Israel Active

Israel's Maccabi Healthcare Services HMO and health organizations in the United Arab Emirates have signed several deals to promote joint medical research and tech innovation. They focus on advancing personalized medicine and includes building a genomic research registry for the UAE.

Hebrew University startup ViroBlock has reported preliminary success of its platform for rapidly generating anti-viral therapies. Its channel blockers inhibit proteins expressed by current and emerging viruses, including COVID-19 and variants, influenza, Zika, West Nile, Hepatitis B and more.

Israel’s Alpha Tau Medical (see previously) has successfully treated a patient with aggressive prostate cancer using alpha-radiation - injecting a radioactive isotope into the tumor. Alpha DaRT (Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy) destroys a tumor by breaking its DNA.

In Israeli hospitals, the Israel Outpost of the 501st Legion villains of “Star Wars” are actually a force for good, bringing joy to sick children.  They also perform at events to raise money for sick children. Watch them pay a visit to Safra Children's Hospital in Israel’s Sheba Medical Center.

Israeli emergency medical organization Magen David Adom has established a new center at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, designed to simulate real-world emergencies. 23 senior MDA paramedics recently received training there and there are plans to train 100 more over the next few months.

After last week’s article about dogs sniffing to detect cancer (see ) this article summarizes many of the Israeli innovations related to scents and odors.

Scientists at Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus and Israel’s Technion Institute reversed the aging of skin cells by grafting aged human skin in lab tests. The skin rejuvenated - even generating new blood vessels and improving age-related biomarkers. It represents a breakthrough for research into aging.

Israel’s Restore Medical (see previously) been awarded a €2.5 million grant by the European Innovation Council (EIC). Restore Medical is conducting human trials of its ContraBand implant to treat Congestive heart failure. 1,093 global companies applied for EIC funds; only 74 received them.

Israeli biotechnology startup SpotitEarly is developing a technique for early detection of cancer (lung, prostate, breast, and colon). Trained dogs sniff the patient’s breath and within seconds an AI system gives the result. SpotitEarly is conducting extensive trials at Israel’s Sourasky and Hadassah hospitals.

Rambam Health Care and Israel’s Technion Institute have established the Wolfe Center for Translational Medicine and Engineering. Doctors, scientists, and engineers will work together from bench to bedside, translating research into tools and train the next generation of doctors and engineers.