Two of the grant winners are from the Hebrew University and the others from Bar Ilan University
Two promising female researchers from the Hebrew University each won funding of around one and a half million Euros from the European Research Council (ERC). The two, Dr. Yonit Hochberg and Dr. Mor Nitzan, won long-term research grants for scientists at the beginning of their academic career - a prestigious grant given to young scientists who have demonstrated high research abilities and have the ability to work independently and have the potential to lead research.
Dr. Yonit Hochberg from the Rekh Institute of Physics, She won a grant for her research looking for dark matter "Light Dark Matter: New Directions for Theory and Detection". Dr. Hochberg is looking for an explanation for the phenomenon of gravity, which is not explained by observable substances. According to her, "Dark matter is one of the greatest mysteries in the universe, but its identity is still unknown to us. The proposed research will pave the way for further discoveries in this field." In addition, this month Dr. Hochberg also received a commendation as part of the NAMA's Centennial Award for Pioneering Scientists, for her work alongside her many scientific pursuits to promote gender equality and her focus on encouraging girls to choose scientific subjects, encouraging female physics students for advanced studies, and assisting research students in advancing their academic careers theirs. "Dr. Hochberg is an inspirational model for women and girls, and for every person who recognizes the importance of science and the value of equality," wrote the award committee.
Dr. Mor Nitzan from the School of Engineering and Computer Science, Rakah Institute of Physics and the Faculty of Medicine, She also won an ERC grant to finance her research, Decoding the Multi-facets of Cellular Identity from Single-Cell Data. Dr. Nitzan studies complex behavior in biological systems, such as the coding of time and space by cells, and the division of roles between cells through biological communication networks that enable complex behavior at the level of tissues and whole organisms. The research is done by combining the analysis of rich biological information collected about millions of cells, and with the help of tools and ideas from computer science and physics such as machine learning and dynamical systems theory. According to Dr. Nitzan, "the research will advance our understanding and control of collective tissue behavior, will reveal the multiple aspects of cellular identity in a healthy state and in a disease state, and will provide possible pathways to transition between them."
Prof. Asher Cohen, the president of the Hebrew University, congratulated the two and said that "I look forward to seeing what breakthroughs and new opportunities the new prize winners of the Hebrew University will bring, and how they will inspire the young people to follow their curiosity and make discoveries that will serve us all."
Bar Ilan University's winnings
Two researchers from Bar-Ilan University won a European Union Research Fund grant of one million shekels for the development of groundbreaking ideas: Prof. Sharon Rothstein from the Department of Chemistry for developing a copper-based biomarker that will help in cancer treatment, and Prof. Michal Elberstein from the Faculty of Law for developing a digital platform for conflict resolution. They received the prestigious grant ERC – Proof of Concept to continue working on these technologies.
Prof. Sharon Rothstein, a researcher in the chemistry department at Bar-Ilan University, won a grant for the development of a copper-based biomarker for simulating hypoxic conditions, i.e. lack of oxygen, in cells. This development will help diagnose cancerous tumors, stroke, and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. "Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and death in the world, therefore there is a need to develop innovative methods for the early detection of infected cells. Hypoxia is diagnosed as a lack of oxygen in the cells, which causes the proliferation of malignant cells and resistance to treatments. Therefore, there is a critical need for the identification and imaging of hypoxic cells. Despite the many efforts to identify and monitor these cells, there is still no identification marker for this disease." Prof. Rothstein explains.
Rothstein and her partners succeeded in developing a radioactive tracer (molecular marker) that is selective and sensitive to imaging PET-CT/PET-MRI and to report the hypoxia conditions in the cells. They achieved this by monitoring the mechanism of copper cell transfer in breast cancer tissues, and in particular identifying the various copper binding sites in those proteins involved in the disease and identifying critical factors for the transfer of normal copper cells. Based on this molecular-level insight into cellular pathways involving copper, a compound called 64CuCysPhe. The research is currently continuing to test the effectiveness of the compound for identifying and simulating hypoxia in various malignant cells such as uterine cancer.
Prof. Michal Elberstein, a faculty member at the Faculty of Law in Bar-Ilan and academically responsible for the Clinic for Judicial Dispute Resolution at the Faculty of Law, won a grant for Multidoor – A digital platform for conflict resolution. "Multidoor is an innovative, human-centered digital recommendation system based on expertise in conflict resolution and data-driven technology and machine learning," explains Prof. Elberstein. "The system will embed conflict resolution thinking into diagnostic screening software that will help the parties before they turn to lawyers or courts." The purpose of the platform is to increase the choice and control of human litigants, who today are swept up in a legal process focused on compromises without receiving sufficient information and without understanding its goals.
The algorithm of Multidoor is based on expertise in dispute resolution and will incorporate all the special needs and characteristics of the disputants, such as their interests and emotions. And after examining the personal characteristics and conflict resolution styles suitable for the case, the system will provide a personalized diagnostic recommendation, for example: mediation, ruling, arbitration and more.
"Multidoor brings back to life an idea of Prof. Frank Sander, the founder of the conflict resolution movement in the USA (ADR), who called in the eighties of the last century for a process of receiving and sorting conflicts that would focus on matching the essence of the conflict to the type of procedure suitable for positive processing and resolution. I am hopeful that this platform will implement the use of this process," says Prof. Alberstein.
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