Weizmann Institute at a Glance.doc

Weizmann Institute at a Glance Understanding the World The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary research institutions. Hundreds of scientists, laboratory technicians and research students working on its lushly landscaped campus embark daily on fascinating journeys into the unknown, seeking to improve our understanding of nature and our place within it. Guiding these scientists is the spirit of inquiry so characteristic of the human race. It is this spirit that propelled humans upward along the evolutionary ladder, helping them reach their utmost heights. It prompted humankind to pursue agriculture, learn to build lodgings, invent writing, harness electricity to power emerging technologies, observe distant galaxies, design drugs to combat various diseases, develop new materials and decipher the genetic code embedded in all the plants and animals on Earth. The quest to maintain this increasing momentum compels Weizmann Institute scientists to seek out places that have not yet been reached by the human mind. What awaits us in these places? No one has the answer to this question. But one thing is certain – the journey fired by curiosity will lead onward to a better future. Groundbreaking medical and technological applications that have emerged from basic research conducted by Weizmann Institute scientists include: Amniocentesis, a prenatal diagnostic test for the fetus Sophisticated laser systems for high-precision diamond cutting A method for growing hybrid seeds that prevents the transmission of disease from one generation to the next and helps protect edible plants from pests Affinity chromatography, a key tool for purifying biological materials in the biotechnology industry Living polymerization, one of the most fundamental techniques of the modern polymer industry For solving the structure of the ribosome, the cell’s protein factory, and revealing its means of action, the Institute’s Prof. Ada Yonath was awarded a Nobel Priz