Front-line soldier saves 3-year-old
A three-year-old boy hospitalized in Jerusalem with a severe blood cancer got a new lease on life thanks to the selflessness of Matan Amir, a 21-year-old IDF soldier fighting in Gaza who was identified as a suitable bone marrow donor for the toddler.
Nobel prize winners’ Israel connection
The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA. Both men were awarded Israel’s Wolf Prize in 2014. Ruvkun, who is Jewish, won the Dan David Prize, headquartered at Tel Aviv University, in 2011.
Low blood sugar and green Med diet
An international study led by Israel’s Ben-Gurion University scientists showed controlling blood sugar levels is a significant key mechanism linking diet to slower brain aging. The 300-participant study was one of the longest and largest brain MRI trials in the world.
$17 million for autism research
Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Prof Haitham Amal (see previously) is the only non-USA member of a new consortium focused on pioneering autism research. It has just been awarded a research grant of $17 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Treatment for knee osteoarthritis
Denmark’s Medicines Agency has approved Allocetra cell therapy from Israel’s Enlivex (see previously) for Phase II clinical trials on patients with osteoarthritis in the knee. 40% of men and 47% of women develop knee osteoarthritis in their lifetimes. Allocetra also treats Covid and cancer.
Treatment for Esophageal cancer
Israel’s BeiGene has received Israeli Ministry of Health approval for its TEVIMBRA® to treat Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) after chemotherapy. It has also gone on sale in the USA.
Protein antibody to treat cancer
Tel Aviv University researchers were checking protein levels after exposure to UV light. They saw that Ly6a levels rose significantly and speculated it might suppress the immune system in cancer patients. Lab tests showed that antibodies against Ly6a reduced tumor size in many cancers.
Recovery from strokes
Israel’s BioXtreme has developed the deXtreme rehabilitation robot device for improving of motor recovery of upper limbs for stroke patients. And doctors in 30 countries use Tigertriever, from Israel’s Rapid Medical (see previously) to respond in real time during thrombectomy procedures.
Ariel’s first medical graduates
Israel’s Ariel University celebrated the first class of graduates from its 2019-founded Adelson School of Medicine. 53 students (including 40 women) were awarded their “Doctor of Medicine.” degrees in a ceremony attended by Israeli President Herzog and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson.
Personal park guide for the visually impaired
The audio orientation and guiding system Israel’s RightHear (see previously) has now been installed at 2,500+ global locations from Angola to the UAE. In August, Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia became the first US state park to offer the digital accessibility solution.