Israel Active

Neuroscientists at Tel Aviv University working with others at Israel’s Weizmann Institute, UK’s Bristol and France’s Montpellier universities, have discovered the brain’s mechanism for deep sleep. The locus coeruleus in the brainstem secretes the chemical noradrenaline and too high levels prevent deep sleep.

Researchers at Israel’s Technion Institute have made a breakthrough discovery that cancer progresses much faster in patients with heart problems. To improve their survival chances, these patients should have their heart treated first before beginning cancer therapy.

Israel’s AID Genomics has developed a coronavirus test kit that gives results in just 30 minutes. It uses different enzymes from current tests with much higher sensitivity. AID Genomics has partnered with the Chinese-owned BGI Group, which will be distributing the test in Israel and globally.

Israeli-founded AZTherapies is in Phase 3 trials for its ALZT-OP1 for Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment also suppresses the immune system’s “cytokine storm” that is often lethal to Covid-19 infected patients. AZTherapies is building commercial partnerships with Israeli institutions.

Professor Avi Schroeder of Israel’s Technion (reported previously) was working on a cancer cure using Elephant protein and a cure for a disease decimating the shrimp population. Then he discovered that the shrimp medication could also be adapted to make a Covid-19 vaccine.

Five graduates of the Hadassah IBM Alpha Zone Accelerator presented their solutions to investors. Their products included wearable pain relief, distance eye diagnosis, preventing medication errors in hospitals, help for stroke patients and a brain-wave sleep headband.

United Hatzalah EMT Eilon crossed the Judean desert in 3 minutes to save the life of Elad – whose arm was almost severed in a car accident. Following Elad’s recovery, the Western Marble Arch synagogue in London (the Rabbi is Elad’s grandfather) donated an off-road ambucycle to United Hatzalah.

Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have discovered, for the first time in mammals, that by slightly lowering body temperatures in mice, the animals lived 20 percent longer, Also, by reducing their oxygen level and increasing their CO2 level, their wounds healed faster.

As soon as Phase 3 results were published, Israel added the new combo-therapy of venetoclax and azacytidine from global biotech AbbVie to the basket of treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Israel had the most patients enrolled in the Phase 3 study.

Another instance of Israeli technology saving British lives. Israel’s Ibex Medical (reported previously) is helping the UK’s National Health System (NHS) diagnose cancer from biopsies.  Ibex, has teamed up with UK’s LDPath to reduce pathology pressures on 24 different NHS trusts.