From cultivated milk to sustainable proteins, Technion researchers and graduates are reshaping the future of food

The way the world eats is changing rapidly. As global populations grow, climate pressures intensify and consumers seek healthier, more sustainable alternatives, food technology has emerged as one of the defining industries of the 21st century. At the forefront of this revolution stands the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Featured recently in The Jewish Chronicle, Technion Professor Uri Lesmes highlighted how Israel has become a global centre for food innovation, with Technion researchers, graduates and entrepreneurs leading advances that could transform nutrition, sustainability and food production worldwide.

Reimagining dairy

One of the most exciting examples is Remilk, the Israeli start-up co-founded by two former Technion students. The company has developed a groundbreaking method of producing dairy proteins without cows.

Using precision fermentation, scientists insert the gene responsible for milk protein production into yeast cells. The yeast then produces proteins that are molecularly identical to those found in cow’s milk. The result is a dairy product that contains the same essential proteins, but without lactose, cholesterol, hormones or antibiotics.

This innovation has the potential to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming while maintaining the taste, texture and nutritional value consumers expect.

Israel became the first country in the world to approve the sale of lab-grown and alternative proteins in 2024, cementing its reputation as a global food-tech leader. The sector has attracted billions in investment and continues to expand rapidly.

Innovation with purpose

Professor Lesmes, from the Technion’s Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering in Haifa, is helping train the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs who will shape the future of nutrition.

His work focuses not only on technological breakthroughs, but also on improving public health and accessibility. Among the challenges being tackled are the nutritional needs of ageing populations, healthier processed foods and more sustainable methods of production.

“We’re trained to think about what other people are missing, or what they think is impossible – and then we try to do it,” Professor Lesmes said.

That mindset reflects the wider Technion culture: combining scientific excellence with practical problem-solving that can improve lives around the world.

Food security and resilience

The importance of food innovation has become even more pronounced in recent years. Since October 7, many Israeli researchers and students have also contributed directly to national resilience efforts.

Professor Lesmes himself worked with IDF units to improve nutrition for combat soldiers, helping develop sterilised, ready-to-eat meals suited to frontline conditions.

At the same time, Technion students continue to launch new ventures addressing food security, sustainability and nutrition challenges on a global scale.

From the laboratory to the supermarket

What once sounded like science fiction is increasingly becoming reality. Alternative dairy products, cultivated proteins and advanced nutritional technologies are already reaching supermarket shelves.

Companies founded by Technion graduates are helping redefine how food is produced and consumed, while demonstrating how scientific research can translate into real-world impact.

The Technion’s unique ecosystem — bringing together world-class researchers, ambitious students and close industry collaboration — has positioned Israel as one of the world’s leading food-tech hubs.

Supporting the next generation of innovators

Technion UK is proud to support the pioneering research, education and entrepreneurship taking place at the Technion.

From sustainable food systems to medical breakthroughs, Technion scientists are addressing some of the greatest challenges facing humanity.

As the world searches for smarter, cleaner and more resilient ways to feed future generations, Technion innovation is helping turn pure imagination into reality.

For generations, observant Jews accepted certain culinary boundaries as fixed. Butter on a burger? Impossible. A creamy cappuccino after a meat meal? Out of the question. Cheeseburgers were perhaps the most famous symbol of what Jewish dietary law forbids.

Today, science is quietly dismantling those assumptions.

In laboratories and food technology start-ups across the world, researchers are reimagining the foods we eat. Plant-based milks, precision-fermented dairy proteins and cultivated meats are no longer futuristic curiosities; they are appearing on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus, reshaping both the food industry and religious practice.

At the heart of this revolution is Israel, the world’s original start-up nation. In 2024, Israel became the first country to approve the sale of cultivated beef to consumers. By 2026, it ranked second only to the United States in alternative protein investment, attracting more than $1.3 billion in venture capital.

One of the scientists helping to drive this transformation is Professor Uri Lesmes of Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, where he is training a new generation of food engineers to tackle problems others consider impossible.

Milk Without a Cow

Among the innovations that excite Lesmes most is Remilk, a company co-founded in part by two of his former students.

“It’s a proper alternative to cow’s milk,” Lesmes explains. “And quite distinct from soy milk, which isn’t dairy.”

Remilk’s product is made through precision fermentation. Scientists identified the genes responsible for producing milk proteins in cows and inserted them into yeast. As the yeast ferments and multiplies, it produces proteins that are biochemically identical to those found in conventional milk.

The result is genuine dairy protein, but without the cow.

According to the company, the milk contains no cholesterol, lactose, hormones or antibiotics. Yet its molecular structure is the same as that of traditional dairy.

In Israel, Remilk and its competitor Cow-Free are already being produced at scale. Their absence from European shelves is not due to scientific limitations, Lesmes says, but regulatory ones.

“Many regulations in Europe are yet to catch up on such rapid innovations.”

For observant Jews, however, the implications are extraordinary. Because these products are not derived from animals, rabbinic authorities have ruled them to be parev – neither meat nor dairy. Suddenly, the once-forbidden cheeseburger becomes a halachic possibility.

Teaching Through Beer

While Lesmes’ research is transforming global food systems, he is equally passionate about teaching.

One of his most imaginative projects combines food science, entrepreneurship and rehabilitation. Working with Beit Halochem (House of Warriors), Lesmes developed a course in which students are paired with wounded veterans and given 1,500 shekels – roughly £360 – to brew 25 litres of beer.

The teams use Technion’s facilities to create their own recipes, brands and production processes. At the end of the course, a professional panel judges the beers in a blind tasting.

“It’s a huge celebration,” Lesmes says with a smile, “with a lot of beer.”

One group attracted national attention when they created a beer called HEROES. The label featured the faces of four fallen friends and family members, transforming a scientific exercise into a moving act of remembrance.

Feeding Soldiers in Wartime

Like every Israeli, Lesmes’ life changed after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.

Though exempt from military service since 2015, he felt compelled to contribute.

“Like everybody, I wanted to chip in,” he recalls.

He contacted friends in the Israel Defense Forces and offered his expertise in nutrition and food engineering. The army accepted, and Lesmes became a consultant tasked with improving meals for frontline soldiers.

The outcome was a range of sterilised pouch meals that could withstand battlefield conditions while providing comfort and nutrition. Menu options included shawarma, mujaddara – a Middle Eastern rice and lentil dish – and tofu-based meals.

In wartime, food becomes more than sustenance. It becomes a source of morale, familiarity and resilience.

Nutrition for an Ageing World

Lesmes is also focused on another pressing challenge: global ageing.

“One cannot avoid the fact that the world is ageing,” he says.

At Technion, this demographic shift is treated as a grand challenge. Lesmes and his colleagues are redesigning everyday foods to meet the nutritional needs of older adults, many of whom struggle to consume enough calories and protein.

One product he highlights with particular pride is a reformulated breakfast cereal.

“We’re giving it a higher protein content and a higher calorific content, and we cut down on sugar by almost five times to make space for the other things,” he explains. “You have to make every bite count.”

He describes this approach as “health by stealth” – improving nutrition without requiring consumers to change their habits or preferences.

The concept has proven effective before. In the United States, the fortification of bread with folic acid dramatically reduced neural tube defects in newborn babies. Lesmes believes similar strategies can enhance quality of life for ageing populations around the world.

A Culture of Solutions

What distinguishes Technion, Lesmes says, is its mindset.

“We’re trained to think about what other people are missing, or what they think is impossible – and then we try to do it.”

It is a philosophy rooted in practical optimism.

“I was taught not to talk about problems, but to talk about solutions,” he says. “And we’re looking for solutions to things that people are yet to identify as problems.”

That ethos has helped turn Israel into a global centre for food innovation. From dairy without cows to meat without slaughter and cereals designed to combat malnutrition, scientists are redefining what food can be.

Science in Service of Humanity

For Lesmes, the ultimate goal is not novelty for its own sake, but human wellbeing.

“My responsibility is to make more products which contain everything, so that people have better choices,” he says.

Then he offers a reflection that captures both his humility and his ambition.

“Life is not perfect. But through science, we can try to shed light on things we don’t understand, so that we can make them better for everyone.”

It is a sentiment that resonates far beyond the laboratory.

In an era defined by environmental pressures, health challenges and changing traditions, the foods of the future are being shaped by people willing to question what is possible.

And sometimes, that future tastes remarkably like a cheeseburger.

A historic Independence Day achievement for the six members of Israel’s student delegation, trained at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion

A historic accomplishment was achieved by the six members of Israel’s student delegation, all of whom won medals at the International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad held in Moscow. The 60th anniversary of the Mendeleev Olympiad was marked this year with a particularly impressive event, featuring 35 countries and 165 participants. The six students were trained at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion.

Members of the delegation:

  • Itamar Ben Shmuel (Ramat Gan), a 12th-grade student at Hakfar Hayarok – Gold Medal (5th place in the world!)
  • Daniel Granovsky (Holon), an 11th-grade student at Pinhas Ayalon High School – Silver Medal
  • Yehonadav Marienberg (Mazkeret Batya), an 11th-grade student at Yeshivat Har Etzion for Young Men, Alon Shvut – Silver Medal
  • Yogev Cohen Ben Zaken (Tzoran), a 12th-grade student at Hakfar Hayarok – Bronze Medal
  • Yoav Pripaz Cohen (Ramat Gan), a 12th-grade student at Ohel Shem High School – Bronze Medal
  • Noam Margulies (Petah Tikva), an 11th-grade student at Moshe Arens High School – Bronze Medal
The Closing Ceremony Israel’s Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad Delegation 2026
The Closing Ceremony Israel’s Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad Delegation 2026

The delegation was accompanied by Itamar Steinitz, head of the delegation, an Olympiad medalist and instructor in Israel’s Chemistry Olympiad team, who holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and linguistics; and Guy Zimmerman, an Olympiad medalist, an outstanding instructor in the national team, who holds a dual bachelor’s degree in chemistry and physics, and is a master’s student in chemistry.

Prof. Zeev Gross, academic director of the program, who joined the delegation, said: “It is hard to imagine a more moving event at this time than a competition that began the day after Holocaust Remembrance Day and concluded at noon on Independence Day, with the announcement that all six members of the Israeli delegation had won medals and their ascent to the stage with the Israeli flag.”

The closing and medal ceremonies were attended by two representatives from the Israeli Embassy in Moscow: political advisor Shir Hasson and embassy spokesperson Alexandra Zakhary.

The Closing Ceremony Israel’s Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad Delegation 2026

The students underwent intensive training during this challenging year under head coach Dr. Reut Shapira and the dedicated coaching team: Dr. Yuri Andreev, Dr. Slava Kutuzov, laboratory manager Dr. Idan Avigdori, educational advisor Shir Kagan, and past Olympiad medalists Asaf Moadah, Guy Zimmerman, Sean Hantz, Maxim Sevostyanov, Omer Ben Ami, Noya Dishon, and Yonatan Gontmacher.

The Closing Ceremony Israel’s Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad Delegation 2026

The high school Olympiad project is a joint initiative of the Future Scientists Center (Maimonides Fund) and the Ministry of Education. The Technion was selected as the academic institution responsible for selecting and training the students who form the core of the delegation. Training takes place at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry in close collaboration with the faculty’s academic and administrative staff.

Rafael Benodis is 19 years old. He made aliyah on his own from France in November 2024, leaving his parents behind while joining his grandparents and extended family in Israel.

Growing up, Rafael witnessed the rise of antisemitism in France and across Europe. He realized he did not want his future children to grow up in that reality.

On October 7, his cousin, Natan Hai Liar z”l, fought like a lion in Kerem Shalom and fell heroically. At the same time, as pro-Palestinian demonstrations spread across France, Rafael understood he had no other choice; he had to come home.

At first, his parents were in shock. Rafael had left behind demanding engineering studies in France, and his father initially refused to support his decision. Over time, however, they came to understand that it was the right path for him.

Today, Rafael is part of an academic program and is pursuing a combined degree in electrical engineering and physics at the Technion.

Adjusting was not easy. One of his biggest challenges was reaching the level of students who had grown up in Israel. He often had to revisit lectures multiple times to fully grasp the material, gradually finding a study pace that allowed him to succeed.

Learning Hebrew from scratch was another major hurdle, but one he embraced. He studied at an ulpan at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and chose to live with Israeli roommates from different backgrounds, an experience that helped him quickly adapt to both the language and the culture.

Through his program and participation in the Anières Program — an honors program for outstanding students — Rafael has connected with peers from across Israel and around the world, gaining a deeper understanding of Israeli society in all its diversity. He was also struck by how Israelis take initiative from a young age, whether through travel, work, or volunteering.

This year marks Rafael’s second Independence Day, one of his favorite days. He plans to celebrate with flags and friends in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

One of his most meaningful moments came during last year’s celebrations there, when he realized that the Jewish people have no other place in the world but Israel.

Every morning, Rafael feels confident he made the right choice. He hopes that Jews living abroad will one day feel the same and choose to return home.

On the eve of Israel’s 78th Independence Day, Prof. Uri Sivan says the Technion sees ‘Israel’s security, Israel’s economy, and Israel’s society’ as central to its work, even as war, reserve duty and academic boycotts test the institution’s resilience

As Israel remains at war and many of its students continue to cycle between campus and reserve duty, those guiding them see their mission extending beyond academic excellence alone to include the needs of the state itself.

Speaking ahead of Israel’s 78th Independence Day, Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan says the country’s flagship engineering school has long seen itself as part of the state’s national backbone.

Interview with Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan

“We consider Israel’s security, Israel’s economy and Israel’s society as part of our mission,” Sivan said in an interview with ynet Global. “It’s not that anybody imposed that on us. But that’s how we feel.”

Sivan, who has led the Technion since 2019, said the answer came into focus after he was asked early in his presidency what makes the institution different from other universities in Israel and from elite engineering schools in the United States.

At first, he said, he thought of the usual measures: research, rankings, Nobel laureates and teaching. But eventually he concluded there was a third dimension.

“Every morning when I sit at my desk, I have Israel’s security, Israel’s economy and Israel’s society on my mind,” he said. “It dictates many of my decisions. So we’re mission driven.”

The Technion, which opened in 1924, predates the state of Israel by roughly a quarter-century. For Sivan, that history helps explain why the institution still sees itself as carrying responsibilities beyond campus.

Among the university’s many contributions, Sivan pointed to Nobel Prize-winning research, drug development linked to the work of its laureates and the Ziv-Lempel data compression algorithm. But when asked which Technion-linked innovation stands out most to him, he chose something simpler.

“My favorite is actually the simplest one,” he said. “And that’s drip irrigation, just a plastic hose and pores that don’t clog.”

Calling it a world-changing innovation, Sivan said it now helps feed “over 1 billion people in arid areas around the globe.”

The interview came against the backdrop of war, which has disrupted daily life across Israel but, Sivan said, has not stopped the university’s work. He said the Technion has never shut its doors during major wars, from World War II to the present day. “Technion never closed its doors,” he said.

That continuity, he said, reflects both the institution’s commitment to the state and the demands placed on it by Israeli society. “Israel depends on our engineers, on our scientists, medical doctors, architects, educators,” Sivan said.

But he also acknowledged the toll of war on students called up for reserve duty. Drawing on his own experience as a reserve pilot during the 1982 war, Sivan recalled returning briefly for final exams and feeling disconnected from ordinary life.

“I remember this feeling of being strange to the rest of the world because reality just goes on,” he said. “Your colleagues who stayed in the university just kept studying.”

That memory, he said, has shaped the university’s response to thousands of reservists among its student body. “I know exactly how those reservists feel,” Sivan said. “We are committed to making it work so that one’s not an obstacle to the other and that’s remarkable here. We owe them.”

He said the university’s priority has been to keep those students from falling off track academically while also expanding emotional and psychological support. “The most important thing was just to keep them on track,” he said. “We supported them financially … we put together an extensive academic support system. We essentially tailor the curriculum for each of them.”

הטכניון
The Technion (Photo: Shutterstock)

The Technion also expanded psychological services and trained staff to identify trauma and post-trauma symptoms, he said, adding, “We try to provide, to embrace them, to provide them with an extensive support.”

Sivan also described the university as having a broader obligation beyond Israel’s borders, particularly at a time of rising antisemitism on campuses abroad. “We always considered ourselves as the engineering school of the Jewish people, not just the state of Israel,” he said.

In response, he said, the Technion has opened opportunities for students and faculty from abroad and launched a first-year program in English for those seeking what he called an “antisemitism-free environment.”

At the same time, he said, academic boycotts and hostility toward Israeli institutions remain a serious concern. “This is a major challenge for us because academia depends on collaboration, academic exchange of ideas, and so on,” Sivan said. “Openness and inclusivity is part of the academic spirit.”

Rather than retreat, he said, the Technion is to blunt the damage by deepening formal partnerships abroad and expanding its ties to industry. He pointed to the Resnick-backed collaborative science program with Caltech and to the longstanding Cornell partnership, including Cornell Tech and the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute in New York, as examples of alliances meant to preserve research exchange and joint innovation even as parts of the academic world grow more hostile to Israeli institutions.

The pressure, he suggested, is not merely theoretical: in New York politics, Zohran Mamdani has called for a boycott of Cornell Tech because of its ties to the Technion, explicitly framing the issue through BDS logic. “It’s painful,” Sivan said, “but we are trying to mitigate those.”

His final summary of the institution’s stance was terse and unmistakable. “We are very stubborn,” he said.

Jacob Nagel on the U.S.-Israel War With Iran:
Threats, Strategy, and an Unprecedented Alliance

Prof. Jacob Nagel is a brigadier general (res.) and former acting national security adviser and head of Israel’s National Security Council. He has twice chaired government-appointed Nagel Committees, including the most recent commission established after the October 7 Hamas attack, which delivered strategic and budgetary recommendations to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the IDF’s force buildup and long-term defense posture. A key figure behind Israel’s decision to develop the Iron Dome missile defense system, he is currently a professor at the Technion, where he heads the Center for Security Science and Technology and leads advanced defense research initiatives.

In a candid webinar held nine days after the war with Iran began, Brig. Gen. (res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel offered a sobering assessment, outlining what he described as the regime’s core threats, Israel’s military and intelligence achievements, and the cooperation between Israel and the United States.

Nagel began by defining what he called the four central threats posed by Iran — not only to Israel, but to the entire Middle East, the U.S., and the wider world. “The four main threats are, of course, the nuclear capability; ballistic missiles — including, in the future, intercontinental ballistic missiles; UAVs, drones, and cruise missiles; and continuous terror support by the Iranian regime,” he said. A fifth danger, he added, is “the threat of depressing the Iranian people,” as the regime diverts national wealth away from its citizens and toward military aggression and terror proxies.

At the heart of Nagel’s analysis was the conviction that military action alone is insufficient if the regime itself remains in place. “If the regime stays, after we finish this round, we’ll have to do it again,” he warned. “Maybe not in eight months — maybe in 18 months — but we’ll have to do it again.” For Nagel, success must be measured not only by battlefield achievements but by whether those gains endure.

He acknowledged that there are nuanced differences between Israeli and American leadership styles but stressed that strategic alignment remains firm. “The cooperation between Israel and the United States is unprecedented,” Nagel emphasized, spanning intelligence sharing, operational planning, technology, and logistics.

Nagel pointed to Iran’s energy sector as a central vulnerability. Oil and gas revenues, he noted, fund the regime’s military ambitions and terror activities. “Instead of taking this money for their people and making Iran one of the most flourishing countries in the world, they are making it one of the poorest and one of the worst places to live,” he said. Decisions around whether and how deeply to target Iran’s economic infrastructure are complex, but potentially transformative.

Reflecting on the opening days of the war, Nagel described what he called three major achievements thus far. The first was operational capability: air power, intelligence, space technology, communications, and logistical support working in concert. The second was political and international coordination, particularly the deepening partnership between Jerusalem and Washington. The third, and in his view most consequential, was intelligence superiority.

“It’s not magic,” Nagel said of Israel’s intelligence achievements. “It’s 10, 15, sometimes 20 years of very specific work.” Thousands of people, he explained, labor behind the scenes to ensure readiness long before conflict erupts. Iran, he argued, failed to grasp the depth of that capability.

“Israel surprised Iran,” he said. “They learned a lot about technology, but they didn’t learn about our intelligence superiority.”

BRIG. GEN (RES.) PROF. JACOB NAGEL

Nagel also highlighted the Technion’s central role in underpinning Israel’s technological edge. Many of the systems deployed today, he noted, began development more than a decade ago and were advanced by Technion alumni working across Israel’s defense and technology sectors. “I’ll be humble,” he said, “but I know that about 80% of all defense technologies were developed by Technion graduates.”

From air-defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow to emerging laser technology, Nagel stressed that innovation saves lives. “People said Iron Dome would never work,” he recalled. “It works. It saves lives.”

On the diplomatic front, Nagel described constant, high-level coordination between Israeli and American leaders, underscoring the depth of consultation shaping decisions on both strategy and timing. While not willing to elaborate, Nagel also mentioned implicit messages being sent to China, Russia, and North Korea, and the strategic importance of Taiwan.

While much of his focus was on Iran, Nagel also turned briefly to Lebanon, arguing that Hezbollah’s actions have backfired strategically. “If I were an investor looking for ROI,” he said, “the worst investment Iran ever made is in its terror organizations.”

Hezbollah’s failure to decisively aid Iran during last June’s 12‑day conflict, he suggested, altered regional calculations and opened new — if fragile — possibilities for change. By entering the war now, Hezbollah “dug themselves into a deep hole,” he said, giving Israel “the legitimacy to attack deeply into Lebanon.” As a result, Lebanon’s prime minister, for the first time in the country’s history, appealed to Europe and the U.S. to help broker direct peace negotiations with Israel.

Nagel closed with a stark reminder. Iran’s leadership, he believes, is unlikely to surrender voluntarily.

“Only the people of Iran can take the country from them… and they can’t do it alone.”

Whether that moment comes soon or far later remains uncertain, but for Israel and its allies, preparation, unity, and long-term resolve are essential.

Hear from Brig. Gen (res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel directly in this webinar recording.

Soon after the attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, N.M. was called to the south to help secure the kibbutzim and other communities near the Gaza border, and to rescue those who may have been wounded or hiding in fear. The operation was the nation’s top priority. For N. it was the start of what he calls “a second reality.”

“Since that day, every person in Israel has had to mix normal life with war, and I am no different.” He was both a reserve combat soldier, who served more than 250 days on the front, and a Technion computer science undergrad — in that order. “From the quiet of the classroom I suddenly found myself back in uniform fighting in Gaza,” he said.

His first mission was to clear the southern communities of Hamas, to bring back control and a sense of security for the civilians who lived there. “We moved house by house, making sure there were no more terrorists and that people could be evacuated or return safely.”

But as he walked through the ruins of burnt kibbutzim and bullet-riddled cars, he thought about the victims: “What did they feel? What were they going through in those moments when it all happened? You look at their belongings and try to guess, ‘Who is this family whose table is set for the holiday?’ You look at that table and pray that the army managed to reach the house before the enemy did.”

Later, when Hamas was pushed back and the situation was more stable, N. and his unit helped the IDF prepare for the ground invasion in Gaza. This meant fighting in several hot spots to ensure Israel’s soldiers could move as safely as possible. “For me, this period was about doing everything I could to protect my country and the people who live here.”

Even those not in uniform experienced fear and hardships. His partner stayed home, “but she went through a lot of loneliness, worry, and a strong feeling that she had no control over what was happening,” he said. “Of course, she was also afraid to lose me.”

Soldiers in his unit were given only a few minutes every few days to talk with their family, and these calls were often quite emotional. N. recalled struggling to sound calm on the phone when war was exploding around him. “When I think about the impact of the war, I see not only the soldiers at the front, but also the families who stand behind us and pay a very heavy price in silence.”

All the while, N. felt divided between his academics and the reality of war. “The Technion became a kind of ‘second reality,’ a picture of normal life inside the chaos,” he said. Taking books with him to the front, he said, “I tried to stay connected to my future by studying in short breaks. It was a way to hold on to normal life and to the future I am building.”

Returning to campus also was not easy. “Life resumed. Students filled the corridors, the coffee shops were busy, exams returned to the calendar. But inside, I carried memories, worries, and the names of friends who were still in uniform or who did not come back.”

The Technion stood by him as it did for all returning soldiers, making special adjustments such as providing extra exam dates, help with catching up on material he missed, and access to recordings of lectures.

“I never felt that I was left alone to choose between serving my country and pursuing my education.”

In Israel, serving in the military is a lifelong commitment. N. has learned to integrate its challenges into the whole of his life — and is hopeful. “You learn to tell the people you love that you love them, and how important they are to you … And to not lose faith that a better future is waiting,” he said.

“Continuing my degree is another way to protect and strengthen Israel, this time with knowledge and innovation instead of a rifle.”

In 2011, Cornell entered into an academic partnership with the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology to compete for an ambitious goal: build an innovative New York City campus to educate a new generation of tech leaders, conduct breakthrough research and development, inspire startups and propel the city to becoming a global hub for the tech industry. Beating national competitors in the bidding process, Cornell and the Technion won the opportunity to create Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island. Without the Technion, there would be no Cornell Tech.

Nearly 15 years later, Cornell Tech has educated more than 2,700 students and undertaken groundbreaking research on AI and other new technologies.

Critical to this mission is the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, created through the unique academic partnership between Cornell and the Technion without a financial obligation from either university to the other. The Jacobs Institute brings together engineers, computer scientists, designers, clinicians and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies, launch startups and generate real-world impact through three research hubs focused on health, media and urban challenges. As is the case at most American universities, all of this research is supported through private philanthropy and competitive grants from U.S. government agencies. At the Health Tech Hub, faculty and students are building machine-learning systems that predict disease progression and assist clinicians with diagnosis and treatment, particularly in areas like cardiology, radiology and emergency care. In the Connective Media Hub, researchers study how digital platforms shape the way information spreads, communities form and public conversations evolve. Within the Urban Tech Hub, researchers explore how advanced data science can improve infrastructure — from housing and transportation to energy systems and climate resilience. Through programs like the Urban Innovation Fellows initiative, researchers work directly with agencies across New York City on challenges ranging from sanitation and procurement to transportation and housing policy.

Belgian-born Technion scientist Dr. Katrien Vandoorne leads research tracking inflammation in the body and says Israel’s collaborative science culture and wartime resilience convinced her to build her lab and raise her family here

When Dr. Katrien Vandoorne first arrived in Israel to pursue her PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science, she was struck by something that went far beyond laboratories and research facilities. “The people were very collaborative and warm and inspiring,” she recalled. “The science was really great for me, but also the Mediterranean climate, the food, all those things.”

Originally from Belgium, Vandoorne said the country’s scientific culture felt very different from the academic environment she had known in Europe. “In Belgium it’s very hierarchical,” she said. “The professor is very high up, and you should always be very polite and never question anything that is written in the book.”

How did you find Israel’s scientific culture in contrast?
“What I really like about Israel is that, as a master’s student, you can question the whole theory of your professor, and there is no problem with that,” she said. “Your professor will actually like it that the student is engaged and wants to make your theory fall.”

For Vandoorne, that openness was transformative. “No one will ever say, ‘That’s a stupid question,’” she said. “Everybody will say, ‘Hey, that’s a good question,’ and take it as a sport.” She believes this atmosphere encourages creativity and innovation. “The young people, they’re the ones with the, maybe, crazy ideas, but maybe also really solving things that the previous generations couldn’t solve.”

Building a life in Israel

Although Vandoorne later had opportunities to work in Europe and the United States, she and her family ultimately decided to build their future in Israel. “It was really a package deal,” she said. Her husband, an Israeli, had long hoped to return. But Vandoorne said the decision was not only personal. “For me it was really the scientific culture and the unique combination of very good science that wants to make an impact and solve problems, together with a really human environment,” she said.

Dr. Katrien Vandoorne
Dr. Vandoorne having breakfast with her students on the grass next to the faculty building: coffee, ideas, and a little team-buildin (Photo: Private album)

Family considerations also played a central role. The couple moved to Israel in the summer of 2018 with their three young children. “They were 3, 5 and 7,” she said. Starting over in a new country while raising a family was not simple. “Becoming an immigrant means that you have to learn the language, find new friends and also professionally grow,” she said. “It’s been a journey.”

Despite the challenges, she says the experience has been enriching. “Instead of making myself smaller by being only an immigrant, I expanded myself by learning Hebrew and also being part of the Israeli culture,” she said.

Mapping inflammation in the body

Today Vandoorne is head of theIn Vivo Multi-Scale Imaging Lab at the Technion’s Faculty of Biomedical Engineering in Haifa. Before joining the Technion, she worked at leading research institutions in Europe and the United States, including Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, and conducted research at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she completed her PhD.

Her team studies how inflammation spreads through the body and how immune cells travel between organs. “When the body faces any stress like infection, chronic disease or heart attack, the immune system is activated,” she explained. “Most of these immune cells come from the bone marrow. It’s like a factory inside the bones where blood and immune cells are produced.” Her work focuses on how inflammation contributes to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and neurological disorders, conditions in which the immune system plays a key role.

Dr. Katrien Vandoorne

Using advanced imaging technologies including MRI, PET-CT and intravital microscopy, her team tracks immune cells as they move from the bone marrow through the bloodstream to organs such as the heart and brain. “Our goal is really to visualize these inflammatory processes so we can measure them, monitor them and ultimately also treat them,” she said. “Or even diagnose them earlier and be more precise with therapies.”

Vandoorne’s work sits at the intersection of biology, medicine and engineering, reflecting the Technion’s approach of combining technological innovation with medical research.

A unique research ecosystem

Vandoorne says the Technion’s strength lies in its ability to bridge engineering and medicine. “It combines engineers on the technical side and clinicians on the medicine side,” she said. “You have Rambam Hospital, a great medical school and all the engineers needed to solve problems.” Biomedical engineers often stand at the intersection of those disciplines. “We’re really trying to work on real-world problems,” she said.

Dr. Katrien Vandoorne

Beyond infrastructure, she credits the university’s collaborative atmosphere. “It’s a very warm human environment,” she said. “Everybody is open and supporting. Whatever question I have, people are trying to help.”

Life and work during war

Like many Israelis, Vandoorne’s daily life has also been shaped by the ongoing war. “The war has been a rough pill to swallow,” she said. Without extended family nearby and with many international friends leaving Israel after the October 7 attacks, the experience has been emotionally challenging. “I built up a whole network of friends and most of them left,” she said. “It was very confronting for me to need to start it up again.”

Yet she says both her children and her students have helped her navigate the uncertainty. “My children teach me the most about how to deal with it,” she said. “I worry about them and they tell me not to. They say they are fine.” Her lab community has also provided support. “For me our faculty feels like a small family,” she said. “Everybody is really part of the community.”

Dr. Katrien Vandoorne

During periods of heavy rocket fire from Hezbollah in northern Israel, staff and students often gathered in a large underground shelter inside their building. “We were just all down there trying to ground ourselves by talking science in the shelter while bombs were falling,” she said. “After everything stops everybody gives a hug and we go back up and continue our day.”

Believing in Israel’s scientific future

Despite the difficulties, Vandoorne remains optimistic about Israel’s future in science and innovation. “I think if anywhere there’s going to be biomedical innovation, it’s going to be here,” she said. Part of that belief comes from what she sees as a national resilience. “We are not afraid of anything,” she said. “That lack of fear stops many people in other countries from innovating.”

Dr. Katrien Vandoorne

Facing constant challenges can also fuel creativity, she said. “If you are in a country where everything is good and everything is fine, you don’t want to take a challenge,” she said. “Here we deal with challenges every day.”

For Vandoorne, that spirit continues to shape both her research and her life in Israel. “It really feels like a place where people want to solve problems and help each other,” she said. “That’s why I want to stay.”

Prof. Katrien Vandoorne is head of the In Vivo Multiscale Imaging Lab in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering in the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

As the world is told about the war between Iran, Israel and the United States in the language of strategy and security, my prism is memory. For many, this is geopolitics. For me, it never really is.

All my grandparents were Persian Jews. They left their homes when the country they had known most of their lives had become home no longer. They felt unsafe under a regime that was fast becoming more rigid and fundamentalist.

They left behind property, wealth, community and family. Some relatives who stayed were imprisoned. Many others were killed. In our family, those stories are not told as political history, they are told as personal experience.

Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran back then was a rapidly modernising country, vibrant and sophisticated with an incredibly rich culture. Under the rule of the Shah, it blended ancient heritage with a booming, Western-influenced urban culture – and the Jews were protected.

For centuries, Jews in Persia contributed to its society in many meaningful ways. My own family, from Mashhad, were educated, entrepreneurial and deeply connected to the people around them. The shift did not happen overnight. It rarely does, but as Islamic fundamentalism hardened into state power, Jewish life became increasingly precarious. What once felt like belonging, became uncertainty, and then fear. That change shaped the course of my family’s life, and it still echoes.

They were lucky and managed to leave the country before the current evil regime took power. They move to Israel, the US and the UK.

I was meant to be in Israel this week on a Technion UK solidarity visit. Cancelling the trip was not an easy decision. It felt heavy, and even disloyal. Yet whether I am in Israel or in London, what is unfolding does not feel far away. It feels familiar in ways that are too difficult to explain to those who do not carry a similar history.

As CEO of Technion UK, I proudly represent Israel’s oldest university and one of its leading scientific and technological institutions. Technion graduates have played a central and leading role in many areas including developing nearly all of Israel’s defence systems that protect Israel’s citizens of every background; Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze and Bedouin. But beyond the technology is something more enduring: a determination to keep building and contributing to the country and the world, even under threat.

When I spend time with members of the Persian Jewish community in London, I do not hear rage. I hear deep sadness. There is grief for a country they once loved that no longer exists. Their hope for change is not driven by vengeance. It is shaped by longing and the memory of what once was.

Behind the headlines are so many families like mine: 150,000 Jews shaped by exile, resilience and memory. That is not ancient history. It sits within living memory, around Shabbat tables, in the stories grandparents tell our children.

Purim teaches us that Jewish history has never moved in a straight line. There have been moments of threat, moments of reversal and moments of renewal. Remembering that is simply part of our inheritance.

For me, this moment is not only about strategy or security. It is about responsibility, to those who came before us, and to those who will come after. That is why it feels so personal.