Weizman UK

Making Connections grants

Please find below a brief summary of the 10 Making Connections grants that have been awarded since we began our programme in 2008. Each grant amounts to $100,000 over 2 years. Weizmann UK has raised more than $1 million to date through its fundraising efforts for this unique Making Connections Programme. These grants are supporting British and Israeli scientists to collaborate on scientific research and make groundbreaking discoveries.

2008/2009:

30 Applications

5 Grants Awarded

1. Brain Substrates of Memory Conformity 

Prof. Yadin Dudai, Weizmann Institute of Science & Prof. Raymond Dolan and Dr. Tali Shalot, University College London  

Our memories are often inaccurate and social pressure is one reason for false recollection. This leads individuals to change their report of past events to match that reported by others.  Scientists are combining a novel behavioural protocol that taxes multiple facets of memory conformity with functional neuroimaging. They hope to understand the brain mechanisms mediating socially-induced memory errors.

2. Foundations of Dark Energy Research

Prof. Avishay Gal-Yam, Weizmann Institute of Science & Dr Mark Sullivan, University of Oxford

Most of the contents of our Universe are invisible. Understanding the nature of these dark energy components is one of the greatest challenges of contemporary physics. Through critical analysis of supernovae, researchers hope to identify what stellar systems give rise to these explosions and unravel some of the mysteries of our Universe

3. Probing the mechanism of collagen degradation  

Prof. Irit Sagi, Weizmann Institute of Science & Dr. Robert Visse, Imperial College 

Collagen turnover is intimately linked with healing of wounds, embryo development and tissue regeneration. By combining biochemical and biophysical tools, scientists will reveal new molecular insights into the complex and important mechanism of collagen degradation.

4. Cdc42 and the Regulation of Actin Polymerization Dynamics at Cell Membranes: Theoretical Models, Molecular Mechanisms and Developmental Roles 

Dr. Nir Gov and Prof. Ben-Zion Shilo, Weizmann Institute of Science & Dr. Buzz Baum, UCL 

Actin cytoskeletal dynamics play a central role in the control of several fundamental cell biological processes in animal cells including cell motility, vesicular trafficking, adhesion and differentiation. Scientists are using a combination of modeling and experiments to reveal the cellular and physiological consequences of activation of the enzyme CDC42 on actin-membrane dynamics.

5. Self-Assembly of Surface-Confined Functional Materials 

Dr. Jonathan R. Nitschke, Weizmann Institute of Science & Jonathan R. Nitschke, University of Cambridge 

The formation of the assembly of metal-organic systems in solution and their associated studies have had a tremendous impact on many aspects of chemistry, whereas similar well-defined systems on surfaces are relatively rare. Research is being conducted to synthesise a new class of conductive metal-containing self-assembled polymers. Scientists have been developing the techniques that underpin polymer formation in solution, and are continuing to investigate the properties of our products, seeking to optimise their usefulness as surface-confined conductive materials.

2009/2010:

40 Applications

5 Grants Awarded

1. The Impact of Emotion on Time Perception  

Prof. Rony Paz, Weizmann Institute of Science & Prof. Marjan Jahanshahi, UCL 

Emotions often affect the precision of our time estimations. However, little is known about the neuronal mechanisms that underlie the interactions between time-estimation and emotions. Using behavioural, neurophysiological and transcranial magnetic stimulation, scientists are exploring the mechanisms that underlie the effect of emotions on time perception in humans.

2. The ‘electrical double layer’ in pure ionic liquid next to an electrified metal surface

Prof. Jacob Klein, Weizmann Institute of Science & Prof. Susan Perkin, UCL 

Ionic liquids (IL) are a novel class of fluids which are used in applications such as eco-friendly solvents, lubricants, solar cells and even as electrolytes in batteries.  Combining techniques by British and Israeli scientists will provide researchers with deep insight of IL at the molecular Level. This is likely to have great implications for the design of batteries, solar cells and other electrochemical applications.

3. Electromagnetic Induced Transparency with optically trapped Atoms  

Prof. Nir Davidson, Weizmann Institute of Science & Prof. Charles Adams, Durham University 

Electromagnetic induced transparency (EIT) is an intriguing quantum optics effect where a strongly absorptive media becomes transparent over an extremely narrow frequency range due to quantum interference between two or more absorption pathways.   By combining techniques developed by both Professors, the two institutions hope to yield unprecedented strong nonlinear effects that may lead to new applications in precision metrology and quantum information science.

4. The Interplay between Algorithms and Randomness

Prof. Uriel Feige and Prof. Robert Krauthgamer, Weizmann Institute of Science & Prof. Amin Coja-Oghlan, Prof. Artur Czumaj, and Prof. Harald Räcke, University of Warwick 

Randomness plays a central role in the modern design and analysis of algorithms, a topic that stands in the forefront of research in modern computer science. This scientists ultimate goal is to advance the theory of algorithm design and analysis as a whole, with a desired long-term impact which is broad and includes developing algorithms that are successful in practice. While the work will focus on basic research and theoretical aspects, its motivation involves, and the results may be relevant to, several application areas, such as databases, computer vision and networking

5. A combined experimental and theoretical study of dynamics on surfaces

Prof. Eli Pollak, Weizmann Institute of Science & Dr. William Allison, University of Cambridge 

The study of surface phenomena is in the forefront of present day research in condensed matter physics. Any real progress in the field has implications for processes ranging from catalysis, to asymmetric synthesis, atmospheric and astrophysical reactions, nanoelectronics and more. The research aims to combine theoretical skills at the Weizmann Institute with new experimental work, performed at the University of Cambridge, in order to understand two major problems in surface dynamics.