Israel Active

Tel Aviv is to host the annual Global Wellness Summit, the largest conference of its kind in the world, from Oct 31 – Nov 03. Participants include entrepreneurs and executives in hospitality, tourism, health, beauty and spa, food tech, fitness, medical tech, manufacturing, and more.

Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered a molecule, 1,8-diaminooctane, that helps cells repair damaged tissue. It could eventually prevent age-related disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and increase life expectancy and wellness.

Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics on Israeli Intensive Care ambulances and helicopters will use ultrasound probes to monitor patients’ hearts and locate IV points in hard-to-detect veins. If an ultrasound detects a heartbeat but no pulse, fluids should be used - not shocks or CPR.

Tel Aviv University scientists have developed a new learning method for people with autism that may significantly improve capabilities in terms of visual perception. It uses “memory flashes” to reinforce the duration and repetition of new skills.

Israel’s Identifai Genetics is developing a noninvasive prenatal test for the early detection of severe genetic disorders. A simple blood test of the mother in her first trimester can detect every single-point mutation, insertion-deletion, and structural variation in the entire embryonic genome.

Intel Corporation is working with the ARC Innovation Center at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center to develop an AI-enhanced app to help physicians diagnose Crohn’s disease at an early stage. 12,000 images taken by a “capsule pill” can be analyzed in just two minutes.

The medical condition fibromyalgia is hard to diagnose. Now, researchers at Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus and Canada’s McGill University can identify it in blood tests using an algorithm that analyzes the bile acids produced by gut bacteria. The scientists are developing a tool for use in clinics.

Israeli pharmacist Eliana Steinberg realized her medicines were not curing cancer patients and went back to university to get a doctorate. She then developed a transparent chip, which takes a sample of the tumor to test numerous treatments to discover which works best. It was even tested in outer space.

Israel’s Nanovation-GS (see previously) is now undergoing clinical trials in Israel and the EU of its SenseGuard first-of-its-kind nano-sensor for monitoring and managing chronic respiratory conditions. It is also working to obtain CE certification, with FDA approval to be sought later.

Israeli-UK biotech Eleven Therapeutics is developing RNAi therapy that attacks the genetic structure of respiratory viruses such as SARS-COV-2. Eleven has just received a $9 million grant from the Gates Foundation.