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Molecules in Optical Cavities: New Platforms for Molecular Polaritonics and Precision Spectroscopy

Date:
09
Monday
June
2025
Colloquium
Time: 11:00-12:15
Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Lecturer: Prof. Marissa Weichman
Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
Molecules in Optical Cavities: New Platforms for Molecular Polaritonics and Precision Spectroscopy Colloquium website

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    Isolating the Anthropogenic Effect in Soil Spectroscopy and Digital Soil Mapping

    Date:
    03
    Tuesday
    June
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: via zoom only
    Lecturer: Nicolas Francos

    Unlocking the Night: Novel Approaches Advancing the Neuroscience of Sleep and Cognition

    Date:
    27
    Tuesday
    May
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Yuval Nir
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: ayelet.koloditsky@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In this talk, I will present recent studies in our lab, where new tools are push ... Read more In this talk, I will present recent studies in our lab, where new tools are pushing the boundaries of sleep research.In a first line of studies, we are investigating how sleep promotes memory consolidation in humans. To this end, we developed a novel ecological paradigm to study episodic memory without report; upon repeated viewing of special movies ,eye gaze patterns can quantify memory for specific events. Next, we show that deep brain closed-loop intracranial electrical stimulation during human sleep enhances hippocampus-cortex synchrony and memory performance. Finally, we examine how sleep and memory are disrupted in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) representing early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To this end, we developed a novelmachine learning-based method to non-invasively detect interictal spikes occurring in the medial temporal lobe during sleep. This approach can help identify disruptions in hippocampus-cortex synchrony and memory consolidation during sleep.In the second line of studies, we investigate how reduced locus coeruleus-noradrenaline (LC-NE) activity during sleep mediates sensory disconnection. In rodents, the level of ongoing tonic LC activity during sleep anticipates sound-evoked awakenings, while minimal optogenetic LC activation or silencing increases and decreases such awakenings, respectively. Projection-specific investigation in mice indicates that an early surge of brainstem NE is particularly important for mediating sensory-evoked awakenings. These findings may shift how we view arousal- promoting neuromodulation; rather than acting in a diffuse hormonal-like manner, the LC-NE system may in fact operate through specific projection pathways, in a circuit-like manner. Finally, I will describe a novel method for monitoring gaze direction and pupil size through closed eyes in humans via short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging in combination with video analysis algorithms. This technology has potential to enable touchless and continuous monitoring of depth of anesthesia, pain, and detection of intraoperative awareness.
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    Plenary talk in memory of Prof. Haim Garty

    Date:
    21
    Monday
    April
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: From Science to Impact
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Asaf Zviran
    Organizer: BINA - Translational Research Unit
    Abstract: Dr. Asaf Zviran is Experienced entrepreneur, scientist, and executive with over ... Read more Dr. Asaf Zviran is Experienced entrepreneur, scientist, and executive with over 20 years of product development, business development, and team management in the defense and life science industries. Previously, Dr. Zviran was the Co-Founder, CEO & CSO of C2i Genomics, leading the company from an academy spin-off to a global industry leader and to a successful exit. Currently, Asaf is serving as co-founder and CEO of Prism AI Therapeutics, an AI-driven biomarker discovery company, co-chair of the Multi-Omics & AI working group at the BloodPAC non-profit organization, and on the advisory board of a few companies.  
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    Bioinformatics Unit at LSCF: Recent highlights, Single-Cell Insights, and AI Solutions for bioimaging

    Date:
    03
    Thursday
    April
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: Candiotty Auditorium
    Lecturer: Dr. Dena Leshkowitz,Dr. Ido Azuri
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities

    Lior Gorodisky - PhD Thesis Defense

    Date:
    01
    Tuesday
    April
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:15-13:00
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Abstract: Olfaction plays a crucial role in human perception, yet individuals with isolate ... Read more Olfaction plays a crucial role in human perception, yet individuals with isolated congenital anosmia (ICA) navigate the world without ever experiencing smells. I will present findings from my research investigating how ICA influences behavior, physiology, and social interaction, with a particular focus on responses to fear-related chemosignals. First, I will describe distinct respiratory patterns observed in anosmics, both in general and in response to specific social and environmental contexts. While anosmics exhibited reduced sniff modulation in response to social cues, they adapted their breathing patterns similarly to normosmics during environmental transitions, suggesting compensatory mechanisms independent of olfaction. Next, I will discuss behavioral and physiological responses to fear sweat, demonstrating that normosmics exhibit heightened emotional engagement, whereas anosmics show reversed or minimal responses. These findings emphasize the role of olfactory input in emotional contagion and align with research on sensory processing differences in other populations. Finally, I will present functional brain imaging data revealing distinct neural activation patterns in anosmics in response to fear-related cues. While anosmics lack olfactory perception, they recruit alternative neural pathways, with lateralized brain activity suggesting adaptive mechanisms for processing social and emotional information. Together, these findings provide novel insights into the interplay between olfaction, social behavior, and neural adaptation. They highlight how anosmics adjust to sensory deficits and raise important questions about the flexibility of human sensory processing.
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    Student Seminar-PhD Thesis Defense by Hagar Setty, Oren Lab, March 20

    Date:
    20
    Thursday
    March
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:30
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Abstract: While sexual dimorphisms in brain structure and function are well-documented acr ... Read more While sexual dimorphisms in brain structure and function are well-documented across species, the specific features and mechanisms underlying sex differences in individual neurons and how these differences drive behavior remain largely unknown. Most research has focused on sex-specific neurons, limiting insight into how shared neural circuits diverge between sexes. Using C. elegans, we investigated sex differences in shared neuronal modules through two approaches: 1. To explore circuit-level sex differences we dissected the neuronal properties of a sexually dimorphic circuit shared by both sexes, focusing on the circuit responsible for mechanosensation (the detection of mechanical stimulation), specifically touch sensation, in both sexes of C. elegans. We discovered that touch is detected through a distinctly different set of neurons in each sex, and this process involves unique molecules and receptors that operate in a sex-specific manner. One of these key molecules is the ion channel TMC-1, critical for hearing in humans. This study identified for the first time that touch can be sensed differently by the two sexes of an organism. 2. To investigate genetic sex differences at the level of individual sex-shared neurons, we mapped the nervous system of C. elegans in both sexes using single-cell RNA sequencing. By analyzing gene expression patterns in the nervous system of both sexes derived from the transcriptomic profiles, we discovered novel sexually dimorphic neurons and their relevance to behavior and neuronal function. We further conducted computational analysis on our single-cell data set to predict synaptic connectivity regulators based on gene expression, leading to the identification of several candidate genes now under investigation. Taken together, our work revealed multiple cellular and molecular pathways that operate differently between the sexes, shedding light on how an organism's sexual identity shapes the organization of its nervous system.
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    Exploring RNA and protein folding with Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy

    Date:
    03
    Monday
    March
    2025
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Matthias Rief
    Abstract: Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) enables high-resolution insights into ... Read more Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) enables high-resolution insights into the kinetics and mechanisms of biomolecular interactions. In this talk, I will present how SMFS, helps uncover key principles in nucleic acid and protein folding. Examples discussed will include the microsecond invasion kinetics of toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) of DNA and RNA as well as mRNA-Roquin interactions, which regulate mRNA degradation via specific 3’UTR hairpin structures. Finally, we study chaperone-mediated unfolding of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), demonstrating how Hsp70/Hsp40 unfolds GR in discrete ATP-driven steps, stabilizing novel intermediates and acting as an unfoldase. These studies showcase SMFS as a powerful tool to resolve biomolecular dynamics providing new insights into RNA structure-function relationships and chaperone-mediated protein regulation.
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    Exploring RNA and protein folding with Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy Colloquium website

    Illuminating protein signaling dynamics in intact neuronal circuits

    Date:
    27
    Thursday
    February
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Location: Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Tal Laviv
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Abstract: Experience from the environment is represented by neuronal activity patterns in ... Read more Experience from the environment is represented by neuronal activity patterns in the brain. Inside neurons, complex protein signaling cascades provide molecular instructions for structural and functional plasticity. However, we still lack a clear understanding of spatial and temporal activity patterns of protein signaling within intact neuronal circuits.I will describe an approach to visualize protein signaling dynamics using a combination of biosensor engineering and two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging. I will describe how we use this approach to develop optical tools to monitor vital protein targets (PTEN, MeCP2, autophagy) for regulation of E/I balance, genomic integrity, or synaptic structure. Our overall goal is to understand how key protein signaling networks orchestrate the development and function of neuronal circuits in the healthy brain. We believe this is an essential first step towards identifying the seed process initiating neuronal dysfunction in a variety of brain pathologies.    
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    In situ SEM and TEM mechanical testing in development of hard coatings

    Date:
    24
    Monday
    February
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Perlman 404
    Lecturer: Dr. Jakub Zalesak
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Abstract: Hard coatings are integral to modern manufacturing, significantly impacting the ... Read more Hard coatings are integral to modern manufacturing, significantly impacting the optical properties, friction, hardness,corrosion resistance, and wear resistance of various surfaces. The global market for hard coatings is valued at $1.2 billion,with strong growth expected in the coming years, offering opportunities for the direct application of fundamentalresearch in industrial settings. One key challenge in this field is the low toughness of protective coatings, particularly innitrogen-based PVD/CVD hard coatings, where this issue is compounded by the low cohesive energy of grain boundaries.Due to their lack of ductility, nitrogen-based ceramic materials are prone to grain boundary cracking under mechanicalload, leading to the degradation of protective layers and reduced lifetime of coated parts. Our research focuses onunderstanding the structure-property relationships of these materials.Commercial coatings are typically a few micrometers thick, with microstructures consisting of grains ranging fromnanometers to micrometers, making them well-suited for study using modern electron microscopy. By combiningpicoindentors for in situ SEM and TEM with FIB-based manufacturing, we developed in situ testing approaches to assesskey mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, fracture stress, and fracture toughness, as well as to explore theunderlying fracture mechanisms. In this talk, I will present our findings on the design of grain boundaries, materialcomposition, and transformation toughening strategies, which have significantly enhanced the mechanical properties ofhard coatings.
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    Special Guest Seminar

    Date:
    24
    Monday
    February
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Extracting the invisible - visual interpretability of deep learning models in cell imaging
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Assaf Zaritsky
    Abstract: Deep learning (aka “AI”) has emerged as a powerful technique to identify hid ... Read more Deep learning (aka “AI”) has emerged as a powerful technique to identify hidden patterns that exceed human intuition in biomedical imaging data. However, this success comes at the cost of interpretability making deep learning a “black box” lacking human meaningful explanations for the models’ decision. Interpretability is especially critical in biomedical domains, because understanding the “cause” for a machine’s prediction is key for the generation of new biological insight and testable hypotheses. In this seminar I will present computational methods that we developed to "reverse-engineer" the model’s decision in an intuitive biologically-meaningful manner and their applications to multiple bioimaging domains. The seminar will be designed for life scientists assuming no prior computational background. 
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    Cell type dependent computations and learning in primary motor cortex

    Date:
    18
    Tuesday
    February
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-14:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Jackie Schiller
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: ayelet.koloditsky@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Understanding the input-output function of principal cortical neurons and their ... Read more Understanding the input-output function of principal cortical neurons and their role in network dynamics is a key milestone in decoding how information is represented and processed in the cortex. Pyramidal neurons act as complex computational units, integrating the activity of thousands of synaptic inputs and transforming them into output patterns. These computations are primarily carried out within an elaborate dendritic tree, which receives extensive synaptic input and converts it into a neural code. However, the nature of dendritic computations in vivo during behaviorally relevant tasks remains unclear.In this talk, I will present our recent findings on the dendritic mechanisms used by layer 5 pyramidal tract (PT) neurons to encode motor information in vivo during various motor tasks. Using two-photon calcium imaging in head-fixed mice, along with a custom experimental and analytical pipeline, we achieved unprecedented resolution in correlating dendritic structure with function. I will discuss how different types of PT neurons process and represent motor information, how these properties are shaped during learning, and the role of thalamocortical inputs in modulating both learning and representation.
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    The Tiny Tip’s Tremendous Touch

    Date:
    22
    Wednesday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-14:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Irit Rosenhek-Goldian
    Contact: mark.a.iron@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) Unit conducts a diverse range of scientific ... Read more The Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) Unit conducts a diverse range of scientific projects, spanning from the life sciences (e.g., vesicles, cells, and shells) to material science (e.g., crystals and nanoparticles). Beyond 3D topographic imaging, scanning probe microscopy provides a comprehensive understanding of a material by measuring mechanical, electrical, and other properties. Recent advancements in our unit, including correlative AFM-SEM systems and rapid scanning capabilities, expand the AFM's potential for studying dynamic processes and for more efficient data acquisition. Moreover, machine learning methods have been harnessed to improve analysis accuracy.In this talk, I will present the technique and bring examples where AFM has provided critical insight into various scientific fields by illuminating the nanoscale.
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    The Evolution and Plasticity of the CONNECTOME

    Date:
    21
    Tuesday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Yaniv Assaf
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: At every aspect of our lives, function determines structure. Just as new roads a ... Read more At every aspect of our lives, function determines structure. Just as new roads are built between developing cities, network wires are laid to accommodate faster communication demands, and social networks form around shared goals, the brain also remodels its connectome to adapt to the continuous and dynamic changes in functional demands.The connectome refers to the functional and structural characteristics of brain connectivity, spanning from the micron level (neural circuits) to the macroscopic level (long-scale pathways). This intricate network, encompassing the white matter and beyond, facilitates the transmission of information across different brain regions. When the integrity of the connectome is compromised, brain function deteriorates. Thus, the connectome is fundamental to everything the brain does.Traditionally, without the tools to explore the connectome in vivo, it was assumed to be stable and fixed. Much of white matter research focused on mapping the geographical structure of the network and its connected areas. However, advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly diffusion MRI, have opened a new window into the in vivo physiology of the white matter and the connectome.By measuring the microstructural properties of white matter, researchers now have the opportunity to investigate its physiology and dynamics. This presentation will demonstrate how the connectome can be measured, outline its macro- and microstructural features, and describe its evolutionary characteristics by comparing the connectomes of 100 different mammalian species. Additionally, we will explore the role of the connectome in brain plasticity and its remarkable dynamics.Light refreshments before the seminar
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    The Clore Center for Biological Physics

    Date:
    19
    Sunday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-14:30
    Title: A social view of viral decision making
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Physics Library
    Lecturer: Prof. Avigdor Eldar
    Organizer: Clore Center for Biological Physics
    Contact: debbie.hen@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Temperate bacterial viruses (or phages) have two divergent life cycles when infe ... Read more Temperate bacterial viruses (or phages) have two divergent life cycles when infecting their host; A virulent (lytic) cycle where they rapidly replicate to produce hundreds of virions and kill their host, or a dormant (lysogenic) cycle where it typically integrates into the host genome and replicate with it. The social environment of the cell is a major determinant of the phage’s decision between its life cycles, but the consequences of sociality are still being explored. In this lecture, I will introduce the canonical phage lambda model where this has been studied and a recent model for phage sociality which is based on detection of small molecule signals. I will then discuss three works which combine experiments, genomics and theory to discuss the nature of social signals in different systems and their implication for phage decision making, social cooperation and their evolution. FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND CONTENT ON SOFT MATTER AND BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AT THE WEIZMANN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.biosoftweizmann.com/ 
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    The ESCRT machinery: an evolutionary conserved, a multi-purpose membrane remodeling deviceounced

    Date:
    16
    Thursday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Natalie Elia
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The ESCRT membrane remodeling complex, found across all life forms, exhibits a v ... Read more The ESCRT membrane remodeling complex, found across all life forms, exhibits a versatility that transcends evolutionary boundaries. From orchestrating the constriction of micron-wide tubes in cell division to facilitating the budding of 50 nm vesicles in receptor degradation, ESCRTs perform diverse functions in animal cells. In recent years, ESCRT homologs were identified in prokaryotes, highlighting a role for this protein machinery in the ancient world.  We seek to understand the mechanistic principles underlying the functional diversity of the ESCRT system across evolution. Specifically, we focus on understanding how the ESCRT complex orchestrate in cells to constrict and cut membranes in eukaryotes, focusing on its role in cell division, and in prokaryotes, focusing on the recently discovered Asgard archaea. By combining high-resolution imaging with biochemical and structural studies we aim to unlock the secrets of this fundamental membrane remodeling machinery and its potential role in evolution.
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Dept. -Guest Seminar

    Date:
    15
    Wednesday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:00-14:00
    Location: perlman
    Lecturer: Dr. Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Columbia University, NY, USA
    Abstract: Mechanical force is a critical feature for most physical processes, and remote m ... Read more Mechanical force is a critical feature for most physical processes, and remote measure of mechanical signals with high force sensitivity and spatial resolution is crucial for progress in fields as diverse as robotics, biophysics, civil engineering, and medicine. Existing nanoscale remote force sensors, however, are very limited in the dynamic range of forces they can detect, and are rarely compatible with subsurface operation, restricting sensor applicability [1]. In this talk, I will describe how we leverage the extreme optical nonlinearity offered by photon-avalanche [2], and its susceptibility to steep change due to minute changes in the environment – to create nanoscale force sensors that can be addressed remotely by continuous-wave, deeply-penetrating, infrared light, and can detect picoNewton to microNewton forces with a dynamic range spanning more than four orders of magnitude [3]. Using atomic force microscopy coupled with single-nanoparticle optical spectroscopy, we characterize the mechano-optics of different Tm3+-doped avalanching upconverting nanoparticles on a single particle level, to rationally design force sensors with different modalities of force-dependent optical readout, including mechanobrightening and mechanochromism. By manipulating the interionic distances and hence energy transfer pathways within the nanosensors by application of force, we demonstrate exceptional mechanical sensitivity coupled with high single-particle brightness, over multiple scales of force. The adaptability of these nanoscale optical force sensors, along with their multiscale sensing capability, enable operation in the dynamic and versatile environments present in diverse, real-world structures spanning biological organisms to nanoelectromechanical systems.
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    The Clore Center for Biological Physics

    Date:
    12
    Sunday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-14:30
    Title: Rethinking Cryo-EM, by Cryo-STEM
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Physics Library
    Lecturer: Prof. Michael Elbaum and Dr Shahar Seifer
    Organizer: Clore Center for Biological Physics
    Contact: debbie.hen@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Cryo-EM has famously revolutionized structural biology with atomic-scale resolut ... Read more Cryo-EM has famously revolutionized structural biology with atomic-scale resolution of macromolecules in 3D. The conventional protocol is based on wide-field imaging with phase contrast introduced by defocus, followed by extensive image processing and averaging from a great number of identical objects. Key assumptions break down in the extension toward 3D imaging of thicker specimens such as cells, however, and especially for interpretation of unique features.The talk will be in two parts (by Michael and Shahar). The first will introduce an alternative imaging modality by scanning a focused probe, i.e., scanning transmission electron microscopy, or STEM, which circumvents some of these constraints. New camera technologies enable recording of the entire pattern of diffraction at every pixel, called 4D STEM. Combining the imaging with tomography, we explore new methods to exploit the wave coherence for 3D reconstruction with optimal contrast and resolution. Examples include crystals of heme, intact cells and sections of cell multilayers, and bacteriophage for the latest advances. The second part will center on the physical mechanisms of electron scattering relevant to cryo-EM. Combined with an energy loss spectrometer, a 4D STEM measurement provides atomic differential cross-sections, both elastic and inelastic. The elastic part relates to de Broglie phase delay by the average electric potential. The inelastic part is mainly due to generation of plasmons and scattering by the resulting polarization. The cross-sections provide data to test new modeling approaches, as well as to develop characterization tools for biological and other organic materials.FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND CONTENT ON SOFT MATTER AND BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AT THE WEIZMANN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.biosoftweizmann.com/
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    Black Holes in Galaxies: Experimental Evidence & Cosmic Evolution

    Date:
    09
    Thursday
    January
    2025
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Reinhard Genzel
    Organizer: Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics
    Contact: eti.shalem@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: About a century after Albert Einstein's presentation of General Relativity and K ... Read more About a century after Albert Einstein's presentation of General Relativity and Karl Schwarzschild's first solution, have three experimental techniques made remarkable progress in proving the existence of the Schwarzschild/Kerr black hole solution. I will describe the impressive progress of high resolution near-infrared and radio imaging and interferometry, and of precision measurements of gravitational waves in the Galactic Center and other galaxies. I will then discuss what we now know about the cosmic co-evolution and growth of galaxies and black holes, and finish with the riddle of massive black holes detected by JWST only a few hundred Myrs after the Big Bang.
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    Anatomical organization of the human hippocampal system

    Date:
    05
    Sunday
    January
    2025
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:30
    Location: Belfer Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Daniel Reznik
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: ayelet.koloditsky@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Animal tract-tracing studies provided critical insights into the organizational ... Read more Animal tract-tracing studies provided critical insights into the organizational principles of the hippocampal system, thus defining the anatomical constraints within which animal mnemonic functions operate. However, no clear framework defining the anatomical organization of the human hippocampal system exists. This gap in knowledge originates in notoriously low MRI data quality in the human medial temporal lobe (MTL) and in group-level blurring of idiosyncratic anatomy between adjacent brain regions comprising the MTL. In this talk, I will present our recent data, which overcame these longstanding challenges and allowed us to explore in detail the cortical networks associated with the human MTL, and to examine the intrinsic organization of the hippocampal-entorhinal system with unprecedented anatomical precision. Our results point to biologically meaningful and previously unknown organizational principles of the human hippocampal system. These findings facilitate the study of the evolutionary trajectory of the hippocampal connectivity and function across species, and prompt a reformulation of the neuroanatomical basis of episodic memory.
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    The Neural Basis of Affective States

    Date:
    31
    Tuesday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-14:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Amit Vinograd
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: ayelet.koloditsky@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: How does the brain regulate innate behaviors and emotional states? My researchis ... Read more How does the brain regulate innate behaviors and emotional states? My researchis driven by a vision to decode evolutionarily conserved neural circuits that regulateaffective states like aggression and anxiety. In my work, I combine deep-brain 2-photoncalcium imaging and holographic optogenetics with theoretical neuroscience approachesto unravel latent manifolds of neural activity and their dynamics. One such dynamic, lineattractors, is hypothesized to encode continuous variables such as eye position, workingmemory, and internal states. However, direct evidence of neural implementation of a lineattractor in mammals has been hindered by the challenge of targeting perturbations tospecific neurons within ensembles. In this talk, I will present our recent breakthroughsdemonstrating causal evidence for line attractor dynamics in neurons encoding anaggressive state and highlight functional connectivity within specific neuronalensembles. This work effectively bridges circuit and manifold levels, providing strongevidence of intrinsic continuous attractor dynamics in a behaviorally relevant mammaliansystem.
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    Perceptual decision coding is inherently coupled to action in the mouse cortex

    Date:
    29
    Sunday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:00-13:15
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Michael Sokoletsky PhD Defense
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: How do animals make perceptual decisions about sensory stimuli to guide motor ac ... Read more How do animals make perceptual decisions about sensory stimuli to guide motor actions? One hypothesis is that dedicated "perceptual decision" cells process sensory information and drive the appropriate action. Alternatively, perceptual decisions result from competition among cells driving different actions, making decisions inherently coupled to actions. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we designed a vibrotactile detection task in which mice flexibly switched between standard and reversed contingency blocks, respectively requiring them to lick after stimulus presence or absence. Optogenetic inactivation of somatosensory and secondary motor cortices reduced stimulus sensitivity without impairing the ability to lick. However, widefield and two-photon imaging found that differences in cortical activity across perceptual decisions were almost exclusively action-coupled. In addition, we identified a subset of cells that encoded the current contingency block in a gated manner, enabling mice to flexibly make decisions without relying on action-independent decision coding.
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    Exploring the role of pipecolic acid in Plasmodium falciparumnnounced

    Date:
    26
    Thursday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Sonia Oren
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasite is the major cause of malaria disease, ... Read more Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasite is the major cause of malaria disease, resulting in more than 600,000 deaths annually. Patients with cerebral malaria, the most severe form of malaria, show elevated plasma L-pipecolic acid (PA) concentrations in their blood compared to those with mild malaria. However, the origin and function of PA in Pf infection remain mostly elusive. Here, using LC/MS targeted metabolomics we found that the malaria parasite, while growing inside its host human Red Blood Cell (RBC), secretes PA during a specific life stage, the trophozoite. We then demonstrated that pretreatment of the host naïve human RBCs with PA significantly enhances parasitic growth. To further investigate the effect of PA on its primary host, RBCs, we measured the biophysical alterations in the pretreated naïve RBCs using atomic force microscopy combined with machine learning.  Surprisingly, we found that PA modifies the mechanical properties of the host cell’s membrane, turning it significantly softer. Electron paramagnetic resonance data on liposomes suggest that PA’s mechanism may involve altering the lipid mobility. Overall, our findings reveal that the parasite secretes PA to prime its host RBCs for invasion by inducing mechanical changes in the stiffness of the host membrane. These results indicate that PA functions as an active secreted metabolite, facilitating Pf growth within its host cell.
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    The Clore Center for Biological Physics

    Date:
    15
    Sunday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-14:30
    Title: Rationally designed functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for real-time monitoring of active processes
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Physics Library
    Lecturer: Prof. Gili Bisker
    Organizer: Clore Center for Biological Physics
    Contact: debbie.hen@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fluoresce in the near-inf ... Read more Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fluoresce in the near-infrared (NIR) range, which overlaps with the transparency window of biological samples, and they do not photobleach or blink. These properties make SWCNTs uniquely suited for long-term imaging and sensing applications. Using tailored surface functionalization, SWCNTs can act as dynamic optical nanosensors, transducing biochemical changes in their environment into modulations in fluorescence intensity. Owing to their intrinsic physicochemical and optical properties, SWCNTs can provide real-time, spatiotemporal information on active processes across scales, from molecular interactions to whole organism dynamics.Here, I will discuss different strategies for utilizing rationally designed functionalized SWCNTs to probe active biological processes. These include monitoring enzymatic activity, tracking supramolecular self-assembly and disassembly, and mapping in vivo processes. These findings showcase the potential of near-infrared fluorescent SWCNTs to provide insights into dynamic biological systems.LINK FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED MEETING PROF. GILI BISKER 14:30-15:15  Link FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND CONTENT ON SOFT MATTER AND BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AT THE WEIZMANN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.biosoftweizmann.com/
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    The Clore Center for Biological Physics

    Date:
    15
    Sunday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 00:00-01:00
    Title: Rationally designed functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for real-time monitoring of active processes
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Physics Library
    Lecturer: Prof. Gili Bisker
    Organizer: Clore Center for Biological Physics
    Contact: debbie.hen@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fluoresce in the near-inf ... Read more Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fluoresce in the near-infrared (NIR) range, which overlaps with the transparency window of biological samples, and they do not photobleach or blink. These properties make SWCNTs uniquely suited for long-term imaging and sensing applications. Using tailored surface functionalization, SWCNTs can act as dynamic optical nanosensors, transducing biochemical changes in their environment into modulations in fluorescence intensity. Owing to their intrinsic physicochemical and optical properties, SWCNTs can provide real-time, spatiotemporal information on active processes across scales, from molecular interactions to whole organism dynamics.Here, I will discuss different strategies for utilizing rationally designed functionalized SWCNTs to probe active biological processes. These include monitoring enzymatic activity, tracking supramolecular self-assembly and disassembly, and mapping in vivo processes. These findings showcase the potential of near-infrared fluorescent SWCNTs to provide insights into dynamic biological systems.LINK FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED MEETING PROF. GILI BISKER 14:30-15:15  Link FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND CONTENT ON SOFT MATTER AND BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS AT THE WEIZMANN, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.biosoftweizmann.com/
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    The Evolution of 7T (and Beyond) MRI in Basic Research and Clinical Practice

    Date:
    03
    Tuesday
    December
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Noam Harel
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel:9070 For accessibility iss ... Read more Host: Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel:9070 For accessibility issues:naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: The Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) has been at the forefront of m ... Read more The Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) has been at the forefront of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) innovation, pioneering ultra-high field (7 Tesla and above) technologies that are revolutionizing brain research and clinical care. This presentation will explore CMRR's groundbreaking journey, from the first functional MRI study to development of high-resolution fMRI capabilities revealing cortical columns within the human cortex. The presentation will also explore the translation of these technologies into clinical practice, with a focus on the unique visualization capabilities of 7T MRI, particularly for enhancing the precision of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) procedures. By exploring the progression from the 7T system to the world’s first 10.5T human MRI, this presentation will illustrate how these transformative technologies have pushed the limits of imaging science, uncovering new insights into brain function and advancing personalized clinical care at the intersection of technology, research, and medicine.
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    Towards enhancing immunotherapy - Insights from functional genomics.

    Date:
    21
    Thursday
    November
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Daniel Peeper
    Organizer: Moross Integrated Cancer Center (MICC)
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09

    Hagai Cohen - 30 years of electron spectroscopy in the service of chemistry

    Date:
    23
    Monday
    September
    2024
    Conference
    Time: 08:00
    Location: The David Lopatie Conference Centre
    Contact: sidney.cohen@weizmann.ac.il

    Quantification of nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles by Flow Cytometry: Identifying limits of detection and optimizing instrument settings

    Date:
    16
    Monday
    September
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Lecturer: Dr. Joshua Welsh
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: ekaterina.petrovich@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Special guest webinar, Dr. Joshua Welsh, Staff Scientist, Advanced Technology ... Read more Special guest webinar, Dr. Joshua Welsh, Staff Scientist, Advanced Technology Group, BD Biosciences. Monday, September 16th at 9:00. Title: "Quantification of nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles by Flow Cytometry: Identifying limits of detection and optimizing instrument settings". https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92912630133?pwd=BcbnawBYcgnRZEzH11Eb2ogLhv6szC.1
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    Mechano-regulation of gene expression in striated muscle

    Date:
    25
    Tuesday
    June
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Daria Amiad-Pavlov
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In recent years the cell nucleus emerged as a dynamic mechanosensor capable of s ... Read more In recent years the cell nucleus emerged as a dynamic mechanosensor capable of sensing and transducing mechanical signals into cellular responses to facilitate homeostasis and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. The constantly beating heart has a remarkable ability to adapt its structure and contractility in response to changes in mechanical load. I am introducing unique, live, and dynamic imaging approaches to investigate how nuclei in the mature heart can provide such mechano-protection and mechano-regulation of the genome. I will present a novel assay to couple cytoskeletal to nuclear strain transfer in the beating cardiomyocyte, and its further application to decipher mechanisms of nuclear damage in dilated cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in the LMNA gene (LMNA-DCM). This work pinpoints localized microtubule-dependent forces, but surprisingly not actomyosin contractility, as drivers of nuclear damage in LMNA-DCM, highlighting new therapeutic avenues. I will further discuss the role of mechanical signaling in spatial organization of the genome within the nucleus, to regulate transcriptionally active and repressed hubs, and downstream gene expression.
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    Special Guest Seminar

    Date:
    09
    Sunday
    June
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Combined multimodal single-synapse profiling of synaptic activity, multiprotein composition, and translation
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Reuven (Beny) Falkovich
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Neuroscience
    Contact: sivan.hoek@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The analog computation at the chemical synapse that underlies cognition depends ... Read more The analog computation at the chemical synapse that underlies cognition depends on a highly compartmentalized, tightly regulated, and complex network of interactions between synaptic activity and hundreds of proteins and the mechanisms that regulate them. For a top-down study of how the network operates in concert, I present a modular, versatile approach for combined imaging of multiprotein composition, activation states, ion and neurotransmitter fluxes, and mRNA translation across the same individual synapses. I will show how this approach extends to other subcellular systems such as mitochondria. I will discuss the use of Bayesian network inference to extract biological insight from high-dimensional, multimodal synapse distributions. Finally, I will present applications of this approach to identify convergent molecular phenotypes across autism and schizophrenia-associated genes, and for an in-depth study of the complex synaptic response to genetic and chemical perturbations of GluN2A.
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    Physics Colloquium

    Date:
    23
    Thursday
    May
    2024
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Title: Quantum Dot Physics Using Atomic Defects in Ultrathin Tunnel Barriers
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Hadar Steinberg
    Organizer: Department of Condensed Matter Physics
    Contact: eti.shalem@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Refreshments at 11:00
    Abstract: Quantum dots (QDs) are conducting regions which can localize few charge carriers ... Read more Quantum dots (QDs) are conducting regions which can localize few charge carriers, and where the energy spectrum is dominated by Coulomb repulsion. QDs can be as large as few hundreds of nanometers, or as small as a single molecule, their sizes depending on their physical realization – whether in two-dimensional materials, nanowires, molecular systems. In my talk I will describe our work on a new type of an atomically-sized QD, realized in defects residing in ultrathin two-dimensional insulators. These defect-dots are found in layered materials such as hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN), which we study by their assembly into stacked devices. By using graphene electrodes, we are able to electronically couple to the QD, while allowing the QD energy to be externally tuned exploiting the penetration of electric field through graphene. A consequence of the structure of our devices is that the defect QDs are placed at atomic distance to the conductors on both sides. I will show how the presence of such energy-tunable, atomically sized QDs at nanometer proximity to other conducting systems opens new opportunities for sensitive measurements, including use of QDs as highly sensitive spectrometers [1], or as single electron transistors, unique in their sensitivity to local electric fields at the nanometer scale [2]. I will discuss our future prospects of using defect QDs as quantum sensors. References 1. Devidas, T.R., I. Keren, and H. Steinberg, Spectroscopy of NbSe2 Using Energy-Tunable Defect-Embedded Quantum Dots. Nano Letters, 2021. 21(16): p. 6931-6937. 2. Keren, I., et al., Quantum-dot assisted spectroscopy of degeneracy-lifted Landau levels in graphene. Nature Communications, 2020. 11(1): p. 3408.
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    Designing nanoparticles for biological environments: from quantum sensing to gene medicine

    Date:
    20
    Monday
    May
    2024
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Petr Cigler
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The use of nanoparticles in diagnostics, therapeutics and imaging has revolution ... Read more The use of nanoparticles in diagnostics, therapeutics and imaging has revolutionized these fields with new properties not available with small molecules. Nanoparticle interface provide possibilities for polyvalent and independent attachment of different molecules serving as recognition/targeting structures, optical probes, spin probes or catalysts. However, nanoparticles operating in biological environments require precise control of multiple factors related to surface chemistry and their composition. To avoid for example aggregation, off-target interactions, and protein corona formation, appropriate interface design is essential. This talk will present general nanoparticle design strategies and specific examples including nanodiamonds and lipid nanoparticles.
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    Designing nanoparticles for biological environments: from quantum sensing to gene medicine Colloquium website

    Vision and AI

    Date:
    02
    Thursday
    May
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:15-13:15
    Title: Quantification and Visualization of Uncertainty in Imaging Inverse Problems
    Location: Jacob Ziskind Building
    Lecturer: Tomer Michaeli
    Organizer: Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
    Contact: karina.avadia@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Uncertainty quantification and visualization is crucial for the deployment of im ... Read more Uncertainty quantification and visualization is crucial for the deployment of image restoration models in safety-critical domains, like biological and medical imaging. To date, methods for visualizing uncertainty have mainly focused on per-pixel estimates, which provide limited information. Theoretically, more natural visualizations of uncertainty could be obtained from a principal component analysis (PCA) or from some clustering of the posterior distribution. However, such approaches would require generating numerous samples from the posterior distribution as a first step, which is computationally impractical with today’s SOTA (diffusion-based) posterior samplers. In this talk I will present methods that can output a hierarchical clustering (a tree) or the principal components (PCs) of the posterior in a single forward pass of a neural network. Our methods are both more accurate and orders of magnitude faster than the naïve approach of applying clustering or PCA to posterior samples generated by a conditional generative model. I will illustrate the effectiveness of our methods on multiple inverse problems in imaging, including denoising, inpainting, super-resolution, colorization, and biological image-to-image translation. The talk will cover joint works with Elias Nehme, Omer Yair, Hila Manor and Rotem Mulayoff.
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    Studying Ageing and Neurodegenerative Brain with Quantitative MRI

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    April
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Aviv Mezer
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Yoav Livneh yoav.livneh@weizmann.ac.il tel:6230 For accessibility issue ... Read more Host: Yoav Livneh yoav.livneh@weizmann.ac.il tel:6230 For accessibility issues:naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Aging and neurodegeneration are associated with changes in brain tissue at the m ... Read more Aging and neurodegeneration are associated with changes in brain tissue at the molecular level, affecting its organization, density, and composition. These changes can be detected using quantitative MRI (qMRI), which provides physical measures that are sensitive to structural alterations. However, a major challenge in brain research is to relate physical estimates to their underlying biological sources. In this talk, I will discuss the community's efforts to use qMRI to identify biological processes that underlie changes in brain tissue. Specifically, I will highlight approaches for differentiating between changes in the concentration and composition of myelin and iron during aging. By exploring the molecular landscape of the aging and neurodegenerative brain using qMRI, we aim to gain a better understanding of these processes and potentially provide new metrics for evaluating them.
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    Special Guest Seminar with Prof. Eugene V. Koonin

    Date:
    21
    Thursday
    March
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Title: "Global structure and evolution of the virosphere"
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Eugene V. Koonin
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Genetics
    Contact: evi.ben-ami@weizmnn.ac.il
    Abstract: Viruses and virus-like mobile genetic elements are ubiquitous parasites (and som ... Read more Viruses and virus-like mobile genetic elements are ubiquitous parasites (and sometime symbionts) of all cellular life forms and the most abundant biological entities on earth. The recent, unprecedented advances of comparative genomics and metagenomics have led to the discovery of diverse novel groups of viruses and a rapid expansion of the chartered region of the virosphere. These discoveries provide for a vastly improved understanding of the evolutionary relationships within the virosphere. Arguably, we are approaching the point when the global architecture of the virus world can be outlined in its entirety, and the key evolutionary events in each of its domains can be reconstructed. I will present such an outline of the global organization of the virosphere and the corresponding megataxonomy, including 6 distinct virus realms, that has been recently approved by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, as well as some new candidates. The expansion of the prokaryotic virosphere that is being shown to include many groups of viruses, particularly, those with RNA genomes, previously thought to be eukaryote-specific, will be emphasized. I will further discuss the position of viruses within the wider space of replicators and the recent dramatic expansion of the “alternative virosphere” that includes viroids and diverse viroid-like viruses that seem to have evolved on multiple, independent occasions.
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    A brain-computer interface for studying long-term changes of hippocampal neural codes

    Date:
    13
    Wednesday
    March
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:30-16:30
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Linor Baliti Turgeman-PhD Thesis Defense
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Student Seminar-PhD Thesis Defense
    Abstract: Brain-computer interfaces (BCI), have important applications both in medicine an ... Read more Brain-computer interfaces (BCI), have important applications both in medicine and as a research tool. Typically, BCIs rely on electrode arrays to capture electrical signals, which are then processed by algorithms to translate neural activity into actions of an external device. However, these electrophysiological techniques are often inadequate for tracking large populations of the same neurons over timescales longer than ~1 day. To address this, we developed calcium imaging-based BCI for freely behaving mice, facilitating continuous recording and analysis of specific neuronal populations over extended periods. This BCI allowed investigating the long-term neuronal coding dynamics in the hippocampus, revealing changes in neuronal population activity both within and across days. I am hopeful that this BCI will advance studies on spatial cognition and long-term memory.
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest seminar

    Date:
    10
    Sunday
    March
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 16:00-17:00
    Title: Photodynamics of molecular probes in solutions, cells, and organic surfaces
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Oleg Vasyutinskii
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: gilad.haran@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The lecture presents recent results obtained in the laboratory of Prof. Oleg Vas ... Read more The lecture presents recent results obtained in the laboratory of Prof. Oleg Vasyutinskii in the Ioffe Institute, St.Petersburg, Russia along several directions of application of modern laser techniques for investigation of the dynamics of molecules relevant for biology and medicine. The particular directions under discussion will be as follows. • Investigation of energy transfer in the excited states of molecular probes in solutions by means of polarized fluorescence spectroscopy. • Pump-and-probe polarization modulation spectroscopy for investigation of sub-picosecond dynamics in excited biomolecules. • Dynamics of singlet oxygen generation and degradation in solutions and on organic surfaces.
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    Innovation in the Weizmann Genomics Core – next generation technology outreach

    Date:
    07
    Thursday
    March
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Hadas Keren-Shaul
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: Hadas.Keren-Shaul@weizmann.ac.il

    Highly multiplexed imaging of tissues with subcellular resolution by imaging mass cytometry

    Date:
    29
    Thursday
    February
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00
    Lecturer: Prof. Bernd Bodenmiller
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: michalav@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZw ... Read more Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09
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    The role of the corpus callosum in interhemispheric communication

    Date:
    14
    Wednesday
    February
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: The David Lopatie Hall of Graduate Studies
    Lecturer: Yael Oran-PhD Thesis Defense
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Student Seminar-PhD Thesis Defense
    Abstract: Interhemispheric communication is a comprehensive concept that involves both the ... Read more Interhemispheric communication is a comprehensive concept that involves both the synchronization of neural activity as well as the integration of sensory information across the two brain hemispheres. In this work, we explored these properties in the somatosensory system of the mouse brain. We show that during spontaneous activity in awake animals,  robust interhemispheric correlations of both spiking and synaptic activities that are reduced during whisking compared to quiet wakefulness. And that the state-dependent correlations between the hemispheres stem from the state-depended nature of the corpus callosum activity. Further, to understand how sensory information is integrated across the brain's hemispheres, we studied bilateral and ipsilateral responses to passive whisker stimulation using widefield imaging and then employed a virtual tunnel environment to explore bilateral integration in active whisking
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest seminar

    Date:
    07
    Wednesday
    February
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Title: The Stark effect in quantum dots: from spectral diffusion to coherent control
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Ron Tenne
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: lucio.frydman@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: While colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are already an important building block in e ... Read more While colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are already an important building block in electro-optical devices, in the realm of quantum science and technology, they are often considered inferior with respect to emitters such as solid-state defects and epitaxial quantum dots. Despite their single-photon emission [1], demonstrations of quantum coherence and control are largely still lacking. The main obstacle towards these is spectral diffusion – stochastic fluctuations in the energy of photons emitted from an individual CQD even at cryogenic temperatures. In this talk, I will present our recent work providing, for the first time, direct and definitive proof that these fluctuations arise from stochastic electric fields in the particle’s nano environment [2]. However, the high sensitivity of CQDs to electric fields, through the quantum-confined Stark effect, can also be perceived as a feature, rather than a bug. I will present future concepts for coherent control of a single photon’s temporal wavefunction through an electric bias. Relying on tools from the terahertz and femtosecond-laser toolboxes [3,4], spectroscopy and control at fast-to-ultrafast (millisecond-to-femtosecond) timescales, will play a detrimental role in fulfilling the unique potential that CQDs hold in the field of quantum optics,. [1] R. Tenne, U. Rossman, B. Rephael, Y. Israel, A. Krupinski-Ptaszek, R. Lapkiewicz, Y. Silberberg, and D. Oron, Super-Resolution Enhancement by Quantum Image Scanning Microscopy, Nature Photonics 13, 116 (2019). [2] F. Conradt, V. Bezold, V. Wiechert, S. Huber, S. Mecking, A. Leitenstorfer, and R. Tenne, Electric-Field Fluctuations as the Cause of Spectral Instabilities in Colloidal Quantum Dots, Nano Lett. 23, 9753 (2023). [3] P. Henzler et al., Femtosecond Transfer and Manipulation of Persistent Hot-Trion Coherence in a Single CdSe/ZnSe Quantum Dot, Physical Review Letters 126, 067402 (2021). [4] P. Fischer, G. Fitzky, D. Bossini, A. Leitenstorfer, and R. Tenne, Quantitative Analysis of Free-Electron Dynamics in InSb by Terahertz Shockwave Spectroscopy, Physical Review B 106, 205201 (2022).
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest seminar

    Date:
    07
    Sunday
    January
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00
    Title: Static and dynamic biophysical properties of tissue microstructure: Insights from advanced in vivo MRI
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr Noam Shemesh
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: daniella.goldfarb@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In living systems, the tissue micro-architecture consists of myriad cellular and ... Read more In living systems, the tissue micro-architecture consists of myriad cellular and subcellular elements whose density, size/shape distributions, composition, and permeability, endow the tissue with its biological functionality. Dynamic transport mechanisms are further critical for maintaining homeostasis and supporting diverse physiological functions such as action potentials and biochemical signaling. Still, how these biophysical properties change over time and how they couple to activity, remains largely unknown. This is mainly due to the difficulty in mapping these properties in-vivo, longitudinally, and with sufficient specificity. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), with its capacity for longitudinal studies and wealth of microscopic information leading to multiple contrast mechanisms, provides an outstanding opportunity to decipher these phenomena. In this talk I will discuss our recent advances in diffusion and functional MRI, including novel pulse sequences and biophysical modeling of diffusion processes in the microscopic tissue milieu, which provide, for the first time, the sought-after specificity for density, size, and permeability of particular (sub)cellular elements in tissues. I will show new experiments in rodents proving unique power-laws predicted from biophysical models, revealing axon density and size, as well as cell body density and size, along with validations against ground-truth histology and applications in animal models of disease. Evidence for exchange between the intracellular and extracellular space will also be given, along with a first approach for quantitatively mapping permeability in tissue. I will also introduce correlation tensor MRI (CTI), a new approach for source-separation in diffusional kurtosis, that offers surrogate markers of neurite beading effects, thereby further enhancing specificity, especially in stroke. Finally, I will touch upon dynamic modulations of neural tissue microstructure upon neural activity, and provide evidence for the existence of a neuro-morphological coupling in diffusion-weighted functional MRI signals. Future vistas and potential applications will be discussed.
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    Advancing MRI: Sequences and Applications

    Date:
    04
    Thursday
    January
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Edna Furman-Haran
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: Edna.Haran@weizmann.ac.il

    Enhanced Growth in Atomic Layer Deposition of Transition Metals: The Role of Surface Diffusion and Nucleation Sites

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    January
    2024
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:15-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Amnon Rothman
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Noble metal thin films have attracted significant interest owing to their distin ... Read more Noble metal thin films have attracted significant interest owing to their distinctive properties and structures, which make them ideal for applications in microelectronics, catalysis, energy, and photovoltaics. While several parameters influence the properties of these metals for such applications, the deposition process remains a critical factor. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) stands out as a prevalent deposition technique due to its surface-sensitive nature. The ALD process is characterized by its self-limiting surface reactions, promoting a layer-by-layer growth mechanism and allowing for precise control over film thickness and conformality. However, challenges arise in achieving continuous, pinhole-free noble metal ALD layers on oxide surfaces, often resulting in low film quality. These challenges can be traced back to the lack of adequate nucleation sites and the poor wettability of the low-surface energy substrates. The research studied the impact of substrate surface functionalization using organometallic molecules, such as trimethylaluminum (TMA) and diethylzinc (DEZ), on the nucleation and growth of Ru layers. The results reveal an enhancement in both nucleation density and the average diameter of the Ru nanoparticles deposited, and these improvements were attributed to an increase in both nucleation sites and elevated surface diffusivity. The latter effect is speculated to result from a reduction in the substrate's surface free energy. The study also examines the influence of substrate surface characteristics, including surface termination and crystallinity, on the nucleation and growth of Ru metal via ALD. The morphologies of the resulting Ru thin films are studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS). These analytical results are integrated with an experimental model to elucidate the differences in growth mechanisms observed across substrates. The findings underscore the importance of substrate choice in the ALD process and broaden our understanding of Ru metal growth. This research serves as an important step in optimizing the ALD process for various applications by tailoring substrate selection.
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    Spatial Biology by Imaging Mass Cytometry

    Date:
    07
    Thursday
    December
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: ZOOM
    Lecturer: Dr. Sean Pawlowski (Ionpath) & Dr. Tomer-Meir Salame (LSCF)
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: tomer-meir.salame@weizmann.ac.il
    Gallery: Spatial Biology by Imaging Mass Cytometry Gallery
    Spatial Biology by Imaging Mass Cytometry Lecture / Seminar website

    10x genomics User Group Meeting 2023

    Date:
    23
    Monday
    October
    2023
    Conference
    Time: 08:00
    Location: Dolfi and Lola Ebner Auditorium
    Contact: hadas.keren-shaul@weizmann.ac.il

    The Southern Lights — Rhodopsin Complexes Discovered in an Algae Near Antarctica Can Help Unravel the Secrets of the Brain

    Date:
    16
    Monday
    October
    2023
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Moran Shalev-Benami
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Structural Biology
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Rhodopsins are a ubiquitous family of light sensing/signaling proteins. In recen ... Read more Rhodopsins are a ubiquitous family of light sensing/signaling proteins. In recent work, our group discovered an intriguing family of rhodopsins in algae: the bestrhodopsins. Through cryo-EM and comprehensive biochemical and electrophysiological studies, we showed that bestrhodopsins are fusions of rhodopsins and ion channels which assemble as mega-complexes to enable light-controlled passage of ions across membranes. Regulation of a classical ion channel by an attached photoreceptor has never been found before in nature, and previous attempts to engineer light-regulated fused channels have yielded limited success. The discovery and characterization of bestrhodopsins thus provide a new template for designing proteins with light-sensing and ion-conducting activities, as well as represent a platform for regulating cellular signaling in living organisms using light. These findings are therefore not only important as a basic scientific discovery but also for the field of optogenetics where neural activity is controlled by light. In the present talk, I will present the discovery of the bestrhodopsins, and explain how we use our cryo-EM work for structure-based design of dramatically improved tools to manipulate signaling cascades in cells by light control, paving the way for the next generation of optogenetics tools to study brain function in vivo.
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    The Southern Lights — Rhodopsin Complexes Discovered in an Algae Near Antarctica Can Help Unravel the Secrets of the Brain Colloquium website

    High-speed atomic force microscopy captures a rare oligomeric state of an ion channel

    Date:
    04
    Monday
    September
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title:
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Shifra Lansky
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Structural Biology
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Special Joint Guest Seminar - Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences & Dept. of Chemical ... Read more Special Joint Guest Seminar - Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences & Dept. of Chemical and Structural Biology
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    Abstract: Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a large, eukaryotic ion-channel ... Read more Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a large, eukaryotic ion-channel superfamily that control diverse physiological functions. To date, more than 210 structures from over 20 TRP-channels have been determined, all are tetramers. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM), a pioneering technique capable of “filming” single-molecule proteins, we discovered a rare and transient pentameric state for TRPV3, and determined the pentamer structure using single-particle cryo-EM. Our results suggest that the pentamer relates to the pore-dilated state, a structurally-elusive state characterized by increased conductance and permeability to small molecules. These findings lay the foundation for many new directions in ion-channel research, and demonstrate the strength of HS-AFM in discovering transient and rare states of proteins.
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    Understanding spontaneous neuronal activity with neurophotonics

    Date:
    30
    Wednesday
    August
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Anna Devor
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: ... Read more Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: The last decade has seen a rapid advance of neurophotonic technologies, in large ... Read more The last decade has seen a rapid advance of neurophotonic technologies, in large part thanks to the BRAIN Initiative as well as other large-scale neuroscience projects in the US and around the world. We now have a large array of diverse experimental and computational tools to study the brain across species, scales, levels of description, in animals and humans. Notably, the lion’s share of these technologies falls under the general umbrella of neurophotonics. This lecture will focus on several microscopic neurophotonic technologies in the context of understanding spontaneous neuronal and neurovascular activity in the mouse cerebral cortex. Among these tools is optically transparent Windansee electrode arrays that can be combined with optical imaging. Combining Windansee recordings with two-photon imaging and biophysical modeling, we show that spontaneous inputs to layer 1 were coded by a selective, sparse sub-population of local neurons. This is in contrast with earlier studies in the same system where each instance of a sensory input activated a different subset of neurons indicating redundancy in coding. Because selective coding by a few “oracle” neurons is nonredundant, we are tempted to speculate that the health of internally generated brain activity may be more vulnerable to damage or disease compared to that in response to external stimuli. Light refreshments before the seminar
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    Solvent-Enhanced Symmetry-breaking and Singlet-Fission in the Covalently-Bound Tetracene Dimer and Calculation of Electronic States in TIPS-Pentacene

    Date:
    20
    Thursday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Hans Lischka
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In recent years, covalently bound dimers of chromophores have attracted signific ... Read more In recent years, covalently bound dimers of chromophores have attracted significant interest as singlet fission (SF) material because of better control of coupling of different electronic states to the gateway 1(TT) by means of intramolecular vibrational modes.1 It has been shown that charge transfer (CT) plays a crucial role in mediating the S1-1(TT) interaction and their influence can be conveniently tuned by solvent polarity. Motivated by the experimental and theoretical work of Alvertis et al.,1 we have investigated the electronic states relevant to the SF for the covalently bound tetracene dimer with the goal to provide a broader picture of the occurring photodynamical processes.2 For that purpose, the second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)) method in combination with the conductor-like screening model (COSMO) has been used. Vertical excitations and potential energy curves for excitonic and CT states along low-frequency symmetric and antisymmetric normal modes have been computed. These results have been combined with those obtained by density functional theory/multireference configuration interaction (DFT/MRCI) calculations for the 1(TT) state since its doubly-excited wavefunction is not accessible to the ADC(2) method. In the second part of the talk, DFT/MRCI calculations on dimer and trimer TIPS-Pn will be presented with the goal of a first theoretical understanding of the photodynamics of the 1(TT) state monitored by time-resolved mid-IR absorption spectroscopy.3
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    Tools & Techniques Seminar

    Date:
    18
    Tuesday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Saar Ezagouri/Moshe Goldsmith/Elad Stolovicki
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Saare - Circa-SCOPE: high-throughput live single -cell imaging method for analys ... Read more Saare - Circa-SCOPE: high-throughput live single -cell imaging method for analysis of circadian clock resetting. Moshe- "Oligomeric states and much more using Mass Photometry”
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    Special Guest Seminar by Dr. Konstantin Feinberg

    Date:
    17
    Monday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:00-14:00
    Title: Schwann cells are key regulator of corneal epithelial renewal
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Konstantin Feinberg
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Neuroscience
    Contact: ronitrosenberg@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Purpose: Corneal sensory nerves protect the cornea from injury. They are also th ... Read more Purpose: Corneal sensory nerves protect the cornea from injury. They are also thought to stimulate limbal stem cells (LSCs) to produce transparent epithelial cells constantly, enabling vision. In other organs, Schwann cells (SCs) associated with tissue-innervating axon terminals mediate tissue regeneration. This study defines the critical role of the corneal axon-ensheathing SCs in homeostatic and regenerative corneal epithelial cell renewal. Methods: SC localization in the cornea was determined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with SC markers. In vivo SC visualization and/or ablation was performed in mice with inducible corneal SC-specific expression of TdTomato and/or Diphtheria toxin, respectively. The relative locations of SCs and LSCs was observed with immunohistochemical analysis of harvested genetically SC-pre-labeled mouse corneas with LSC-specific antibodies. The correlation between cornea-innervating axons and the appearance of SCs was ascertained using corneal denervation in rats. To determine the limbal niche cellular composition and gene expression changes associated with innervation-dependent epithelial renewal, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) of dissociated healthy, de-epithelized and enervated cornea limbi was performed. Results: We observed limbal enrichment of corneal axon-associated myelinating and non-myelinating SCs. Induced local genetic ablation of SCs, while leaving corneal sensory innervation intact, markedly inhibited corneal epithelial renewal. scRNA-seq analysis (i) highlighted the transcriptional heterogeneity of cells populating the limbal niche and (ii) identified transcriptional changes associated with corneal innervation and during wound healing that model potential regulatory paracrine interactions between SCs and LSCs. Conclusions: Limbal SCs are required for innervation-dependent corneal epithelial renewal.
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    Vision and AI

    Date:
    16
    Sunday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:15-13:15
    Title: Deep Learning Approaches for Inverse Problems in Computational Imaging and Chemistry
    Location: Jacob Ziskind Building
    Lecturer: Tomer Weiss
    Organizer: Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
    Contact: karina.avadia@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In this talk, I will present two chapters from my Ph.D. thesis. The core of my r ... Read more In this talk, I will present two chapters from my Ph.D. thesis. The core of my research focuses on methods that utilize the power of modern neural networks not only for their conventional tasks such as prediction or reconstruction, but rather use the information they “learned” (usually in the forms of their gradients) in order to optimize some end-task, draw insight from the data, or even guide a generative model. The first part of the talk is dedicated to computational imaging and shows how to apply joint optimization of the forward and inverse models to improve the end performance. We demonstrate these methods on three different tasks in the fields of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radar imaging. In the second part, we show a novel method for molecular inverse design that utilizes the power of neural networks in order to propose molecules with desired properties. We developed a guided diffusion model that uses the gradients of a pre-trained prediction model to guide a pre-trained unconditional diffusion model toward the desired properties. This method allows, in general, to transform any unconditional diffusion model into a conditional generative model.
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    Dendritic voltage imaging, excitability rules, and plasticity

    Date:
    10
    Monday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-13:45
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Adam E. Cohen
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibilit ... Read more Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Membrane voltage in dendrites plays a key role in mediating synaptic integration ... Read more Membrane voltage in dendrites plays a key role in mediating synaptic integration and activity-dependent plasticity; but dendritic voltages have been difficult to measure.  We developed molecular, optical, and computational tools for simultaneous optogenetic perturbations and voltage mapping in dendrites of neurons in acute slices and in awake mice.  These experiments revealed relations between dendritic ion channel biophysics and rules of synaptic integration and plasticity.  I will also describe tools for mapping large-scale network dynamics with millisecond time resolution, and for mapping brain-wide patterns of plasticity.
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    Cancer Imaging in the Clinics

    Date:
    10
    Monday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:15-13:00
    Location: Wolfson Building for Biological Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Dorith Shaham
    Organizer: Life Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: This lecture will be preceded by a lecture on “Cancer imaging Principles” ... Read more This lecture will be preceded by a lecture on “Cancer imaging Principles” Host: Zvi Livneh
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    Cancer Imaging Principles

    Date:
    10
    Monday
    July
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:15-12:00
    Location: Wolfson Building for Biological Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Rachel Katz-Brull
    Organizer: Life Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Within the FGS course on Translational Cancer Research Host. Zvi Livneh

    New Paradigms for the Prevention of Pathological Crystallization

    Date:
    03
    Monday
    July
    2023
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Jeffrey D. Rimer
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: An efficient method to inhibit pathological crystallization is the identificatio ... Read more An efficient method to inhibit pathological crystallization is the identification of modifiers, which are (macro)molecules that reduce the rate of crystal growth. Here, I will discuss progress in understanding nonclassical pathways of crystallization and the design of effective modifiers as treatments of three human diseases: kidney stones, malaria, and atherosclerosis. One of the primary tools used to explore crystal growth mechanisms and modifier-crystal interfacial interactions is in situ atomic force microscopy, which we have coupled with microfluidics to assess modifier efficacy. Results from collaborative studies with computational and medical experts have identified unique crystallization pathways, mechanisms of crystal growth inhibition, and promising new therapies, such as the discovery of hydroxycitrate as an inhibitor of calcium oxalate kidney stones. Our studies revealed that hydroxycitrate induces strain in crystals, leading to localized dissolution. A similar outcome was observed for urate stones where solute isomers function as native growth inhibitors that can induce dramatic changes in crystal morphology, and suppress crystal growth at specific conditions. I will discuss new insights into studies of kidney stone prevention and highlight their similarities and differences with novel approaches we have been developing for controlled crystallization in malaria (i.e. heme crystals) and atherosclerosis (i.e. cholesterol crystals).
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    New Paradigms for the Prevention of Pathological Crystallization Colloquium website

    Physics Colloquium

    Date:
    22
    Thursday
    June
    2023
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Title: Seeking the Closest Habitable-Zone Planets
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Suvrath Mahadevan
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: eti.shalem@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Coffee, Tea and more...
    Abstract: The discovery of planets capable of hosting biosignatures, and the characterizat ... Read more The discovery of planets capable of hosting biosignatures, and the characterization of the atmospheres of these planets, is a key and achievable goal in our lifetime. These goals require some of the most demanding precision spectroscopic and photometric measurements. I will discuss the instrumental challenges of detecting such planets with the Doppler radial velocity technique, and the evolution of the design of these instruments as they seek ever-tighter control of environmental parameters, and increased measurement precision. A suite of new technologies like frequency stabilized laser combs, low drift etalons, and deeper understanding of the detectors is enabling a new level of precision in radial velocity measurements - as well as illustrating new challenges. I will then discuss how the stars themselves are the remaining challenge, as magnetically driven processes create ‘stellar activity’ noise that can masquerade as planets and obfuscate their detection, and I highlight a few paths to mitigate this, along with some of the latest scientific results from the HPF and NEID instruments. I will discuss one iteration of a possible future, weaving its way from now through JWST individual and mini-population studies of planet atmospheres, large population studies with missions like ARIEL, the near-future of RV surveys, detection and characterization prospects with large ground-based, and the challenges and opportunities with future imaging and spectroscopic missions like LUVOIR and LIFE. The goal of discovering and characterizing terrestrial mass planets capable of hosting liquid water on their surfaces may now be within reach! But true understanding of the origin and meaning of the biosignatures we detect will likely require transdisciplinary research across multiple fields.
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    Beyond the arcuate fasciculus: A multiplicity of language pathways in the human brain

    Date:
    13
    Tuesday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Michal Ben-Shachar
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: michal.ramot@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Early models of the neurobiology of language targeted a single white matter path ... Read more Early models of the neurobiology of language targeted a single white matter pathway, the left arcuate fasciculus, as the critical language pathway in the human brain. Current models, supported by structural and functional imaging data, describe a more elaborate scheme of semi-parallel and bilateral white matter pathways that implement a variety of linguistic processes. In this talk, I will describe our current understanding of the language connectome, and highlight some recent additions to this scheme, including the frontal aslant tract and cerebellar pathways. I will expand on the role of ventral language pathways in extracting word structure, and on the role of dorsal and cerebellar pathways in mediating speech fluency and written text production. Our experimental approach combines diffusion MRI and targeted behavioral measurements, relating specific aspects of language processing with structural tract properties assessed in the same individual. Our findings show that cognitive associations with tractometry generalize across independent samples, languages, modalities and tasks. I will discuss the implications of our findings in the context of dual stream models of spoken and written language processing.
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    Reprogramming the topology of the nociceptive circuit in C. elegans reshapes sexual behavior

    Date:
    12
    Monday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Vladyslava Pechuk
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: devora.sofer@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Student Seminar Ph.D. Thesis Defense
    Abstract: The effect of the detailed connectivity of a neural circuit on its function and ... Read more The effect of the detailed connectivity of a neural circuit on its function and the resulting behavior of the organism, is a key question in many neural systems Here, I study the circuit for nociception in C elegans which is composed of the same neurons in the two sexes, that are wired differently I set out to elucidate how the topological design of a compact neuronal circuit affects its behavioral output, how genetic sex affects the connectivity and dynamics of a circuit, and how specific circuit components orchestrate together to establish the behavioral sexual dimorphism I used behavioral assays, optogenetics calcium and glutamate imaging, measurement of protein expression, artificial connectivity, molecular and genetic tools, and show that the nociceptive sensory neurons respond similarly in the two sexes, yet the animals display sexually dimorphic behaviors to the same aversive stimuli To uncover the role of the downstream network topology in shaping behavior, I measured the neuronal activity of a key interneuron, and found dimorphic responses to the stimulus as well as dimorphic intrinsic basal interneuron activity I then showed that neuron specific genetic sex plays a role in shaping connectivity and circuit dynamics, and proceed to an artificial subtle synaptic rewiring which flips behavior between sexes Interestingly, when presented with aversive cues, rewired males were compromised in finding mating partners, suggesting that network topologies that enable efficient avoidance of noxious cues have a reproductive " My results present a deconstruction of the design of a neural circuit that controls sexual behavior, and how to reprogram it
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    Soft Matter and Biomaterials: Membrane remodelling in viral infection and migrasome formation

    Date:
    11
    Sunday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Raya Sorkin
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Fundamental understanding of physiological processes that occur at biological me ... Read more Fundamental understanding of physiological processes that occur at biological membranes, such as membrane fusion, necessitates addressing not only the biochemical aspects, but also biophysical aspects such as membrane mechanical properties and membrane curvature. In this talk, I will show how we combine membrane model systems, micropipette aspiration, optical tweezers and confocal fluorescence microscopy to study membrane shaping and membrane fusion processes. I will describe a new tool we developed, where we form membrane bilayers supported on polystyrene microspheres which can be trapped and manipulated using optical tweezers. Using this approach, we demonstrate successful measurements of the interaction forces between the Spike protein of SARS CoV-2 and its human receptor, ACE2. We further use bead-supported membranes interacted with aspirated vesicles to reveal the inhibitory effect of membrane tension on hemifusion. I will also describe a particular case of membrane shaping during the formation of the newly discovered organelle termed migrasome. We show that tetraspanin proteins involved in migrasome formation strongly partition into curved membrane tethers, and we reveal a novel, two-step process of migrasome biogenesis.
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    Identifying and Characterizing Biocrusts Using Spectroscopy

    Date:
    06
    Tuesday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Offer Rozenstein
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. David Zeevi

    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest Seminar

    Date:
    06
    Tuesday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Materials with a twist: atomically controlled interfaces for clean energy
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof Magali Lingenfelder
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: ron.naaman@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Our society faces a critical challenge in shifting from a reliance on carbon-bas ... Read more Our society faces a critical challenge in shifting from a reliance on carbon-based energy to sustainable renewable sources. A key step towards achieving clean energy lies in developing efficient catalysts that can convert chemical energy into electricity or use electrons to generate chemical energy. In our research group, we tackle these challenges by creating customized materials that draw inspiration from nature (biomimicry) and combine principles from interfacial chemistry and surface physics. For this presentation, I focus on the process of photosynthesis as inspiration for the design, characterization, and dynamic nature of functional interfaces that drive energy conversion processes such as CO2 electroreduction and water splitting. I will also discuss the application of cutting-edge scanning probe microscopy, which allows us to visualize dynamic electrochemical processes at the nanoscale (operando imaging). Additionally, I will highlight our use of unconventional strategies that leverage chiral molecules and abundant two-dimensional materials to enhance electrocatalytic conversion processes. (References : Nanoletters, 2021, 21, 2059; Nature Comm., 2022, 13, 3356, IJC 62, 11, 2022).
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    Volatile cortical working memory representations crystalize with practice

    Date:
    01
    Thursday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Peyman Golshani
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host-Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: n ... Read more Host-Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Working memory (WM), the process through which information is transiently mainta ... Read more Working memory (WM), the process through which information is transiently maintained and manipulated over a brief period of time, is essential for most cognitive functions. However, the mechanisms underlying the generation and stability of WM neuronal representations at the population level remain elusive. To uncover these mechanisms, we trained head-fixed mice to perform  an olfactory working memory task and used optogenetics to delineate circuits causal for behavioral performance. We used mesoscopic and light bead  two photon imaging to record from up to 35,000 secondary motor cortical neurons simulataneously across multiple days and show differential stabilization of different task parameters with learning and practice of the task. We find that cortical working memory representations causal for task performance are highly volatile but only stabilize after multiple days of practice well after task learning. We hypothesize that representational drift soon after learning may allow for higher levels of flexibility for new task rules.  I will also review some of the new open-source tools developed for large-scale imaging of neural activity patterns in freely behaving animals.
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    Vision and AI

    Date:
    01
    Thursday
    June
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:15-13:15
    Title: Spaceborne multi-view computational tomography (CT)
    Location: Jacob Ziskind Building
    Lecturer: Yoav Schechner
    Organizer: Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
    Contact: karina.avadia@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: We describe new computer vision tasks stemming from upcoming multiview tomograph ... Read more We describe new computer vision tasks stemming from upcoming multiview tomography from space. Solutions involve both novel imaging hardware and computational algorithms, based on machine learning and differential rendering. This can transform climate research and medical X-ray CT. The key idea is that advanced computing can enable computed tomography of volumetric scenes, based scattered radiation. We describe an upcoming space mission (CloudCT, funded by the ERC). It has 10 nano-satellites that will fly in an unprecedented formation, to capture the same scene (cloud fields) from multiple views simultaneously, using special cameras. The satellites and cameras are built now. They - and the algorithms - are specified to meet computer vision tasks, including geometric and polarimetric self-calibration in orbit, and estimation of 3D volumetric distribution of matter and microphysical properties. Deep learning and differential rendering enable analysis to scale to big data downlinked from orbit. Core ideas are generalized for medical X-ray imaging, to enable significant reduction of dose and acquisition time, while extracting chemical properties per voxel. The creativity of the computer vision and graphics communities can assist in critical needs for society, and this talk points out relevant challenges.
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    In-Vivo Imaging Technologies for Pre-Clinical Research

    Date:
    24
    Wednesday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:00-14:00
    Title: Spotlight on Science series
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Inbal Biton
    Contact: ayelet.vilan@weizmann.ac.il

    Determining past lake temperatures in saline lake systems using fluid inclusions: an example from the Dead Sea

    Date:
    21
    Sunday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Sussman Family Building for Environmental Sciences
    Lecturer: Niels Brall
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In recent decades, various temperature proxies have been developed and further e ... Read more In recent decades, various temperature proxies have been developed and further established in the scientific community, at both low and high accuracy, however, not every method can be applied without restriction to all minerals or rocks. Evaporitic rocks, for example, are abundant chemical sediments at the Earth's surface that are deposited from supersaturated brines in marine, terrestrial, and lacustrine environments. Halite is the most abundant rock-forming mineral in this group, which during crystal formation entraps tiny water droplets (fluid inclusions, FIs) that store the chemical composition of the parent brine at a specific pressure-temperature dependent density. Such FIs are therefore excellent records of the original physicochemical conditions of the source brine. Brillouin spectroscopy (BS) is a novel laser-based technique that uses density fluctuations in FIs to directly measure entrapment temperatures and thus the initial brine temperature during crystal growth. In this seminar, the BS method will be introduced and two application cases will be presented using salt layers from the Dead Sea which were deposited during two interglacial periods. In addition to the basic principles, both the recommended sampling strategy and pitfalls along with associated limitations will be presented. The conclusion will be that the salt layers commonly deposited in the Dead Sea basin consist of two types that formed preferentially in summer (coarse-grained crystals) and winter (fine-grained crystals), which is mainly controlled by the degree of salt saturation of the lake water. Furthermore, it will be shown how (1) lake bottom temperatures have fluctuated seasonally (summer/winter), and that (2) paleo temperature trends can be reconstructed for an entire halite layer that was deposited during holomictic periods in the Dead Sea basin. This method is particularly promising for evaporites that formed near the surface if the material has not been affected by external processes such as tectonic burial/uplift, erosion, or mineral replacement.
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    “ Programmatic and Deep Learning Analysis Pipelines for 4D-STEM Materials Science Experiments”

    Date:
    21
    Sunday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Colin Ophus
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is one of the most popular mate ... Read more Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is one of the most popular materials science methods to characterize the structure and chemistry of nanoscale samples, owing to its high resolution and many flexible operating modes. In a conventional STEM experiment, we focus the electron beam down to a probe from nanometer to sub-angstrom scale, and scan it over the sample surface while recording diffracted signals which are transmitted through the specimen. STEM can also record analytic signals such as x-rays generated by the electron beam to measure composition, or energy loss of the transmitted electrons to probe the electronic structure of samples. Conventional STEM imaging detectors experiments produce only a few intensity values at each probe position, but modern high-speed detectors allow us to measure a full 2D diffraction pattern, over a grid of 2D probe positions, forming a four dimensional (4D)-STEM dataset. These 4D-STEM datasets record information about the local phase, orientation, deformation, and other parameters, for both crystalline and amorphous materials. 4D-STEM datasets can contain millions of images and therefore require highly automated and robust software codes to extract the target properties. In this talk, I will introduce our open source py4DSTEM analysis toolkit, and show how we use these codes to perform data-intensive studies of material properties over functional length scales. I will also demonstrate some applications of modern machine learning tools, to perform measurements on electron diffraction patterns where property signals have been scrambled by multiple scattering of the electron beam.
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    Non-invasive Methods for Extracting Microstructural Information from Human Tissues: Implementation in a Clinical MRI Scanner

    Date:
    18
    Thursday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr Analía Zwick
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Extracting quantitative information about tissue microstructure using non-invasi ... Read more Extracting quantitative information about tissue microstructure using non-invasive methods is an exceptional challenge in understanding disease mechanisms and enabling early diagnosis of pathologies. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a promising and widely used technique to achieve this goal, but it still provides low resolution to reveal details of the microstructure. Recently, we have developed methods to produce images with quantitative information about the microstructure based on selective probing of spin dephasing induced by molecular diffusion restriction in cavities of the tissue microstructure [1-3]. The feasibility of the theoretical method has been demonstrated so far by first-principles experiments and simulations on typical size distributions of white matter in the mouse brain [3]. As a next step towards practical implementation, we have implemented this method in clinical scanners [4]. In this work, I present the challenges and preliminary results of this implementation in both phantoms and human volunteers. These results open up a new avenue for MRI to advance in extracting quantitative, and fast microstructural information from images. [1] A. Zwick, D. Sueter, G. Kurizki, G. A. Álvarez, Phys. Rev. Applied 14, 024088, (2020). [2] M. Capiglioni, A. Zwick, P. Jiménez, G. A. Álvarez. Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 29, 2036 (2021) [3] M. Capiglioni, A. Zwick, P. Jiménez and G. A. Álvarez, Phys. Rev. Applied 15, 014045 (2021). [4] E. Saidman, A. Zwick, S. Tambalo, T. Feiweier, J. Jovicich, G. A. Álvarez. Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. (2023)
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    Deciphering microbial gene functions: insights from large-scale (meta)genomics

    Date:
    09
    Tuesday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. David Burstein
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il

    The unique life of the intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs)

    Date:
    09
    Tuesday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Yosef Shaul
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Over 20% of our proteins are intrinsically disordered (IDP/IDR). IDPs/IDRs regul ... Read more Over 20% of our proteins are intrinsically disordered (IDP/IDR). IDPs/IDRs regulate many aspects of the living cells. They are generally highly dynamic, modifiable, adaptable, and short-lived proteins. We have previously reported that IDPs/IDRs undergoing proteasomal degradation via 26S and 20S proteasomes, the latter in a ubiquitin-independent manner. In this seminar, I will show data on the mechanisms of their 20S-mediated degradation in vitro and in the cells. Using proteomic approaches, we have identified many IDPs/IDRs undergoing 20S proteasomal degradation, all bearing unique structural features shared by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) proteins. Proteasomal live imaging further highlighted the intracellular proteasomal dynamics and LLPS formation.
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    Animal and Microbial Rhodopsins

    Date:
    08
    Monday
    May
    2023
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Hideki Kandori
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Schmidt Auditorium
    Abstract: Rhodopsins are photoreceptive membrane proteins containing a retinal chromophore ... Read more Rhodopsins are photoreceptive membrane proteins containing a retinal chromophore in animals and microbes. Animal and microbial rhodopsins possess 11-cis and all-trans retinal, respectively, and undergo isomerization into all-trans and 13-cis retinal by light. While animal rhodopsins are G protein coupled receptors, the function of microbial rhodopsins is highly divergent, including light-driven ion pumps, light-gated ion channels, photosensors, and light-activated enzymes. Microbial rhodopsins have been the main tools in optogenetics. Function of rhodopsins starts in 10-15 sec, and activation of rhodopsins occurs in the protein environment that has been optimized during evolution (1015 sec). We thus need various methods to understand these events of 30 orders of magnitude in time. We have studied molecular mechanism of rhodopsins by use of spectroscopic methods. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, we showed the primary event in our vision being retinal photoisomerization. In rhodopsins, photoisomerization of retinal, the shape-changing reaction, occurs even at 77 K. Using low-temperature infrared spectroscopy, we detected protein-bound water molecules of rhodopsins before X-ray crystallography. Detailed vibrational analysis provided structural information such as our color discrimination mechanism. I will talk about our spectroscopic study of animal and microbial rhodopsins. Recent unexpected findings such as unusual isomerization pathways and temperature effects are also presented.
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    Animal and Microbial Rhodopsins Colloquium website

    Nature, nurture, and the neuroscience of parenthood

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Bianca Jones Marlin
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6957 For accessibil ... Read more Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6957 For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Introduction: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and Herbert and Flo ... Read more Introduction: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Cell Research at the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University in New York City. Her research investigates how organisms unlock innate behaviors at appropriate times, and how learned information is passed to subsequent generations via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Dr. Marlin combines neural imaging, behavior, and molecular genetics to uncover how learned behavior in the parent can become innate behavior in the offspring— work that promises to make a profound impact on societal brain health, mental well-being, and parenting. For more information about Dr. Marlin, visit www.biancajonesmarlin.com
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    Nature, nurture, and the neuroscience of parenthood

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    May
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Bianca Jones Marlin
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6957 For accessibil ... Read more Host: Prof. Ofer Yizhar ofer.yizhar@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6957 For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Introduction: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and Herbert and Flo ... Read more Introduction: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Cell Research at the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University in New York City. Her research investigates how organisms unlock innate behaviors at appropriate times, and how learned information is passed to subsequent generations via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Dr. Marlin combines neural imaging, behavior, and molecular genetics to uncover how learned behavior in the parent can become innate behavior in the offspring— work that promises to make a profound impact on societal brain health, mental well-being, and parenting. For more information about Dr. Marlin, visit www.biancajonesmarlin.com
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    Quantum computing with trapped ions

    Date:
    17
    Monday
    April
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:15
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler (QUANTUM, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz)
    Organizer: The Center for Quantum Science and Technology
    Contact: eti.shalem@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Falafel at 12:45
    Abstract: Quantum technologies allow for fully novel schemes of hybrid computing. We empl ... Read more Quantum technologies allow for fully novel schemes of hybrid computing. We employ modern segmented ion traps. I will sketch architectures, the required trap technologies and fabrication methods, control electronics for quantum register reconfigurations, and recent improvements of qubit coherence and gate performance. Currently gate fidelities of 99.995% (single bit) and 99.8% (two bit) are reached. We are implementing a reconfigurable qubit register and have realized multi-qubit entanglement [1] and fault-tolerant syndrome readout [2] in view for topological quantum error correction [3] and realize user access to quantum computing [4]. The setup allows for mid-circuit measurements and real-time control of the algorithm. We are currently investigating various used cases, including variational quantum eigensolver approaches for chemistry or high energy relevant models, and measurement-based quantum computing. The fully equipped in house clean room facilities for selective laser etching of glass enables us to design and fabricate complex ion trap devices, in order to scale up the number of fully connected qubits. Also, we aim for improving on the speed of entanglement generation. The unique and exotic properties of ions in Rydberg states [5] are explored experimentally, staring with spectroscopy [6] of nS and nD states where states with principal quantum number n=65 are observed. The high polarizability [7] of such Rydberg ions should enable sub-μs gate times [8]. [1] Kaufmann er al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 150503 (2017) [2] Hilder, et al., Phys. Rev. X.12.011032 (2022) [3] Bermudez, et al, Phys. Rev. X 7, 041061 (2017) [4] https://iquan.physik.uni-mainz.de/ [5] A. Mokhberi, M. Hennrich, F. Schmidt-Kaler, Trapped Rydberg ions: a new platform for quantum information processing, Advances In Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Academic Press, Ch. 4, 69 (2020), arXiv:2003.08891 [6] Andrijauskas et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 203001 (2021) [7] Niederlander et al, NJP 25 033020 (2023) [8] Vogel et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 153603 (2019)
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    Correlated light and electron microscopy reveal recurrent circuit motives in the zebrafish hindbrain visual integrator network

    Date:
    17
    Monday
    April
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Armin Bahl
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibilit ... Read more Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Navigation in larval zebrafish:strategies and internal representations

    Date:
    03
    Monday
    April
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Ruben Portugues
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility is ... Read more Host: Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Larval zebrafish can navigate their environment and seek conditions that meet th ... Read more Larval zebrafish can navigate their environment and seek conditions that meet their physiological needs. We refer to this process as homeostatic navigation. We use careful behavioral analysis, whole-brain imaging, and neuronal perturbations to identify the behavioral strategy and the neuronal circuitry that underlie this important behavior. In addition, I will recap recent studies from our lab, involving perceptual decision making and the identification of a heading direction network, that all together, provide insights into how the brain of this small vertebrate controls behavior across these various paradigms.
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    3D quantitative-amplified Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3D q-aMRI)

    Date:
    02
    Sunday
    April
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 16:30-17:30
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Itamar Terem
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Changes in blood vessel pulsation and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics cause cyclic ... Read more Changes in blood vessel pulsation and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics cause cyclic deformation of the brain, which can be altered by neurological pathologies. Various MRI techniques are available to visualize and quantify pulsatile brain motion, but they have limitations. Amplified MRI (aMRI) is a promising new technique that can visualize pulsatile brain tissue motion by amplifying sub-voxel motion in cine MRI data, but it lacks the ability to quantify the sub-voxel motion field in physical units. Here a novel 3D quantitative aMRI (3D q-aMRI) post-processing algorithm is introduced that can visualize and quantify pulsatile brain motion. To validate the algorithm, we tested it on a 3D digital phantom and on healthy volunteers. We also acquired preliminary data on participants with Alzheimer's disease and healthy aging controls. The results show that 3D q-aMRI can accurately quantify sub-voxel motion (of 0.005 pixel size) and has potential diagnostic value in identifying disease-induced biomechanical differences.
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    Special seminar: Simultaneous Imaging of millions of Single cells with the Xenium In situ platform

    Date:
    14
    Tuesday
    March
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Stephen Hague
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: hadas.keren-shaul@weizmann.ac.il

    Shigella flexneri vacuolar rupture : Near-native in cellulo structure-function analysis

    Date:
    12
    Sunday
    March
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:30-14:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Léa SWISTAK
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Shigella flexneri is a bacterial entero-invasive pathogen transmitted through th ... Read more Shigella flexneri is a bacterial entero-invasive pathogen transmitted through the fecal/oral route causing bacillary dysentery in humans. Shigella pathogenicity solely relies on a needle-like molecular syringe, the Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) that injects more than 20 bacterial effectors to infect colonic epithelial cells. The T3SS is composed of a basal body that controls and initiates effector secretion and a needle complex that acts as a conduit for effector delivery. The needle is capped by a tip complex that regulates whether the needle is closed or whether it secretes. Sensing of host cells by the needle tip complex induces a conformational switch that remodels the tip and activates the T3SS to form a channel, the translocon pore at the distal end. Effectors are then actively secreted, promoting cell invasion and endocytosis of the bacteria in a tight vacuole derived from the host plasma membrane called Bacteria Containing Vacuole (BCV). Quickly after entry, the pathogen ruptures its BCV and establish a replicative cytosolic niche. Vacuolar rupture consists of a first step of BCV breakage followed by BCV remnants unpeeling. The team has identified bacterial effectors promoting efficient vacuole unpeeling but the direct role of the T3SS in membrane destabilization is not clear. I have overcome these limitations by investigating the T3SS/vacuole interactions at the onset of vacuolar rupture using a novel cryo-Correlative Light Electron Microscopy (CLEM) workflow applied in situ, during the host-pathogen crosstalk. Cryo-CLEM allows the combination of high-resolution information in 3D, accessed via cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET) to functional information brought by light microscopy. This pipeline benefits from in-house custom-built genetically encoded reporter cell lines which are used to identify precise steps of the infection at high spatiotemporal resolution. Using this workflow, I collected cryo-ET data on Shigella-infected epithelial cells. I have been able to visualize the Shigella T3SS at molecular resolution providing unprecedented information. Particularly, I am looking at (i) the contact sites between T3SS and BCV membrane; (ii) T3SS morphologies depending on its activation state. Together this work will allow to precisely describe the interplay between host and bacteria processes.
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    Soft Matter and Biomaterials: “The Secret Ultrafast Motions of Protein Nanomachines”

    Date:
    12
    Sunday
    March
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Gilad Haran
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Multiple proteins function as nanomachines, and carry out multiple specific task ... Read more Multiple proteins function as nanomachines, and carry out multiple specific tasks in the cell by alternating chemical steps with conformational transitions. Single-molecule FRET spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying the internal motions of proteins. In recent years, we have been using this technique to study a range of protein machines, surprisingly finding in each case microsecond-time-scale internal dynamics. What is the role of these fast motions in the much-slower functional cycles of these machines?
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    Spatiotemporal Resolution of Conformational Changes in Biomolecules by Pulsed Electron-Electron Double Resonance Spectroscopy

    Date:
    09
    Thursday
    March
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Tobias Hett
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Proteins are highly dynamic biomolecules that can undergo ligand-induced confor ... Read more Proteins are highly dynamic biomolecules that can undergo ligand-induced conformational changes, thus often playing a crucial role in biomolecular processes. For an in-depth understanding of protein function, the conversion of one conformational state into another has to be resolved over space and time. Pulsed electron-electron double resonance spectroscopy (PELDOR/DEER) in combination with site-directed spin labelling (SDSL) is a powerful tool for obtaining distributions of interspin distances in proteins [1, 2]. It allows for measurements with Angstrom precision, but it cannot directly determine the time scale and the mechanism of the conformational change. However, coupling PELDOR with rapid freeze-quench techniques adds the time axis to the distance distribution and thus permits studying conformational changes with temporal resolution. Here, we show that the combination of Microsecond Freeze-Hyperquenching (MHQ) [3] and PELDOR resolves ligand-triggered conformational changes in proteins on the Angstrom length and microsecond time scale. It allows taking snapshots along the trajectory of the conformational change by rapid quenching within aging times of 82-668 μs, and it is applicable at protein amounts down to 7.5 nmol (75 μM, 100 μL) per time point. We applied MHQ/PELDOR to the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) of the MloK1 channel from Mesorhizobium loti, which undergoes a conformational change upon binding of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). We observed a gradual population shift from the apo to the holo state on the microsecond time scale, but no distinct conformational intermediates (Fig. 1a, b). [4] Figure 1: a) Interspin distance distributions obtained at different aging times and b) the corresponding fractions of apo and holo state. c) Free-energy profile of the ligand-induced conformational change. Corroborated by measurements of ligand-binding kinetics and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we interpret the data in terms of a dwell time distribution. The transitions across the free-energy barriers (Fig. 1c) i.e., ligand binding and the conformational change, are on the nanosecond time scale and thus below the time resolution of the MHQ device. However, the dwell time of the apo state in complex with the cAMP ligand is in the microsecond range and can be monitored by MHQ/PELDOR. [4] Literature: [1] A.D. Milov et al., Fiz. Tverd. Tela 1981, 23, 975-982. [2] G. Jeschke, Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 2012, 63, 419-446. [3] A.V. Cherepanov et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 2004, 1656, 1-31. [4] T. Hett et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 6981-6989.
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    Optical Imaging and image quantification across scales

    Date:
    02
    Thursday
    March
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Sefi Addadi
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: yoseph.addadi@weizmann.ac.il

    Horizontal cells of the vertebrate retina – From channels to functions

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Andreas Feigenspan
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Visual information is transferred at the ribbon synapse – the first synapse of ... Read more Visual information is transferred at the ribbon synapse – the first synapse of the visual system – from photoreceptors to bipolar cells and horizontal cells. Whereas multiple bipolar cell types form parallel channels of vertical signal transfer to ganglion cells, the output neurons of the retina, the molecular basis of horizontal function within the retinal circuitry remains enigmatic. We have combined electrophysiology and calcium imaging with immunocytochemistry as well as single-cell RNA-sequencing and machine-learning approaches to establish a detailed map of voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels expressed by horizontal cells of the vertebrate retina. Our results provide a characteristic molecular signature of ionotropic glutamate receptors responsible for converting photoreceptor signals into postsynaptic membrane potential changes. We suggest that local information processing in horizontal cell dendrites is accompanied by cell-wide signals mediated by activation of voltage-gated calcium and sodium channels, which generate spike-like events. Comparison across different vertebrate species indicates a common theme of ion channel expression with variations based on evolutionary distance. Correlating the spatio-temporal pattern of horizontal cell activity with the biophysical properties of ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors will provide a better understanding of early signal processing in the vertebrate retina.
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    Intrinsically Chiral and Multimodal Click Chemistry

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Han Zuilhof
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Click chemistry has revolutionized many facets of the molecular sciences, with t ... Read more Click chemistry has revolutionized many facets of the molecular sciences, with the realization of reactions that are ‘‘modular, wide in scope, give very high yields, generate only inoffensive byproducts that can be removed by nonchromatographic methods and are stereospecific”. Yet surprisingly little attention has been given to the development of intrinsically chiral click reactions (potentially enantiospecific, rather than ‘only’ enantioselective due to chiral auxiliary groups), while the modularity of many click reactions is best compared to one-dimensional LEGO. Of course, much could be done within the constraints – hence forementioned revolution – but it drove attention towards an extension of available click chemistries. Kolb, H. C.; Finn, M.; Sharpless, K. B., Click chemistry: diverse chemical function from a few good reactions. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 2004-2021. The talk will focus on the resulting investigations in the field of S(VI) exchange chemistry, with specific emphasis on two fields: a) the development of the intrinsically enantiospecific click reactions and their use to e.g. make synthetic polymers with 100% backbone chirality that combine stability & degradabbility, and b) the development of multimodular click chemistry and single-polymer studies by a combination of AFM, TEM, scanning Auger microscopy
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    High resolution in vivo NMR spectroscopy: A tale about cells, a fish and a worm

    Date:
    23
    Thursday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Andrés Binolfi
    Organizer: The Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Magnetic Resonance Research
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: To understand the functional properties of biomolecules, such a small metabolite ... Read more To understand the functional properties of biomolecules, such a small metabolites, protein or nucleic acids, we ought to study them with high resolution in their native context. NMR spectroscopy allows the direct observation of NMR-active nuclei in complex, undefined environments and can thus be employed to investigate isotopically enriched molecules inside live cells. This methodology is known as In-cell NMR and has been used to evaluate the structural properties of proteins, nucleic acids and other biomolecules in physiological environments and to resolve their functional characteristics in a cellular context. These methods have been applied to bacteria, yeasts or cultured mammalian cells. However these cells are clonally grown at high densities in artificial media, lacking the complex tissue context present in higher organisms and its associated biological activities. We funnel our efforts to extend In-cell NMR applications to in vivo conditions using zebrafish embryos and the nematode C. elegans as model organisms. We deliver 15N-isotopically enriched biomolecules, such as small compounds and proteins into fish embryos to delineate their conformational properties and enzymatic conversions. We also enrich live C. elegans with 13C atoms to directly interrogate about their metabolic compositions and enzymatic activities. Combined, these studies provide methodological advancements with regard to high resolution in vivo NMR applications.
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    Special Guest Seminar

    Date:
    16
    Thursday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Inter-organelle communication pathways revealed by imaging
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Genetics
    Contact: evi.ben-ami@weizmnn.ac.il

    Molecular MRI of brain function

    Date:
    16
    Thursday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Alan Jasanoff
    Organizer: The Helen and Martin Kimmel Institute for Magnetic Resonance Research
    Contact: ananaamat@gmail.com
    Abstract: Understanding the neural bases of behavior and cognition requires determining ho ... Read more Understanding the neural bases of behavior and cognition requires determining how mechanistically distinct processing elements combine to carry out brain function at an integrated level. In this talk, I will introduce some of our laboratory’s efforts to address this goal using a combination of molecular sensors with noninvasive wide-field imaging. In the first part of the talk, I will discuss how workhorse optical neuroimaging approaches have inspired the design of molecular MRI probes for sensing physiological variables. Some of these probes detect light, providing a means for deep-tissue MRI-assisted optical imaging. I will next introduce an alternative molecular imaging concept inspired by widely used hemodynamic functional MRI techniques. By reengineering some of the proteins and peptides involved in neurovascular coupling, it is possible to create sensitive probes for a variety of neurobiological targets. I will illustrate how this strategy can be used to elucidate patterns of information flow and neurochemically specific functional connectivity in brain circuitry, with anticipated utility for deciphering mechanisms of learning and sensory processing in rodents and primates.
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    Mapping brainstem nuclei structure and connectivity in health and disease 

    Date:
    07
    Tuesday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Marta Bianciardi
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Michal Ramot michal.ramot@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues c ... Read more Host: Dr. Michal Ramot michal.ramot@weizmann.ac.il For accessibility issues contact:naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Brainstem nuclei in humans play a crucial role in vital functions, such as arous ... Read more Brainstem nuclei in humans play a crucial role in vital functions, such as arousal, autonomic homeostasis, sensory and motor relay, nociception, and sleep and have been implicated in a vast array of brain pathologies, including disorders of consciousness, sleep disorders, autonomic disorders, pain, Parkinson’s disease and other motor disorders. Yet, an in vivo delineation of most human brainstem nuclei location and connectivity using conventional imaging has been elusive because of limited sensitivity and contrast for detecting these small regions using standard neuroimaging methods. In this talk, Dr. Bianciardi will present the probabilistic atlas and connectome of 31 brainstem nuclei of the arousal, motor, autonomic and sensory systems developed by her team in healthy living humans using structural, functional and diffusion-based MRI at 7 Tesla. She will also show the translatability of 7 Tesla connectivity results to conventional 3 Tesla imaging. Dr Bianciardi will conclude her seminar by presenting the first translational application of the brainstem nuclei atlas to investigate arousal and motor mechanisms in traumatic coma and premanifest synucleinopathy.
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    Faculty Seminar

    Date:
    02
    Thursday
    February
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:45-14:00
    Title: Computational Imaging for Scientific Discovery: From Cloud Physics to Black Holes Dynamics
    Location: Jacob Ziskind Building
    Lecturer: Aviad Levis
    Organizer: Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
    Contact: karina.avadia@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Imaging plays a key role in advancing science, from revealing the internal struc ... Read more Imaging plays a key role in advancing science, from revealing the internal structure of clouds to providing the first visual evidence of a black hole. While both examples come from different imaging systems, they illustrate what can be achieved with modern computational approaches. Computational imaging combines concepts from physics, machine learning, and signal processing to reveal hidden structures at the smallest and largest of scales. In this talk, I will highlight how peeling away layers of the underlying physics leads to a spectrum of algorithms targeting new scientific discoveries. I will focus on the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a unique computational camera with the goal of imaging the glowing fluid surrounding supermassive black holes. In May of 2022, the EHT collaboration revealed the first images of the black hole at the center of our galaxy: Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). These images were computationally reconstructed from measurements taken by synchronized telescopes around the globe. While images certainly offer interesting insights, looking toward the future, we are developing new computational algorithms that aim to go beyond a 2D image. For example, could we use EHT observations to recover the dynamic evolution or even the 3D structure? We tackle these challenges by integrating emerging AI concepts with physics models. Our hope is that in the not-too-distant future, these new and exciting prospects will enable scientific discovery and even provide a glimpse into the very nature of space-time itself in our galaxy's most extreme environment. Bio: Aviad Levis is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Computing and Mathematics at Caltech, working with Prof. Katherine Bouman. Currently, as part of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, his work focuses on developing novel computational methods for imaging black hole dynamics. Prior to that, he received his Ph.D. (2020) from the Technion and his B.Sc. (2013) from Ben-Gurion University. Notably, his Ph.D. research into 3D remote sensing of clouds is a key enabler in a novel interdisciplinary space mission (CloudCT) funded by the ERC and led by Yoav Schechner, Ilan Koren, and Klaus Schilling. Aviad is a recipient of the Zuckerman and the Viterbi postdoctoral fellowships.
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    Abstract: Imaging plays a key role in advancing science, from revealing the internal struc ... Read more Imaging plays a key role in advancing science, from revealing the internal structure of clouds to providing the first visual evidence of a black hole. While both examples come from different imaging systems, they illustrate what can be achieved with modern computational approaches. Computational imaging combines concepts from physics, machine learning, and signal processing to reveal hidden structures at the smallest and largest of scales. In this talk, I will highlight how peeling away layers of the underlying physics leads to a spectrum of algorithms targeting new scientific discoveries. I will focus on the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a unique computational camera with the goal of imaging the glowing fluid surrounding supermassive black holes. In May of 2022, the EHT collaboration revealed the first images of the black hole at the center of our galaxy: Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). These images were computationally reconstructed from measurements taken by synchronized telescopes around the globe. While images certainly offer interesting insights, looking toward the future, we are developing new computational algorithms that aim to go beyond a 2D image. For example, could we use EHT observations to recover the dynamic evolution or even the 3D structure? We tackle these challenges by integrating emerging AI concepts with physics models. Our hope is that in the not-too-distant future, these new and exciting prospects will enable scientific discovery and even provide a glimpse into the very nature of space-time itself in our galaxy's most extreme environment. // Bio: Aviad Levis is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Computing and Mathematics at Caltech, working with Prof. Katherine Bouman. Currently, as part of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, his work focuses on developing novel computational methods for imaging black hole dynamics. Prior to that, he received his Ph.D. (2020) from the Technion and his B.Sc. (2013) from Ben-Gurion University. Notably, his Ph.D. research into 3D remote sensing of clouds is a key enabler in a novel interdisciplinary space mission (CloudCT) funded by the ERC and led by Yoav Schechner, Ilan Koren, and Klaus Schilling. Aviad is a recipient of the Zuckerman and the Viterbi postdoctoral fellowships.
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest Seminar

    Date:
    31
    Tuesday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Title: Structure and ultrafast dynamics at the water interface revealed by phase-sensitive nonlinear spectroscopy
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof Tahei Tahara
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: Gilad.haran@weizmann.ac.il

    Microsecond Structural Dynamics of Protein, DNA and RNA Revealed by Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Lifetime Correlation Spectroscopy (2D FLCS)

    Date:
    30
    Monday
    January
    2023
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Tahei Tahara
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Single-molecule spectroscopy, combined with fluorescence resonance energy transf ... Read more Single-molecule spectroscopy, combined with fluorescence resonance energy transfer, has been intensively utilized for studying the structural dynamics of protein, DNA, and RNA. However, observation of the dynamics on the microsecond timescale is challenging due to the low efficiency of collecting photons from a single molecule. To realize quantitative investigations of structural dynamics with a sub-microsecond time resolution, we developed new single-molecule spectroscopy, i.e., two-dimensional fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (2D FLCS). In this 2D FLCS, we use a high-repetition short pulse laser for photoexcitation and analyze the correlation of the fluorescence lifetime from the donor of a FRET pair. The obtained information is represented in the form of a 2D fluorescence lifetime correlation map using the inverse Laplace transform. 2D FLCS can visualize the structural dynamics of complex molecules in the equilibrium condition with a sub-microsecond resolution at the single-molecule level. In this presentation, I will talk about the principle of 2D FLCS and its application to the study of the structural dynamics of protein, DNA, and RNA, in particular, the most recent study on the folding/unfolding dynamics of an RNA riboswitch. Based on the observed microsecond folding dynamics, we proposed the molecular-level mechanism for transcription control by the riboswitch.
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    Microsecond Structural Dynamics of Protein, DNA and RNA Revealed by Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Lifetime Correlation Spectroscopy (2D FLCS) Colloquium website

    "Molecules in a Quantum-Optical Flask"

    Date:
    25
    Wednesday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Tal Schwartz
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: "Molecules in a Quantum-Optical Flask" When confined to small dimensions, the ... Read more "Molecules in a Quantum-Optical Flask" When confined to small dimensions, the interaction between light and matter can be enhanced up to the point where it overcomes all the incoherent, dissipative processes. In this "strong coupling" regime the photons and the material start to behave as a single entity, having its own quantum states and energy levels. In this talk I will discuss how such cavity-QED effects can be used in order to control material properties and molecular processes. This includes, for example, modifying photochemical reactions [1], enhancing excitonic transport up to ballistic motion close to the light-speed [2-3] and potentially tailoring the mesoscopic properties of organic crystals, by hybridizing intermolecular vibrations with electromagnetic THz fields [4-5]. 1. J. A. Hutchison, T. Schwartz, C. Genet, E. Devaux, and T. W. Ebbesen, "Modifying Chemical Landscapes by Coupling to Vacuum Fields," Angew. Chemie Int. Ed. 51, 1592 (2012). 2. G. G. Rozenman, K. Akulov, A. Golombek, and T. Schwartz, "Long-Range Transport of Organic Exciton-Polaritons Revealed by Ultrafast Microscopy," ACS Photonics 5, 105 (2018). 3. M. Balasubrahmaniyam, A. Simkovich, A. Golombek, G. Ankonina, and T. Schwartz, "Unveiling the mixed nature of polaritonic transport: From enhanced diffusion to ballistic motion approaching the speed of light," arXiv:2205.06683 (2022). 4. R. Damari, O. Weinberg, D. Krotkov, N. Demina, K. Akulov, A. Golombek, T. Schwartz, and S. Fleischer, "Strong coupling of collective intermolecular vibrations in organic materials at terahertz frequencies," Nat. Commun. 10, 3248 (2019). 5. M. Kaeek, R. Damari, M. Roth, S. Fleischer, and T. Schwartz, "Strong Coupling in a Self-Coupled Terahertz Photonic Crystal," ACS Photonics 8, 1881 (2021).
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    Molecular and Cellular Dynamics Probed by High Speed Scanning Probe Microscopy

    Date:
    22
    Sunday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Georg Fantner
    Organizer: Department of Chemical Research Support
    Contact: Sidney.Cohen@weizmann.ac.il

    Reverse-engineering deep neural networks

    Date:
    19
    Thursday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Ilya Kuprov
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ananaamat@gmail.com
    Abstract: The lack of interpretability is a much-criticised feature of deep neural network ... Read more The lack of interpretability is a much-criticised feature of deep neural networks. Often, a neural network is effectively a black box. However, we have recently found a group-theoretical procedure that brings inner layer signalling into a human-readable form. We applied it to a signal processing network used in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and found that the network spontaneously invents a bandpass filter, a notch filter, a frequency axis rescaling transformation, frequency division multiplexing, group embedding, spectral filtering regularisation, and a map from harmonic functions into Chebyshev polynomials – in ten minutes of unattended training.
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    “Functional MRI Advances at the Nexus of Acquisition, Processing, and Neuroscience”

    Date:
    12
    Thursday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Peter Bandettini
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: MRI is truly unique in that contrast and acquisition can be manipulated to highl ... Read more MRI is truly unique in that contrast and acquisition can be manipulated to highlight a many tissues and physiologic processes at a wide range of speeds and resolutions. In the early 90’s, echo-planar imaging (EPI), a rapid imaging method that required specialized hardware, enabled time series acquisition of images - each collected in tens of milliseconds. Susceptibility contrast weighting sensitized the images to subtle shifts in blood oxygenation, allowing localized brain activation changes in oxygenation to be observed in near real time, thus introducing fMRI to the world. Since this breakthrough, fMRI has continued to advance in sophistication and impact. Higher fields, higher performance gradients, and novel pulse sequences and contrasts have allowed ever more subtle effects to be observed at higher fidelity, speed, and resolution. The signal became more informative as brain activation paradigms and processing methods advanced in conjunction with our deeper understanding of artifact and signal. Importantly, our insight into brain structure and function motivated and informed the experiments and, likewise, was enriched by the results. In this talk, I’ll trace the progress in fMRI, showing how the creative tension between advances in technology, processing, and our understanding of brain activation dynamics and physiology generated many of the innovations. My talk will include retinotopy, event-related fMRI, multi-echo EPI, resting state fMRI, connectivity, representational similarity analysis, decoding, naturalistic stimuli, inter-subject correlation, high field, and layer fMRI. Lastly, I’ll describe some of the technical and practical challenges facing the field today.
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    The power of ONE: Immunology in the age of single cell genomics

    Date:
    05
    Thursday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Ido Amit
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZ ... Read more Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09
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    Graphullerene: a new form of two-dimensional carbon

    Date:
    02
    Monday
    January
    2023
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Elena Meirzadeh
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The two natural allotropes of carbon, diamond and graphite, are extended network ... Read more The two natural allotropes of carbon, diamond and graphite, are extended networks of sp3- and sp2- hybridized carbon atoms, respectively. By mixing different hybridizations and geometries of carbon, one could conceptually construct countless synthetic allotropes. In this talk, I will introduce graphullerene, a new two-dimensional superatomic allotrope of carbon combining three- and four-coordinate carbon atoms. The constituent subunits of graphullerene are C60 fullerenes that are covalently interconnected within a molecular layer, forming graphene-like hexagonal sheets. The most remarkable thing about the synthesis of graphullerene is that the solid-state reaction produces large polyhedral crystals (hundreds of micrometers in lateral dimensions), rather than an amorphous or microcrystalline powder as one would typically expect from polymerization chemistry. Similar to graphite, the crystals can be mechanically exfoliated to produce molecularly thin flakes with clean interfaces—a critical requirement for the creation of heterostructures and optoelectronic devices. We find that polymerizing the fullerenes leads to a large change in the electronic structure of C60 and the vibrational scattering mechanisms affecting thermal transport. Furthermore, imaging few-layer graphullerene flakes using transmission electron microscopy and near-field nano-photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals the existence of moiré-like superlattices. The discovery of a superatomic cousin of graphene demonstrates that there is an entire family of higher and lower dimensional forms of carbon that may be chemically prepared from molecular precursors.
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    From atomic imaging and functionalizing of inorganic 2D materials to molecular imaging of organic 2D materials

    Date:
    18
    Sunday
    December
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Ute Kaiser
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In this lecture, the theoretical and technical base for atomic imaging of defect ... Read more In this lecture, the theoretical and technical base for atomic imaging of defects in inorganic 2D materials in the low-voltage transmission electron microscope SALVE will be discussed. Atomic defects can significantly change the properties of the material: Using 2D-TMDs and 2D-TMPTs and corresponding heterostructures, this is shown experimentally and verified by corresponding quantum mechanical calculations. We also use the electron beam for the targeted formation of new phases in the inorganic 2D matrix. Since the interaction cross-sections of electron beam and organic 2D materials differ strongly from the inorganic case, we explore highest-resolution imaging conditions for 2D polymers and various 2D MOFs and show that there is a trend towards lower voltage TEM as well. We may conclude that low-voltage TEM and low-dimensional materials are just made for each other.
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    Engineering Imaging Technologies and Discovering Biomarkers to Characterize Disease States

    Date:
    14
    Wednesday
    December
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Barbara S. Smith
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Details:
    Abstract: Neurodegenerative diseases are often clinically, genetically, and pathologically ... Read more Neurodegenerative diseases are often clinically, genetically, and pathologically heterogeneous. The clinical impact of understanding heterogeneity is perhaps best observed in cancer, where subtype-specificity within diagnoses, prognoses, and treatments have had a critical impact on clinical decision making and patient outcomes. A better understanding of how mechanisms are related to or drive heterogeneity within diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), will have a direct impact on patient outcomes, with a conscious effort to move towards precision medicine and targeted therapeutics for patients, which are urgently needed. For this reason, neuroscientists and oncologists have long aspired to achieve an understanding of the mechanisms governing pathophysiology. Our interdisciplinary work integrates technologies across a wide range of fields to surpass the current barriers in understanding disease pathophysiology. This talk will highlight a series of optical and photoacoustic imaging tools as well as multi-omics analysis that have been developed and studied in Dr. Smith’s lab to address the urgent need for non-invasive cancer detection and the characterization of neurological disorders. Through this work, we aim to develop translational technologies and methodologies to better characterize, understand, and detect disease pathogenesis, beyond current capabilities.
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    Using genomics to investigate radiation-related thyroid cancer following the Chernobyl accident in 1986

    Date:
    13
    Tuesday
    December
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Stephen J. Chanock, M.D.
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09

    Mapping protein conformations using EPR/DEER spectroscopy

    Date:
    12
    Monday
    December
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Stefan Stoll
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: For many proteins, flexibility and motion form the basis of their function. In o ... Read more For many proteins, flexibility and motion form the basis of their function. In our lab, we quantify the conformational landscapes of proteins and their changes upon interaction with external effectors. Using Double Electron-Electron Resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, a form of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we directly measure absolute distances and distance distributions between pairs of spin labels within proteins. From the data, we build quantitative structural and energetic models of the protein's intrinsic flexibility, conformational substates, and the structural changes induced by ligands and binding partners. In this talk, I present some of our recent results on the allosteric regulation of ion channels, the function of de novo designed protein switches, and novel methods for measuring protein conformations directly in their native cellular environment.
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    Mapping protein conformations using EPR/DEER spectroscopy Colloquium website

    Time Domain and High Frequency DNP Experiments

    Date:
    08
    Thursday
    December
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Robert G. Griffin
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has become an invaluable tool to enhance sens ... Read more Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has become an invaluable tool to enhance sensitivity of magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR, enabling the study of biomolecules and materials which are otherwise intractable. In this presentation we explore some new aspects of time domain DNP experiments and their applications. One of the main thrusts of DNP was to provide increased sensitivity for MAS spectroscopy of membrane and amyloid protein experiments. A problem frequently encountered in these experiments is the broadened resonances that occur at low temperatures when motion is quenched. In some cases it is clear that the proteins are homogeneously broadened, and therefore that higher Zeeman fields and faster spinning is required to recall the resolution. We show this is the case for MAS DNP spectra of Ab1-42 amyloid fibrils where the resolution at 100 K is identical to that at room temperature. Furthermore, we compare the sensitivity of DNP and 1H detected experiments and find that DNP, even with a modest ℇ=22, is ~x6.5 times more sensitive. We have also investigated the frequency swept-integrated solid effect (FS-ISE) and two recently discovered variants – the stretched solid effect (SSE) and the adiabatic solid effect (ASE). We find that the latter two experiments can give up to a factor of ~2 larger enhancement than the FS-ISE. The SSE and ASE experiments should function well at high fields. Finally, we discuss two new instrumental advances. First, a frequency swept microwave source that permits facile investigation of field profiles. It circumvents the need for a B0 sweep coil and the compromise of field homogeneity and loss of helium associated with such studies. This instrumentation has permitted us to elucidate the polarization transfer mechanism of the Overhauser effect, and also revealed interesting additional couplings (ripples) in field profiles of cross effect polarizing agents. Second, to improve the spinning frequency in DNP experiments, we have developed MAS rotors laser machined from single crystal diamonds. Diamond rotors should permit higher spinning frequencies, improved microwave penetration, and sample cooling.
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    The annual IsSDB symposium: Imaging development

    Date:
    08
    Thursday
    December
    2022
    Conference
    Time: 08:00
    Location: David Lopatie Conference Centre
    Contact: oren.schuldiner@weizmann.ac.il

    M.Sc thesis defense: "Self-Integrating Memories Based on Guided Nanowires"

    Date:
    24
    Thursday
    November
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Building
    Lecturer: Omri Ron
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Neuromorphic computing designs have an important role in the modern ‘big data ... Read more Neuromorphic computing designs have an important role in the modern ‘big data’ era, as they are suitable for processing large amount of information in short time, eliminating the von Neumann (VN) bottleneck. The neuromorphic hardware, taking its inspiration from the human brain, is designed to be used for artificial intelligence tasks via physical neural networks, such as speech or image recognition, bioinformatics, visual art processing and much more. The memristor (memory + resistor), is one of the promising building blocks for this hardware, as it mimics the behavior of a human synapse, and can be used as an analog non-volatile memory. The memristor has been proven as a viable memory element and has been used for constructing resistive random access memory (RRAM) as a replacement for current VN hardware. However, the mechanism of operation and the conducting bridge formation mechanisms in electrochemical metallization memristors still require further investigation. A planar single-nanowire (NW) based memristor is a good solution for elucidating the mechanism of operation, thanks to the high localization of switching events, allowing in-situ investigation as well as post-process analysis. Our group, which has developed the guided-growth approach to grow guided planar NWs on different substrates, has used this method to integrate guided epitaxial NWs into functional devices such as field-effect transistors (FETs), photodetectors and even address decoders. However, the guided-growth approach has not been used for creating memristors up to date. In this work, I successfully synthesized guided NWs of two metal-oxides on flat and faceted sapphire substrates – ZnO and β-Ga2O3 were successfully grown in the VLS mechanism as surface guided NWs. I successfully grew planar guided β-Ga2O3 NWs on six different sapphire substrates, for the first time as far as we know. We characterized the newly grown β-Ga2O3 NWs with SEM, TEM, EDS and Raman spectroscopy. The monoclinic NWs grew along surprising directions on the flat sapphire surfaces and I demonstrated a new mode of growth – epitaxy favored growth on a faceted surface, when graphoepitaxy is also possible. I created electrochemical metallization memristors with the obtained NWs and successfully demonstrated the effect of resistive switching for β-Ga2O3 guided NW based devices. With the abovementioned achievements, we expanded the guided-growth approach on flat and faceted sapphire surfaces, and opened the opportunity for creating surface guided-NW based neuromorphic hardware.
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    Molecular maps for odor processing in the mouse olfactory system

    Date:
    22
    Tuesday
    November
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Alexander Fleischmann
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host-Dr. Michal Ramot michal.ramot.weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: We are interested in the organization and function of neural circuits for sensor ... Read more We are interested in the organization and function of neural circuits for sensory processing and behavior. A main goal of the lab is to integrate complementary approaches of system interrogation: we study the molecular diversity of cell types, their connectivity and functional properties; we investigate network dynamics and core computational principles; and we explore how learning and experience shapes behavioral decisions. I will discuss ongoing work aimed at characterizing molecular maps for odor processing in the mouse olfactory bulb. I will present preliminary data using spatial transcriptomics to generate a comprehensive map of glomerular identity and domain structure of the olfactory bulb. Furthermore, I will discuss single cell sequencing experiments and gene regulatory network models that define the diversity and connectivity of olfactory bulb projection neurons. I will try to illustrate how the early olfactory system of mice provides an ideal model system to integrate molecular biology, functional imaging, and behavioral experiments to address fundamental questions in sensory processing and behavior.
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    "In search for speed and resolution in (functional) neuroimaging at 7T and up"

    Date:
    03
    Thursday
    November
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Benedikt A Poser
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: 7T MRI has proven itself as a great tool for neuroscientific investigation and h ... Read more 7T MRI has proven itself as a great tool for neuroscientific investigation and has been embraced by many researchers for both structural and functional neuroimaging. This talk will focus on acquisition for functional MRI at UHF. Gradient-echo BOLD fMRI is a long- and well-established tool for mapping brain activation in general neuroscience applications, owing to its robustness, acquisition speed and high sensitivity. With the signal change being driven by local deoxyhemoglobin content as a composite effect of the blood flow (CBF), blood volume (CBV) and oxygen uptake (CMRO2) response to neuronal activation, there is an overall weighting towards the draining vasculature as we go up in field strength. The super-linear sensitivity gains with B0 thus come at the expense of specificity, and this makes alternative measures such CBV or CBF more attractive, especially when aiming to resolve activation to laminar or columnar details with submillimetre resolutions. Making these techniques routinely useful, however, poses new acquisition-methodological challenges. In this talk I will discuss some of the advances in non-BOLD and non-echo-planar fMRI acquisition, with some focus on lifting the coverage limitations of VASO fMRI and CBF/ASL with parallel imaging, as well as non-Cartesian approaches to CBV and CBF measurement. Finally, I will touch on the topic of parallel RF transmission which undoubtedly play a role in future methodology and once more operator- and researcher-friendly implementations are available
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    "Using DEER and RIDME for studies of proteins and nucleic acids"

    Date:
    27
    Thursday
    October
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr Janet Lovett
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Abstract: Pulsed dipolar spectroscopy methods like DEER and RIDME are proving u ... Read more Abstract: Pulsed dipolar spectroscopy methods like DEER and RIDME are proving useful for solving hitherto unsolvable problems in structural biology. However, these methods are still being developed and improved upon. The work I shall present will be some improvements we are making to the methods and methodology within our lab. These range from investigating limits or new measurement regimes, to exploring new spin labelling methods. Some recent work-in-progress results will be shown on a range of biological samples including calmodulin, RNA and peptides.
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    Pulsed Dipolar EPR Spectroscopy: Following Conformational Changes of Biomacromolecules with Time and In Cells

    Date:
    22
    Thursday
    September
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Olav Schiemann
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: The function of biomacromolecules is linked to their structure and dynamics. Pul ... Read more The function of biomacromolecules is linked to their structure and dynamics. Pulsed Dipolar Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (PDS) in combination with site directed spin labeling is a versatile tool to resolve the involved conformational changes in proteins, nucleic acids and their complexes. In the talk, this will be demonstrated on example of CRISPR/Cas 13a. However, the PDS measurements are usually done in the frozen state, meaning that the time scale of the conformational change is lost. We therefore combined PDS with a Microsecond freeze HyperQuench (MHQ) setup by which we were able to resolve the movement of an -helix with microsecond time and Angstrom length resolution. Finally, it is highly desirable to follow the conformational change under as natural conditions as possible, meaning within cells and at natural concentrations. We address this challenge by using a new type of label, i.e., trityl radicals, which are stable within cells and enable recording PDS data of biomacromolecule within cells down to nanomolar concentrations.
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    "Ultrafast charge transfer in heterostructures of two-dimensional materials"

    Date:
    23
    Tuesday
    August
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Giulio Cerullo
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Heterostructures (HS) of two-dimensional materials offer unlimited possibilit ... Read more Heterostructures (HS) of two-dimensional materials offer unlimited possibilities to design new materials for applications to optoelectronics and photonics. In such HS the electronic structure of the individual layers is well retained because of the weak interlayer van der Waals coupling. Nevertheless, new physical properties and functionalities arise beyond those of their constituent blocks, depending on the type and the stacking sequence of layers. In this presentation we use high time resolution ultrafast transient absorption (TA) and two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) to resolve the interlayer charge scattering processes in HS. We first study a WSe2/MoSe2 HS, which displays type II band alignment with a staggered gap, where the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum are in the same layer. By two-colour pump-probe spectroscopy, we selectively photogenerate intralayer excitons in MoSe2 and observe hole injection in WSe2 on the sub-picosecond timescale, leading to the formation of interlayer excitons (ILX). The temperature dependence of the build-up and decay of interlayer excitons provide insights into the layer coupling mechanisms [1]. By tuning into the ILX emission band, we observe a signal which grows in on a 400 fs timescale, significantly slower than the interlayer charge transfer process. This suggests that photoexcited carriers are not instantaneously converted into the ILX following interlayer scattering, but that rather an intermediate scattering processes take place We then perform 2DES, a method with both high frequency and temporal resolution, on a large-area WS2/MoS2 HS where we unambiguously time resolve both interlayer hole and electron transfer with 34 ± 14 and 69 ± 9 fs time constants, respectively [2]. We simultaneously resolve additional optoelectronic processes including band gap renormalization and intralayer exciton coupling. Finally, we investigate a graphene/WS2 HS where, for excitation well below the bandgap of WS2, we observe the characteristic signal of the A and B excitons of WS2, indicating ultrafast charge transfer from graphene to the semiconductor [3]. The nonlinear excitation fluence dependence of the TA signal reveals that the underlying mechanism is hot electron/hole transfer, whereby a tail the hot Fermi-Dirac carrier distribution in graphene tunnels through the Schottky barrier. Hot electron transfer is promising for the development of broadband and efficient low-dimensional photodetectors. [1] Z. Wang et al., Nano Lett. 21, 2165–2173 (2021). [2] V. Policht et al., Nano Lett. 21, 4738–4743 (2021). [3] C. Trovatello et al., npj 2D Mater Appl 6, 24 (2022).
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    Emergent collective coding properties in hippocampal neuronal population activity

    Date:
    01
    Monday
    August
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:00-14:00
    Title: Student Seminar-PhD Thesis Defense HYBRID
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Brain Research
    Lecturer: Liron Sheintuch
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Link:https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97167587409?pwd=TDFFYWI0ZmF5YXk0TW5oN1ZKSStndz09 ... Read more Link:https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97167587409?pwd=TDFFYWI0ZmF5YXk0TW5oN1ZKSStndz09 Meeting ID: 971 6758 7409 Password: 227875 Benoziyo Brain Research Building Room 113
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    Abstract: Populations of hippocampal neurons have been hypothesized to operate collectivel ... Read more Populations of hippocampal neurons have been hypothesized to operate collectively to support the stable maintenance of long-term memories. To test this hypothesis, we performed large-scale calcium imaging in the hippocampus of freely behaving mice that repeatedly explored the same environments over weeks. Surprisingly, we discovered that across separate visits to the same familiar environment, hippocampal neurons can collectively switch between multiple distinct spatial representations, without any apparent changes in sensory input or animal’s behavior. The distinct representations were spatially informative and stable over weeks, and switching between them required a complete disconnection of the animal from the environment, demonstrating the coexistence of distinct stable attractors in the hippocampal network. In the second part of the talk, I will present a comparison of the coding properties between hippocampal subfields CA1 and CA3 in novel environments. Place cells in CA3 had more precise and stable spatial tuning than place cells in CA1. Moreover, we showed that in CA3 the tuning of place cells exhibited a higher statistical dependence with their peers compared to in CA1, uncovering an organization of CA3 into cell assemblies. Interestingly, cells with stronger tuning peer-dependence had higher stability but not higher precision, suggesting that distinct mechanisms control these two aspects of the neural code. Overall, our results demonstrate that multiple attractor states can stably coexist in the hippocampus and suggest that a cell-assembly organization in hippocampal CA3 underlies the long-term maintenance of stable spatial codes. Link:https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97167587409?pwd=TDFFYWI0ZmF5YXk0TW5oN1ZKSStndz09 Meeting ID: 971 6758 7409 Password: 227875
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    Ph.D thesis: Pushing the envelope of high field DNP-NMR methodology towards functional materials

    Date:
    20
    Wednesday
    July
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Asya Svirinovsky
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Functional materials are the main building blocks of advanced technologies based ... Read more Functional materials are the main building blocks of advanced technologies based on energy storage and conversion systems essential for our modern life including batteries, solar cells, and heterogeneous catalysis. Improvements in materials performance and development of new materials rely on our ability to obtain structure-function correlation as well as understand degradation processes when the materials are integrated into a device. To this end, advanced analytical tools that can provide information at the atomic level are essential. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy is well suited for this task, especially when equipped with high sensitivity by Magic Angle Spinning - Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (MAS-DNP). However, to date, the majority of materials studied by MAS-DNP were non-reactive and non-conductive materials with DNP from exogenous sources of polarization such as nitroxide radicals. This approach cannot be simply extended to functional materials as the properties that stem from the material’s functionality in the device, including electrical conductivity, chemical reactivity and defects, often pose challenges in the study of the materials by DNP. In this talk I will frame the challenges associated with the application of MAS-DNP to functional materials and describe approaches to address them. Results will be presented from three ubiquitous material systems spanning a range of applications: carbon allotropes, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and metallic microstructures. We systematically investigated the deleterious effect of materials’ conductivity and formulated means to reduce the effect. We explored the feasibility of utilizing inherent unpaired electrons for endogenous DNP and applied it to probe buried phases in all-solid-state lithium-metal battery and the surface chemistry in carbons. I will show that wealth of information achieved by DNP on various functional materials, can place DNP-NMR as a preferable tool for materials scientists. Our findings are expected to apply to many other systems where functional materials are dominant, making DNP a more general technique.
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    Special guest semianr with Dr. Asaf Zviran

    Date:
    17
    Sunday
    July
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: Ultra-sensitive detection and monitoring of solid cancers using whole-genome mutation integration
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Asaf Zviran
    Organizer: Azrieli Institute for Systems Biology
    Contact: sandra.britton@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Early detection of recurrence and monitoring of Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) ... Read more Early detection of recurrence and monitoring of Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) post-surgery is critical for clinical decision-making to tailor personalized treatments across solid cancers. C2i Genomics has developed an ultra-sensitive whole-genome ctDNA test, allowing extremely accurate and sensitive monitoring of patients with solid tumors. Here we present results from applying whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and identification of ctDNA across a variety of adult and pediatric solid tumors. We integrate a genome-wide mutation and copy number monitoring approach coupled with advanced signal processing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for measuring the tumor load from low-input blood samples (~1mL of plasma) with ultra-sensitive detection. The increased sensitivity allowed clinical detection of tumor fraction down to 5*10-5 and recurrence detection sensitivity achieving >65% at the first two months after definitive treatment, enabling earlier clinical intervention for high-risk patients.
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    “Aspects of solar cell operation and reliability in High and low dimensions”

    Date:
    06
    Wednesday
    July
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Jean Francois Guillemoles
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The development of advanced photovoltaic devices, including those that might ove ... Read more The development of advanced photovoltaic devices, including those that might overcome the single junction efficiency limit, as well as the development of new materials, all rely on advanced characterization methods. Among all the existing methods optically based ones are very well adapted to quantitatively probe optoelectronic properties at any stage. We here present the use of multidimensional imaging techniques that record spatially, spectrally and time resolved luminescence images. We will discuss the benefits (and challenges) of looking into energy conversion systems from high dimensions perspective and those of dimensional reduction for improved intelligibility through some examples, mostly drawn from halide perovskite materials and device. These examples will help visit questions related to efficient transport and conversion in solar cells, as well as questions related to chemical and operational stability of the devices.
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    Using functional MRI to better understand neurodevelopmental disorders and to find biomarkers of treatment response in mental illness

    Date:
    05
    Tuesday
    July
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Keith Shafritz
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Michal Ramot michal.ramot@weizmann.ac.il tel:4417
    Abstract: Our ability to correctly diagnose and treat mental illness is limited by the ove ... Read more Our ability to correctly diagnose and treat mental illness is limited by the overlap in symptoms of many disorders, despite differing etiology. Determining the proper course of treatment is quite difficult because treating individual symptoms does not always lead to successful remission and typically involves a trial-and-error approach. Task-based functional MRI has become a highly useful tool for determining the brain regions involved in cognition and behavior in humans, with the potential to be used to find biomarkers of mental illness and treatment outcomes. Much of the research in this domain has focused on the differences in brain activation between groups of individuals with specific mental disorders and typically developing “control” groups. However, by relating brain activation patterns of clinical groups to symptom severity, developmental processes, and response to treatment at the individual level, we can determine brain-based markers that have the potential to be used as diagnostic tools in the future and to determine whether certain treatments would be helpful based on specific brain activation patterns. In this talk, I will present data from studies using task-based functional MRI in autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and childhood adversity that illustrate the potential of this technology for diagnostic and treatment purposes. I will also discuss the promises and limitations of using fMRI as a clinical tool.
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    Advanced Concepts of Super-Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

    Date:
    04
    Monday
    July
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Joerg Enderlein
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: With the advent of super-resolution microscopy, the last ~25 years have seen a r ... Read more With the advent of super-resolution microscopy, the last ~25 years have seen a revolution in optical microscopy, pushing the spatial resolution capabilities of optical microscopy towards length scales that were typically accessible only by electron microscopy. In my presentation, I will give a short overview of the different principal approaches to super-resolution microscopy. I will briefly discuss the concepts of Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy, and Single Molecule Localization Microscopy (SMLM). Then, I will focus on two specific techniques where our group has contributed most. The first is Image Scanning Microscopy or ISM [1-3]. This technique uses a simple combination of confocal microscopy with wide-field image detection for doubling the resolution of conventional microscopy. I will explain the physical principals behind ISM, and the various kinds of its implementation. Meanwhile, ISM has found broad and wide applications and lies behind state-of-the-art commercial systems such as the extremely successful AiryScan microscope from Carl Zeiss Jena. The second method is Super-resolution Optical Fluctuation Imaging (SOFI), which uses the stochastic blinking of emitters for overcoming the classical diffraction limit of resolution, similar to single-molecule localization microscopy, but with much relaxed demands on blinking behavior and label density [4]. The third method is Metal-Induced Energy Transfer imaging or MIET imaging [5-6]. It addresses the axial resolution in microscopy, which is particularly important for resolving three-dimensional structures. MIET is based on the intricate electrodynamic interaction of fluorescent emitters with metallic nanostructures. I will present the basic principles and several applications of this technique.
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    Physics Hybrid Colloquium

    Date:
    30
    Thursday
    June
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Title: The construction of the Vera Rubin Observatory and cosmological measurements of dark matter and dark energy with LSST
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Zeljko Ivesic
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: tamar.fuchs@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: 11:00 - Coffee, tea and more...
    Abstract: The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the first project to be undertaken ... Read more The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the first project to be undertaken at the new Vera Rubin Observatory, will be the most comprehensive optical astronomical survey ever undertaken. Starting in 2024, Rubin Observatory will obtain panoramic images covering the sky visible from its location in Chile every clear night for ten years. The resulting hundreds of petabytes of imaging data, essentially a digital color movie of the night sky, will include about 40 billion stars and galaxies, and will be used for investigations ranging from cataloging dangerous near-Earth asteroids to fundamental physics such as characterization of dark matter and dark energy. I will start my presentation with an overview of LSST science drivers and system design, and continue with a construction status report for the Vera Rubin Observatory. I will conclude with a brief discussion of a few Big Data challenges that need to be addressed before LSST data can be used for precise cosmological measurements.
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    Molecular design of solid catalysts

    Date:
    29
    Wednesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Alexander Katz
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: This colloquium will be divided into two applications parts, dealing with synthe ... Read more This colloquium will be divided into two applications parts, dealing with synthesis of supported molecular catalysts and solid catalysts for photoprotection. In the first of these areas, we describe a mechanical approach for stabilizing supported weakly interacting active sites (i.e. those that interact non-covalently with the support) against aggregation and coalescence. We use silica as a prototypical example of a support, and an iridium pair-site catalyst incorporating bridging calixarene ligands as an active site. Atomic-resolution imaging of the Ir centers before and after ethylene-hydrogenation catalysis show the metals resisted aggregation and deactivation, remaining atomically dispersed and accessible for catalysis. When active sites are located at unconfined environments, the rate constants for ethylene hydrogenation are markedly lower compared with confining external-surface pockets [1], in line with prior observations of similar effects in olefin epoxidation catalysis [2,3]. Altogether, these examples represent new opportunities for enhancing reactivity on surfaces by synthetically controlling mechanical features of active site catalyst environments. In the second of these areas, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with several human health pathologies and are invoked in the degradation of natural ecosystems as well as building materials that are used in modern infrastructure (e.g., paints and coatings, polymers, etc). Natural antioxidants such as vitamin E function as stoichiometric reductants (i.e. reaction with ROS synthesizes rancid oils). While enzymes such as superoxide dismutase working in tandem with catalase decompose decompose ROS to H2O and O2 through H2O2 as an intermediate, these enzymes are fragile and costly. Other non-stoichiometric commercial antioxidants that degrade ROS include hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS). Here, we demonstrate that cerium carbonate acts as a degradation catalyst for photogenerated ROS, and describe the performance and characterization of this new catalyst using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in comparison with HALS and stoichiometric reductants. Our results demonstrate catalytic antioxidant activity of cerium carbonate when dispersed in polymethylmethacrylate polymer. FTIR data demonstrate that a dispersion of 2 wt. % cerium carbonate within the polymer essentially stops degradation by photogenerated ROS, which otherwise cause oxidation of the polymer backbone, in the control polymer lacking cerium carbonate. Experiments with methylene blue dye in aqueous solution demonstrate that cerium carbonate decreases the rate of ROS degradation of dye, in the presence of UV irradiation and air by 16 fold. These effects become even more pronounced (over 600 fold decrease in rate of ROS dye degradation) when cerium carbonate is paired with a photoactive metal oxide. The mechanism involved in this latter case crudely mimics the enzyme tandem sequence referred to above. [1] C. Schöttle, E. Guan, A. Okrut, N. A. Grosso-Giordano, A. Palermo, A. Solovyov, B. C. Gates, A. Katz*, Journal of the American Chemical Society, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 4010-4015. [2] N. A. Grosso-Giordano, C. Schroeder, A. Okrut, A. Solovyov, C. Schottle, W. Chasse, N. Marinkoyic, H. Koller, S. I. Zones, A. Katz, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2018, 140, 4956-4960. [3] N. A. Grosso-Giordano, A. S. Hoffman, A. Boubnov, D. W. Small, S. R. Bare, S. I. Zones, A. Katz, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2019, 141, 7090-7106. [4] M. K. Mishra, J. Callejas, M. Pacholski, J. Ciston, A. Okrut, A. Van Dyk, D. Barton, J. C. Bohling, A. Katz, ACS Applied Nano Materials 2021, 4, 11, 11590-11600.
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    Genetic Factors & Long Range Circuit Dynamics Underlying Memory Processing-ZOOM

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Lecturer: Prof. Priya Rajasethupathy
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeH ... Read more Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421
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    Abstract: How do fleeting molecules and dynamic neural codes enable the conversion of tr ... Read more How do fleeting molecules and dynamic neural codes enable the conversion of transient stimuli into lasting internal representations? And are there unique strategies to achieve memory on different time scales. Our lab addresses these questions by bridging functional genomics with systems neuroscience to provide cross-disciplinary insights. On one hand, we perform genetic mapping in outbred mice for unbiased discovery of genes, cell types, and circuits relevant for memory across different time scales. In parallel, we develop and apply methodologies to record and manipulate high resolution neural activity from these relevant circuits in the behaving animal. In today’s talk, I will discuss how these approaches have led to new insights into the genetic contributions and long-range circuit dynamics that facilitate both short- and long- term memory.  Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421
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    To be announced

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Paula Abou Karam
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Malaria is the most serious mosquito-borne parasitic disease, caused mainly by t ... Read more Malaria is the most serious mosquito-borne parasitic disease, caused mainly by the intracellular parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite invades human red blood cells and releases extracellular vesicles (EVs) to alter its host responses. It becomes clear that EVs are generally composed of sub-populations. Seeking to identify the various EV subpopulations we subjected Pf-EVs to size-separation analysis. Multi-technique analysis revealed two distinct EV subpopulations differing in size, protein content, membrane packing and fusion capabilities. Remarkably, the small EVs fuse to early-endosome conditions at significantly greater levels than the large EVs, suggesting different destinations. Moreover, we surprisingly found that upon Pf-EV internalization into monocytes, three parasitic transcripts are transferred into the host cell’s nucleus. These findings open a new direction of investigation for understanding the role of Pf-EVs on the human host.
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    Special guest seminar with Dr. Or Shemesh

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Title: Infectious Neuroscience - Do Common Pathogens Play a Part in Neurodegeneration?
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Or Shemesh
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Neuroscience
    Contact: Bosmat.kariti@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) is a usual suspect when it comes to Alzheimer's d ... Read more Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) is a usual suspect when it comes to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and its DNA and RNA were found in the brains and serological samples of AD patients. Such molecular presence of HSV-1 in AD is especially intriguing as HSV-1 virions are rarely detected in AD brains. To follow the molecular footsteps detected, we imaged viral proteins in postmortem human AD brains at superior resolution using expansion microscopy, a tissue manipulation method that physically expands the samples by a factor of 4.5x, allowing a 40 nm imaging resolution, and immunolabeled herpetic proteins, AD pathologies and cell markers. We found an abundance of herpetic proteins, previously undetectable with standard methods, across large brain areas. Importantly, we found that HSV-1 proteins strongly co-localized with AD pathologies. Consequently, we hypothesized that expression of HSV-1 proteins during latency may be linked to AD pathology. We are now in the process of characterizing the HSV-1 proteome in AD brains by imaging key proteins in expanded AD brain slices and examining their colocalization with AD pathologies across brain areas and disease stages. As a complementary system to the fixed human brain slices, we are exposing live human brain organoids, to HSV-1, and imaging the relationships between viral proteins and the formation of AD pathologies via expansion microscopy. Pathogens may be triggers of immune responses driving AD; this study would shed light on one common pathogen, HSV-1, while serving as a framework to unveiling molecular causation between infectious agents and AD hallmarks.
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    Sugar: A gut choice

    Date:
    21
    Tuesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Diego V. Bohórquez, Ph.D.
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Animals distinguish sugars from non-nutritive sweeteners even in the absence of ... Read more Animals distinguish sugars from non-nutritive sweeteners even in the absence of sweet taste. This hidden sugar sense seems to reside in the gut, but the cells and neural circuits are unknown. In 2018, the Bohórquez Laboratory discovered a neural circuit linking the gut to the brain in one synapse. The neural circuit is formed between neuropod cells in the gut and the vagus nerve. This neural circuit is essential to convey sensory cues from sugars. In 2020, the Bohórquez Laboratory discovered using a new fiber optic technology along with optogenetics, that animals rely on neuropod cells to distinguish sugars from non-caloric sweeteners. Much like the brain relies on retinal cone cells to see color, gut neuropod cells help the brain’s choose sugar over non-caloric sweeteners.
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    Coupled Colloidal Quantum Dot Molecules

    Date:
    20
    Monday
    June
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Uri Banin
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Colloidal semiconductor Quantum Dots (CQDs) containing hundreds to thousands of ... Read more Colloidal semiconductor Quantum Dots (CQDs) containing hundreds to thousands of atoms have reached an exquisite level of control, alongside gaining fundamental understanding of their size, composition and surface-controlled properties, leading to their technological applications in displays and in bioimaging. Inspired by molecular chemistry, deeming CQDs as artificial atom building blocks, how plentiful would be the selection of composition, properties and functionalities of the analogous artificial molecules? Herein we introduce the utilization of CQDs as basic elements in nanocrystal chemistry for construction of coupled colloidal nanocrystals molecules. Focusing on the simplest form of homodimer quantum dots (QDs), analogous to homonuclear diatomic molecules, we introduce a facile and powerful synthesis strategy with precise control over the composition and size of the barrier in between the artificial atoms to allow for tuning the electronic coupling characteristics and their optical properties. This sets the stage for nanocrystals chemistry to yield a diverse selection of coupled CQD molecules utilizing the rich collection of artificial atom core/shell CQD building blocks. Such CQD molecules are of relevance for numerous applications including in displays, photodetection, biological tagging, electric field sensing and quantum technologies.
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    Membrane shaping by the BAR domain superfamily proteins and the extracellular vesicles by the shedding of filopodia

    Date:
    13
    Monday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Shiro Suetsugu
    Organizer: Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZ ... Read more Meeting URL: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09
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    Multiplexed imaging of endogenous molecular beacons with MRI

    Date:
    09
    Thursday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Moriel Vandsburger
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Novel treatments that are under development for heart failure, metabolic disorde ... Read more Novel treatments that are under development for heart failure, metabolic disorders, kidney disease, and other debilitating illnesses generally target specific molecular and cellular mechanisms of action. However, assessment of such treatments is often complicated by the lack of easily measurable blood biomarkers, and a reliance upon repeated tissue biopsy. Subsequently, many exploratory studies utilize non-invasive imaging methods to characterize changes in whole organ structure and function as surrogate markers for underlying cellular and molecular changes. Although such measurements can be performed serially, such macro-level imaging measurements are often insensitive to physiologically meaningful treatment responses. In addition, the lack of target specificity represents a fundamental barrier both in pre-clinical development and clinical trials where the information potentially gleaned from a more physiologically rich data set would be of high value to further therapeutic development. My primary research interest is in using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a platform technology for non-invasive and multiplexed molecular imaging in heart and kidney failure. Using a first principles approach, my group seeks to unify changes in myocardial and kidney MRI physics properties with advanced pulse sequence design and analysis in order to enable integrative physiological imaging that both identifies mechanisms of failure earlier than existing diagnostics, and directly measures the impacts of new therapies on their intended therapeutic targets. Using a process of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) we have designed pre-clinical methods to quantify viral carriers of somatic cell gene editing machinery, gene transfer following adeno associated viral gene therapy, and to longitudinally quantify cell survival/proliferation following intra-myocardial implantation in mouse models of regenerative cell therapy. In addition, cardiac CEST approaches for imaging of myocardial creatine and fibrosis using endogenous contrast mechanisms have been translated from mouse models to clinical application in obese adults and renal failure patients on routine hemodialysis. Most recently we have developed methods to probe renal physiology and failure based on endogenous CEST contrast generated by urea. When integrated, these approaches can enable serially non-invasive and multi-scale analysis from the level of gene expression up to whole organ function in disease settings that currently have limited non-invasive molecular tools.
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    On discovery and sensitivity in (photo)catalysis

    Date:
    07
    Tuesday
    June
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Frank Glorius
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Catalysis is a key technology, since it allows for increased levels of selectivi ... Read more Catalysis is a key technology, since it allows for increased levels of selectivity and efficacy of chemical transformations. While significant progress can be made by rational design or engineered step-by-step improvements, many pressing challenges in the field require the discovery of new and formerly unexpected results. Arguably, the question “How to discover?” is at the heart of the scientific process. In this talk, (smart) screening strategies for accelerated discovery and improved reproducibility will be presented, together with new photocatalytic transformations. In addition, two other exciting areas will be addressed: N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are powerful ligands in catalysis due to their strong electron-donating properties and their ability to form very stable bonds to transition metals. In addition, they can stabilize and modify nanoparticles or flat metals surfaces, outperforming established phosphine or thiol ligands regarding structural flexibility, electron-donating properties and stability. Current research is highly interdisciplinary and focusses on the basic understanding of the binding mode, mobility and the elucidation of the impact on the surface properties. Exciting applications in materials science, heterogeneous catalysts and beyond are within reach. Biological membranes and their constituents are some of the most important and fundamental building blocks of life. However, their exact role in many essential cellular processes as well as in the development of diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer's is still not very well understood. Thus, we design, synthesize and evaluate imidazolium-based lipid analogs that can integrate into biological membranes and can be used as probes for live cell imaging or to manipulate membranes.
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    Mapping the Arabidopsis Metabolic Landscape by Untargeted Metabolomics at Different Environmental Conditions

    Date:
    31
    Tuesday
    May
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Yariv Brotman
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il

    Fast multimodal imaging of brain dynamics underlying sleep and wakefulness

    Date:
    17
    Tuesday
    May
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: On ZOOM
    Lecturer: Dr. Laura Lewis
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: ZOOM Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeH ... Read more ZOOM Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421
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    Abstract: When we fall asleep, brain function and physiology are rapidly transformed. Unde ... Read more When we fall asleep, brain function and physiology are rapidly transformed. Understanding the neural basis of sleep requires imaging methods that can capture multiple aspects of brain physiology at fast timescales. We develop approaches for analyzing human brain physiology using multimodal neuroimaging, and apply them to investigate the neural origins and consequences of sleep. We found that accelerated methods for fMRI can enable imaging subsecond neural dynamics throughout the human brain. We applied these methods to investigate the neural dynamics that occur at state transitions, and identified temporal sequences within thalamocortical networks that precede the moment of awakening from sleep. In addition, we developed a method to image cerebrospinal fluid flow, and discovered large waves of fluid flow that appear in the sleeping human brain. Together, these studies highlight the new biological information that can be extracted from fast fMRI data, and use this approach to discover neurophysiological dynamics unique to the sleeping brain. Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421
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    The awesome power of fluorine NMR - from drugs to cells

    Date:
    12
    Thursday
    May
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Angela M. Gronenborn
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a versatile tool for probing st ... Read more Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a versatile tool for probing structure, dynamics, folding, and interactions at atomic resolution. While naturally occurring magnetically active isotopes, such as 1H, 13C, or 15N, are most commonly used in biomolecular NMR, with 15N and 13C isotopic labeling routinely employed at the present time, 19F is a very attractive and sensitive alternative nucleus, which offers rich information on biomolecules in solution and in the solid state. This presentation will summarize the unique benefits of solution and solid-state 19F NMR spectroscopy for the study of biomolecular systems. Particular focus will be placed on the most recent studies and on unique and important potential applications of fluorine NMR methodology.
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    Ambient Imaging of Biological Samples Using Nanospray Desorption Electrospray Ionization (nano-DESI) Mass Spectrometry

    Date:
    10
    Tuesday
    May
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Prof. Julia Laskin
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: Uwe.Heinig@weizmann.ac.il

    Probing Biomolecular Dynamics with Single-Molecule Spectroscopy

    Date:
    02
    Monday
    May
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Hagen Hofmann
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Explaining organisms in terms of the jiggling and wiggling of atoms is a central ... Read more Explaining organisms in terms of the jiggling and wiggling of atoms is a central goal in molecular biology. Yet, the dynamics of proteins with their sophisticated three-dimensional architectures exceeds the capabilities of
analytical theories. On the other
hand, intrinsically
disordered proteins are often well described by polymer theories of different flavors. However, these theories do not apply to proteins in which disorder and order mix. Combining structural biology with polymer theory is therefore required to understand such biomolecules. I will discuss how optical single-molecule spectroscopy allows us to probe the dynamics of (partially) disordered proteins and complexes from nanoseconds to milliseconds. I will show how many weak protein-protein interactions can cause rugged energy landscapes that slow-down dynamics by orders of magnitude. In the second part, I will discuss how we envision to bridge scales between molecules and cells at the example of a cellular phenotype switch that requires a dynamic interplay between proteins and DNA. While single-molecule tools to probe the kinetics of biomolecules are well developed, similar approaches to study the dynamics of cellular processes such as gene expression are scarce. In the final part of my talk I will therefore present a new approach to tackle this problem using single-particle tracking
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    Magnetic Resonance “Colors”: Design and Implementation in Materials and Life Sciences

    Date:
    25
    Monday
    April
    2022
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Amnon Bar-Shir
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Luminescent materials with their rich color palettes have revolutionized both sc ... Read more Luminescent materials with their rich color palettes have revolutionized both science and technology through the ability to distinguish between spectrally resolved colors for a wide range of applications from sensing to molecular steganography through high-end electronics and biomedical imaging. Yet, light-based colors suffer from limitations, such as strong scattering and absorbance in opaque media, restricted spectral resolution, photo-bleaching, intolerance for color-palette extendibility and more. Amongst the diverse capabilities and many advantages of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (spectroscopy and imaging) several are unique, e.g., the sensitivity of the chemical shifts to the chemical environment, the penetrateability of MR signals across opaque objects and the ability to produce three dimensional images of studied subjects. Here, I discuss our recent developments of molecular probes that are capable to generate artificial MR-based colors. To this end, we use synthetic chemistry, nanofabrication, and protein engineering approaches to generate novel molecular formulations (small molecules, nanocrystals (NCs), supramolecular assemblies and proteins) as MRI sensors with unique, advantageous properties (sensitivity, specificity, orthogonality, etc.). I will also discuss how the very same molecular probes can be used to better understand fundamental scientific questions in supramolecular chemistry (e.g., kinetic features of dynamically exchanging molecular systems) and materials science (e.g., understanding and controlling NCs’ formation pathways).
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    Complex biogenic crystals made by unicellular algae are constructed with simple principles

    Date:
    29
    Tuesday
    March
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Title: Member Seminar
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Emanuel Avrahami
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Assaf Gal
    Abstract: Coccoliths are exoskeletal plates, made of highly complex microscopic calcite (C ... Read more Coccoliths are exoskeletal plates, made of highly complex microscopic calcite (CaCO3) crystals with astonishing morphological variety, produced by unicellular algae called Coccolithophores. For decades, their complexity has made coccolith fabrication and its controls alluring to scientists from different fields. Coccoliths grow intracellularly in a specialized vesicle where they presumably interact with chiral additives in a stereospecific manner. Such specific interactions are thought to give rise to numerous crystallographic faces, that convey ultrastructural chirality and convolutedness. We investigated the large coccoliths of Calcidiscus leptoporus by extracting them from within the cells along their growth, imagining them with various electron microscopy techniques at high resolution, and rendering their 3D structure. Our morphological analysis revealed that as the crystals mature, they transition from isotropic rhombohedra to highly anisotropic shapes, while expressing only a single set of crystallographic faces. This observation profoundly challenges the involvement of chiral modifiers. The crystals’ growth pattern showed that their shape is attained via differential growth rates of symmetry related facets with. Additionally, the rhombohedral geometry of the crystals appears to convey ultrastructural chirality in initial coccolith assembly stages. These findings change our understanding of biological control over complex crystal construction and mechanistically simplify the system in which they emerge.
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    Four disruptive technologies that are revolutionizing sensing of the oceans

    Date:
    20
    Sunday
    March
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: Sussman Family Building for Environmental Sciences
    Lecturer: Emmanuel Boss
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The maker movement (cheap electronics + sharing), automated microscopy, autonom ... Read more The maker movement (cheap electronics + sharing), automated microscopy, autonomous platforms and small footprint satellites have been revolutionizing oceanography, opening a variety of new avenues for research and requiring a different education model. In this talk I will summarize a few activities my lab has been involved in that are associated with these disruptive technologies and why I am very optimistic for the future of our field in the coming years.
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    Diverse mechanisms of adaptive flexibility discovered by multi-species analysis of stomatal development

    Date:
    24
    Thursday
    February
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98989152393?pwd=a050Mm4rSlEwb2hLN1FiKy9oT24xdz09 Password: 002663
    Lecturer: Dr. Ido Nir
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: merav.hagag@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Asaph Aharoni
    Abstract: An essential trait of plants is the ability to change intrinsic programs to alig ... Read more An essential trait of plants is the ability to change intrinsic programs to align with external signals. Plants can sense their environment and respond by refining their development program. A good example of sensing and response is the behavior of stomata. Plant stomata optimize the assimilation of carbon dioxide (CO2) for use in photosynthesis while minimizing water loss. They do this in two ways: by physiological control of when they are open or closed and by developmental regulation of their abundance and pattern. Both modes of control can be regulated by the environment, and as we face future climate change, with an increase in average global temperatures and water limitation, the understanding of how plants optimize stomatal production and patterns with the environment has fundamental importance. Our fullest understanding of the genetic control of stomatal development is from work in Arabidopsis. Here, development involves a core set of transcription factors whose expression and activity are regulated by signals from neighbor cells, from distant parts of the plant and from environmental cues like light, temperature, osmotic stress, and CO2 levels. But while Arabidopsis is a powerful model for stomatal development, this research showed that tomatoes often lean on different cellular and genetic strategies to achieve optimal stomatal distributions. Using novel genetically encoded reporters and custom microscopy for developmental time-course analysis, we found that, like in Arabidopsis, tomato undergoes a series of asymmetric and symmetric cell divisions to produce stomata. However, we found that not all asymmetric divisions (ACDs) are the same; certain classes of ACDs are missing in the tomato epidermis, and instead other types of ACDs are used to generate non-stomatal cells. ACDs have been shown in both plant and animal systems to enable tunable development. This findings in tomato indicate that there are new types of ACDs that could mediate species-specific control of cell production and tissue organization.
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    Intravital microscopy of the protection mechanisms that clear mutations in intestinal and breast tissues

    Date:
    17
    Thursday
    February
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Jacco van Rheenen
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09

    Distributed views across media: From space to ocean-depths

    Date:
    13
    Sunday
    February
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/7621438333?pwd=c0lpdlQzYSthellXWG9rZnM0ZDRFZz09
    Lecturer: Yoav Schechner
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: By economy of scale, imaging sensors can now be deployed densely and operated in ... Read more By economy of scale, imaging sensors can now be deployed densely and operated in a coordinated manner at large numbers in space, air, underwater and on the ground. Such distributed imaging systems enable multi-view setups across heterogeneous media of importance to geoscience. These create new observation modes. One outcome is 4D volumetric spatiotemporal recovery of scatterers in the atmosphere, specifically cloud content (the core of the CloudCT space mission). This is in addition to computed tomography of underwater sediment suspension and atmospheric turbulence distributions. We describe several such systems - demonstrated in the field, including both distributed imaging and the basis of the algorithms to analyze the data.
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    Effects of physical exercise and adult neurogenesis on hippocampal neural codes

    Date:
    10
    Thursday
    February
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Lecturer: Yoav Rechavi - PhD Thesis Defense on Zoom
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/93585241611?pwd=RGsxakU2aElVQ01nbUpuRjVqOWQ ... Read more Zoom link-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/93585241611?pwd=RGsxakU2aElVQ01nbUpuRjVqOWQ0QT09 Meeting ID: 935 8524 1611 Password: 243908
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    Abstract: ABSTRACT Physical activity plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy brain, au ... Read more ABSTRACT Physical activity plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy brain, augmenting memory and cognition in both humans and animals. Previous studies have identified multiple distinct molecular and cellular factors that mediate these effects, both within the brain and systemically. However, what remains unknown is how exercise affects the neural coding mechanisms that underlie these cognitive and memory abilities. In my work I addressed this question in the context of spatial cognition, and studied how chronic voluntary exercise affects the quality and the long-term stability of hippocampal place codes. I performed longitudinal imaging of calcium activity in the hippocampal CA1 of mice as they repeatedly explored initially novel environments over weeks, and compared the place codes of mice that voluntarily ran on wheels in their home cage to those of sedentary mice. As previously reported, physical activity enhanced adult neurogenesis rates in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in the running group. I found that running increased the firing rates and the information content that place cells carry about position. In addition, I discovered a surprising relationship between physical activity and long-term neural-code stability: although running mice demonstrated an overall more stable place code than sedentary mice, their place code exhibited a higher degree of representational drift when controlling for code quality level. Using a simulated neural network, I found that the combination of both improved code quality and faster representational drift in runners, but neither of these effects alone, could recapitulate my experimental results. Overall, these results imply a role for physical activity in both improving the spatial code and accelerating representational drift in the hippocampus. Zoom link-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/93585241611?pwd=RGsxakU2aElVQ01nbUpuRjVqOWQ0QT09 Meeting ID: 935 8524 1611 Password: 243908
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    Dissecting temperature sensing and epigenetic switching using mathematical modelling and experiments

    Date:
    08
    Tuesday
    February
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30
    Title: PES Dept. Special Guest Seminar
    Location: Zoom link:https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97166592605?pwd=NVdrc1k4TDJBSXppTFY1Y0ViVzUxZz09 Meeting ID: 971 6659 2605 Password:782843
    Lecturer: Prof. Martin Howard
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr.David Zeevi
    Abstract: We are studying the mechanistic basis of epigenetic regulation in the Polycomb s ... Read more We are studying the mechanistic basis of epigenetic regulation in the Polycomb system, a vital epigenetic silencing pathway that is widely conserved from flies to plants to humans. We use the process of vernalization in plants in our experiments, which involves memory of winter cold to permit flowering only when winter has passed via quantitative epigenetic silencing of the floral repressor FLC. Utilising this system has numerous advantages, including slow dynamics and the ability to read out mitotic heritability of expression states through clonal cell files in the roots. Using mathematical modelling and experiments (including ChIP and fluorescent reporter imaging), we have shown that FLC cold-induced silencing is essentially an all-or-nothing (bistable) digital process. The quantitative nature of vernalization is generated by digital chromatin-mediated FLC silencing in a subpopulation of cells whose number increases with the duration of cold. We have further shown that Polycomb-based epigenetic memory is indeed stored locally in the chromatin (in cis) via a dual fluorescent labelling approach. I will also discuss how further predictions from the modelling, including opposing chromatin modification states and extra protein memory storage elements, are being investigated. I will also discuss the mechanisms by which long term fluctuating temperature signals are sensed before being converted into digital chromatin states for long term memory storage.
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    Zoom: M.Sc thesis defense: "Investigation of the ceramic – polymer interface in composite solid electrolyte by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy"

    Date:
    30
    Sunday
    January
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:00-14:00
    Lecturer: Chen Oppenheim
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97328767376?pwd=MkZoQ0hmbVVRank0bzkxbGpqSUdYUT09 pas ... Read more https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97328767376?pwd=MkZoQ0hmbVVRank0bzkxbGpqSUdYUT09 passcode: 891716 Lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes are commonly employed for powering portable electronic devices. To expand the range of applications where Li ions batteries can be used (e.g., electric transportation), solid electrolytes are considered as a safer alternative to the liquid electrolytes and they may enable use of lithium metal anodes. In this study we focused on composite solid electrolytes which are based on solid polymer (Polyethylene Oxide) and ceramic particles (Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5P3O12, LAGP). Previous studies revealed that the highest ionic conduction path in the composites is through the interface polymer - ceramic interface. However, the chemical nature of the interface and the reason for its higher conductivity remains unclear. We aim to gain molecular - atomic level insight into the nature of the polymer - ceramic interface from solid state NMR spectroscopy. Here, I will present the development of a solid - state NMR approach that can potentially be used to selectively probe the interface. To gain sensitivity and selectivity Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), a process in which high polarization from unpaired electrons is transferred to surrounding nuclear spins will be employed. Several metal ion dopants were tested for their DNP performance in LAGP powder, and Mn2+ ions were further examined in their efficacy in the composite electrolyte. The approach was tested for selectively enhancing the NMR signal of the PEO - LAGP interface. Electrochemical characterization and in - depth solid state NMR studies provided insight into the performance of the composite and degradation processes in the composite.
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    M.Sc thesis defense: Characterization of anisotropic strain in anelstic materials by Raman spectroscopy

    Date:
    26
    Wednesday
    January
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Lecturer: Daniel Freidson
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96430042316?pwd=cjJwdFUrSEE5VnU4eVNuY08 ... Read more Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96430042316?pwd=cjJwdFUrSEE5VnU4eVNuY08wZ1F3QT09 Raman spectroscopy is used as a primary non-destructive tool for characterization of strain in thin films. It is based on the concept of the mode Grüneisen parameter, which is the ratio between the relative change in the energy of a given vibrational mode and the relative change in the unit cell volume. It has been recently reported (Kraynis et al.) that under biaxial strain, doped CeO2-films exhibit values of the mode Grüneisen parameter, which are up to 40% smaller than the bulk literature value. Doped CeO2-films are strongly anelastic, posing a question on the relation between Raman scattering frequency and anelastic strain. This work describes the way to separate anelastic and elastic contributions to the Grüneisen parameter of doped ceria thin films and show that this concept remains applicable, if only the elastic part of the strain must be taken into account. As a reference, I deposited a purely elastic yittria thin film by sputter deposition and calculated its Grüneisen parameter in a similar way. The experimental and literature values of the yittria Grüneisen parameter were found compatible, confirming that for purely elastic strain, Grüneisen parameter concept is fully applicable.
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    Direct Imaging of Planet Formation

    Date:
    16
    Sunday
    January
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/7621438333?pwd=c0lpdlQzYSthellXWG9rZnM0ZDRFZz09
    Lecturer: Sivan Ginzburg
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The vast majority of detected planets are observed indirectly, using their small ... Read more The vast majority of detected planets are observed indirectly, using their small perturbation on the light emitted by the host stars. In recent years, however, the world's largest ground based telescopes have succeeded in directly imaging the light coming from some planets themselves. I will present our comprehensive theory for the mass, luminosity, and spin of gas giant planets during their final stages of formation - when they simultaneously contract and accrete gas from a disk. I will apply this theory to the luminosity and spectrum obtained by the novel direct-imaging technique, highlighting the recently discovered PDS 70 system, where two planets were directly observed during formation for the first time.
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    Investigating the mechanisms underlying the stable coexistence of multiple maps for the same environment

    Date:
    05
    Wednesday
    January
    2022
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Student Seminar - MSc Thesis Defense - ZOOM -
    Lecturer: Alice Eldar- MSc Thesis Defense
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92871200575?pwd=WWdZbXVmM1R5RkFZYnpTajloelVTZz0 ... Read more Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92871200575?pwd=WWdZbXVmM1R5RkFZYnpTajloelVTZz09 Meeting ID: 928 7120 0575 Password: 344121
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    Abstract: Hippocampal place cells fire at a high rate whenever an animal is in a specific ... Read more Hippocampal place cells fire at a high rate whenever an animal is in a specific location in an environment and are thought to support spatial and episodic memory. When an animal visits different environments, place cells typically ‘remap’ (i.e., change their preferred locations), and when revisiting the same environment, the same spatial code reemerges. In a recent study by our lab, place cells were shown to globally remap, forming multiple distinct representations (maps) of the same environment that stably coexist across time. In that study, switching between different maps of the same environment happened only after the mice were disconnected from the environment.             Here I performed a set of experiments to further understand the mechanism underlying switching between multiple maps. My project established a way to manipulate this mechanism, both through external orientation inputs and by acting directly on the hippocampal network state using optogenetics. My results provide support for the proposed role of head-direction or other orientation signals in the switching between maps. They also support the model of maps as stable attractors, where the specific attractor (map) used depends on the initial conditions of the network. Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92871200575?pwd=WWdZbXVmM1R5RkFZYnpTajloelVTZz09 Meeting ID: 928 7120 0575 Password: 344121
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    Zoom Seminar-Neuroimaging in drug addiction: an eye towards intervention development

    Date:
    30
    Thursday
    December
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Lecturer: Prof. Rita Goldstein
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom Lindk-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeH ... Read more Zoom Lindk-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID 954 0689 3197 Password 750421 Host-Dr. Michal Ramot, michal.ramot@weizmann.ac.il tel 4417
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    Abstract: : Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive ... Read more : Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug use despite catastrophic personal consequences (e.g., loss of family, job) and even when the substance is no longer perceived as pleasurable. In this talk, I will present results of human neuroimaging studies, utilizing a multimodal approach (neuropsychology, functional magnetic resonance imaging, event-related potentials recordings), to explore the neurobiology underlying the core psychological impairments in drug addiction (impulsivity, drive/motivation, insight/awareness) as associated with its clinical symptomatology (intoxication, craving, bingeing, withdrawal). The focus of this talk is on understanding the role of the dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic circuit, and especially the prefrontal cortex, in higher-order executive dysfunction (e.g., disadvantageous decision-making such as trading a car for a couple of cocaine hits) in drug addicted individuals. The theoretical model that guides the presented research is called iRISA (Impaired Response Inhibition and Salience Attribution), postulating that abnormalities in the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex (and other prefrontal cortical regions underlying higher order executive function), as related to dopaminergic dysfunction, contribute to the core clinical symptoms in drug addiction. Specifically, our multi-modality program of research is guided by the underlying working hypothesis that drug addicted individuals disproportionately attribute reward value to their drug of choice at the expense of other potentially but no-longer-rewarding stimuli, with a concomitant decrease in the ability to inhibit maladaptive drug use. In this talk I will also explore whether treatment (as usual) and 6-month abstinence enhance recovery in these brain-behavior compromises in treatment seeking cocaine addicted individuals. Promising neuroimaging studies, which combine pharmacological (i.e., oral methylphenidate, or RitalinTM) and salient cognitive tasks or functional connectivity during resting-state, will be discussed as examples of using neuroimaging in the empirical guidance for the development of effective neurorehabilitation strategies (including cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness, and transcranial direct current stimulation) in drug addiction. Zoom Lindk-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID 954 0689 3197 Password 750421
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    Student Seminar

    Date:
    21
    Tuesday
    December
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Title: A spatiotemporally resolved single cell atlas of the Plasmodium liver stage
    Location: Wolfson Building for Biological Research
    Lecturer: Amichay Afriat
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Cell Biology
    Contact: yael.lepek@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Malaria infection involves an obligatory, yet clinically silent liver stage. Hep ... Read more Malaria infection involves an obligatory, yet clinically silent liver stage. Hepatocytes operate in repeating units termed lobules, exhibiting heterogeneous gene expression patterns along the lobule axis, but the effects of hepatocyte zonation on parasite development have not been molecularly explored. In our work, we combine single-cell RNA sequencing and single-molecule transcript imaging to characterize the host’s and parasite’s temporal expression programs in a zonally-controlled manner for the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei ANKA. We identify differences in parasite gene expression in distinct zones, and a sub-population of periportally-biased hepatocytes that harbor abortive infections associated with parasitophorous vacuole breakdown. These ‘abortive hepatocytes’ up-regulate immune recruitment and key signaling programs. They exhibit reduced levels of Plasmodium transcripts, perturbed parasite mRNA localization, and may give rise to progressively lower abundance of periportal infections. Our study provides a resource for understanding the liver stage of Plasmodium infection at high spatial resolution and highlights heterogeneous behavior of both the parasite and the host hepatocyte.
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    Student Seminal

    Date:
    07
    Tuesday
    December
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Title: Repurposing Glatiramer Acetate to Treat Heart Diseases
    Location: Wolfson Building for Biological Research
    Lecturer: Gal Aviel
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Cell Biology
    Contact: yael.lepek@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Background: Despite modern therapeutic modalities, ischemic heart disease remain ... Read more Background: Despite modern therapeutic modalities, ischemic heart disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Given the slow pace and substantial costs of new drug development, repurposing a known drug is often an excellent alternative. Previous studies in the field of cardiac regeneration and repair revealed the importance of the immune system in modulating the disease outcome. Glatiramer-acetate (GA) is a first line drug for multiple sclerosis that has immunomodulatory and reparative effects. We therefore tested its potential application for improving heart function in murine models of cardiac injuries. Methods: Murine models of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation were used to generate myocardial infarction (MI), followed by GA treatment at various time points post-injury. The treatment effects were evaluated using sequential echocardiography measurements and scar analysis. In vivo and in vitro settings were employed to determine GA mechanism of action in improving cardiac function post-injury, including FACS analysis, RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, TUNEL assay, immunofluorescence and qPCR analyses. Results: Transient treatment with GA resulted in improved cardiac function and reduced scar area in a mouse model of acute MI. In addition to its immunomodulatory function in cardiac tissue, GA induced cardiomyocyte protection, restricted cardiac fibroblast activation and enhanced angiogenesis in vivo. These effects occurred also in vitro, suggesting a direct effect of GA on cardiac cells. Importantly, GA treatment resulted also in improved left ventricular systolic function in a rat model of chronic ischemia. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the beneficial effects of transient treatments with GA in models of acute and chronic cardiac ischemia, by mediating multiple reparative pathways. As GA is known as a safe drug, it should be considered for drug repurposing in patients with heart disease.
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    AMOS Seminar

    Date:
    16
    Tuesday
    November
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:15-14:15
    Title: From Hanbury-Brown and Twiss to photon correlation enhanced spectroscopy and microscopy
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Dan Oron
    Organizer: Department of Physics of Complex Systems
    Contact: osip@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: When Hanbury-Brown and Twiss proposed to use photon correlations for stellar int ... Read more When Hanbury-Brown and Twiss proposed to use photon correlations for stellar interferometry in 1954 the idea was received with great skepticism. Yet, the use of photon correlations for various uses, from identification of quantum emitters to emitter counting grew over the years. In the talk, I will describe some of our efforts in using HBT correlations and their derivatives in superresolution microscopy and in advanced spectroscopy of quantum emitters, as well as the technological advances enabling this.
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    Systematic Discovery and Characterization of Microbial Toxins

    Date:
    16
    Tuesday
    November
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Title: Guest seminar
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Asaf Levy
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: david.zeevi@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: David Zeevi
    Abstract: Microbes use protein toxins to kill competitors and to infect host cells. Discov ... Read more Microbes use protein toxins to kill competitors and to infect host cells. Discovering new toxins and describing their function is important to understand processes in microbial ecology and host-microbe interactions. Moreover, the toxins can be used in various applications, including drugs, pesticides, vaccines, potent enzymes, etc. We study toxins in the lab by combining large-scale computational genomics and molecular microbiology. In the talk, I will tell two recent stories from the lab on microbial toxins and their secretion systems. The first study is about the mysterious extracellular contractile injection system. This toxin delivery system evolved from a phage into a molecular weapon employed by bacteria against eukaryotic cells. In the second study, I will tell about the exciting group of polymorphic toxins. These are large toxin proteins that undergo recombination to create large diversity of antimicrobial toxins. We developed methods to discover toxins from both groups, study the ecological role of the toxins, and their molecular function. These approaches led to discovery of over 30 novel microbial toxins that we study in the lab.
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    “Displacement spectrum imaging of flow and tissue perfusion”

    Date:
    11
    Thursday
    November
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. S. Michael (Miki) Lustig
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Hybrid @ Schmidt Lecture Hall Zoom : Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98 ... Read more Hybrid @ Schmidt Lecture Hall Zoom : Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98811093126?pwd=RVVDK3RieStHY3R6T0xMZndZeGIwZz09 We propose a new method, displacement spectrum (DiSpect) imaging, for probing in vivo complex tissue dynamics such as motion, flow, diffusion, and perfusion. Based on stimulated echoes and image phase, our flexible approach enables observations of the spin dynamics over short (milliseconds) to long (seconds) evolution times.
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    Ph.D thesis defense: “Structural and optoelectronic properties of surface-guided halide perovskite nanowires”

    Date:
    10
    Wednesday
    November
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Ella Sanders
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have re-emerged as exceptional semiconductor mat ... Read more Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have re-emerged as exceptional semiconductor materials for photovoltaics and optoelectronics, gaining tremendous attention in the fields of materials and energy harvesting over the past decade. Their unique properties, alongside their relatively cheap and easy production, make them excellent candidates as materials for the next-generation optoelectronic technologies. Besides their technological advantage, their soft ionic lattice and anharmonic potential, that are part of the underlying reasons for their unusual and outstanding performance, challenge the well-established models of classical semiconductor physics and provoke many scientific research opportunities and questions. In order to intrinsically study these outstanding behaviors, a simple system is requires, diminishing complexities that can arise when examining the popularly studied polycrystalline thin films that contain multiple defects, mainly grain boundaries. Over the past decade, our group has been developing and mastering the surface-guided growth of horizontal semiconductor NWs, which can be employed to grow arrays of epitaxial single crystal MHP NWs. These NWs offer a unique opportunity as a simple model-system for investigating the intrinsic properties of MHPs, due to their single crystal nature and quasi one-dimensional structure. These are especially suitable for the investigation of how lattice strain affects the materials’ properties, considering their inherent heteroepitaxial strain. The aim of this PhD work was to gain insight on the growth of surface-guided CsPbBr3 NWs, as a representative of the MHP family, and study the effect of epitaxial strain on their structure and properties. To achieve this goal, we first developed the crystal growth of the surface-guided CsPbBr3 NWs on sapphire, by a few different vapor-phase methods. We inspected their growth in situ using simple optical microscopy to try to learn how these unique materials grow. These were followed by integration of the NWs into nanodevices in order to examine their optoelectronic properties, with a special emphasis on the influence of strain on their performance. We finally exemplified a high-throughput study using an automated optical system that can probe many NWs in a short amount of time, to develop a charge-carrier behavior model based on a large amount of data. Studying the epitaxially strained surface-guided CsPbBr3 NWs provides important insight into the crystal growth and optoelectronic properties of MHPs
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    Brain-wide networks underlying behavior - Insights from functional ultrasound imaging

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    November
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Emilie Macé
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeH ... Read more Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421 Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il tel: 2995
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    Abstract: Functional ultrasound imaging (fUS) is an emerging neuroimaging tool capable of ... Read more Functional ultrasound imaging (fUS) is an emerging neuroimaging tool capable of measuring brain-wide vascular signals linked to neuronal activity with a high spatial-temporal resolution (100 µm, 10 Hz) in real-time. This technology is portable, affordable and adaptable to many species, and has already found applications in areas ranging from basic research to the clinic. Focusing on fundamental neuroscience, I will outline some of the recent technical advancements of fUS, such as the capacity to image the entire rodent brain while manipulating specific neuronal circuits with optogenetics. I will exemplify how promising this imaging technique is for shedding new light on the brain-wide circuits underlying behavior, as fUS is one of the few methods that enables imaging of activity deep in the brain of behaving mice. Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95406893197?pwd=REt5L1g3SmprMUhrK3dpUDJVeHlrZz09 Meeting ID: 954 0689 3197 Password: 750421
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    Zoom: “Fast, accessible hyperpolarization for MRI and liquid-state NMR”

    Date:
    28
    Thursday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Ilai Schwartz
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: .
    Abstract: Zoom Lecture: Zoom: : https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92362836861?pwd=Q29EMVcxaXJ ... Read more Zoom Lecture: Zoom: : https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92362836861?pwd=Q29EMVcxaXJkSE5QbWxpUEdPdGNQUT09 Passcode: 526083 Nuclear spin hyperpolarization provides a promising route to overcome the challenges imposed by the limited sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance. Significant progress in the last decades was achieved by the development of new hyperpolarization techniques (e.g. dissolution-DNP). This has resulted in the demonstration of new MRI applications utilizing hyperpolarized 13C nuclei in metabolic probes as well as promising results in hyperpolarized liquid state NMR. However, hyperpolarization for both MRI and liquid state NMR applications is still a challenging endeavor, requiring expensive hardware and imposing limitations on the experimental setup. In this talk I will present our latest developments for achieving fast, accessible polarization for both MRI and NMR applications utilizing a variety of polarization techniques: (1) For MRI applications we have demonstrated for the first time that using parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP), hyperpolarized fumarate and pyruvate can be prepared at clinically relevant concentrations (> 100mM) and hyperpolarization values up to 20% at the time of injection. In a comparative study we show that PHIP based methods can compete and even surpass both polarization and concentration levels of metabolic tracers prepared by DNP but at a fraction of the cost, complexity and preparation time. (2) Leveraging optical polarization, we developed a technique for versatile liquid state NMR hyperpolarization, achieving between 200- and 1730-fold signal enhancement at 1.45T for a range of small molecules. The signal enhancement is induced by using optically polarized pentacene-doped naphthalene crystals as a source of spin polarization. We demonstrate that rapid dissolution of the highly polarized crystal enables transfer of polarization to the target molecules via intermolecular cross relaxation in the liquid state at room temperature. Due to the extremely high magnetization of the naphthalene molecules, the cross relaxation leads to a substantial polarization buildup in the target analytes. Crucially, the polarization transfer is achieved without costly instrumentation and occurs in less than a minute inside the NMR spectrometer
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    Unraveling the microscale mechanisms driving particle degradation in the ocean

    Date:
    26
    Tuesday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96896290817?pwd=WmoxNzZSRFArL3VzNUY3bHRpZFZoQT09 Password: 230371
    Lecturer: Dr. Uria Alcolombri
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: merav.hagag@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Asaph Aharoni
    Abstract: The sinking of organic particles in the ocean and their degradation by marine mi ... Read more The sinking of organic particles in the ocean and their degradation by marine microorganisms drive one of the most conspicuous carbon fluxes on Earth, the biological pump. Yet, the mechanisms determining the magnitude of the pump remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to predict this carbon flux in future ocean scenarios. Current ocean models assume that the biological pump is governed by the competition between sinking speed and degradation rate, with the two processes independent from one another. In this talk, I will demonstrate that contrary to this paradigm, sinking itself is a primary determinant of the rate at which bacteria enzymatically degrade particles in the ocean. By combining video microscopy and microfluidic experiments to directly observe and quantify bacterial degradation of individual organic particles in flow, I will show that even modest sinking speeds of 8 meters per day enhance degradation rates more than 10-fold. I will further discuss the molecular mechanism behind the sinking-enhanced degradation, as well as possible ways by which bacteria can slow the sinking of particles. Finally, using the results obtained from a mathematical model, I will show that the coupling of sinking and degradation may contribute to determining the magnitude of the vertical carbon flux in the ocean, and will outline major open questions in the field.
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    Unraveling the microscale mechanisms driving particle degradation in the ocean

    Date:
    26
    Tuesday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Title: Guest Seminar via zoom
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96896290817?pwd=WmoxNzZSRFArL3VzNUY3bHRpZFZoQT09 Password: 230371
    Lecturer: Dr. Uria Alcolombri
    Organizer: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
    Contact: merav.hagag@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Prof. Asaph Aharoni
    Abstract: The sinking of organic particles in the ocean and their degradation by marine mi ... Read more The sinking of organic particles in the ocean and their degradation by marine microorganisms drive one of the most conspicuous carbon fluxes on Earth, the biological pump. Yet, the mechanisms determining the magnitude of the pump remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to predict this carbon flux in future ocean scenarios. Current ocean models assume that the biological pump is governed by the competition between sinking speed and degradation rate, with the two processes independent from one another. In this talk, I will demonstrate that contrary to this paradigm, sinking itself is a primary determinant of the rate at which bacteria enzymatically degrade particles in the ocean. By combining video microscopy and microfluidic experiments to directly observe and quantify bacterial degradation of individual organic particles in flow, I will show that even modest sinking speeds of 8 meters per day enhance degradation rates more than 10-fold. I will further discuss the molecular mechanism behind the sinking-enhanced degradation, as well as possible ways by which bacteria can slow the sinking of particles. Finally, using the results obtained from a mathematical model, I will show that the coupling of sinking and degradation may contribute to determining the magnitude of the vertical carbon flux in the ocean, and will outline major open questions in the field.
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    Systematic analysis of contact site proteomes reveals novel players in cellular homeostasis Maya Schuldiner, Weizmann Institute of Science

    Date:
    26
    Tuesday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Maya Schuldiner
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: To communicate and work cooperatively, organelles must come into close proximity ... Read more To communicate and work cooperatively, organelles must come into close proximity at membrane contact sites to transfer lipids and small metabolites. Despite our increasing understanding of membrane contact sites, many of their molecular components have yet to be identified, making it difficult to investigate their over-arching roles in cellular and organism function. To overcome this limitation, we established a systematic and high throughput microscopy approach to identify contact site resident proteins in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using this method, we have identified multiple new contact site proteins. I will share an example of how mechanistic follow-up on such new contact residents is leading to a new understanding of organelle Biology.
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    Joint DPPA and AMOS Seminar

    Date:
    18
    Monday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Title: Precision measurements in exotic atoms
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/93725660956?pwd=L1hOZXhkR0VLb0s4ckl0NzFqS09KUT09
    Lecturer: Ben Ohayon
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: tamar.fuchs@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: 12:10 Sandwiches and more...
    Abstract: Bound exotic systems offer unique opportunities to test our understanding of the ... Read more Bound exotic systems offer unique opportunities to test our understanding of the tenets of modern physics and determine fundamental constants. By comparing measured transitions between antihydrogen and hydrogen, we can search for CPT violation, which may explain the observed baryon asymmetry in the universe while respecting the stringent bounds on CP violation within the standard model. The comparison of the energy levels of muonium (M) with their clean theoretical prediction searches for new physics in a multitude of scenarios such as Lorentz and CPT violation in the muonic sector, and new bosons coupled to leptons. Such particles are motivated by the persistent discrepancy between the recently remeasured anomalous magnetic moment of the muon and its theoretical prediction, arguably the most promising hint to new physics in decades. In this talk I will review ongoing work for antihydrogen and M spectroscopy at CERN and PSI, and present our recent measurement of the Lamb-Shift in M, comprising an order of magnitude of improvement upon the state of the art and the first improvement to M energy levels in 20 years. I will conclude by showing that pushing M spectroscopy to its limits could independently determine the muon g-2 with enough accuracy to shed light on the puzzle.
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    Time and experience dependent evolution of hippocampal memory codes

    Date:
    11
    Monday
    October
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:30-14:30
    Lecturer: Nitzan Geva (PhD Defense)
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98861083979?pwd=Q1FmbDBYNHR2QnN ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98861083979?pwd=Q1FmbDBYNHR2QnNKSUNpeHlLdm94dz09 Meeting ID: 988 6108 3979 Password: 682422
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    Abstract: Hippocampal place cells fire in a spatially selective manner and are thought to ... Read more Hippocampal place cells fire in a spatially selective manner and are thought to support the formation of a cognitive-map that allows the association of an event to its spatial context. It has long been thought that within familiar spatial contexts, such cognitive maps should be stable over time, and that individual place cells should retain their firing properties. However, recent findings have demonstrated that hippocampal spatial codes gradually change over timescales of minutes to weeks. These finding raised several fundamental questions: What are the contributions of the passage of the time and the amount of experience to the observed drift in hippocampal ensemble activity? To what extent are different aspect of place code stability affected by time and experience? To address these questions, I conducted a series of Ca2+ imaging experiments in which mice repeatedly explored familiar environments. Different environments were visited at different intervals, which allowed distinguishing between the contribution of time and experience to code stability. I found that time and experience differentially affected distinct aspects of hippocampal place codes: changes in activity rates were mostly affected by time, whereas changes in spatial tuning was mostly affected by experience. These findings suggest that different biological mechanisms underlie different aspects of representational drift in the hippocampus. These findings add to the growing body of research suggesting that representational drift is an inherent property of neural networks in vivo, and point to the different candidate mechanisms that could underlie this drift. https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98861083979?pwd=Q1FmbDBYNHR2QnNKSUNpeHlLdm94dz09 Meeting ID: 988 6108 3979 Password: 682422
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    Deciphering the role of brain- resident and infiltrating myeloid cells in Alzheimer’s disease

    Date:
    19
    Sunday
    September
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:30
    Lecturer: Raz Dvir-Szternfeld (PhD Thesis Defense)
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97303536627?pwd=YXFQZUozb1hhMS9xY ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/97303536627?pwd=YXFQZUozb1hhMS9xY3BzOFJPZU1Vdz09 Meeting ID: 973 0353 6627 Password: 503277
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    Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder, which i ... Read more Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder, which is the most common cause of dementia. Among the key hallmarks of AD are neurofibrillary tangles, abnormal amyloid beta (A) aggregation, neuroinflammation and neuronal loss; altogether manifested in progressive cognitive decline. Numerous attempts were made to arrest or slow disease progression by directly targeting these factors, with a limited successes in having a meaningful effect on cognition. In the recent years, the focus of AD research has been extended towards exploring the local and systemic immune response. Yet, the role of the two main myeloid populations, the central nerve system (CNS) resident immune cells, microglia and blood-borne monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) remain unclear. In my PhD, together with members of the teams, using behavioral, immunological, biochemical and single-cell resolution molecular techniques, we deciphered the distinct role of microglia and MDM in transgenic mouse models of AD pathology. Using single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in 5xFAD amyloidosis mouse model, we have identified a new state of microglia, which we named disease associated microglia (DAM) that were found in close proximity to A plaques. The full activation of these cells was found to be dependent on Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a well-known risk factor in late onset AD. To get an insight to the role of MDM relative to microglia, we used an experimental paradigm of boosting the systemic immunity by modestly blocking the inhibitory immune checkpoint pathway, PD-1/PD-L1, which was previously shown to be beneficial in ameliorating AD in 5xFAD mice, via facilitating homing of MDM to the brain. We found that the same treatment is efficient also in mouse model of tauopathy and that the MDM homing to the brain following the treatment expressed a unique set of scavenger molecules, including macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MSR1). We found that MDM expressing MSR1 are essential for the disease modification. Using the same immune-modulatory treatment in a mouse model deficient in TREM2 (Trem2-/-5xFAD) and thus in DAM, allowed us to distinguish between the contribution to the disease modification of MDM and DAM. We found, that MDM display a Trem2-independent role in the cognitive improvement. In both Trem2-/-5xFAD and Trem2+/+5xFAD mice the treatment effect on behavior was accompanied by a reduction in the levels of hippocampal water-soluble Aβ1-42, a fraction of A that contains toxic oligomers. In Trem2+/+5xFAD mice, the same treatment seemed to activate additional Trem2-dependent mechanism, that could involve facilitation of removal of Aβ plaques by DAM or by other TREM2-expressing microglia. Collectively, our finding demonstrates the distinct role of activated microglia and MDM in therapeutic mechanism of AD pathology. They also support the approach of empowering the immune system to facilitate MDM mobilization as a common mechanism for treating AD, regardless of primary disease etiology and TREM2 genetic polymorphism.
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    Special seminar with Dr. Yaara Oren

    Date:
    16
    Monday
    August
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Title: Beyond Darwin: understanding cancer persister cells
    Lecturer: Dr. Yaara Oren
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Genetics
    Contact: sandra.britton@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96160519106?pwd=ZSs0NXd0WWZSaTBQTTRxSkZ5dmRvdz09
    Abstract: Despite favorable initial response to therapy, a third of cancer patients will d ... Read more Despite favorable initial response to therapy, a third of cancer patients will develop recurrent disease and succumb to it within five years of diagnosis. While there has been much progress in characterizing the pathways that contribute to stable genetic drug resistance, the mechanisms underlying early reversible resistance, also known as persisters-driven resistance, remain largely unknown. It has long been believed that persisters represent a subset of cells that happen to be non-proliferating at the time of treatment, and therefore can survive drugs that preferentially kill rapidly proliferating cells. However, in my talk I will describe a rare persister population which, despite not harboring any resistance-conferring mutation, can maintain proliferative capacity in the presence of drug. To study this rare, transiently-resistant, cycling persister population, we developed Watermelon, a high-complexity expressed barcode lentiviral library for simultaneous tracing of each cell’s clonal origin and proliferative and transcriptional states. We combine single cell transcriptomics with imaging and metabolomics to show that cycling and non-cycling persisters arise from different cell lineages with distinct transcriptional and metabolic programs. Finally, I will describe how by studying persister cells we can gain critical insights on cellular memory, fate, and evolution, which can guide the development of better anti-cancer treatments.
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    Principles of functional circuit connectivity: Insights from the zebrafish optic tectum

    Date:
    04
    Wednesday
    August
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. German Sumbre
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Takashi Kawashima takashi.kawashima@weizmann.ac.il tel: 2995
    Abstract: Spontaneous neuronal activity in sensory brain regions is spatiotemporally struc ... Read more Spontaneous neuronal activity in sensory brain regions is spatiotemporally structured, suggesting that this ongoing activity may have a functional role. Nevertheless, the neuronal interactions underlying these spontaneous activity patterns, and their biological relevance, remain elusive. We addressed these questions using two-photon and light-sheet Ca2+ imaging of intact zebrafish larvae to monitor the fine structure of the spontaneous activity in the zebrafish optic tectum (the fish's main visual center. We observed that the spontaneous activity was organized in topographically compact assemblies, grouping functionally similar neurons rather than merely neighboring ones, reflecting the tectal retinotopic map. Assemblies represent all-or-none-like sub-networks shaped by competitive dynamics, mechanisms advantageous for visual detection in noisy natural environments. Furthermore, the spontaneous activity structure also emerged in “naive” tecta (tecta of enucleated larvae before the retina connected to the tectum). We thus suggest that the formation of the tectal network circuitry is genetically prone for its functional role. This capability is an advantageous developmental strategy for the prompt execution of vital behaviors, such as escaping predators or catching prey, without requiring prior visual experience. Mutant zebrafish larvae for the mecp2 gene display an abnormal spontaneous tectal activity, thus representing an ideal control to shed light on the biological relevance of the tectal functional connectivity. We found that the tectal assemblies limit the span of the visual responses, probably improving visual spatial resolution.
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    Love the neighbor – Unraveling the tumor microenvironment using multiplexed imaging

    Date:
    08
    Thursday
    July
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Max and Lillian Candiotty Building
    Lecturer: Dr. Leeat Keren
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09

    Yes I Can ! Neural indicators of self-views and their motivational value

    Date:
    22
    Tuesday
    June
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Talma Hendler
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laU ... Read more Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Abstract: Positive view of oneself is central for social motivation and emotional well-b ... Read more Positive view of oneself is central for social motivation and emotional well-being. Such views largely depend on the known positive-bias of social feedbacks, as well as on the value one gives to social attributes such as power or affiliation. Diminished positive self views are a common denominator in depression and social anxiety, suggesting a transdiagnostic biomarkers, yet its neural mechanism is unclear. My talk will describe a series of studies using multiscale imaging and behavioral accounts and their modeling to address the interaction between self related cognition, motivation and learning from experience. Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    The interaction of valence and information gain during learning, perception and decision-making

    Date:
    27
    Thursday
    May
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:30
    Lecturer: Ido Toren (PhD Thesis Defense)
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Neurobiology Students & Postdocs Seminar Zoom link to join: https://weizmann. ... Read more Neurobiology Students & Postdocs Seminar Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92234357805?pwd=aVkrR21CSUVtVS9tSEJYRDkwOFRidz09 Meeting ID: 922 3435 7805 Password: 648092
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    Abstract: Decision making is a fundamental ability to human life. Even the simplest decisi ... Read more Decision making is a fundamental ability to human life. Even the simplest decision we make requires integration of multiple factors in our brain, such as prior knowledge, information from the environment, emotions and many more. Despite many years of research and numerous important and ground-breaking findings on how learning and decision-making are generated in our brain, a lot of knowledge is still required for a comprehensive understanding of it. My research initiated from the motivation to understand the unique contribution of valence (rewards and punishments) – when presented as feedback during learning – to perception and decision-making. For that purpose, I studied multiple groups of individuals under different experimental conditions created to elucidate behavioral and neural responses to rewards and punishments. I asked how prediction errors (PE, the difference between expected and received outcomes) bias the perception of time, and how valence and information from feedback, factors that are often indistinguishable, differently guide decision making in a multi-choice environment. Using functional MRI and computational models, I found that positive and negative PEs, known to drive learning, bias the perception of time in opposite directions. Positive PEs induce change in the perceived time so it seems longer compared to a neutral condition (no PE). In contrast, when a negative PE is detected, time is perceived to be shorter. My results identify the Putamen, a structure that receives dopaminergic projections and is involved in time perception, as the brain region that likely drives this bias and underlies the interaction between time perception and prediction-errors. In addition, I demonstrated that knowing the outcome valence in advance can enable an information-based decision making, namely one that is not affected by the valence itself and is driven only by the information available in the environment. Because uncertainty regarding choice increases when more options are available to choose from, a ‘right’ feedback provides more information to the learning process, compared to a ‘wrong’ feedback. This was accompanied by a differential activation in the ACC, PFC and striatum. Importantly, in this context, punishment avoidance is equally rewarding, and indeed I found that choice behavior and the neural networks underlying choice and feedback processing are similar in the two scenarios – for punishments and rewards. Overall, my work develops and suggests computational and neural mechanisms for specific roles of the information carried by prediction-errors. These findings can enhance our understanding of the fundamental roles of valence and information gain during learning and decision making. Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92234357805?pwd=aVkrR21CSUVtVS9tSEJYRDkwOFRidz09 Meeting ID: 922 3435 7805 Password: 648092
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    Technologies for all-optical interrogation of neural circuits in behaving animalsTechnologies for all-optical interrogation of neural circuits in behaving animals

    Date:
    25
    Tuesday
    May
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Adam Packer
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laU ... Read more Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Abstract: Neural circuits display complex spatiotemporal patterns of activity on the milli ... Read more Neural circuits display complex spatiotemporal patterns of activity on the millisecond timescale during behavior. Understanding how these activity patterns drive behavior is a fundamental problem in neuroscience, and remains a major challenge due to the complexity of their spatiotemporal dynamics. The ability to manipulate activity in genetically defined sets of neurons on the millisecond timescale using optogenetics has provided a powerful new tool for making causal links between neuronal activity and behavior. I will discuss novel approaches that combine simultaneous two-photon calcium imaging and two-photon targeted optogenetic photostimulation with the use of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to provide ‘all-optical’ readout and manipulation of the same neurons in vivo. This approach enables reading and writing of activity in neural circuits with single-cell resolution and single action potential precision during behavior. I will describe the power, limitations and future potential of this approach; and discuss how it can be used to address many important problems in neuroscience, including transforming our search for the neural code and the links between neural circuit activity and behavior. Zoom link to join- https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Heat Shock Factor 1-dependent extracellular matrix remodeling mediates the transition from chronic intestinal inflammation to colon cancer

    Date:
    27
    Tuesday
    April
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Oshrat Galibov-Levi
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: In the colon, long-term exposure to chronic inflammation drives colitis-associat ... Read more In the colon, long-term exposure to chronic inflammation drives colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC). However, molecular understanding of how this occurs is still lacking. Within the tumor, cancer cells are surrounded by a variety of non-malignant cells and by the extracellular matrix (ECM), which together compose the tumor microenvironment (TME), which is essential for tumor homeostasis and progression. While the cancer cells are highly mutated, the stromal cells are genomically stable. Master regulator heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) was shown to play an important part in the transcriptional reprogramming of the TME. By using proteomic and advanced methods of microscopy and image analysis we show that HSF1-dependent ECM remodeling plays a crucial role in mediating inflammation-driven colon cancer. /j/95881429481?pwd=VkxwUmg1Z2ErZmhpZDJqMTZwellGZz09
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    Atmospheric Dynamics on Jupiter: New Results from the Juno Mission

    Date:
    22
    Thursday
    April
    2021
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/94477142638?pwd=aWNlZGVzNmdJdnJVZVNZUi9sZ0VBZz09
    Lecturer: Yohai Kaspi
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: tamar.fuchs@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: NASA's Juno Mission is now completing its 5 year nominal mission around Jupiter, ... Read more NASA's Juno Mission is now completing its 5 year nominal mission around Jupiter, orbiting the planet in an eccentric polar-orbit every 53 days. One of the prime mission objectives is better understanding the atmospheric dynamics through gravitational, microwave, infrared and magnetic measurements. In this talk, we will focus on three new results explaining different aspects of the dynamics on Jupiter. First, infrared imaging data revealed that Jupiter’s poles are surrounded by 5 cyclones around the North Pole and 8 cyclones around the South Pole. We explain the location, size and stability of these circumpolar cyclones based on vorticity dynamics. Second, using microwave data, revealing Jupiter’s deep ammonia abundance structure, we show that Jupiter has 8 meridional circulation cells in each hemisphere. These cells resemble in their governing physics Earth's midlatitude Ferrel cells, and relate to the observed red and white belts and zones at Jupiter’s cloud-level. Finally, using Juno’s gravity measurements we constrain the depth of Jupiter’s east-west jet-streams, and the depth (mass) of the most iconic vortex in the Solar system — Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. Overall, this unique multiple instrument dataset allows now explaining the governing physics of several outstanding aspects of Jupiter’s internal and atmospheric dynamics. We will also compare the dynamics to those of Saturn, generalizing some of the this new understanding.
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    Cellular and circuit basis of distinct memory formation in the hippocampus

    Date:
    06
    Tuesday
    April
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Christoph Schmidt-Hieber
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUd ... Read more Zoom link to join-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Abstract: Formation and retrieval of distinct memories are complementary processes that pu ... Read more Formation and retrieval of distinct memories are complementary processes that put conflicting requirements on neuronal computations in the hippocampus, especially when memories closely resemble each other. How this challenge is resolved in hippocampal circuits to guide memory-based decisions is unclear. To address this question, our group uses in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging and whole-cell recordings from hippocampal subregions in head-fixed mice trained to distinguish between novel and familiar virtual-reality environments. We find that granule cells consistently show a small transient depolarization of their membrane potential upon transition to a novel environment. This synaptic novelty signal is sensitive to local application of atropine, indicating that it depends on metabotropic acetylcholine receptors. A computational model suggests that the observed transient synaptic response to novel environments leads to a bias in the granule cell population activity, which can in turn drive the downstream attractor networks to a new state, thereby favoring the switch from generalization to discrimination when faced with novelty. Such a novelty-driven cholinergic switch may enable flexible encoding of new memories while preserving stable retrieval of familiar ones. zoom link to join-https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Solving computational problems with coupled lasers

    Date:
    18
    Thursday
    March
    2021
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/94477142638?pwd=aWNlZGVzNmdJdnJVZVNZUi9sZ0VBZz09
    Lecturer: Nir Davidson
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: tamar.fuchs@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Computational problems may be solved by realizing physics systems that can simul ... Read more Computational problems may be solved by realizing physics systems that can simulate them. Here we present a new system of coupled lasers in a modified degenerate cavity that is used to solve difficult computational tasks. The degenerate cavity possesses a huge number of degrees of freedom (300,000 modes in our system), that can be coupled and controlled with direct access to both the x-space and k-space components of the lasing mode. Placing constraints on these components are mapped on different computational minimization problems. Due to mode competition, the lasers select the mode with minimal loss to find the solution. We demonstrate this ability for simulating XY spin systems and finding their ground state, for phase retrieval, for imaging through scattering medium, and more.
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    Using Ultra-High Field MRI to Study the Human Brain

    Date:
    04
    Thursday
    March
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Location: ZOOM
    Lecturer: Dr. Edna Furman-Haran and Dr. Tali Weiss
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: Edna.Haran@weizmann.ac.il
    Gallery: Using Ultra-High Field MRI to Study the Human Brain Gallery
    Using Ultra-High Field MRI to Study the Human Brain Lecture / Seminar website

    Room Temperature 13C-DNP in Diamond Powder

    Date:
    18
    Thursday
    February
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Daphna Shimon
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom Link: Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91742036303?pwd=cWJuOFBEZUpYU3p6bHBj ... Read more Zoom Link: Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91742036303?pwd=cWJuOFBEZUpYU3p6bHBjUEduRllxdz09 Passcode: 771770 Electron and nuclear spins in diamond have long coherence and relaxation times at room temperature, making them a promising platform for applications such as biomedical and molecular imaging and nanoscale magnetic field sensing. While the optically-active nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect has received a great deal of attention, the substitutional nitrogen (or P1) center also exhibits long coherence and relaxation times. These P1 centers are typically present at significantly larger concentrations (about an order magnitude larger) than NVs, allowing us to explore the role of P1-P1 interactions in mediating DNP. The system can, in principle, show DNP via the solid effect (SE), cross effect (CE) and Overhauser effect (OE) depending on the P1 concentration and the field. Here, we show enhancement of natural abundance 13C nuclei found within the diamond, using the unpaired electron of the P1 center (concentration 110-130 ppm) in particles with a 15-25 μm diameter, under static conditions at room temperature and 3.4 T. We discuss the DNP spectrum, the active DNP mechanisms and what we can learn about the diamond powder from DNP.
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    Crystallization Mechanisms: Classical, Nonclassical, and Beyond

    Date:
    08
    Monday
    February
    2021
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98063488104?pwd=N3VqTC9sU1A4RHVDZ1dhOGVxbU1iUT09
    Lecturer: Prof. Boris Rybtchinski
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: sarah.amzallag@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Understanding how order evolves during crystallization represents a long-standin ... Read more Understanding how order evolves during crystallization represents a long-standing challenge. We will describe our recent studies on crystallization of organic molecules and proteins by cryo-TEM imaging and cryo-STEM tomography. They reveal mechanisms, in which order evolution proceeds via diverse pathways, including various intermediate states. Based on these findings, we suggest a general outlook on molecular crystallization.
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    Live imaging of chromatin distribution reveals novel principles of nuclear architecture and chromatin compartmentalization”.

    Date:
    31
    Sunday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Lecturer: Prof. Talila Volk
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91657907719?pwd=M2F2WlRKWGRuUHlxN0tNWF ... Read more Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91657907719?pwd=M2F2WlRKWGRuUHlxN0tNWFhZVUVzZz09 The genetic material of live organisms is packed and stored within the nucleus. It contains DNA wrapped around the nucleosomes, which then organized into chromatin fibers that partition into distinct compartments, which eventually fill the entire nucleus. Chromatin three dimensional topology is essential for proper accessibility of transcription factors, which control tissue-specific gene expression programs. Whereas chromatin partition into specific domains has been described in cells in culture conditions, information regarding chromatin 3 dimensional distribution in tissues within live organisms is still missing. We have imaged the chromatin in muscle fibers of live, intact Drosophila larvae, and revealed its 3 dimensional structure. Our results demonstrate novel 3 dimensional architecture of the chromatin which is evolutionary conserved, and has important implications on the regulation of gene expression.
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    “Low-field MRI: new perspectives”

    Date:
    28
    Thursday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Najat Salameh
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom: Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98957854014?pwd=ZTEyazd6cThxUE90L3ZJbkdkb ... Read more Zoom: Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98957854014?pwd=ZTEyazd6cThxUE90L3ZJbkdkbkFWQT09 passcode: 159170 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-ionizing, non-invasive imaging modality that has become key in modern medicine. Its high value resides in a broad range of soft tissue contrasts or biomarkers that can be tuned to enable the identification and follow-up of many pathophysiological or metabolic processes. Such developments were made possible thanks to almost forty years of hardware and software development, yet access to MRI nowadays remains exclusive, bound to radiology suites in hospitals, and restricted to less than half of the world population. This limited accessibility is mostly due to its one-fits-all design and its prerequisites for intense magnetic field strength that impact cost, siting infrastructure, and clinical compatibility. One way to improve accessibility in MRI is to lower the magnetic field strength that will naturally influence cost, siting, and compatibility. Further, lowering the field strength can translate in smaller footprint designs which geometry and contrast could purposely be tuned to certain targeted applications. Indeed, relaxation mechanisms are known to change with the surrounding magnetic field, with larger T1 dispersion at low field that have for the most part been unexplored. Although very promising, many challenges arise linked to the lower intrinsic nuclear spin polarization inherent to low field technologies, calling for original and innovative approaches to reach clinical relevance. During this seminar, Prof. Najat Salameh will describe those challenges and possible solutions by presenting the current landscape of low field imaging and recent progress made at the Center for Adaptable MRI Technology, Basel University.
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    Layers of primary visual cortex as a window into internal models about predicted and simulated environments

    Date:
    26
    Tuesday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Lars Muckli
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laU ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Abstract: Normal brain function involves the interaction of internal processes with incomi ... Read more Normal brain function involves the interaction of internal processes with incoming sensory stimuli. We have created a series of brain imaging experiments (using 7T fMRI) that sample internal models and feedback mechanisms in early visual cortex. Primary visual cortex (V1) is the entry-stage for cortical processing of visual information. We can show that there are 3 information counter-streams concerned with: (1) retinotopic visual input, (2) top-down predictions of internal models generated by the brain, and (3) top-down imagery acting independently of the perception and prediction loop. Internal models amplify and disamplify incoming information, but there is also mental imagery not interfering with visual perception. Our results speak to the conceptual framework of predictive coding. Healthy brain function will strike a balance between the precision of prediction and prediction update based on prediction error. Our results incorporate state of the art, layer-specific ultra-high field fMRI and other imaging techniques. We argue that fMRI with its capability of measuring dendritic energy consumption is sensitive to activity in different parts of layer spanning neurons, enriching our computational understanding of counter stream brain mechanisms. Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Marine electrical imaging reveals novel freshwater transport mechanism in Hawaiʻi

    Date:
    26
    Tuesday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/7621438333?pwd=c0lpdlQzYSthellXWG9rZnM0ZDRFZz09
    Lecturer: Eric Attias
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Conventional hydrogeologic models employed to compute ocean island sustainable y ... Read more Conventional hydrogeologic models employed to compute ocean island sustainable yields and aquifer storage neglect the nearshore and onshore submarine environment’s complexity. However, the onshore aquifer at the island of Hawaiʻi exhibits a significant volumetric discrepancy between high-elevation freshwater recharge and coastal discharge. This study presents a novel transport mechanism of freshwater moving from onshore to onshore via a multilayer formation of water-saturated layered basalts with interbedded low-permeability layers of ash/soil, as revealed by marine-controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) imaging. We propose that this newly discovered transport mechanism of fresh water may be the governing mechanism in other volcanic islands. Additionally, our water column CSEM imaging detects multiple vertical freshwater plumes extending from the seafloor to the ocean surface. These findings provide valuable information to elucidate hydrogeologic and oceanographic rocesses affecting biogeochemical cycles in coastal waters worldwide.
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    New perspectives on interlayer excitons in two-dimensional heterostructures

    Date:
    19
    Tuesday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 18:00-19:00
    Lecturer: Dr. Ouri Karni
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96278790117?pwd=T1ZjaHlxQjlEQkFIbE12UDJCaz ... Read more Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96278790117?pwd=T1ZjaHlxQjlEQkFIbE12UDJCazNwZz09 Two-dimensional layered (van-der-Waals) heterostructures, made by stacking different monolayers of semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides, have been drawing much attention as versatile platforms for studying fundamental solid-state phenomena and for designing opto-electronic devices. Interlayer excitons, electron-hole pairs that bind to each other across the interlayer spacing in these heterostructures, hold promise as key tools for probing the interlayer interface structure, and for exploring many-body interactions(1). With long lifetimes, spin polarization, and electric tunability, interlayer excitons are also promising as flexible information carriers(2, 3). However, they were mostly studied through the scope of their visible light emission, missing essential properties such as their momentum-space image or their absorption strength, necessary for rigorous study of their many-body interactions and potential applications. In this talk I will present our recent studies aimed at measuring such unknown interlayer exciton properties and their dependence on the heterostructure. I will show a new interlayer exciton in WSe2/MoS2 heterostructures which we discovered based on its light emission in infra-red wavelengths, rather than in the visible range(4). I will demonstrate its properties as inferred from its optical interrogation. Then, I will present the quantitative measurement of the elusive optical absorption spectrum of interlayer excitons using electric-field modulation spectroscopy, essential for coherent coupling of light to those excitons(5). Finally, I will reveal how time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy is used to image the interlayer exciton in momentum-space, yielding its size and binding energy, so far inaccessible through optics(5).
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    ‘Identification of Dynamic Components in the Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of CPEB4 by EPR Spectroscopy’

    Date:
    14
    Thursday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Manas Seal
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96046369379?pwd=emp0U0wwcmpNQlhsMisrNmp0bjRDdz ... Read more Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96046369379?pwd=emp0U0wwcmpNQlhsMisrNmp0bjRDdz09 Passcode: 693143 The molecular mechanisms and associated structures and dynamics of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) proteins that form membrane-less organelles in cells have attracted considerable interest in recent years. EPR spectroscopy along with site directed spin labelling (SDSL) using nitroxide spin labels is a well-established technique to study dynamics of proteins. In this seminar I will discuss the dynamic properties of the spin labelled low complexity N-terminal domain of cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding-4 protein (CPEB4NTD) in its LLPS and non-LLPS states. We found the coexistence of three CPEB4NTD populations with distinct spin label rotational correlation times before and after LLPS. We identified population I as the predominant protein species in the dilute phase, with fast motions that agree with expected dynamic properties of monomeric CPEB4NTD. We assigned population III to a compact ensemble that undergo slow motions, and population II to a looser ensemble experiencing intermediate motions. LLPS, which took place with increasing temperature is associated with increased population of II at the expense of III, while population I remains constant. At the end based on these findings, I will present a three-component equilibrium model that postulates the existence of LLPS-competent CPEB4NTD species (II and III) prior to macroscopic phase separation.
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    Diffusion properties of intracellular metabolites: compartment specific probes for cell structure and physiology

    Date:
    05
    Tuesday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Itamar Ronen
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laU ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
    Close details
    Abstract: Diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) is the main neuroimaging modality used in non-invas ... Read more Diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) is the main neuroimaging modality used in non-invasive investigations of tissue microstructure, and provides quantitative cytomorphological information on a spatial scale well below the nominal resolution of MRI. The main limitation of DWI is its lack of compartmental specificity, as its “reporter molecule” is water, ubiquitous in all tissue compartments and cell types. Brain metabolites are mostly confined to the intracellular space, and their concentrations vary across cell types. Several metabolites give rise to quantifiable magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) signatures, and are thus considered as compartment-specific and sometimes cell-specific markers. Sensitization of MRS to diffusion results in a set of diffusion properties for a variety of intracellular metabolites, from which microstructural information specific to the intracellular space can be obtained. A proper choice of experimental settings can be used to investigate properties that range from cytoplasmic viscosity and tortuosity of the intracellular space, to overall cell morphological features. The specificity of some metabolites to different cell types such as neurons and astrocytes opens the way to studying morphological properties of different cell populations and monitoring their modulation by physiological changes in health and disease. The presentation will introduce methodological concepts of diffusion-weighted MRS, followed by simple examples that demonstrate the unique ability of diffusion-weighted MRS to characterize cell-type specific structural features. Special emphasis will be bestowed on experimental and modelling frameworks that merge the specificity of diffusion-weighted MRS with the sensitivity of DWI to gain insights on tissue microstructure beyond what each method can separately provide. Zoom link to join:https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Nanoinclusions in diamonds: trapped fluids and solid molecular N2 and CO2

    Date:
    05
    Tuesday
    January
    2021
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/7621438333?pwd=c0lpdlQzYSthellXWG9rZnM0ZDRFZz09
    Lecturer: Oded Navon
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Diamonds are perfect boxes for delivering samples of fluids and volatile species ... Read more Diamonds are perfect boxes for delivering samples of fluids and volatile species from the mantle to the surface. While mineral inclusions are often a few >30 micrometer in size and allow easy analysis, fluid inclusions are mostly
    Close abstract

    From design to optical properties in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals

    Date:
    28
    Monday
    December
    2020
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98063488104?pwd=N3VqTC9sU1A4RHVDZ1dhOGVxbU1iUT09
    Lecturer: Prof. Dan Oron
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: samzallag@gmail.com
    Abstract: Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals have turned over the past three decades fro ... Read more Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals have turned over the past three decades from a scientific curiosity to a component in numerous commercial products, particularly in displays, lighting and light detection. On the one hand these are complex chemically synthesized entities, and on the other they behave, in many senses, as ‘giant’ artificial atoms. The interplay between these two enables us to imbue them with unique optical properties by design of their internal structure. I will go over some of our recent efforts in utilizing designer nanocrystals for various applications, including luminescence upconversion (the conversion of two low energy photons into a single high energy photon), electric field sensing and optical gain. Finally, I will discuss opportunities for the development of colloidal sources of non-classical states of light and our recent advances in quantum spectroscopy, enabling to study the optical and electronic properties of single quantum dots with unprecedented precision.
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    Chemosignals are a form of human social communication

    Date:
    24
    Thursday
    December
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Lecturer: Eva Mishor (PhD Thesis Defense)
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98031517872?pwd=U0EvNG5EdGJBL24zW ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98031517872?pwd=U0EvNG5EdGJBL24zWmpKUlY1akdnZz09 Meeting ID: 980 3151 7872 Password: 976632
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    Abstract: Although animals are known to heavily rely on chemical signals for intraspecies ... Read more Although animals are known to heavily rely on chemical signals for intraspecies communication, the matter of human chemical communication remains greatly contentious. I will present evidence supporting the claim that humans, just like other animals, rely on bodily-odors to effectively navigate the social world. First, I will present a quantification of people’s overt olfactory-sampling behavior. Of approximately 400 respondents, 94% acknowledged engaging in smelling their close relationships, and approximately 60% acknowledged sniffing strangers. Next, we tested if this olfactory information is employed for socially-relevant behavioral decisions, such as trust, a key element in human socialization. We found that subliminal exposure to body-odor increased implicit trustworthiness attributed to anthropomorphic non-humans. Finally, I will describe the effect of a specific body-volatile, Hexadecanal (HEX), on human impulsive aggression. Using validated behavioral paradigms, we observed a remarkable dissociation: sniffing HEX blocked aggression in men, but triggered aggression in women. Using functional brain imaging, we uncovered a pattern of brain activity mirroring behavior: In both men and women, HEX increased activity in an area implicated in the perception of social cues. Hex then modulated functional connectivity in a brain network implicated in aggressive behavior in a sex-dependent manner. Altogether, the thesis puts forward the hypothesis that chemosignals are a form of human social communication. Under this premise, human sampling behavior of self and others’ body-volatiles provides one with important information that, in turn, affects behaviors central to human society, such as trust and aggression. Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98031517872?pwd=U0EvNG5EdGJBL24zWmpKUlY1akdnZz09 Meeting ID: 980 3151 7872 Password: 976632
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    Behavioural signatures of a developing neural code

    Date:
    22
    Tuesday
    December
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Lilach Avitan
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laU ... Read more Zoom link to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Abstract: During early life the neural code must develop to appropriately transform sensor ... Read more During early life the neural code must develop to appropriately transform sensory inputs into behavioural outputs. However little is known about how developments in neural representations directly impact on behaviour. By combining behavioural analysis with 2-photon calcium imaging at multiple timepoints from 4 to 15 dpf in the optic tectum of developing zebrafish larvae, we demonstrate a link between the maturity of neural coding in the visual brain and developmental changes in visually-guided behavior. We show that visually-driven hunting behavior improves from 4 to 15 days post-fertilization, becoming faster and more accurate. During the same period population activity in parts of the optic tectum refines, improving decoding and information transmission for particular spatial positions. Together these results show that developmental signatures of an emerging neural code can be directly related to observable properties of behaviour. Please click the link below to join: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96608033618?pwd=SEdJUkR2ZzRBZ3laUUdGbWR1VFJTdz09 Meeting ID: 966 0803 3618 Password: 564068 Host: Dr. Rita Schmidt rita.schmidt@weizmann.ac.il tel: 9070
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    Zoom lecture: Nanoscale Optical Imaging Of Individual And Densely Packed Microgel Colloids

    Date:
    06
    Sunday
    December
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Lecturer: Prof. Frank Scheffold
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95267372668?pwd=dEhvRlA3SGtvVTQ1QnVmZ3JJ ... Read more Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95267372668?pwd=dEhvRlA3SGtvVTQ1QnVmZ3JJdTZEQT09 Thermosensitive microgels are widely studied hybrid systems combining properties of polymers and colloidal particles uniquely. This study explores the frequency-dependent linear viscoelastic properties of dense suspensions of micron-sized microgels in conjunction with an analysis of the local particle structure and morphology-based on superresolution microscopy. By identifying the dominating mechanisms that control the elastic and dissipative response, we can explain these widely studied soft particle assemblies' rheology. Interestingly, our results suggest that the polymer brush-like corona's lubrification reduces friction between the microgel contacts.
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    How cells determine their volume

    Date:
    30
    Monday
    November
    2020
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98063488104?pwd=N3VqTC9sU1A4RHVDZ1dhOGVxbU1iUT09
    Lecturer: Prof. Sam Safran
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: samzallag@gmail.com
    Abstract: Living cells regulate their volume using a diverse set of mechanisms, to maintai ... Read more Living cells regulate their volume using a diverse set of mechanisms, to maintain their structural and functional integrity. The most widely-used mechanism to control cell volume is active ion transport. Experiments on adhered cells surprisingly revealed that their volume is significantly reduced as their basal area is increased1. We have developed a physical theory2 which considers both electrostatics and cell activity to predict a generic relation for how adhered cells regulate their volume in response to changes in their area, in agreement with the observations. Those measurements also show that the nuclear volume scales with the cell volume. Recently, the Volk group3 using intact-organism imaging, discovered that changes in nuclear volume dramatically varies the spatial organization of chromatin (DNA and associated proteins); this may have important consequences for gene expression. A simple polymeric model4 that includes the competition of chromatin self-attraction and interactions with the nuclear membrane, predicts transitions in the chromatin organization relative to the nucleus from peripheral to central to conventional, as the nuclear volume is reduced, as measured in the experiments of the Volk group.
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    Love thy neighbor - unraveling the tumor microenvironment by multiplexed imaging

    Date:
    17
    Tuesday
    November
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Leeat Keren
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Tumors are spatially organized ecosystems that are comprised of distinct cell ty ... Read more Tumors are spatially organized ecosystems that are comprised of distinct cell types, each of which can assume a variety of phenotypes defined by coexpression of multiple proteins. To underscore this complexity, and move beyond single cells to multicellular interactions, it is essential to interrogate cellular expression patterns within their native context in the tissue. We have pioneered MIBI-TOF (Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging by Time of Flight), a platform that enables simultaneous imaging of forty proteins within intact tissue sections at subcellular resolution. In this talk, I will describe our application of multiplexed imaging to study the tumor immune microenvironment in triple negative breast cancer. Our work reveals archetypical organizations, linking molecular expression patterns, cell composition and histology, which are predictive of patient survival.
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    Recent Advances in Flow and Imaging Flow Cytometry

    Date:
    05
    Thursday
    November
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:00-10:00
    Title: Features
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/96479787051?pwd=cGx2eHhNeEc3WE9sbnV1ZW1oYWI2QT09
    Lecturer: Dr. Ziv Porat
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: Ziv.Porat@weizmann.ac.il

    Extracellular vesicles friends and foes II

    Date:
    01
    Sunday
    November
    2020
    -
    04
    Wednesday
    November
    2020
    Conference
    Time: 08:00
    Location: David Lopatie Conference Centre
    Contact: neta.regev-rudzki@weizmann.ac.il

    Zoom lecture: Quantum sensor assisted magnetic resonance

    Date:
    15
    Thursday
    October
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Prof. Ashok Ajoy
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Yeda Research and Development Ltd. is the commercial branch of the Weizmann Inst ... Read more Yeda Research and Development Ltd. is the commercial branch of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Yeda holds an exclusive right to commercialize the unique intellectual property developed by the scientists at the Weizmann Institute.
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    Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, is renowned for its high chemic ... Read more Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, is renowned for its high chemical specificity, but suffers from low sensitivity and poor spatial resolution. This has largely locked up NMR in “central facilities”, where the measurement paradigm involves taking the sample to the NMR spectrometer. We are innovating a class of optical NMR probes that can allow one to invert this paradigm, effectively bringing the NMR spectrometer into the sample. This would open possibilities for NMR probes of analytes in their local environment. These “deployable” NMR sensors rely on a uniquely optically addressable spin platform constructed out of nanoparticles of diamonds, hosting defect centers (NV centers) and 13C nuclei. Such electron-nuclear spin hybrids serve dual-roles as optical “polarization injectors” and optical NMR detectors while also being targetable to within the sample of interest. I will focus on the main ingredients of this technology, while alluding to potential frontier applications opened as a result. Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98496818322?pwd=RW03TWtTUUpKYXBXQlJtbnprMTRKdz09 passcode: 888482
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    Visualizing Strongly-Interacting Quantum Matter

    Date:
    24
    Thursday
    September
    2020
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:15-12:30
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92790893230?pwd=VlRjVzkvaGZ5YWRvcXFGWXVXZ3dXdz09
    Lecturer: Shahal Ilani
    Organizer: Faculty of Physics
    Contact: tamar.fuchs@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: When quantum mechanics and Coulomb repulsion are combined in a pristine solid, s ... Read more When quantum mechanics and Coulomb repulsion are combined in a pristine solid, some of the most fascinating electronic phases in nature can emerge. Interactions between electrons can form correlated insulators, electronic liquids, and in extreme cases even quantum electronic solids. These phases are predicted to exhibit their most striking features in real-space, however, they are also extremely fragile, preventing their visualization with existing experimental tools. In this talk, I will describe our experiments that use a pristine carbon nanotube as a new type of a scanning probe, capable of imaging electrical charge with unprecedented sensitivity and minimal invasiveness. I will show how using this platform we were able to obtain the first images of the quantum crystal of electrons, visualize the collective hydrodynamic flow of interacting electrons in graphene, and unravel the parent state that underlies the physics of strongly-interacting electrons in the recently-discovered system of magic angle twisted bilayer graphene.
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    Reversing personalized medicine

    Date:
    10
    Thursday
    September
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:30-14:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Gal Markel
    Organizer: Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology
    Contact: michal.av@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: the link for the lecture's zoom room https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd= ... Read more the link for the lecture's zoom room https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5065402023?pwd=a3Z6KzRCU0xJaUFoM2Y5emZwZm1oZz09
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    Abstract: Personalized medicine in oncology is focused on fitting drugs to the appropriat ... Read more Personalized medicine in oncology is focused on fitting drugs to the appropriate patients, mainly by identifying unique mutations in tumor genomics and development of highly selective drugs. The main challenge is that the relevant populations grow smaller, while development costs are constant, leading to significant reduction in effective drug development. The immune system provides personalized anti cancer response, and immune checkpoint inhibitors enable decent responses over a wide array of tumors. The outstanding challenge is that efficacy is observed in less than a third of the patients. Here we explore strategies to alter the patient in a way that will enable standard of care immunotherapy to exert its full potential, i.e. fitting the patients to the existing immunotherapeutic medications.
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    Microscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging of Nanostructures

    Date:
    03
    Thursday
    September
    2020
    Conference
    Time: 08:00-18:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Contact: reshef.tenne@weizmann.ac.il
    Microscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging of Nanostructures Conference website

    Structure Sensitivity in Catalysis

    Date:
    23
    Sunday
    August
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: Joint special seminar of the depts. of Organic Chemistry & Materials and Interfaces
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/95177555007?pwd=aDE5V2FVL2hRSDB5cFFuMTRQckViZz09
    Lecturer: Dr. Charlotte Vogt
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Some fundamental concepts of catalysis are as of yet not fully explained but are ... Read more Some fundamental concepts of catalysis are as of yet not fully explained but are of paramount importance for the development of improved supported metal catalysts for chemical industries and environmental remediation. Structure (in)sensitivity is such a fundamental physical concept in catalysis, which relates the rate of a catalytic reaction per unit surface area to the size of a nanoparticle. If this rate per unit surface area changes with catalyst particle size, a reaction is termed structure sensitive. Conversely if it does not - a reaction is termed structure insensitive. Historically, many fundamental physical concepts explaining the behavior of metal nanoparticular catalysts have been formulated by studying single crystal facets with surface science techniques which has left a considerable gap in our basic knowledge of catalysts at work. By using and developing state-of-the-art operando (micro)spectroscopic techniques, inter alia operando high-temperature high-pressure FT-IR, in-situ high-resolution STEM, and quick-X-ray absorption spectroscopy (quick-XAS) with millisecond time resolution, over the last few years I have been exploring the fundamental physical concepts behind fundamental structure-activity relationships of catalytic reactions by studying non-model catalysts at work. For example, by applying these methods to study a structure sensitive reaction (carbon dioxide hydrogenation) to a structure insensitive one (ethene hydrogenation) we show that the same geometric and electronic effects that we find to explain structure sensitivity make it unlikely for structure insensitivity to exist (while we do observe it empirically). However, interestingly, in the case of the structure insensitive ethene hydrogenation reaction, such size-dependent nanoparticle restructuring effects as the decrease of the reversibility of adsorbate-induced restructuring and the increase of carbon diffusion with increasing particle size are observed by quick-XAS (see Figure 1). While for the structure sensitive CO2 hydrogenation no such perturbation was observed. We further show that this particle size dependent restructuring induced by ethene hydrogenation can make a structure sensitive reaction structure insensitive. Hence, we may postulate that structure insensitive reactions should rather be termed apparently structure insensitive, which changes our fundamental understanding of the age-old empirical observation of structure insensitivity.
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    ClearSight™: A portable system that uses diffusion NMR to probe the margins of excised tumors

    Date:
    16
    Thursday
    July
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Saul Stokar
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91154950215?pwd=ZkRsTWJzL1AzMWpNbFVSVUF4d0 ... Read more Zoom link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/91154950215?pwd=ZkRsTWJzL1AzMWpNbFVSVUF4d05zQT09 Password: 388848 Diffusion NMR weighted NMR and MRI are very powerful techniques for investigating microscopic details about tissue architecture, either normal or in a diseased state. In addition to its traditional use in diagnosing stroke and ischemic injury in the brain, in recent years DWI has been used to diagnose various kinds of cancer, including breast, prostate and lung cancers. In this seminar we will present an overview of a novel portable system that uses DWI to check whether the margins of excised breast tumors are tumor-free. This is extremely important both for the patient and the hospital, since it obviates the need to perform additional surgery if the subsequent pathology indicates the presence of tumor on the margin of the excised tissue, something that occurs today in up to 25% of breast-conserving surgeries. We shall provide an overview of diffusion MRI, the unique challenges of performing MRI in or near the operating theater, the architecture of ClearCut's system, computer simulations of its performance and an overview of the clinical results obtained to date.
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    The power of ONE: Immunology in the age of single cell genomics

    Date:
    02
    Thursday
    July
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Ido Amit
    Organizer: Dwek Institute for Cancer Therapy Research
    Contact: yam.nof@weizmann.ac.il

    Sparsity-based Methods for Rapid MRI

    Date:
    25
    Thursday
    June
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Lecturer: Dr. Efrat Shimron
    Organizer: Clore Institute for High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Zoom Lecture: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/99058507421 Magnetic Resonance Ima ... Read more Zoom Lecture: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/99058507421 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a superb imaging modality that provides high-quality images of the human body. However, one of its major limitations is the long acquisition time, which hinders the MRI clinical use. The acquisition time can be shortened by acquiring less data; however, this requires suitable methods for accurate image reconstruction from subsampled data, which is acquired with a sub-Nyquist rate. In this seminar, four novel methods for image reconstruction from subsampled data will be presented. These methods build upon the well-established frameworks of Parallel Imaging (PI) and Compressed Sensing (CS), utilize a-priori knowledge about data sparsity, and address current limitations of PI-CS methods. The first two methods accelerate static MRI scans by introducing the Convolution-based Reconstruction (CORE) framework, which offers a parameter-free non-iterative reconstruction. Experiments with in-vivo 7T brain data demonstrated that these methods perform comparably to the well-established GRAPPA and l1-SPIRiT methods, with the advantage of shorter computation times and reduced need for parameter calibration. The next two developed methods accelerate dynamic MRI scans that provide temperature monitoring in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU) thermal ablation treatments. The developed methods enable rapid MR monitoring by reconstructing temperature changes from subsampled data. Validation experiments were performed with in-vivo data from clinical treatments of prostate cancer in humans; these showed that the proposed methods significantly outperform two state-of-the-art methods in the temperature reconstruction task
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    Vesicle membrane ‘quarantine’ by mechanochemical insulation maintains apical membrane homeostasis during exocytosis

    Date:
    16
    Tuesday
    June
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Kamalesh Kumari
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Exocrine glands in our bodies secret copious amounts of cargo (like- sweat, sali ... Read more Exocrine glands in our bodies secret copious amounts of cargo (like- sweat, saliva, digestive enzymes, chemokines, etc.) via. giant secretory vesicles, that are micron-scale in diameter. During the secretion of these giant vesicles, a large amount of the membrane is constantly added to the apical surface of the cells that can perturb its size, composition, and function that are vital to cell survival. Hemostatic maintenance of the cell surface in terms of size, shape, and composition is extremely challenging in the face of continuous secretion, which what we ventured to understand. We use a combination live-cell imaging and correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) approach, to uncover a novel a mechanism of exocytosis allowing the secretory cells to maintain membrane homeostasis during secretion. I will present to you data to describe what we call as - the crumpling and sequestration model of exocytosis.
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    Cancer Research Club - Prof Dan Landau: Novel genomics perspectives on cancer evolution: from basic principles to therapeutic optimization

    Date:
    04
    Thursday
    June
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Prof. Dan Landau
    Organizer: Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology
    Contact: yam.nof@weizmann.ac.il

    Mass Photometry – a new way to study biomolecules

    Date:
    02
    Tuesday
    June
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-10:45
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Adar Sonn-Segev
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: One of the main challenges of researchers that utilize purified proteins for in- ... Read more One of the main challenges of researchers that utilize purified proteins for in-vitro assays is the characterization of the purity and heterogeneity of their proteins in solution. To find out this information, you can employ native gel electrophoresis, gel-filtration chromatography, dynamic light scattering or mass spectroscopy. While some of these methods have low resolution and require large amounts of protein, others are time consuming and require a lot of knowledge to operate and interpret. Mass photometry is a new ground-breaking tool to analyze biomolecules. It is based on interferometric scattering microscopy and enables the accurate mass measurement of single molecules in solution, in their native state without the need for labels, and provides results within minutes. It provides a rapid, accurate and simple analysis of the oligomeric state of proteins in solution. In fact, mass photometry offers optimal conditions for studying sample heterogeneity, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions, protein oligomerization, macromolecular assemblies many more. Mass photometry represents a truly novel approach for the analysis of individual biomolecules in solution. I will illustrate the unique capabilities of mass photometry by discussing a broad selection of recently published examples and provide insight into the strengths and limitations of this approach. * Weizmann Institute has collaborated with Refeyn Ltd to make mass photometry available to all Weizmann research community, with an on-site specialist, Dr. Adar Sonn-Segev, to help with its implementation.
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    Chemistry Colloquium

    Date:
    11
    Monday
    May
    2020
    Colloquium
    Time: 11:00-12:15
    Title: The Macromolecular Structure of Mucus, Our Bodies’ First Line of Defense Against Pathogens
    Location: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/92049901272
    Lecturer: Prof. Debbie Fass
    Organizer: Faculty of Chemistry
    Contact: yael.lepek@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Respiratory viruses such as coronavirus spread from person to person through dro ... Read more Respiratory viruses such as coronavirus spread from person to person through droplets of saliva or mucus. Face masks decrease the dissemination of such droplets and thereby minimize viral propagation from someone who may be contagious. Mucus did not evolve, though, to help pathogens spread. Quite the opposite. Mucus arose early in the evolution of multicellular animals to exclude undesirable bacteria from body tissues, a primitive type of immunity. The cooperation between cilia* and mucus also helped prevent aquatic organisms from being smothered by sediments and enabled them to clean or collect particulate matter from their exteriors. Producing mucus was likely a prerequisite for evolution of the gut and of the types of respiratory organs necessary for terrestrial life. Today, mucus protects the large, exposed interior surfaces of our respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemical/physical hazards. But what material is mucus? Mucus is a hydrogel made of heavily glycosylated protein molecules called “mucins,” each of which is nearly 3 megadaltons in size. Individual giant mucin molecules are disulfide bonded to one another, generating an extended mesh. Using cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, we have discovered the three-dimensional structure of mucins and gained insight into the mechanism by which they assemble step-wise into hydrogels. ______________________________________________________ * cell-surface, rope-like structures that beat in coordinated waves
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    Canceled: Nanoscale Electronic Phenomena in Ferroelectric Thin Films

    Date:
    18
    Wednesday
    March
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Alexei Gruverman
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: This seminar consists of two parts. The first part is related to the investigati ... Read more This seminar consists of two parts. The first part is related to the investigation of mechanism of tunable domain wall (DW) conductivity in the ferroelectric LiNbO3 thin films with sub-µm thickness, Using a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and local probe techniques we generate and delineate the electrically-charged 180º DWs and test their conducting behavior using local probe spectroscopy and imaging under electrical bias. More importantly, electrical tunability of DW conductivity by sub-coercive voltage is realized through the changes in DW conformity. The obtained results provide tangible evidence that the charged DWs can be used as multilevel logic elements in analog computing devices. The second part discusses the dynamic switching behavior in the HfO2-based films investigated by a combination of local probe microscopy and pulse switching techniques. Application of HfO2-based materials to ferroelectric memory and logic devices has generated considerable interest as they allow overcoming significant problems associated with poor compatibility of perovskite ferroelectrics with CMOS processing. High-resolution studies of the time- and field-dependent evolution of the domain structure in La:HfO2 thin film capacitors provides an insight into the mechanism of imprint - one of the main degradation effects hindering integration of ferroelectric HfO2 into CMOS-compatible memory technology.
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    Recovering Lost Information in the Digital World

    Date:
    15
    Sunday
    March
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 13:15
    Location: Edna and K.B. Weissman Building of Physical Sciences
    Lecturer: Yonina Eldar, WIS
    Organizer: Department of Physics of Complex Systems
    Contact: perla.zalcberg@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The conversion of physical analog signals to the digital domain for further proc ... Read more The conversion of physical analog signals to the digital domain for further processing inevitably entails loss of information.The famous Shannon-Nyquist theorem has become a landmark in analog to digital conversion and the development of digital signal processing algorithms. However, in many modern applications, the signal bandwidths have increased tremendously, while the acquisition capabilities have not scaled sufficiently fast. Furthermore, the resulting high rate digital data requires storage, communication and processing at very high rates which is computationally expensive and requires large amounts of power. In this talk, we present a framework for sampling and processing a wide class of wideband analog signals at rates far below Nyquist by exploiting signal structure and the processing task. We then show how these ideas can be used to overcome fundamental resolution limits in optical microscopy, ultrasound imaging, quantum systems and more. We demonstrate the theory through several demos of real-time sub-Nyquist prototypes and devices operating beyond the standard resolution limits combining high spatial resolution with short integration time.
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    MR spectroscopy at 7 tesla – initial experiences in Glasgow

    Date:
    05
    Thursday
    March
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 09:30-10:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr Graeme Keith
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Much has been written of the potential of ultra-high field MR scanners, such as ... Read more Much has been written of the potential of ultra-high field MR scanners, such as 7 tesla, due to their inherently higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This native boost is of great use in making techniques that operate in a low SNR regime, such as spectroscopy, more viable. Application of spectroscopic techniques at 7 tesla also come with a secondary, yet perhaps more important benefit in increased spectral resolution. This can allow for the quantitative investigation of metabolites that are difficult to resolve and measure reliably at lower field strengths. This seminar will relate early experiences in spectroscopy from the Siemens Terra 7T system at the University of Glasgow. This will include the optimisation of single voxel techniques for clinical studies, such as the measurement of glutamate in neuroinflammatory conditions, as well as an update on development work, such as a spectral 2D correlated spectroscopy (COSY) acquisition for investigation of glioma tumours, including a focus on 2-hydorxyglutarate. It will also cover the development of a novel MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) technique based on the EPSI sequence, which will allow for high resolution, full spectral bandwidth 7T acquisitions in a clinically viable time, by application of compressed sensing methods
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    From Cognition to Depression: Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Study In-vivo Neurochemistry

    Date:
    03
    Tuesday
    March
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Assaf Tal
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance wit ... Read more Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Close details
    Abstract: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to measure the in-vivo concent ... Read more Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to measure the in-vivo concentrations of several metabolites in the brain non-invasively. I will present our work using MRS to study two aspects of brain metabolism. First, I'll talk about our work on functional MRS, whereby we look at neurochemical changes during or after learning or function. In the second half of the talk, I will focus on new methods we're developing in the lab, and in particular on our ability to measure the thermal relaxation times of metabolites, which probe specific cellular and subcellular microenvironments. I will present some preliminary data showing where and how this could be useful.
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    The Biological Age Concept: Predicting Healthspan and Lifespan using Genomics, Epigenomics and Proteomics from Saliva and Plasma

    Date:
    27
    Thursday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: Guest Talk with Prof Jaap Goudsmit
    Lecturer: Prof. Jaap Goudsmit
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Cell Biology
    Contact: sigal.laor-shoham@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: The Biological Age Concept: Predicting Healthspan and Lifespan using Genomics, E ... Read more The Biological Age Concept: Predicting Healthspan and Lifespan using Genomics, Epigenomics and Proteomics from Saliva and Plasma Jaap Goudsmit, MD, PhD Departments of Immunology & Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health The moment the first age-related disease manifests itself defines healthspan, like the moment of death does for lifespan. Lifespan and healthspan are impacted by mutations in a set of genetic loci as well as series of events afterwards impacting epigenetic changes downregulating the transcription of DNA to RNA (DNAm) or the translation of RNA to protein (microRNAs). Age, like sex, impacts lifespan most during life as a marker independent from individual age-related diseases. The length of the period after the healthspan ends is characterized by a stochastic accumulation of morbidities that each in combination or on their own can shorten lifespan. Biological age can be viewed as a metric defining the link between healthspan and lifespan. The best algorithm for biological age includes a combination of organ system markers including a marker for deterioration of the brain, which we call “Biosystem Age”, calibrated on the stringency of predicting lifespan independent of chronological age. Biosystem Age predicts healthspan as well as individual age-related diseases better than chronological age and has a very specific age-related microRNA signature. We propose that each change of events or genetic pathway during life that at first hand appears to be associated with disease or death rates is heavily influenced by Biosystem Age. We plan to test whether immune responsiveness to vaccines declining with age is dependent of Biosystem Age.
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    Chemical Biology Seminar Series

    Date:
    27
    Thursday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: In Vivo Chemical Probes for MRI and Fluorescence Imaging
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Kazuya Kikuchi
    Organizer: The Dr. Barry Sherman Institute for Medicinal Chemistry

    Assurance of Clonality Next-Generation Single-Cell Dispensing in Cell Line Development and Single-Cell Genomics

    Date:
    24
    Monday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Title: Presentation & ‘Cytena f.sight’ hands-on
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Dr. Adrian Zambrano
    Organizer: Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities
    Contact: elena.ainbinder@weizmann.ac.il

    Looking into the rocks of Acheulo-Yabrudian Qesem Cave (Israel, 420-200 kya)

    Date:
    20
    Thursday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Aviad Agam
    Organizer: Academic Educational Research
    Contact: lior.regev@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC, ~420,000-200,000 years ago) is a l ... Read more The Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC, ~420,000-200,000 years ago) is a local Levantine entity, characterized by a set of innovative human cultural and biological adaptations, including the habitual use of fire, technological innovations such as blade and Quina scraper production, and more. Qesem Cave (QC, central Israel) is one of the key sites of the AYCC. I will present the results of two recent studies, exploring the rich lithic assemblages yielded from this important site. The first combines macroscopic classification of flint artefacts with a geological survey and petrographic and geochemical analyses, aimed at identifying patterns of flint acquisition and use. The results show that local Turonian flint was often brought and used at the cave, while flint from other, non-Turonian origins, was also used in noteworthy proportions, in specific categories, implying selectivity in flint procurement and exploitation through time. The second study combines Raman spectroscopy and artificial intelligence (AI) to build temperature predictive models, aimed at identifying the temperatures to which flint artefacts were exposed. The results show that blades were heated at lower median temperatures (259℃) compared to flakes (413℃), suggesting the intentional and controlled heat treatment of flint specifically for blade production, more than 300,000 years ago. Both datasets and their implications will be discussed in a broader perspective.
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    M.Sc thesis defense: "The origin of anharmonic atomic motion in halide perovskite crystals"

    Date:
    13
    Thursday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-11:00
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Adi Cohen
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: ana.naamat@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Halide perovskites (ABX3) attracted much of attention in the last years due to t ... Read more Halide perovskites (ABX3) attracted much of attention in the last years due to their excellent photovoltaic activity. They are unique in the sense that they exhibit long carrier lifetime despite having many apparent structural defects. Recent studies in our group concluded that this unique behavior is due to strong coupling between the electronic band structure and the strongly anharmonic motion of the atoms within the crystal. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the source of anharmonic atomic motion in this class of materials. Studies have indicated the B-cation lone pair to be a possible source for strong anharmonic behavior in the perovskite crystals. In order to understand the anharmonic behavior and its origin, I investigated a series of perovskites with different lone pair stereoactivity. Using low frequency Raman spectroscopy, I quantified the level of anharmonicity and determined the influence of the B-cation lone pair on the structural dynamics.
    Close abstract

    The Genomics of Fasting and Inflammation Reveals Dynamic Cooperativity Between Transcription Factors

    Date:
    09
    Sunday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 15:00-16:00
    Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
    Lecturer: Dr. Ido Goldstein
    Organizer: Life Sciences
    Contact: yael.kuperman@weizmann.ac.il

    The earliest evidence of a Lisfranc’s fracture

    Date:
    06
    Thursday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:30-12:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Sara Borgel
    Organizer: Academic Educational Research
    Contact: lior.regev@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Recent archaeological excavations at Manot Cave, an Early Upper Palaeolithic sit ... Read more Recent archaeological excavations at Manot Cave, an Early Upper Palaeolithic site in the Western Galilee, Israel, retrieved the remains of a partial left foot of a young adult, including the talus, the calcaneus, the cuboid and the first, second and fifth metatarsals. The pedal remains were found close to one another, in the same archaeological unit, and were associated with an Early Upper Palaeolithic assemblage. Our study aimed at describing the anatomy of the Manot Cave pedal bones using morphometric parameters. A comparison to foot bones of recent modern humans, Anatomically Modern Humans and Neanderthals was carried out to establish the Manot Cave specimen population affiliation. Additionally, µCT images were used to verify a suspected injury in the base of the second metatarsal. The shape and size of the Manot pedal bones indicated a modern morphology for all bones, albeit few Neanderthal-like characteristics. Imaging analysis confirmed the existence of a healed trauma in the second metatarsal, with the plantar third of the base misaligned with the shaft and a fracture line on the lateral side. These features are consistent with a fracture known as Lisfranc’s fracture, most probably caused by an impact to the dorsum of the foot. This injury usually leads to ligamentous instability and collapse of the transverse and longitudinal arches, causing severe walking difficulties. Full recovery requires rest and immobility for several weeks. As mobility was crucial to maintain the hunter-gatherer lifeway of this group, the survival of this individual indicates a supportive community at Manot Cave.
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    Whole-brain fMRI of the Behaving Mouse

    Date:
    04
    Tuesday
    February
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Itamar Kahn
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance wit ... Read more Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Functional MRI is used pervasively in human brain research, enabling characteriz ... Read more Functional MRI is used pervasively in human brain research, enabling characterization of distributed brain activity underlying complex perceptual and cognitive processes. However, heretofore this technique has been limited in utility in rodents. I will present whole-brain functional imaging of head-fixed mice performing go/no-go odor discrimination in a platform allowing precise odor-delivery system, non-invasive sniff recordings and lick detection, detailing the brain regions subserving this behavior from the naïve state to task proficiency including learning of rule reversal. I will briefly discuss efforts to expand the mouse fMRI platform to additional modalities and conclude by describing the prospects of this approach more broadly.
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    Imaging single cells in live models for neurodevelopmental and sleep disorders

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Lior Applebaum
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For accessibility ... Read more Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Dept Seminar

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Title: Wide-Field Single Photon-Counting Imaging for Fast and Highly Sensitive In Vivo Cell Tracking
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Dr Rinat Ankri
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: lucio.frydman@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Biomolecular imaging at the preclinical stage is an essential tool in various bi ... Read more Biomolecular imaging at the preclinical stage is an essential tool in various biomedical research areas such as immunology, oncology or neurology. Among all modalities available to date, optical imaging techniques play a central role, while fluorescence, in particular in the NIR region of the spectrum, provides high sensitivity and high specificity with relatively cheap instrumentation. Several whole-body optical pre-clinical NIR imaging systems are commercially available. Instruments using continuous wave (CW or time-independent) illumination allow basic small animal imaging at low cost. However, CW techniques cannot provide fluorescence lifetime contrast, which allows to probe the microenvironment and affords an increased multiplexing power. In the first part of my talk I will introduce our single photon, time-gated, phasor-based fluorescence lifetime Imaging method which circumvents limitations of conventional techniques in speed, specificity and ease of use, using fluorescent lifetime as the main contrast mechanism. In the second part of my talk I will present the tracking and multiplexing of two different cell populations, based on their different lifetimes (following their fluorescent dyes-loading). Despite major advantages of optical based NIR imaging, the reason that NIR imagers are not clinically used, is that only very few such fluorescent molecules absorb and emit in the NIR (or in the shortwave infrared, SWIR region), and even fewer have favorable biological properties (and FDA approval). I will introduce small lung cancer and dendritic cells tracking using small polyethylene glycol/phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG–PE) micelles loaded with NIR dyes (using commercial dyes as well as dyes synthesized in Prof. Sletten’s lab, UCLA Chemistry Dept.). Micelles’ endocytosis into cells affords efficient loading and exhibits strong bio stability, enabling to track the loaded cells for several days using these formulations, even though dyes were diluted by cells division (leading to reduced dye concentration within the dividing cells). Moreover, fluorescent lifetime contrast (achieved through our time-gated imaging method), significantly improved these cells detection. These advances in NIR fluorescence based imaging open up new avenues toward NIR and SWIR imaging for biomedical applications, such as tracking and monitoring cells during immunotherapy and/or drug delivery (treatment monitoring) for various types of disease.
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    Catalyst Images, Imaging and Imagination: Visualizing Molecules and Atoms in Action on Catalytic Surfaces

    Date:
    28
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Location: Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Bert M. Weckhuysen
    Organizer: Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science
    Contact: natali.levin@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Catalysts play a pivotal role in modern society since they enable the production ... Read more Catalysts play a pivotal role in modern society since they enable the production of chemicals and fuels that we rely on every day. The search for new and improved solid catalysts to speed up and access novel chemical reactions is a never-ending challenge, but has become increasingly important due to the environmental challenges that we are currently facing. For this purpose, constant improvements in synthesis methods are required in general, but more specifically, improvements in characterization methods in terms of spatiotemporal resolution is the key toward tailored catalytic reactions. In an ideal case, a real time visualization of the reactants, intermediates and reaction products on the surface of the catalyst is possible, allowing for a molecular movie of the catalytic reaction in space and time. Certain characterization techniques exist that are sensitive enough to measure the reactants at the reaction surface of the catalyst (e.g. vibrational spectroscopy). However, in order to really understand the catalytic behaviour, we need to move toward single molecules and atoms at the (sub-) nanometer scale. Improvements in this direction have already led to an increased understanding of the catalytic processes, but the combination of nanometer resolution in space and pico- to nanosecond resolution in time has remained largely elusive in the world of heterogeneous catalysis.  In this lecture, I will discuss the state-of-the-art of time- and space-resolved spectroscopy and microscopy methods for catalysis research, and discuss the movement in the field toward the visualization of individual molecules at catalyst surfaces to construct the ultimate “molecular movie of sustainability” (Figure 1). Special emphasis will be on the compatibility of operando characterization techniques with the desired reaction environment (e.g. liquid or gas phase) and what we can do to ensure the spatiotemporal resolution is not hampered by the reaction requirements of the catalytic reactions. I will touch upon a variety of techniques, ranging from (time-resolved and surface-enhanced) vibrational spectroscopy, single molecule fluorescence, scanning probe techniques combined with optical and vibrational spectroscopy, as well as X-ray spectroscopy and microscopy.
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest Seminar

    Date:
    26
    Sunday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00-15:00
    Title: Non-Genetic “Optogenetics”: Silicon Based Bio-Interfaces for Multi-scale Optical Modulation
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Dr Menahem (Hemi) Rotenberg
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: lucio.frydman@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Bioelectronics for cellular interrogation requires a minimally invasive introduc ... Read more Bioelectronics for cellular interrogation requires a minimally invasive introduction of an electrical probe to the cell. Despite tremendous developments in the field of electroceuticals in the past decades, the available technologies are still associated with major limitations. Micropipette electrodes, micro- and nanoelectrode arrays, and nano-field effect transistors allow intracellular access with extremely high spatial resolution. However, these technologies are substrate-bound, do not allow reconfigurable recording or stimulation, and lack deep tissue access, which limits their use to in vitro application. Optogenetics can offer numerous mechanistic insights into cellular processes, but its spatial resolution is limited, especially for 3D tissues. Moreover, it requires genetic modification, which limits its potential therapeutic applications. In this talk, I will present my recent studies of developing new approaches for bio-interfaces using silicon micro- and nanostructures for non-genetic optical modulation, spanning from sub cellular interrogation with extremely high spatial resolutions to whole organ optical modulation. For sub-cellular interrogation, we used tailored made photovoltaic silicon nanowires with p-i-n core-shell design. These nanowires were hybridized with living myofibroblasts and used as free sanding cell-silicon hybrids with leadless optical modulation capabilities. We used focused laser to perform intracellular electrical interrogation with high, sub-cellular spatial resolution. Thereafter, we used these hybrids to tackle a long-standing debate regarding electrical coupling between myofibroblasts and cardiomyocytes in vivo, by interrogating specific myofibroblasts within the 3D volume of the cardiac tissue. We also show this technology’s utility for neuronal investigation by hybridizing myelinating oligodendrocytes and interfacing them with neurons, allowing the investigation of calcium transients’ role in the myelination process with unprecedented spatial control. For whole organ interface we used flexible single crystalline silicon membranes, that were able to adhere and wrap around the heart and sciatic nerve. We used optical stimulation to perform heart pacing at different location on the heart, and sciatic nerve excitation. These results demonstrate potential biomedical applications for cardiac resynchronization therapy and sciatic nerve neuro-regenerative treatments.
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    Visualizing activity dependent signaling dynamics in intact neuronal circuits

    Date:
    21
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Tal Laviv
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Joint Seminar-Depts of Neurobiology & Biomolecular Sciences Hosts: Prof. Ro ... Read more Joint Seminar-Depts of Neurobiology & Biomolecular Sciences Hosts: Prof. Rony Paz rony.paz@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6216 (Neurobiology) Prof. Rivka Dikstein rivka.dikstein@weizmann.ac.il tel: 2117 (Biomolecular Sciences) For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Sensory experience can change the structure and function of neurons in the bra ... Read more Sensory experience can change the structure and function of neurons in the brain over a wide range of timescales, from milliseconds-second modulation of synaptic activity to long-lasting alterations of genetic programs, lasting minutes to hours. While conversion of synaptic activity into long-lasting nuclear signaling is vital for learning and neuronal development, we still lack a clear understanding of its basic operating principles. To address this, I will describe recent advancements using two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging and new biosensors which allowed us to image the activity of CREB, an activity-dependent transcription factor important for synaptic plasticity, at single cell resolution in awake mice. Simultaneous imaging of CREB and Ca2+ in the visual cortex permitted us to explore how sensory deprivation (dark-rearing) can modulate the sensitivity and duration of CREB activity to sensory-evoked Ca2+ elevations. Future work using this approach will allow us to unravel synapse to nucleus signaling dynamics underlying experience-dependent plasticity in the brain.
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    Visualizing activity dependent signaling dynamics in intact neuronal circuits

    Date:
    21
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30-13:30
    Title: Joint Seminar - Dept. of Neurobiology & Biomolecular Sciences
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Tal Laviv - Joint Seminar - Dept. of Neurobiology & Biomolecular Sciences
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: Sensory experience can change the structure and function of neurons in the brain ... Read more Sensory experience can change the structure and function of neurons in the brain over a wide range of timescales, from milliseconds-second modulation of synaptic activity to long-lasting alterations of genetic programs, lasting minutes to hours. While conversion of synaptic activity into long-lasting nuclear signaling is vital for learning and neuronal development, we still lack a clear understanding of its basic operating principles. To address this, I will describe recent advancements using two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging and new biosensors which allowed us to image the activity of CREB, an activity-dependent transcription factor important for synaptic plasticity, at single cell resolution in awake mice. Simultaneous imaging of CREB and Ca2+ in the visual cortex permitted us to explore how sensory deprivation (dark-rearing) can modulate the sensitivity and duration of CREB activity to sensory-evoked Ca2+ elevations. Future work using this approach will allow us to unravel synapse to nucleus signaling dynamics underlying experience-dependent plasticity in the brain.
    Close abstract

    Soil Spectroscopy throughout the Years: Availabilities and Capabilities

    Date:
    19
    Sunday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: Sussman Family Building for Environmental Sciences
    Lecturer: Eyal Ben-Dor
    Organizer: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
    Contact: dalia.madhala@weizmann.ac.il
    Abstract: The soil spectroscopy discipline has been progressed over the past two decades q ... Read more The soil spectroscopy discipline has been progressed over the past two decades quite remarkably. Many portable point spectrometers became available through that time where recently also image spectrometers have become quite popular. The technology was used in the laboratory, field, and airborne levels and provided a new capability for a rapid and quantitative view of a large number of samples. At the same time platforms were also developed to carry the new family of sensors for remote sensing applications of large areas using ground and airborne vehicles ( manned and un-manned) and recently even satellites. This progress has led to a large number of activities in exploiting the spectroscopy for many applications within the soil science discipline. As the data acquisition increases and the soil spectral database has been enlarged, a new technique to compile soil spectral database together with methods to effectively analyze them has also been developed. To that end, activities to deal with the data mining process using big databases were successfully adopted from other disciplines while also designed especially for the soil spectroscopy activity. The results demonstrated that soil spectroscopy could be used for many applications from different domains such as soil mapping, precision agriculture, and laboratory work and can progress the soil science discipline quite forward. In this talk, we will review the history of soil spectroscopy from the first spectrometer and platform to the present situation. A particular emphasis will be given to the recent applications that have been developed in our group and to the future capability of this critical technology from all perspectives and to the new horizon it may open as expressed by space agencies such as NASA, ESA, ASI, JAXA, ISA and DLR.
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    From connectome to function: connectivity features underlying neuronal population dynamics in the nematode C. elegans

    Date:
    14
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 12:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Prof. Manuel Zimmer
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance w ... Read more Host: Dr. Meital Oren meital.oren@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6479 For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: A fundamental problem in neuroscience is to elucidate the relationship between n ... Read more A fundamental problem in neuroscience is to elucidate the relationship between neuronal network anatomy and its functional dynamics. The nematode worm C. elegans is an ideal model to study these problems. Its nervous system has just 302 neurons and all synaptic connections between them have been fully mapped. Using a large-scale Ca2+-imaging approach, we previously discovered nervous system wide neuronal population dynamics in the worm that encode action commands. These dynamics feature various network attractor states during which neurons coordinate and synchronize their activities, thereby providing functional interaction maps. In this talk, I will discuss unpublished work where we combine graph-theoretical and experimental approaches to understand which anatomical features in network connectivity relate to these functional dynamics and interactions between neurons.
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest Seminar

    Date:
    14
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00-12:00
    Title: Emerging exotic quantum phenomena in 1D molecular chains on surfaces
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Dr Pavel Jelinek
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: oren.tal@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: The goal of the David Lopatie Institute of Comparative Medicine is to combine th ... Read more The goal of the David Lopatie Institute of Comparative Medicine is to combine the Weizmann Institute of Science’s multidisciplinary expertise and emphasis on innovation, with advanced animal model research platforms, to achieve groundbreaking results that push the limits of comparative biomedical science.
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    Abstract: Low dimensional materials offer very interesting material and physical propertie ... Read more Low dimensional materials offer very interesting material and physical properties due to reduced dimensionality. Nowadays, mostly 2D materials are the focus of attention. However, 1D systems often show far more exotic behavior, such as Tomanaga-Luttinger liquid, Peierls distortion, etc.. In this talk, we will present different classes of 1D molecular chains formed on metallic surfaces by on-surface synthesis, which physical and chemical properties were investigated by low temperature UHV scanning probe microscopy supported by theoretical analysis. First, we will introduce a novel strategy to synthesize [1] a new class of intrinsically quasi-metallic one-dimensional (1D) -conjugated polymers featuring topologically non-trivial quantum states. Furthermore, we unveiled the fundamental relation between quantum topology, -conjugation and metallicity of polymers [2]. Thus, we will make a connection between two distinct worlds of topological band theory (condensed matter physics) and -conjugation polymer science (chemistry). We strongly believe this may stimulate new ways of thinking towards a design of novel organic quantum materials. In second part, we will demonstrate unusual mechanical and electronic properties of hydrogen bonded chains formed on a metallic surface driven by quantum nuclaar effects within the chain. We will show, that the concerted proton tunneling not only enhances the mechanical stability of the chain, but it also gives rise to new in-band gap electronics states localized at the ends of the chain. [1] A. Grande-Sanchez et al. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 131, 6631-6635 (2019). [2] B. Cierra et al arXiv preprint arXiv:1911.05514
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    Chemical and Biological Physics Guest Seminar

    Date:
    12
    Sunday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:00
    Title: Allosteric signal propagation studied by transient IR spectroscopy
    Location: Perlman Chemical Sciences Building
    Lecturer: Prof. Peter Hamm
    Organizer: Department of Chemical and Biological Physics
    Contact: gilad.haran@weizmann.ac.il

    Denise Cai: Linking memories across time and by Tristan Shuman: Breakdown of spatial coding and interneuron synchronization in epileptic mice

    Date:
    09
    Thursday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 14:30-15:30
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Denise Cai and Tristan Shuman
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Back-to-back Talk (1-hour long in total) Host: Prof. Nachum Ulanovsky nachum. ... Read more Back-to-back Talk (1-hour long in total) Host: Prof. Nachum Ulanovsky nachum.ulanovksy@weizmann.ac.il tel: 6301 For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Denise Cai: Linking memories across time The compilation of memories, collecte ... Read more Denise Cai: Linking memories across time The compilation of memories, collected and aggregated across a lifetime defines our human experience. My lab is interested in dissecting how memories are stored, updated, integrated and retrieved across a lifetime. Recent studies suggest that a shared neural ensemble may link distinct memories encoded close in time. Using in vivo calcium imaging (with open-source Miniscopes in freely behaving mice), TetTag transgenic system, chemogenetics, electrophysiology and novel behavioral designs, we tested how hippocampal networks temporally link memories. Multiple convergent findings suggest that contextual memories encoded close in time are linked by directing storage into overlapping hippocampal ensembles, such that the recall of one memory can trigger the recall of another temporally-related memory. Alteration of this process (e.g. during aging, PTSD, etc) affect the temporal structure of memories, thus impairing efficient recall of related information. Tristan Shuman: Breakdown of spatial coding and interneuron synchronization in epileptic mice Temporal lobe epilepsy causes severe cognitive deficits yet the circuit mechanisms that alter cognition remain unknown. We hypothesized that the death and reorganization of inhibitory connections during epileptogenesis may disrupt synchrony of hippocampal inhibition. To test this, we simultaneously recorded from CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) in pilocarpine-treated epileptic mice with silicon probes during head-fixed virtual navigation. We found desynchronized interneuron firing between CA1 and DG in epileptic mice. Since hippocampal interneurons control information processing, we tested whether CA1 spatial coding was altered in this desynchronized circuit using a novel wire-free Miniscope. We found that CA1 place cells in epileptic mice were unstable and completely remapped across a week. This place cell instability emerged ~6 weeks after status epilepticus, well after the onset of chronic spontaneous seizures and interneuron death. Finally, our CA1 network model showed that desynchronized inputs can impair information content and stability of CA1 place cells. Together, these results demonstrate that temporally precise intra-hippocampal communication is critical for spatial processing and hippocampal desynchronization contributes to spatial coding deficits in epileptic mice.
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    Imaging deep: sensory and state coding in subcortical circuits

    Date:
    09
    Thursday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 11:00
    Location: Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
    Lecturer: Dr. Jan Grundemann
    Organizer: Department of Brain Sciences
    Contact: naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Host: Dr. Yaniv Ziv yaniv.ziv@weizmann.ac.il tel: 4275 For assistance with ... Read more Host: Dr. Yaniv Ziv yaniv.ziv@weizmann.ac.il tel: 4275 For assistance with accessibility issues, please contact naomi.moses@weizmann.ac.il
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    Abstract: Internal states, including affective or homeostatic states, are important behavi ... Read more Internal states, including affective or homeostatic states, are important behavioral motivators. The amygdala is a key regulator of motivated behaviors, yet how distinct internal states are represented in amygdala circuits is unknown. Here, by longitudinally imaging neural calcium dynamics across different environments in freely moving mice, we identify changes in the activity levels of two major, non-overlapping populations of principal neurons in the basal amygdala (BA) that predict switches between exploratory and non-exploratory (defensive, anxiety-like) states. Moreover, the amygdala broadcasts state information via several output pathways to larger brain networks, and sensory responses in BA occur independently of behavioral state encoding. Thus, the brain processes external stimuli and internal states orthogonally, which may facilitate rapid and flexible selection of appropriate, state-dependent behavioral responses.
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    Malaria Parasites Secrete Proteasome-Containing Vesicles to Alter its Red Blood Cell Host

    Date:
    07
    Tuesday
    January
    2020
    Lecture / Seminar
    Time: 10:00-10:30
    Location: Nella and Leon Benoziyo Building for Biological Sciences
    Lecturer: Elya Dekel
    Organizer: Department of Biomolecular Sciences
    Contact: levana.ayvazo@weizmann.ac.il
    Details: Elya Dekel - Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences-WIS
    Abstract: Malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), is a devastating parasitic diseas ... Read more Malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), is a devastating parasitic disease affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Many pathogens use Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), to manipulate their hosts by diverting host signaling pathways to facilitate infection. In this study, we investigated the role of EVs secreted from Pf-infected red blood cells (RBCs) in altering their residing host. Using AFM-based assay, we found that the parasitic EVs significantly modify the host membrane and make it softer. Importantly, we demonstrate that the cytoskeletal structure of the RBC is being disrupted upon treatment with these EVs. Remarkably, by proteomic analysis we identified the 20S proteasome in Pf-derived EVs and further verified this complex is active within the parasitic-EVs. We further demonstrated the involvement of the 20S proteasome in host cytoskeleton degradation. This cytoskeleton degradation by the 20S proteasome leads to “priming” of naive RBC (uRBC) and thus to elevated parasitemia levels. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that Pf-derived EVs alter both mechanical and molecular properties of their immediate host, the RBCs, by delivering active 20S proteasome and for the benefit of the parasite.
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    Example 1 for internal event node

    Date:
    08
    Monday
    May
    2017
    -
    10
    Wednesday
    May
    2017
    Retreat
    Time: 10:00 - 12:30
    Location: David Lopatie Conference Centre ...
    Organizer: Department of ...
    Contact: weizmann@weizmann.ac.il

    Example 2 for internal event node

    Date:
    08
    Monday
    May
    2017
    -
    10
    Wednesday
    May
    2017
    Retreat
    Time: 10:00 - 12:30
    Location: David Lopatie Conference Centre ...
    Organizer: Department of ...
    Contact: weizmann@weizmann.ac.il