Israel Active

Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has risen from #9 to #6 in Newsweek and Statista’s World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2027 ranking of hospitals that successfully translate technological innovation into practical applications.

Nvidia, Sheba’s ARC, & Mt. Sinai hospital have joined forces to use AI to decode the 98% of the human genome (previously dismissed as “junk DNA”) that remains unexplored. It will pave the way for novel approaches in disease prevention, diagnosis, and precision medicine worldwide.

A new Nvidia research group has begun operating in Israel, using artificial intelligence to accelerate medical and scientific breakthroughs. The Applied AI Architecture group is recruiting in Israel and will work on AI applications ranging from genomics and medicine discovery to new materials.

Researchers from Bethlehem University, Seattle University, and Tel Aviv University have uncovered how the FMN1 gene maintains the inner ear’s structural integrity. Four Arab children had two copies of an FMN1 variant, generating silver-gray hair and moderate hearing loss.

Israel’s DreaMed Diabetes (see previously) has received FDA approval for its MODI system. MODI uses glucose-monitoring data to automatically optimize insulin dosing for people with type 2 diabetes across both basal-only (steady regulation) and bolus (booster) insulin regimens.

A new study by Tel Aviv University scientists reveals that ketamine's pain-relieving effects and its influence on consciousness involve separate brain mechanisms, opening possibilities for reducing psychological side effects.

Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have identified two guardian proteins that allow cancer cells to stay alive after chemotherapy. DNAJB12 and DNAJB14 sit on the wall of a cell’s protein factory – the endoplasmic reticulum. Chemotherapy releases them, to attack anti-cancer enzymes.  

Since 2013, the risk of invasive breast cancer among Israeli Jewish women has declined by an average of 1.6% annually. Israel ranks 33rd among 186 countries for breast cancer incidence but only 125th for mortality. Early detection and genetic screening are key reasons.

Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem is treating high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients with NDV-01 biodegradable polymer gel that releases chemo continuously over 14 days. 95% of patients achieved a complete response, with 76% disease-free after one year.

Israel’s Teva has received FDA approval for Weltruza, a monthly injection for adults with schizophrenia. The long-acting injectable contains the antipsychotic olanzapine to help patients who have difficulty taking daily medications. (But not in UK pharmacies.)