Israel Active

Volunteer EMTs from Israel’s United Hatzalah saved three Israelis thanks to their 3-minute response. Firstly, a 105-year-old Haifa woman who choked on her breakfast. Then a kindergarten teacher in Ashdod who collapsed in front of her class. Finally, an 86-year-old grandmother on Mother’s Day.

Israel’s OmnySense has upgraded its telemedicine thermometer (see previously) into a health-tracking device that measures respiratory rate, pulse rate, ECG, and blood oxygen. It is currently undergoing clinical trials with doctors at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, to detect lung conditions.

Israel’s BioGenCell (see previously) has completed Phase 1 clinical trials at Israel’s Laniado Medical Center, of its stem cell therapy to cure chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLI). Nine patients have had their legs saved from amputation. BioGenCell will now proceed to Phase 2 trials.

Most research related to Coronavirus mutations looks at the virus and how it infects a vaccinated individual. But researchers at Israel’s Technion have been analyzing how the mutation is formed. This provides a new opportunity for spotting weaknesses in the virus that can be exploited.

Israeli NGO Save A Child’s Heart brought 5-year-old Karina from Ukraine to Israel for surgery to fix her atrial septal (hole in the heart) defect. Following the catheterization operation, Karina is expected to enjoy a normal life.

Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have found a gene in the non-coding (“junk”) part of the genome that reduces five-fold the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The gene IL18RAP can contain mutations that reduce inflammation in the brain.

When United Hatzalah paramedic Leah helped deliver a baby girl in Jerusalem, she remembered the address. Three years previously it had taken 40 minutes of CPR and several shocks from a defibrillator, to restore the pulse of the baby’s father after he had suffered cardiac arrest.

Plastic surgeons at Israel’s Galilee Medical Center attached a 3D-printed prosthetic ear to a six-year-old boy, born with microtia, to correct his birth defect. Although the ear will never be functional, the landmark operation will reduce pain, prevent future complications and is socially, aesthetically important.

Enlightening article about some of the ground-breaking medical experiments performed by Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe aboard the International Space Station. It features the miniaturized, remotely controlled lab on a chip developed by Israel’s SpacePharma (see previously).

After 4 years’ construction, Magen David Adom has opened its new $135 million Marcus National Blood Services Center (see previously). The underground facility doubles current capacity and is shielded from terrorism, rocket attacks, earthquakes, and cyber-attack.