13-year-old gets new liver and pancreas at Schneider Children’s Medical Center; researchers at Ben Gurion University create tiny robots that could soon become part of medical procedures; Snow on Mt. Hermon was good news for young cancer patients; and much more!

by Michael Ordman

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Rare pediatric double organ transplant

13-year-old Hila Amram received a new liver and pancreas at Petah Tikva’s Schneider Children’s Medical Center. The double transplant saved her life and freed her from insulin dependence. The op was even more complex due to the donor’s internal organs being reversed – a rare anomaly.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/261176

Bio-inspired robots

Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have created tiny robots that could soon become part of medical procedures.

Snow on Mt Hermon – good news for cancer patients

During the winter, Israeli charity Ezer Mizion often takes oncology clinic kids on a trip to Mt. Hermon. And if their blood count results are anything to go by, the benefits to the children last long after they return from the “sledging, tobogganing and fun, fun, fun!”
http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/rx-fun-on-mt-hermon/

Preventing strokes without excessive bleeding

Biotech eXithera is a portfolio company of Israel’s Clal Biotechnology. It has developed an anti-coagulant which has successfully completed Phase 1 trials. The treatment delays coagulation rather than prevents it and its effects cease quickly when the treatment stops.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-sichuan-haisco-invests-in-clal-biotechs-exithera-1001280424

European funds for depression therapy

I reported previously (see here) on the brain analysis system developed by Israel’s elminda. The EU has just awarded elminda a 2-year grant through its Horizon 2020’s phase 2 program. It will help elminda develop and trial its BNA-PREDICT product for depression.
https://elminda.com/multi-million-euro-award-european-commission-will-support-deployment-elmindas-bna-predict-improve-depression-treatment-effectiveness/

Same microbe different effect

Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have developed algorithms that can identify structural variants in the genomes of human gut microbiomes. People with a certain variant were much thinner than those who had the same microbe but not the variant. The variants can also pinpoint disease factors.
https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/same-microbe-different-effect
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1065-y

Technion printer for human tissues

Israel’s Technion Institute has set up a 3D center for the printing of cells, tissues and organs. Its purpose is to enable Technion researchers to develop tissues containing blood vessels or 3D scaffolds that quickly connect to the patient’s own blood vessels.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/need-a-new-ear-technion-opens-3d-tissue-printer-for-researchers/

Israeli bio-techs merge

I reported previously (see here) on Jerusalem-based immunotherapy company Enlivex Therapeutics. Enlivex has merged with Tel Aviv-headquartered Bioblast (see here), which is developing treatments for rare genetic diseases.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3759270,00.html