Kay Award to Prof. Ofer Mandelbaum from the Department of Immunology and Cancer Research and the Lautenberg Center for Immunology, Israel-Canada Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University
The research in Prof. Mandelbaum's laboratory focuses on natural killer cells. NK ("Natural Killer") type killer cells are cells of the immune system that kill a variety of factors that are dangerous to the body, including tumors, parasites and bacteria. Understanding the way in which NK cells identify and eliminate the factors hostile to the body, as well as understanding the mechanisms by which these factors evade the attack of NK cells, allows the development of new drugs to treat various diseases.
NK killer cells carry out the killing by activating receptors, one of these receptors is called NKp46 - a killer receptor uniquely found in NK cells. Natural killer cells can in some cases act against the body and cause autoimmune diseases. One of the most prominent examples is an attack on the beta cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin. NKp46 recognizes the beta cells and attacks them. Thus the beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed and the production of insulin is stopped, which together leads to other causes of type 1 diabetes.
The unique innovation in the research, which she led together with Prof. Mandelbaum Dr. Hamotal Gur, is the discovery that there is a way to prevent the body's immune system from attacking the beta cells in the pancreas and thus possibly prevent the development of type 1 diabetes.
In October 2013, the application company, the research development company of the Hebrew University, together with its partners, commercialized the technology to the drug development company Bioline R. Ex. To continue developing the product under the name BL-9020, an innovative antibody for the treatment and prevention of juvenile diabetes (type 1 diabetes). In January 2014, she signed in Line R. Ex. On a cooperation agreement with the Taiwanese JHL Biotech for the development and commercialization of BL-9020 in China and other countries in Southeast Asia. Recently, Beauline R. Ex. on positive results in a preclinical trial published in the scientific journal PLoS One, and the hope is that ultimately BL-9020 will improve the quality of life of millions of children diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.
The Kay Awards ceremony has been held every year at the Hebrew University since 1994. The award is given by Yitzhak Kay from England, and is given to students and faculty members of the university who have brought about new scientific discoveries and developments.
