation and modification of pyrex and quartz glass laboratory instruments.

Scientific Instruments Maintenance Chaim Yadin, Head

This unit specializes in the repair and maintenance of laboratory equipment. The unit is divided into the following sections: centrifuges, vacuum pumps and lab equipment. The centrifuge team repairs and maintains all types of centrifuges in the Institute: floor, tabletop, cooled, ultra etc.

Lab equipment ranges from small equipment such as Pipetman/ Pipetaid, stirrers, mechanical balances, hot plates to larger equipment such as shakers, electrophoresis cells, lyophilizes and ice machines.

With the merging of the Vacuum unit over 1,000 laboratory vacuum pumps are now being maintained by the unit's technicians. The unit has recently begun daily maintenance of a number of X-Ray film developing units.

Moving Services Ehud Idan, Head

This service is responsible for all handling and moving all goods within the campus, from the campus and to the campus. Besides regular distribution of items/requests from the different warehouses 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 cleaning out basements, labs and offices and often makes use of special cranes and handling equipment. 468 Division of Logistics and Research Services At the disposal of the unit are three medium sized trucks with loading ramps, a forklift and numerous carts of different types and sizes.

A limited amount of storage space is available, which can be used by special request.

Photography Laboratories Shalom Nidam, Head

Documentation of experiments, often live, at Institute laboratories, professional photography, developing and processing of photographs.

Video - shooting and editing. Digital photography, screening of photos, computerized photo processing and producing CD ROM discs. We recently purchased a digital video camera and digital editing equipment, which increased our support capabilities for the scientific staff.

Recently an advanced archiving program was purchased allowing us to digitally archive the tens of thousands of historic and important photos we have collected over the years. We also purchased an advanced scanner enabling us to rapidly scan documents like those in the Weizmann archives in preparation for their transfer to the new archive program.

Duplication and Printing Unit Natan Kronenberg, Head

Printing, duplication and publishing all scientific work produced at the Institute, assisting in the preparation of materials for various forms as well as large format posters of scientific publications and presentations using new advanced digital duplicating machines for color prints.

Educational booklets and flyers of various types are also produced for many departments especially The Davidson Institute of Science Education and young@science.

This year we began the process of replacing some of the older printing machines with modern ones - thereby enhancing our printing capabilities both in quantity and especially in quality. We expect to complete this program during the coming year.

Graphics Department Haya Yoskovitch, Head

From the initial idea to the final product Division of Logistics and Research Services 469 The Graphics Department at the Weizmann Institute of Science, housed in the Goldsmith-Maltz Building, was established in 1975 to supply the graphic requirements of all the scientists, 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 ten.

Sharing our knowledge is important; whether it be through volunteering our educational services to the Institute retirees, or one-on-ones and small group instruction for specific programs. Special workshops, (such as Adobe Acrobat) offering basic information needed by the majority of our scientists, students and staff, are also organized.

Using updated multimedia technology, powerful computers, scanners, high-quality printers, digital recorders, video cameras, and the latest computer programs available on the market; we provide state of the art designs according to the specifications and requirements of our clientele. This year we continued investing in more powerful computers for graphics allowing us to keep up with the continual advance of graphics programs.

Security Department Moshe Gat, Head

The 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 social events at the Institute. http://www.weizmann.ac.il/RSD/

Engineers and Laboratories Staff

Asher Bar-on, MSM, Boston University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Arik Velner, B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Vadim Becker, B.A., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Tali Wiesel, B. Business, Management College, Tel-Aviv Lilia Goffer, M.Sc., Polytechnic Institute, Chelabinsk Benjamin Pasmantirer, B.Sc., Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv Gedalia Perlman, M.Sc., Polytechnical University, Leningrad 470 Division of Logistics and Research Services 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 the fifth anniversary of his death. A living memorial to the founder and first head of the Weizmann Institute's Department of Nuclear Physics, and later of its Department of Science Teaching, the Foundation's main goal is to foster an increased awareness of the role of science among young Israelis.

This year's activities included:

The Amos de-Shalit Science Workshop - This intensive on-campus residential two-week summer program, organized by the Young@Science Department, is for the top Israeli 11th and 12th grade graduates. This year the scholarships were doubled to the amount of up to $1,000 per scholarship. Out of the eighteen students who participated - five were granted scholarships. The Foundation also sponsored this activity.

The Amos de-Shalit Popular Science Lectures - A series of three lectures by prominent Weizmann Institute scientists open to the public was organized by the Young@Science Department - 500 people participated, mostly high school students.

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. The 2008 prize was awarded to Amnon Joseph from the Lehman Comprehensive High School in Dimona.

The Annual Amos de-Shalit Summer School in Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences - The Institute's Amos de-Shalit Foundation offers annual summer schools in physics, chemistry and life sciences for outstanding undergraduate students studying at Israeli universities who have at least two years of undergraduate studies. This year a one-week program was held for students in the life sciences and a two-week program for students in physics and chemistry. Forty two students participated.

The Garoon Family Science Festival - The Foundation sponsored two panel discussions within the framework of the Festival: Is there life outside our planet and tailored medicine. 472 The Amos de-Shalit Foundation The Amos de-Shalit Foundation also sponsored the marking of 40 years of the Department of Science Teaching and the "Science Day" of senior students of the Amos de-Shalit High School. The Amos de-Shalit Foundation 473 474 The Amos de-Shalit Foundation Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd.

Prof. Mudi Sheves, Chairman

Mr. Amir Naiberg, CEO

Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. is the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS). Yeda initiates and promotes the transfer to the global marketplace of research findings and innovative technologies developed by WIS scientists. Yeda holds an exclusive agreement with the Weizmann Institute to market and commercialize its 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 WIS inventions and technologies to industry. ♦ Channels funding from industry to research projects Yeda Statistics for 2006-2007 ♦ Over 3000 introductions & presentations of WIS Technologies to companies. ♦ Over 250 presentations of confidential information to interested companies (under signed secrecy agreements). ♦ Over 40 new license and option agreements signed. ♦ Over 80 research projects at WIS were funded through Yeda by companies, by the chief scientist of the ministry of industry and trade and by Yeda itself, including through joint funds with companies such as Johnson & Johnson. ♦ Over 200 patent disclosures submitted by WIS scientists Spanning the Natural Sciences

WIS research and technologies cover a broad spectrum of the natural sciences, including:

♦ Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics ♦ Bioinformatics, Proteomics, Biomatics & Systems Biology ♦ Medical Devices ♦ Renewable Energy, Bio-fuels, Cleantech and Environmental Sciences ♦ Agriculture and Plant Genetics ♦ Chemistry and Nanotechnology ♦ Physics and Electro-Optics 476 Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. ♦ Mathematics and Computer Science Weizmann Scientists

Yeda controls an internal Yeda CEO Fund. This fund aims to support projects that are close to commercialization and due to their practical nature can not be funded by regular scientific research grants. More information is available on our website.

Contact us! We are interested in receiving your patent disclosures, requests, feedback & comments.

Seeking Additional Partners

Yeda partnered with many multinational entities such as Novartis, Baxter, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Johnson & Johnson, Merck- Serono, Teva, Invitrogen & others. We are actively seeking additional commercial partners and entrepreneurs that can bring WIS technologies to the marketplace.

Additional information on the business opportunities offered by Yeda, can be found at:

http://www.YedaRnD.com Tel: 972 (0) 8 947 0617 Fax: 972 (0) 8 947 0739 SMS: 972 (0) 8 9366874 e-mail: [email protected] Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. 477 478 Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. Weizmann Institute Activities on the Internet

Current Research Activities on the Internet

The full text of the above mentioned publication may be found on the Internet (the World Wide Web) at the following URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Current_Research

You may search for any word or phrase, by using the online SEARCH option.

Keyword Search for Institute Researchers of the Internet

A specialty search engine has been designed which will return further to a Keyword(s) of your choice, a table of contact details for Weizmann Institute researchers' whose activities are relevant to provided search keyword(s). The contact details table returned is complied further to an automatic search that scans the following available online sources:

• Current research activities entry • Publications • Research grants and projects information • Weizmann institute researchers homepages

The search engine may be found at the following URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/scisearch/scisearch.html

Scientific Activities on the Internet

The full text of this publication may be found on the Internet (the World Wide Web) at the following URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/Scientific_Activities

You may search for any word or phrase, by using the online SEARCH option.

Study, Training and Research Opportunities

Interested in Study, Training or Research Opportunities at the Weizmann Institute of Science? Visit our Researchers Mobility Portal at the following URL: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/acadaff/RMP/ 480 Weizmann Institute Activities on the Internet