(l-r) Dr. Sofi Yado, Prof. Benny Geiger, Dr. Shlomit Reich-Zeliger and Rawan Zoabi (Weizmann Institute)
Israel might be known as Startup Nation for all of its high-tech success stories, but it should also be known as Medicine Nation. As often as Israel produces a new unicorn or has a major exit of a startup, it also has a new breakthrough in some area of medicine. And nowhere is Israeli medical expertise as amazing as it is in cancer treatment.
Here now is Jewish Business News’ list of the top five cancer breakthrough stories to come out of Israel in 2024.
Breakthrough Cancer Immunotherapy Method Developed by Weizmann Institute Scientists
A groundbreaking new method developed at the Weizmann Institute has the potential to revolutionize cancer immunotherapy. This innovative approach significantly boosts the growth rate of immune cells that target cancer while preserving their crucial ability to destroy tumor cells.
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Researchers from Prof. Benny Geiger’s laboratory in the Immunology and Regenerative Biology Department of the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a new approach that induces an increase in T-cell proliferation while maintaining or even enhancing the cells’ killing prowess… read more here
Tel Aviv Scientists Discover New Cancer-Fighting Mechanism That Destroys Treatment-Resistant Tumors – by Coincidence
n what they say was a discovery by coincidence, Tel Aviv University researchers uncovered a critical cancer evasion strategy, enabling the immune system to be harnessed against previously resistant tumors. The breakthrough was led by Prof. Carmit Levy, Prof. Yaron Carmi, and PhD student Avishai Maliah from TAU’s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences. The paper was published in the leading journal Nature Communications.
“It all happened by coincidence,” said Prof. Levy. “My lab studies both cancer and the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun on our skin and body – both of which are known to suppress the immune system. Cancer suppresses approaching immune cells and solar radiation suppresses the skin’s immune system. While in most cases, we cancer researchers worldwide focus on the tumor and look for mechanisms by which cancer inhibits the immune system, here we proposed a different approach: investigating how UV exposure suppresses the immune system and applying our findings to cancer. The discovery of a mechanism that inhibits the immune system opens new paths for innovative therapies… read more here
Weizmann Institute of Science Breakthrough: Antibody Treatment for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Shows Promise for Multiple Cancer Types
In a new study, researchers from Prof. Idit Shachar’s laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Science have discovered that a certain type of aggressive breast cancer prompts nearby immune cells to build “molecular bridges” between themselves, which causes these cells to refrain from attacking the cancer and leads to immune suppression. An antibody treatment that blocks the building of these bridges was shown to restore the immune system’s ability to attack with force, inhibiting the cancer’s progression in a mouse model… read more here
Historically, cancer treatment primarily aimed to eliminate malignant cells through methods like radiation therapy or chemotherapy. However, recent research has highlighted the crucial role of intercellular communication in tumor growth.
New Cancer Treatment Acts Like GPS, Guides Multiple Drugs to Target Tumors, Israeli Study Shows
Tel Aviv University researchers have created a new platform that uses polymeric nanoparticles to deliver paired drugs to specific cancers, including skin and breast cancer. This combined delivery significantly improves both the drugs’ therapeutic effects and their safety.
The study was led by Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro and doctoral student Shani Koshrovski-Michael from the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Tel Aviv University’s School of Medicine, in collaboration with other members of Prof. Satchi-Fainaro’s lab: Daniel Rodriguez Ajamil, Dr. Pradip Dey, Ron Kleiner, Dr. Yana Epshtein, Dr. Marina Green Buzhor, Rami Khoury, Dr. Sabina Pozzi, Gal Shenbach-Koltin, Dr. Eilam Yeini, and Dr. Rachel Blau. The study was published in the prestigious journal Science Advances… read more here
Breakthrough Breast Cancer Treatment Shows Promise for Multiple Cancers, Weizmann Scientists Report
“Build your enemy a golden bridge to retreat across,” a piece of advice from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, reflects a strategy employed by cancerous growths against the immune system. A new study in Cell Reports by researchers from Prof. Idit Shachar’s lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science reveals that an aggressive form of breast cancer induces nearby immune cells to form “molecular bridges” between themselves, suppressing immune attack and fostering immune tolerance. In a mouse model, an antibody treatment that blocks the formation of these bridges restored the immune system’s ability to attack, inhibiting cancer progression… read more here
