Israel Active

The new 5,000-square-meter fortified emergency room at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva can treat 200,000 patients a year. It will relieve overstretched emergency rooms in other parts of the country, especially during the winter season. It cost NIS 90 million (about $26 million) to build.

Dr. Ohad Birk of Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva has discovered the genetic mutations that cause Progressive Cerebro-Cerebellar Atrophy (PCCA) and its variation PCCA2. A simple blood test can detect both these mutations in prospective parents.

The Weizmann Institute and the Max Planck Society are establishing a laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics in Rehovot. Headed by Weizmann Professor Alon Chen it will research cognitive, emotional, behavioral and neurological disorders.

The prevalence of (often-deadly) colo-rectal cancer in Israel has declined thanks largely to intensive information campaigns by the Israel Cancer Association and others. The rate of patients who were diagnosed at an early stage almost doubled – from 20 percent in 1994 to 39% today.

Some hospitals are now so large that 25 per cent of visitors and patients become confused and get lost inside, despite signage and information desks. Carmel Medical Center in Haifa is the first hospital in Israel to introduce a smartphone GPS app to help people find their way to the correct department.

A Tel Aviv University study has found that people harbouring the ulcer-causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori were about 60% less likely to get diarrhoea from Shigella bacteria or other unknown causes.

The Israel Prize for Medicine goes to Professor Marta Weinstock-Rosin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Weinstock-Rosin developed Exelon, for treating dementia related to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Exelon is currently undergoing Phase II trials.

The US FDA has approved SYNRIBO from Israel’s Teva for the treatment of patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia who failed therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel’s BioLineRX announced that its BL-8040 treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) stopped growth of cancer cells in-vitro and caused them to self-destruct. It also reversed any protection given to the CML cancer cells from a bone marrow transplant.

Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have received a $62,500 grant for promising research into osteosarcoma metastasis - a bone cancer commonly found in children and young adults. Dr Rami Aqeilan and his team will explore microRNA biomarkers and responsiveness to therapy.