Israel Active

National Geographic Travel suggests reasons for Israel’s consistent position near the top of the world’s longevity scale. It cites the combination of a Mediterranean-style diet, low alcohol consumption, strong family and cultural values, and an excellent healthcare system.

Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have generated an atlas of the human genome. It includes the roles that genes play in health and disease, plus the effect of over 180,000 gene mutations.

An Israeli-led international study has discovered that proteins called BMP5/7 are essential for the latest stem cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The proteins help to stimulate the production of dopaminergic neurons, which Parkinson’s patients lack.  

Professor Eitan Okun at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has developed a vaccine that primes the body to attack amyloid beta protein accumulations in the brain, one of the signature signs of Alzheimer’s disease. He is also working on early diagnosis using MRI detection of amyloid protein in the brain.

I reported previously that Israel’s Viz.ai had received the CE mark (European approval) for its brain scan analysis system for detecting strokes.  Now the US FDA has also approved the system.

Tel Aviv University researchers have confirmed the effectiveness of bipolar depression sufferers combining mood stabilizers with anti-depressants. 81.7% of patients using both avoided re-hospitalization (for manic episodes), compared to only 57.6% of patients who did not receive the combination.

Israeli biotech Curewize successfully completed the clinical trial of its lead product ProALLBM on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. ProALLBM reveals patients' risk of relapse with just one bone marrow sample. They can then be given early treatment.

I reported previously on the work of Israeli emergency NGO United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit in Houston Texas.  Now the unit, headed by its director Miriam Ballin, is travelling to Johannesburg, South Africa to train 60 Jewish EMTs there.

I reported previously on Israel’s MediSafe’s and its medication tracker app. Now the medical giant Merck KGaA is to work with MediSafe to develop a custom version of its mobile application for tracking treatment of cardiometabolic conditions.

I’ve reported previously on Israel’s Collplant and its proprietary plant-based technology to produce rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen). CollPlant has just opened a new facility in Rehovot, for producing rhCollagen to make tissue repair products and 3D printing of human tissue.