Israel Active

Many tumors express the protein PD-L1, which allows them to circumvent the immune system. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have developed neural networks that use “deep learning” AI to recognize PD-L1 in biopsies, alerting oncologists to apply appropriate immunotherapy.

A Jerusalem woman in her ninth month of pregnancy suffered a stroke while giving a public presentation. Luckily, a member of the audience recognized the stroke symptoms. Seven doctors at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center saved the mother’s life and delivered her healthy baby by Caesarian section.

Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has developed a realistic baby simulator for advanced medical training that will help medical professionals save babies’ lives. They are now asking for funds to help pay for the cost of the equipment needed.

Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have invented the Air-screen fluidic facemask. It blocks virus-laden aerosols and droplets by use of a tiny fan to produce a rectangular air jet, or screen, in front of the wearer’s face. An Israeli startup Wisdom Wearables will commercialize the mask.

20% of some 7 million US patients with bipolar disorder commit suicide. US-Israeli company NRx is currently undergoing a US trial on 72 bipolar patients involving the simultaneous administering of two anti-depression treatments that do not have hallucinogenic side effects.

Confirming a previous study (see ) Tel Aviv researchers revisited patients five years after cancer surgery and found only 12.5% of the patients who received pre-surgery anti-anxiety therapy developed cancer metastases, compared to 50% in the control group.

Scientists at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University have developed breakthrough technology that could repair damaged neuron (brain cell) functionality. Using iron oxide, magnetic fields, and collagen, they created cells that developed into functional, multi-layered neural networks.

Among this summary of promising Israeli IBD breakthroughs is the work of Weizmann Institute scientists to enhance the resolution of ultrasound. They can now identify tiny tumors and lesions, enabling cancer and Crohn’s patients to begin early treatment.

Israeli non-profit IsraAID is bringing four children from Juba in South Sudan to Israel for surgery from surgeons at Save a Child’s Heart (SACH). Due to Covid, the children have been waiting for nearly 3 years in internally displaced people (IDP) camps.

Israel’s MASHAV (International development cooperation program) has been working to bring ten Ukrainian children and their families to Israel for cancer treatment. The video highlights some of the huge challenges involved.