Prof. Shai Shen-Orr of the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine showcased his lab’s trailblazing efforts in harnessing computational tools and innovative methodologies to redefine our understanding of the immune system. A leading immunologist and director of the Zimin Institute of AI Solutions in Healthcare at the Technion and the new Technion Institute for Healthy Aging, his work spans from developing metrics like “immune age” to spearheading global health projects, promising transformative implications for medicine.

Immune Age and Predictive Medicine

One of Prof. Shen-Orr’s standout contributions is the concept of immune age, a metric that quantifies the immune system’s state. This marker has shown predictive power for various health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, paving the way for early diagnosis and intervention.

“Your immune system is a learning system,” Shen-Orr explained, emphasizing how the immune system evolves over time and adapts to environmental challenges. “By understanding an individual’s immune age, health care providers can better predict and manage potential health issues, leading to more personalized and effective treatments.”

Developed using advanced mass cytometry and machine learning, this metric represents a leap in precision medicine, shifting the focus from general health indicators to immune-specific markers.

Bridging the Data-Insight Gap With AI

Prof. Shen-Orr’s research tackles a critical bottleneck in biomedical science: the gap between vast amounts of data and actionable insights. He has pioneered computational disease models that leverage artificial intelligence to improve drug development efficiency. For example, his lab’s algorithm, “Found in Translation,” enhances the predictability of findings from animal models, like mice, to human systems by up to 50%. “We train the computer system to learn the difference between a mouse and a human,” he said.

“Most drugs fail during development. It costs about $2.5 billion to bring a single drug to market, primarily because of failed trials. By improving the translational accuracy between species, we can reduce time, cost, and animal use significantly.”

The Human Immunome Project: A Global Collaboration

One of his most ambitious initiatives, Shen-Orr is co-chief science officer of the Human Immunome Project. This global nonprofit aims to map baseline immune variations across populations, genders, and geographic regions, addressing a fundamental gap in immunological research. The project holds the potential to revolutionize vaccine development and personalized immunotherapies by understanding how different immune systems respond to treatments.

An example that underscores this need is the malaria vaccine. While it demonstrated over 90% efficacy in trials conducted in the U.S., its effectiveness dropped to less than 20% in African populations, a disparity attributed to baseline immune variations.

“We’re at a singularity moment in immunology,” Shen-Orr said. “The tools to measure the immune system comprehensively, along with AI capabilities, have matured. Now is the time to leverage them for global impact.”

From Academia to Real-World Applications

The Technion’s emphasis on translational research is evident in Shen-Orr’s dual roles as an academic leader and entrepreneur. He co-founded CytoReason, a company that integrates AI-driven disease models into pharmaceutical research and development. The platform has already gained traction with leading industry players like Pfizer and Sanofi, demonstrating its potential to streamline drug development and reduce costs.

Moreover, his collaboration with other Technion researchers is pushing the boundaries of innovation. For instance, partnerships exploring the impact of diet on immune health are underway, aiming to create tailored nutritional solutions for aging populations.

Shen-Orr also advocates for equipping biologists and clinicians with computational and data science skills to harness the explosion of data in immunology. The Technion’s curriculum now incorporates quantitative thinking from the first year of medical school, preparing future physicians to engage with cutting-edge technologies.

Looking Ahead

Prof. Shen-Orr’s work exemplifies the Technion’s commitment to groundbreaking science with tangible societal benefits. By bridging biology, AI, and global collaboration, his research not only advances our understanding of the immune system but also lays the foundation for a future where medicine is predictive, personalized, and precise.

His collaborative efforts with institutions like Stanford University and the National Institutes of Health aim to deepen our understanding of immune health and develop new diagnostic tools and therapies. “We are studying the effects of the environment and pollution on immune health,” for example.

As he puts it, “We’re moving toward a world with less trial and error and more informed decisions in medicine. The immune system, with all its complexity, is the key to unlocking this future.”

From predictive medicine to global health initiatives, Shen-Orr’s work is paving the way for a deeper understanding of the immune system and its applications in improving human health. As the field continues to evolve, the Technion remains at the cutting edge, driving innovation and collaboration in immunology research.

Jacob Nagel, a brigadier general who still serves about 80 days a year in the reserves, is one of Israel’s foremost security experts and has served as acting national security adviser. He is also a Technion alum and visiting professor who heads the Technion’s Advanced Defense Research Institute and is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a nonpartisan research institute based in Washington, D.C.

In August 2024, Prof. Nagel was asked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make recommendations for Israel’s security strategy and budget for the next decade. He formed a committee comprised of 12 experts and former high-ranking defence officials. The 130-page “Nagel Committee Report” was presented to the prime minister, defence minister, and treasury minister on January 6, 2025. All but 20 pages have been made public. We met with Prof. Nagel to discuss the committee’s key findings and the Technion’s role in their implementation.

Prof. Nagel, news reports about the committee’s report highlight two main points: First, Israel must be able to defend itself independently, and second, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must shift from a defensive posture to a more proactive and preemptive attack strategy. Is that accurate?

Jacob Nagel: That is partially accurate, because there’s much more to the report. When we presented it, I emphasized that while these two points are among the top five, the report includes over 80 recommendations covering a wide range of issues, including military preparedness, defence technology, manpower, and national security strategy.

One of the central themes is that Iran remains the primary threat to Israel. A significant portion of the defence budget must be allocated toward force buildup and preparedness for an inevitable confrontation with Iran. This includes investing in advanced weapons systems, intelligence capabilities, and cyber warfare. Another crucial shift is our transition from a strategy of containment and defence to one of offense and prevention. Preemptive attacks and proactive operations must be part of our military doctrine moving forward.

We also identified manpower as a critical challenge. The strength of the IDF is built not just on weapon systems but on human capital. The IDF faces a growing crisis in retaining top talent, and our recommendations focus on ensuring the best and brightest stay within the system. This requires enhancing career incentives, improving technological education, and fostering a stronger link among academia, the defence industry, and the military.

Regional Threats and Changes in Strategy

J.N.: Beyond Iran, we need to reassess our entire defence posture. We must ensure our capability to attack deep into enemy territory and enhance our missile defence systems. Additionally, we must adapt our ground forces and maneuverability to counter evolving threats. One of the key aspects of our recommendations is ensuring that Israel can independently produce critical defence weapon systems so that we are not dependent on foreign suppliers.

Some news reports claim your committee recommended preparing for potential conflict with Turkey. Can you clarify?

J.N.: They blew it out of proportion. Our report discussed the evolving regional landscape and emphasized that Israel must monitor and prepare for geopolitical shifts. For example, Turkey’s increasing presence in Syria is something we must pay attention to, but we never recommended initiating conflict with Turkey.

And what about Syria?

J.N.: The situation in Syria remains complex. The new administration, while not directly aligned with Iran, is still a volatile entity, originated from a terror organization. They understand that if they want to be recognized globally and stabilize their country, they must distance themselves from Iran’s influence. However, we cannot assume they will automatically become a reliable partner. We must remain cautious and watch their actions closely. Respect should be given based on behavior, not rhetoric.

At the same time, the Syrian military has been severely weakened, and their ability to threaten Israel directly is very limited. But we cannot let our guard down. We must ensure that terrorist organizations do not exploit the power vacuum to establish stronger footholds near our borders. Israel’s approach will be one of vigilance and readiness to act if necessary.

What is the current status of Hamas and Hezbollah? Can they be eradicated, or will they be replaced by other threats?

J.N.: Hamas, as a military organisation, has been largely dismantled. We have taken out 23 of 24 battalions. The only reason one remains is because it is believed that’s where most of the hostages are. However, Gaza still harbors thousands of terrorists and eradicating them will take years. The shift in our strategy is that we will no longer wait for threats to materialise — we will act preemptively. One other recommendation is for Israel to build underground infrastructure to protect our infrastructure and main systems.

Hezbollah poses a greater challenge. Their forces are better equipped. Even after the severe hit from Israel they salvaged around a third of their 200,000 missiles. That’s why our approach in the ceasefire in Lebanon differs. We maintain a presence and act immediately against imminent threats, without waiting for approval.

Technological Innovation and the Role of the Technion

You mentioned a need for underground infrastructure. What does that entail?

J.N.: This involves both civilian and military infrastructure. In the wake of World War II, many cities — like New York — expanded underground to provide shelters and secure facilities. Israel must do the same. Our enemies have built extensive tunnel networks in Gaza and Lebanon; we must develop underground command centres, production and storage facilities, and shelters to maintain operational continuity during attacks.

This effort requires a long-term investment of billions of shekels and will take years to implement, but we have already begun. The Technion plays an essential role in this by developing the necessary engineering solutions, structural reinforcements, and underground defence technologies.

Researchers at the Technion are working on innovative methods to detect, neutralize, and even counter enemy tunnels utilizing advanced robotics, AI-driven mapping, and detection technologies. These efforts ensure that Israel remains ahead in underground warfare capabilities and military resilience.

How else will the Technion contribute to defence strategies?

J.N.: The Technion plays a vital role in technological education and research. Our expertise in aerospace engineering is unique and critical to the development of next-generation UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], hypersonic missiles, and directed-energy weapons, and the new Center for High-Speed Flight will contribute to advancements in capabilities, autonomous systems, and advanced propulsion technologies. The research conducted here lays the foundation for future aerial combat and surveillance capabilities. Additionally, the Technion is working on AI-driven decision-making, quantum computing, and space technologies — all of which will define the future of warfare.

The Technion is launching a high-performance computing centre. Will it also play a role in Israel’s security?

J.N.: High-performance computing is crucial for simulations, data analysis, and AI applications. The Technion’s work in this field supports various defence and civilian projects by enabling more sophisticated computational capabilities. Our advancements in quantum computing, AI, and deep learning are vital for the next generation of defence systems.

Additionally, one of my roles at the Technion is to bridge the gap between academia and the defence industry and defence forces. Often, researchers have groundbreaking ideas but don’t know that they could apply to national security. Conversely, the defence establishment has needs but doesn’t always know that solutions and ideas already exist in academia. My centre [the Advanced Defense Research Institute] helps connect these dots.

During the war, we rapidly turned academic concepts into operational solutions for the battlefield, demonstrating the power of collaboration between academia and the military. This includes advancements in swarm drone technology, cyber defence, and battlefield robotics.

BRIG. GEN. PROF. JACOB NAGEL WITH ISRAEL’S MINISTER OF DEFENSE ISRAEL KATZ.

The Hypocrisy of BDS

What do you say to supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement who claim the Technion is some sort of arm for the military?

J.N.: It’s important to highlight that universities worldwide play a similar role in developing research that ultimately benefits their nations’ defence industries. This is not unique to the Technion or Israel. The United States, for example, has academic institutions like MIT, Stanford, Purdue, and many more that conduct dual-use defence-related research and collaborate with military and civilian entities. The idea that the Technion is a military arm is a complete misrepresentation. The BDS movement, which attempts to delegitimize Israeli institutions, ignores the fact that many American universities engage in similar kinds of research and partnerships. This double standard is not only hypocritical but also intellectually dishonest.

Final Thoughts

Any final words on the report and Israel’s defence future?

J.N.: Our report is about ensuring Israel’s security for the next decade and beyond. We need strategic, technological, and manpower investments to remain ahead of our adversaries. The collaboration among academia, industry, and the defence establishment is crucial to this mission.

At the end of the day, it’s all about protecting Israel and ensuring our forces have the tools they need to succeed. The Technion will continue to be a cornerstone of these efforts by developing technological innovations that will make Israel stronger and keep it safe.

What if the digital world offered not just sight and sound but also the ability to feel?

Imagine a future where technology allows us not only to see and hear each other from great distances but also to feel  – examining a sick patient or tucking in a grandchild from across the globe. Techion Professor Lihi Zelnik-Manor is on a mission to hone technologies that will realize these possibilities.

“I love thinking about the applications of technologies that simulate the sensation of touch: providing medical professionals with new tools, helping people who are blind, and even enabling family members to virtually touch one another across geographical distances,” she says. “The extraordinary promise of such technologies motivates my work.”

The challenge of simulating touch — especially textures — is decades away from full realization. Currently, haptic systems, systems that relate to the sensation of touch, rely on simple vibration motors to simulate touch. These motors are used to provide sensory feedback in devices like haptic gloves or robotic arms, which allow users to “feel” when they grip an object. However, when it comes to simulating detailed textures like the roughness of concrete or the smoothness of fabric, the technology has been limited.

Prof. Zelnik-Manor is working on new innovations that aim to replicate the tactile experience of touching real-world textures. In one experiment, she and her team built a tablet with air pressure systems, which resembled an air hockey table, to simulate tactile feedback and explore the possibility of conveying images to blind individuals through touch. The project faced challenges as the team ultimately realized that humans struggle to understand complex spatial layouts through touch alone. Nonetheless, the experiment provided valuable information about haptic technology.

In a more promising recent experiment, Prof. Zelnik-Manor aimed to create a small device that resembled a computer mouse which could provide tactile feedback for users to recognize textures — a “haptic mouse” with an array of vibrating pins. The pins simulate various textures by stimulating the finger in a way that mimics the sensation of touching real surfaces. The device capitalizes on the brain’s ability to reconstruct textures as users move their fingers across the pins.

The device was tested against real-world 3D-printed materials, and results showed that while the device was not as accurate as physically touching the materials, it was still effective. In the experiment, participants were able to recognize textures with 86% accuracy using the haptic device, compared to 97% accuracy with the 3D-printed surfaces. The recognition process was slower with the device, taking around two minutes versus one minute with the 3D prints. Despite these limitations, the experiment demonstrated the potential of virtual haptic feedback for texture recognition, moving beyond basic tactile tasks to more complex real-world textures.

One of the most exciting applications of haptic technology lies in medicine, particularly in laparoscopic surgery. Surgeons currently rely on visual feedback to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy tissue. If haptic feedback could be integrated into surgical tools, doctors could “feel” the difference between tissues, improving precision and reducing errors. This advancement could be a game-changer in procedures like tumor removal or organ surgery.

The future of touch is just beginning to unfold. As research progresses, the digital world will become more immersive, offering not just sight and sound but also the ability to feel. Though such progress will take decades to achieve, Prof. Zelnik-Manor believes the charge fits squarely within the realm of academia and the mission of the Technion.

“To work on problems whose solutions lie 20 or 30 years in the future, this is the domain of academia,” she says. “While industry is driven to tackle problems with more near-term results, we as Technion researchers have the challenge and privilege of working on deeper, more complex mysteries.”

Technion plays a crucial role in Israel’s infrastructure, security and economy. Industries in which it has made life-changing advancements include energy, water and healthcare, and it’s impossible to look at the diverse student body, 20 per cent of whom are Arab, and not feel hope.

There’s a saying – conveyed in many ways – that to love another, one must first love oneself. Given, then, that the very foundation of Israel hinged on the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, it is no wonder that the country loves it so.

Described as the technological backbone of the country even before its establishment – expressed by the New York Times quite perfectly as “Israel’s hard drive” – the Technion was crucial in the infrastructure, security and economy necessary for the state’s survival, and without which it would simply not exist today.

Set up decades before the state of Israel was established through the prism of Zionism by visionaries including Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, and Theodor Herzl, it was understood that if the country was not only to survive but to thrive, it needed to invest in science and technology. A Jewish state alone would never be enough; it needed to benefit the entire world, starting with the local Arab population – more on this soon.

Rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology.

For before anything else, without the means to defend itself, Israel could not survive, let alone make advancements in any other area. Fortunately, the Technion’s role in the country’s security is no less prevalent today than it was in the years leading up to and immediately after the state’s establishment. Missile defence systems, such as the remarkable Iron Dome developed by Technion alumnus Chanoch Levin that has saved thousands of lives and, most recently, David’s Sling and Iron Beam, as well as underground tunnel detection devices and drone technology, are just a few examples of the role the Israel Institute of Technology has supported in the protection of Israel and its citizens, through a plethora of disciplines offered at the university such as aerospace, engineering and computer science.

In this area the Technion has form; on March 17, 1948, just two months before Israel’s founding, the Haganah recruited physics and chemistry students from the university, among others, to Givatayim, where a radar detection unit was set up. Similarly, it continues to play a pivotal role in securing the country and its people, most recently in the ongoing war since October 7. There are too many examples to list, but they include some 3,000 students – 21 per cent of the student body – being called up as reservists and supported by the university with financial, psychological and educational help. Others include the Faculty of Medicine’s transformation of what usually functions as a car park in peacetime to a 2,000-bed fortified underground hospital and the establishment of the “Give Help, Get Help” scheme, which has been responsible for hosting dozens of internally displaced people, opening schools on campus for Technion staff children, clearing out bomb shelters, baking challah, organising blood drives, giving haircuts to soldiers and donating packages.

Companies including Google, Microsoft, IBM, Qualcomm, Yahoo!, Hewlett-Packard and others have established their operation near or even on campus, where they can take advantage of the Technion’s research power and outstanding graduates.

It’s because of all this that the Technion has also been able to live up to the nickname of “the Startup Nation”. According to Stanford Graduate School of Business research, the Technion is 25 times more likely to produce a US-based unicorn startup than any other non-US university. Industries in which the institute has made life-changing advancements include energy, water and health (with groundbreaking inventions such as the PillCam – a tiny, wireless, capsule-encased camera the size of a jelly bean and small enough to be swallowed, which hundreds of UK hospitals are using – and novel drug Rasagiline to treat Parkinson’s disease, approved by the American Food and Drug Administration in 2006).

Yet perhaps we need only look closer to home when we answer why Israel loves the Technion. Circling back to our earlier point of how the Israel Institute of Technology benefits not only the Jewish people but its Arab population, too, it’s impossible to look at the diverse makeup of the student body, 20 per cent of whom are Arab, and not feel an overwhelming sense of hope for the future.

It’s clear that the Technion feels exactly the same about Israel as Israel feels about the Technion, and there’s nothing quite like requited love, is there?

“When I return from reserve duty, I need to rest but usually cannot, as there is work, studies, exams, and family life to catch up on. But I am proud and happy to serve, like all us reservists.”

Meet Amotz , an IDF combat reservist now serving another long stretch, warrior, Technion student and teaching assistant, spouse, father.

The name is a pseudonym. IDF reserve soldiers have been threatened with arrest when abroad by pro-Palestinian activists employing the International Court of Justice genocide calumny. I choose not to give them ammunition.Amotz is a student of electrical engineering at the Technion. He works as a teaching assistant as well, and, in my opinion, excels at it, as he does in everything he tackles.

Amotz is married to Chava, an architect, and is father of their daughter, Bruriah, age three. (Those are pseudonyms as well.) Chava is expecting another child. The couple live in Technion student dorms.
Amotz serves in a renowned special forces commando unit. As I write this, he has begun another long stint as an IDF combat reserve soldier. Reports indicate there are 169,000 IDF soldiers on active duty, and some 465,000 in the reserves. In the ongoing October 7 war, some 350,000 reserve soldiers were reported to have been called up to defend their country. Many returned home hastily from abroad to join their units.

Student, instructor, spouse, parent, warrior. This is the reality many Israeli men and women grapple with, playing multiple roles and juggling them now for 453 days, as I write this.

I choose to tell Amotz’s story in his own words. In my view, Amotz is an outstanding teaching assistant, a diligent student, loving spouse, dedicated father, and brave warrior. I salute him and many thousands like him, who defend their country with courage and sacrifice. More than 800 Israeli soldiers have died in battle, which includes 43 women.


Here is Amotz’s story, in his own words:

“I was a yeshiva student, studying Talmud mostly and learning secular subjects for no more than two hours daily. I did not do the full high school matriculation exams. As a yeshiva student, I initially planned to do abbreviated IDF service. But after Operation Pillar of Defense, the eight-day campaign in Gaza in November 2012, I decided to do full IDF service.
I studied at yeshiva in Hebron, then in Yeruham. My leg was injured in an accident, causing severe infection, and for a time it was not clear if I would walk again. I was determined to recover, worked out hard, and eventually I did recover fully. I volunteered for an elite commando unit, even though I was less physically fit than most of the other recruits. [Candidates for special forces units go through a rigorous week-long ordeal during which, among other things, they carry a heavy sandbag up a high sand dune, come down, and repeat this up to 30 times or more.]

IDF soldiers conduct training exercises near the northern border and at command headquarters, September 30, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

I think I made it because of willpower rather than fitness. Soldiers in the unit did strenuous exercises to raise their heart rates to 200 beats a minute – not an easy goal to reach for a fit person. For me it was easy, as I was less fit.Eventually I was released from this unit and joined another commando unit, serving as a team leader. In this unit, I managed to come up with a number of innovative ideas related to the use of specific equipment; these ideas were tested and adopted widely.

After my IDF service, I began studies at the Open University. Later, despite having only a partial matriculation diploma, I was accepted to the Technion because of my high grades.

Well before the October 7 war, I did long stretches of reserve duty. In Operation Swords of Iron, I was called up and served in Gaza. Several times I was called up, then told that the call-up was deferred. This was disruptive to my studies and married life.

I have been trying hard to catch up with my studies and complete the semester exams. My goal is to add an undergraduate degree in physics to an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. The Technion’s combined electrical engineering/physics program is difficult and challenging, but knowing physics is important because it explains the theory underlying engineering principles.

My wife is a talented architect who has put her profession on hold. She had to quit her full-time job and can do only temporary work. This has caused us some economic hardship. When I return from reserve duty, I need to rest but usually cannot, as there is work, studies, exams, and family life to catch up on. But I am proud and happy to serve, like all us reservists.

My wife is incredible. She has enormous strength and sends me off to serve in the IDF with pride. Our little daughter has become frightened of loud noises. I am an optimist. I see many good things happening and meet many good people. I think today, after October 7, people are far less judgmental. Most people have moved on, moved forward from the bitter dissension we had before October 7. In the reserves, leftists and rightists fight as a unit and are brothers.

In my opinion, our political system is outdated. Social media rewards negative statements and very short-term goals. We need more long-term thinking.”

Life after October 7

ACCORDING TO the Bank of Israel, Israel’s war-related costs from 2023 to 2025 could end up amounting to $55.6 billion, costing Israel 10% of its economy. And the war is far from over. Long term, that figure may well double.The human toll of October 7 is, of course, immense. Some 1,139 people were killed, among them 695 Israeli civilians (including 38 children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 IDF soldiers. Some 364 civilians were killed and many more wounded while attending the Supernova music festival. About 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip, alive or dead, including 30 children. Almost 100, alive and dead, remain in Gaza.

There is immense suffering among the Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas claims that the Gaza war has killed at least 45,553 Palestinians and wounded 108,379 since October 7, 2023.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, no friend of Israel, reportedly commented to Israel, “What did you expect?” when he was informed of the Hamas atrocities. That comment applies far more accurately to Hamas.

I ask the terrorists: “When you attacked, murdered, pillaged, raped, and burned – what did you expect in response? Does your death-is-salvation ideology welcome the enormous suffering you brought on your people? Really?”

As the shaky Netanyahu coalition slaps together a new draft law for the ultra-Orthodox, exempting a majority of them, injustice screams to the heavens. Amotz, from a strong yeshiva background, became a disciplined courageous warrior. This is proof of concept. Proof of need? It’s obvious.
Let us direct resources to IDF reservists like Amotz who are struggling, and not to able-bodied yeshiva students who dodge the draft. The Hassidic rabbis who fanatically oppose army service for their young men and leverage their political power will not be forgiven.

Proteins, the pillars of cellular function, often assemble into “complexes” to fulfill their functions. A study by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Weizmann Institute, in collaboration with the Technion, reveals why this assembly often begins during the very process of protein synthesis or “birth.”

These early interactions involve proteins whose stability depends on their association. They can be compared to a couple in which each partner supports the other. This model paves the way for new strategies to understand and correct assembly errors, which are often associated with pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers. The findings are published in the journal Cell.

Proteins are large molecules composed of a chain of amino acids. They are produced by the ribosome, a cellular “machine” that reads the instructions contained in messenger RNAs. Once the protein is formed, interactions between the amino acids induce the chain to fold onto itself and adopt a specific structure. While some proteins function independently, many must assemble with specific partners into complexes to fulfill their roles.

The formation of these complexes is a delicate process. If proteins fail to find their partners or fold incorrectly, this can lead to cellular dysfunction and pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease or certain cancers. Until very recently, scientists believed that proteins only formed complexes after being fully synthesized (post-translational assembly).

However, the recent study revealed that assembly between nascent proteins—co-translational assembly—is widespread. This study identified thousands of proteins involved but did not determine the specific pairs of proteins formed or the molecular signatures underlying this early recognition.

Thousands of protein structures analysed

The group led by Emmanuel Levy, a full professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the UNIGE Faculty of Science—previously a professor at the Weizmann Institute—in collaboration with the group of Ayala Shiber, a professor at the Technion, focuses on the fundamental principles governing protein self-organization. In other words, these scientists aim to identify the general rules of protein assembly.

For this study, the team analyzed a list of proteins involved in co-translational assembly. By comparing their structures to those of proteins that assemble after translation, they were able to establish fundamental differences between these two mechanisms

“Our bioinformatics analyses revealed that proteins interacting with their partners while still being synthesized tend to be unstable when isolated. These proteins depend on their partners and if they do not find it, they adopt a wrong shape and get degraded,” explains Saurav Mallik, a researcher at the Weizmann Institute and co-first author of the study.

A predictive model

“Using this approach, we developed a model based on a large corpus of structural data, using both experimentally determined structures and those predicted by the artificial intelligence software AlphaFold. Our model leveraged structural properties of a complex to predict whether it associated co- or post-translationally,” add Johannes Venezian and Arseniy Lobov, co-first authors of the study. The scientists notably discovered that binding sites are exposed early in these proteins, enabling them to interact with their partner shortly after emerging from the ribosome.

These predictions were validated using experimental data focused on several proteins. “These findings pave the way for a better understanding of protein assembly within cells and highlight the global impact of protein structure on the regulation of their synthesis,” says Levy.

Many diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers, are linked to misfolded proteins or defective complexes. By understanding the rules of co-translational assembly, scientists could develop strategies to prevent these errors and design new therapeutic approaches to correct them.

Business Intelligence Group Innovation Awards recognize ideas, organizations and people that are positioned to change how we experience the world.

The Philadelphia-based Business Intelligence Group honored three Israeli companies at its 2025 BIG Innovation Awards, which “recognize all ideas, organizations and people – no matter how big or small – that are positioned to change how we interact and experience the world around us.”

ICL Group of Tel Aviv won in the agriculture category.

This global specialty minerals company focuses on sustainable solutions for the food, agriculture, and industrial markets. Its agricultural products include fertilizers using minerals mined from the Dead Sea, and advanced ag-tech products to increase yield, growth, quality, and harvesting of crops.

Dr. Ofer Sharon, CEO of OncoHost. Photo courtesy of OncoHost

OncoHost of Binyamina (Israel) and North Carolina won in the healthcare category.

The precision oncology company’s PROphet platform provides reliable biomarkers to optimize immunotherapy treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes. The platform’s initial commercialized test is the first and only liquid biopsy standalone proteomics test on the market and the first AI-based blood test to guide first-line immunotherapy decisions in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. In addition, OncoHost is developing PROphetirAE, a test designed to predict immune-related adverse events prior to the start of treatment.

Trax Retail of Singapore and Tel Aviv won in the retail category.

Founded in 2010 by Israeli entrepreneurs Joel Bar-El and Dror Feldheim, Trax developed a first-in-market image-capture solution that sees every product on a store’s shelves, coolers, displays, bar taps and back rooms. The BIG award is specifically for Trax’s signal-based merchandising system that provides brands and retailers with ongoing access to critical insights for addressing out-of-stocks, phantom inventory and pricing disparities. Trax is active in more than 90 countries.

The BIG Innovation Awards program receives nominations from across the globe. Nominees are judged by a panel of experienced business executives. They use a proprietary unique scoring system that “selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.”

What if we could provide groundbreaking accessibility solutions to people with disabilities?

How can technology be harnessed to offer unique solutions to people with disabilities? The Technion has designed a new course to empower students to do just that through social-technological entrepreneurship. Open to all Technion students as well as University of Haifa physiotherapy students, the course fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to address real-world challenges.

Students will explore topics such as accessibility, the psychology of people with disabilities, and principles from biomedical engineering, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Visits to Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital and Sheba Medical Center will provide firsthand insights into rehabilitation needs, enriching the learning experience.

Dr. Yacov Malinovich, the course leader, highlighted its timely significance: “Awareness of the needs of disabled people has increased, and this has become even more important in light of the ongoing war. Developing suitable technologies for rehabilitation offers students and engineers an opportunity to directly improve people’s well-being. Israel has extensive knowledge in this field, with examples like unique wheelchairs, emergency bracelets, and special surfboards.”

Dr. Malinovich, a founder of Haifa3D, brings expertise in designing assistive devices for individuals with upper limb disabilities. Haifa3D’s impactful work includes creating robotic hands for children and collaborating with the Technion’s Biorobotics and Biomechanics Lab to develop customized solutions.

“The new course will feature guests from various academic and rehabilitation institutions,” explained Dr. Malinovich. “By connecting with rehabilitation centers and individuals with disabilities, we aim to create technological solutions that truly assist those in need. Each student team will submit a product as their final project.”

Held in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the course is a collaboration between t:hub – the Technion Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, the University of Haifa’s Physiotherapy Department, and the Technion Social Incubator. Offering six academic credits, it provides students with hands-on experience to develop innovative solutions that can transform lives.

“I’m part of the division that protects civilians in Israel and that makes me very proud,” said Technion alumna Maya Shnur. “Every morning when I go to work, I feel like I’m on a mission.” Shnur works at the vaunted Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems as the deputy general manager of Mergers, Acquisitions, and Subsidiaries in the Air Defense Division, which produces Iron Dome and David’s Sling.

Almost every day since October 7, bombs have fallen on her village just south of Lebanon, said Shnur at the time of this interview. “When you’re living in the line of fire, it becomes personal.” Her older daughter is in the Israel Defense Forces and the younger will join soon. On October 7, one of Shnur’s sisters hid with her children for 10 hours after terrorists entered her kibbutz. A resident of Shnur’s village was kidnapped. Shnur and her Rafael colleagues worked 24/7, some going into the battlefield to help with the equipment.

“When the sirens start and I take my little boy down into the bomb shelter, I say ‘thank you Rafael for saving our lives.’ I’m grateful that I can explain how Israel is protecting him. But we are eight months into a non-stop war. As a human, I am very sad.”

Shnur lost both parents as a teenager — her mother from cancer and her father from heart disease. The losses, coupled with the responsibility of caring for her little sister, made her more driven. “I remember looking outside the window and saying to myself, ‘I can be a success even though I don’t have parents.’” On the day she completed her military service, “I gave back my army uniform at noon, then started working.” She woke up at 4 a.m. each day to catch a bus to her job making salt at the Dead Sea Works, while studying for her undergraduate degree at night.

In 2010, she joined Rafael, where her husband was already working. One day her husband came home with a half-smile and said, “How do you do it? I’ve been at Rafael for years before you and people ask me, ‘are you Maya’s husband?’”

Shnur started in Rafael’s Human Resources group before moving into business management, a field long dominated by men in the industry. Such a move was not often granted and rarely to a woman. “But my manager believed in me,” she said, and in the value of a Technion education. “If you want my permission,” he told her, “Get an MBA at the Technion. They will teach you how to look at financial issues, deal with conflicts, and allow you to continue progressing in your career.”

In 2017, Shnur earned her Technion MBA in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship track. As the number two person in the Mergers, Acquisitions, and Subsidiaries group of Rafael’s Air Defense Division, she is responsible for growing six subsidiaries, including a collaboration with Raytheon to build an Iron Dome system in the U.S. She also scouts for new companies with technologies that can enhance Rafael. “My MBA from the Technion helped me arrive at the next level. It took me to a place where I feel I’m contributing more than ever.”

Shnur’s calling is twofold: contributing to Israel’s security and to women’s rise in the workplace. “It’s no secret that the defense industry is not dominated by women, far from it, so getting to my current position was breaking the glass ceiling,” she said. “Sometimes I’m the only woman in the room. My message to women in similar situations: bring your potential and be yourself. It matters less who is in the room or their gender.” Through the Director’s Association, she mentors female managers with inspiring advice. “Don’t be afraid to express your desire to reach the top,” she says. “In my life, there have been times when people disliked my ambition and even tried to stop me. I taught myself to persevere and move through these challenges.”

Despite the ongoing war and its effects on Israel’s younger population, an Israeli team won first place at the international robotics competition in Houston, Texas, at the end of April, for the first time in twenty years.

This competition is run by a non-profit organization called FIRST which strives to expose students to STEM-related subjects through different robotics competitions. With the support and sponsorship of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, FIRST Israel offers children programming from when they are in primary school to when they attend high school through which they can learn about robotics as part of a team and community.

These programs – FIRST LEGO League Challenge for primary school students and FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students – also provide a platform for kids to learn about core values such as teamwork, the importance of the process of learning, and inclusion.