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at the Technion after all! For example,
Dr. Yaakov (Koby) Nahmias (HUJI) gave
a talk about a ‘human-on-a-chip’, a
system of interconnected micro-vessels
filled with tissue-engineered constructs.
This miniaturised model of human
metabolism integrates microfluidics
with human cells, marrying engineering
with biology. It allows testing the
action of drugs and cosmetics with an
unprecedented level of control, and it
presents a real alternative to animal
experiments. And then he shows some
data on a true dream drug based on
that distinctive bitter substance from
grapefruits: You simply take it before a
fatty or sugary meal (or both, if it is
your favorite chocolate cake), and your
liver just ignores it! Production of ‘bad’
cholesterol is cut in half and insulin
sensitivity is increased by two-thirds!
Well, I always liked grapefruits, but
now there is a scientific reason to enjoy
them even more often!
After the whole day of presentations,
the senior group leaders from the
three institutions gather to discuss the
plans for our collaboration. And time
is pressing - the deadline is just two
weeks away. With a bit of progress, but
still many open questions, we have to
stop and enjoy some of those calories
that wait for us in form of salads, goat
cheese, and – yes, some deliciously
looking cakes – Professor Nahmias
should have handed us his wonder pills
first!
And then we have a guest lecture on
“Ultrasound Surgery”, - an MRI-guided
ultrasonic ‘knife’ used for cut-free
surgery – well, “surgery” somehow does
not feel appropriate, should one rather
say “hands-free body-repair”? Again,
I catch myself thinking: This is not
science fiction but already a reality!
Patients’ tumors are removed using this
technique– without pain, without risk
of infection, with millimeter accuracy
and zero cancer return rate. Wow! The
speaker himself, Professor Yoav Medan
from the Department of Biomedical
Engineering at the Technion and the
Chief Systems Architect at InSightec
Ltd, is a maverick. Before getting into
the development of this fascinating
medical technology, he spent 17 years
at the IBM Research Division. His talk
is so impressive and intellectually
stimulating, that, even though it is
rather late and we are all quite tired
after this long day, we find it difficult
to stop our discussions.
Jan 27
On the plane
to frankfurt
5:45 pm
Home, home, now I am flying home…
It is raining outside – there were a
few real downpours, with hail and very
strong wind – as forecasted, apparently
typical for Israeli winter. But I think I
prefer this to the heat, which they say
overtakes the country in summer, when
not a single raindrop falls between May
and October.
Today, we visited the Technion
Medical School’s Cancer Centre. Our
students gave their talks, which were
well received and which prompted some
very good questions. I had to leave
earlier to catch an afternoon flight
back to Germany. The others will stay
at least until Sunday, having time to
work, but also actually see the city
and the famous Bahai Gardens. But I
need to rush home to my 8-month old
daughter, who had to manage these
few days without her main food source.
When the Israeli girls heard I am still
nursing my little girl, they immediately
offered me a breast milk pump they
have on hand in their lab – needless to
say I was gob smacked and speechless.
A milk pump for lab mums – this is
what I would call a family-friendly work
environment! Now I understand even
better why, in Israel, having three kids
seems to be a minimum prerequisite to
be able to say one has a family!
international affairs
tegel airport
11:00 pm
After missing my connection, and
rushing through the Frankfurt airport to
catch the last flight to Berlin, I arrive
eventually home. I really look forward
to seeing my family and getting some
rest. Needless to say, I feel completely
exhausted, but full of impressions and
warm memories of meeting very kind
people.
There are now two weeks of very
intense work ahead of us. I am
confident we’ll not only make it in time
but our proposal will be really good!
It must simply be, as all participants
are so genuinely interested to work
together and have already invested so
much effort into moving from what was
just an idea a year ago to a detailed
plan of action. We’ll see, but now as
I step out of the terminal a gust of
the frosty wind takes my breath away,
and I am reminded – it is January, I
am in Berlin and three fleeting days of
summer are now just a memory…
Tel Aviv in January
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