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Breakthrough Treatment May Improve Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

TAU-developed treatment may reduce risk for lung metastasis following chemo from 52% to only 6%.

A new treatment developed at Tel Aviv University may significantly enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, reducing the risk for lung metastasis following chemo from 52% to only 6%. Conducted in a lab model, the study identified the mechanism that generates a cancer-promoting inflammatory environment in response to chemotherapy. Moreover, the researchers found that by adding an anti-inflammatory agent to the chemotherapy, metastasis can be prevented.

The study was led by Prof. Neta Erez of the Department of Pathology at TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and researchers from her group: Lea Monteran, Dr. Nour Ershaid, Yael Zait, and Ye’ela Scharff, in collaboration with Prof. Iris Barshack of the Sheba Medical Center and Dr. Amir Sonnenblick of the Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center. The paper was published in Nature Communications. The study was funded by ERC, the Israel Cancer Association, and the Emerson Cancer Research Fund.

The Dark Side of Chemo

“In many cases of breast cancer, surgical removal of the primary tumor is followed by a chemotherapy regimen intended to kill any remaining malignant cells – either left behind by the surgeon or already colonizing in other organs,” explains Prof. Erez. “However, while effectively killing cancer cells, chemotherapy also has some undesirable and even harmful side effects, including damage to healthy tissues. The most dangerous of these, is probably internal inflammations that might paradoxically help remaining cancer cells to form metastases in distant organs. The goal of our study was to discover how this happens and try to find an effective solution.”

To this end, the researchers created an animal model for breast cancer metastasis. The animals received the same treatment as human patients: surgical removal of the primary tumor, then chemotherapy, followed by monitoring to detect metastatic relapse as early as possible. The disturbing results: metastatic tumors were detected in the lungs of a large percentage of the treated animals – similar to the percentage found in the control group.

 

“In humans, this interval between chemotherapy and detection of metastatic tumors is an inaccessible ‘black box.’ Working with an animal model, we could check what happens inside this ‘box’.” Prof. Neta Erez

 

What’s Going on Inside the “Black Box”?

To decipher these adverse effects, the researchers examined the animals’ lungs at an intermediate stage – when tiny micro-metastases may have already developed, but even advanced imaging technologies like CT cannot detect them.

“In humans, this interval between chemotherapy and detection of metastatic tumors is an inaccessible ‘black box’,” says Prof. Erez. “Working with an animal model we could check what happens inside this ‘box’.”

“We discovered a previously unknown mechanism: the chemotherapy generates an inflammatory response in connective tissue cells called ‘fibroblasts’, causing them to summon immune cells from the bone marrow. This, in turn, creates an inflammatory environment that supports the micro-metastases, helping them grow into full-fledged metastatic tumors. In this way, the chemotherapy, administered as a means for combating cancer, achieves the opposite result.”

The researchers also identified the mechanism through which fibroblasts recruit immune cells, and ‘train’ them to support the cancer. “We found that in response to chemotherapy, the fibroblasts secrete ‘complement proteins’ – proteins that mediate cell recruitment and intensify inflammation, often by summoning white blood cells to damaged or infected areas, a process called chemotaxis,” notes Prof. Erez. “When the immune cells reach the lungs, they create an inflammatory environment that supports cancer cells and helps them grow.”

 

“We identified an inflammatory mechanism through which chemotherapy inadvertently supports the growth of metastatic tumors, and also discovered an effective solution: combining chemotherapy with an inflammation inhibitor.” Prof. Neta Erez

 

Potential to Save Many Lives

To combat this newly discovered process, the researchers combined the chemotherapy administered to the animals with a drug that blocks the activity of complement proteins.

The results were very encouraging: following the combined treatment, the percentage of lab models developing no metastases rose from 32% to 67%; and the percentage of those with extensive cancer colonization in their lungs decreased from 52% with regular chemotherapy to 6% when the inflammation inhibitor was added.

“We discovered the mechanism behind a severe problem in the treatment of breast cancer: many patients develop metastatic tumors following removal of the primary tumor plus chemotherapy,” says Prof. Erez, and concludes: “We identified an inflammatory mechanism through which chemotherapy inadvertently supports the growth of metastatic tumors, and also discovered an effective solution: combining chemotherapy with an inflammation inhibitor. We hope that our findings will enable more effective treatment for breast cancer, and perhaps other types of cancer as well – to prevent metastatic relapse and save numerous lives worldwide.”  

Featured image: Members of the TAU research team (left to right): Dr. Nour Ershaid, Prof. Neta Erez and Lea Monteran

Drones Against Illegal Waste Dumpsites

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Use of drones to map illegal waste dumps could promote recycling and save Israel NIS 200 million.

A new study conducted at Tel Aviv University has mapped illegal construction waste dumps using drones. The researchers attempted to assess the actual amounts of construction waste dumped at unauthorized sites, as well as the contents of the waste piles. Analysis of the data shows that through aerial mapping and use of environmental-economic models developed in the study, it will be possible to recycle a significant amount of the waste, saving the state approximately NIS 200 million.

The study was led by Dr. Vered Blass and doctoral student Adi Mager of the Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv University. The study was published in the international journal Remote Sensing.

An Expensive Process

The current situation poses a severe problem for local authorities, who cannot handle the scope of criminal activity, and therefore compelled to remove and treat the environmental hazard on their own expenses.

The moment a local authority identifies an illegal construction waste dump, it takes action to transfer the waste to an authorized site. This involves a complex process including, initially, measuring the amount of waste, collecting, and transporting it to the authorized treatment facility, and then cleaning and rehabilitating the contaminated soil.

This is an expensive process involving significant budgetary spending by municipalities, which usually pass the burden on to the taxpayers.

 

 

“The idea behind the study was to try and adopt the principles of circular economy (CE) that promotes strategies for savings in resources for reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycling of materials and products.” Dr. Vered Blass

 

 

Recycling Instead of Landfilling

The alternative? “By integrating existing aerial mapping technologies, with economic-environmental models, we can promote recycling of illegal waste and save public funds,” offers Dr. Blass. “Instead of paying landfill fees and polluting the soil, the waste may be recycled at a lower cost while reducing environmental damage.”

According to Dr. Blass, the study, defined as a pilot, included mapping by drones of four illegal waste dumps located in Northern Israel. The researchers mapped and analyzed a total area of 3600 square meters. They classified and categorized all types of waste separately, manually, to determine their area, volume, and properties.

 

Dr. Vered Blass

 

Finally, the researchers created a profile for each waste site separately. The profile included an economic analysis of the value of the different types of waste found at the site, and the potential environmental savings of recycling compared to landfilling.

“The idea behind the study was to try and adopt the principles of circular economy (CE) that promotes strategies for savings in resources for reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycling of materials and products,” explains Dr. Blass. “By using these principles, we sought to save the authorities a lot of money – instead of paying high landfill fees for all the illegal construction waste, which can be recycled.”

 

 

“Our pilot findings showed the advantages of multidisciplinary tools and methodologies in helping to identify potential resources, providing economic data for cleanup proposals, and of course, enabling the monitoring and evaluation of the area after the cleanup, thus saving time and money for the authorities, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the field” Dr. Vered Blass

 

 

Saving Time and Money

According to the researchers, the study provides missing data that may prove useful to the state, local authorities, commercial companies, and contractors, as well as companies that monitor and manage recycled waste and raw materials.

In addition, the researchers touch on the direct correlation between meeting international sustainable development goals (SDG), monitoring, and mapping illegal waste.

“This study will provide local authorities with a better understanding of the quantities and qualities of waste, as well as the costs associated with the necessary cleanups,” says doctoral student Adi Mager. “Moreover, construction waste in open areas occupies valuable real estate. Mapping the area rapidly and efficiently will assist in evacuating the land and preparing it for future uses.”

“Our pilot findings showed the advantages of multidisciplinary tools and methodologies in helping to identify potential resources, providing economic data for cleanup proposals, and of course, enabling the monitoring and evaluation of the area after the cleanup, thus saving time and money for the authorities, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the field,” concludes Dr. Blass. 

Featured image: Illegal construction waste dumps (photo: Adi Mager)

TAU 7th in World for Entrepreneurship

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

TAU ranked first in Israel and first among universities outside the U.S. that produce successful entrepreneurs.

TAU alumni ranked at the top of global entrepreneurship: 814 entrepreneurs with bachelor’s degrees from Tel Aviv University have established 677 companies and raised a total of $26.5 billion. After staring as number 8 in the world for 4 consecutive years, this brings Tel Aviv University to 7th place in the world and 1st place outside the U.S. in  the prestigious PitchBook ranking. 

TAU alumni with graduate degrees rank on 14th place, with 726 entrepreneurs who established 616 companies and raised $16.5 billion. 

TAU also leads in PitchBook‘s world ranking of female entrepreneurs, placing 20th for TAU’s female undergraduate alumni and ranking 23rd for female graduates.

Every year, Pitchbook, a business data research firm, publishes an annual ranking of the world’s top 100 universities based on the number of alumni entrepreneurs who have founded venture capital backed companies. Several elite American universities are at the top of the list: 1. Stanford, 2. UC Berkeley, 3. Harvard, and 4. MIT. TAU ranks higher than leading universities such as Yale (10th place), UCLA (11th place), and Princeton (12th place). 

The following large companies established by TAU alumni are noted by the PitchBook ranking: Generate ($3.3 billion), Fireblocks ($1.2 billion), Trax ($1.1 billion), Varo ($992 million),and Celsius ($948 million).

Four additional Israeli universities are also included in Pitchbook’s top 100 list: Technion (15th place), Hebrew University (31st), Reichman University (38) and Ben-Gurion University (45). 

“The credit for this enormous success goes to our alumni, first and foremost, but TAU also does its best to instill a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in its students,” says Prof. Ariel Porat, President of TAU. “It is no coincidence that we have a superb Entrepreneurship Center on campus, expected to grow even further in the next few years, and to equip TAU students from the exact sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities with the tools and motivation that are so essential for entrepreneurial endeavors in all areas, both technological and social.”

Prof. Moshe Zviran, Head of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at TAU comments, “TAU continues to establish itself as Israel’s main entrepreneurial university and a world leader in producing entrepreneurs who found companies, raise venture capital, and boost Israel’s economy. TAU’s climb to 7th place in the PitchBook rankings is one more indicator of the high quality of our alumni, as well as the contribution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus that proactively promotes this approach among both students and faculty.”

Read the full 2022 ranking list here >>

20 Mayors Begin TAU’s World-class Training Program

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

The Bloomberg-Sagol Center for City Leadership announces inaugural class.

As the fall semester began on TAU campus, the University’s Bloomberg-Sagol Center for City Leadership opened its doors to the program’s first cohort of students. 20 mayors and municipal heads from across Israel arrived to participate in the intensive, yearlong executive education and training program that will equip them with the tools and skills needed to enhance the residents’ quality of life.

Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Sagol family launched the Center earlier this year as a major new effort to strengthen local leadership across Israel. Inspired by the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the new program aims to help mayors of cities across Israel – north and south, large, and small, Jewish- and Arab-led – deliver better and more equitable public services to residents, strengthen social bonds, and deepen ties to the global community of innovative city leaders.

“Israel’s local authorities have a much greater impact on citizens’ lifestyles and quality of life than the central government,” said Prof. Ariel Porat, TAU President. “The quality of sanitation, transportation, welfare, education, and health services mostly depends on the local authority’s performance. The City Leadership Program aims to improve the management of local authorities in Israel, thereby enhancing the quality of life of Israelis throughout the country.”

Global Impact

“The Bloomberg-Sagol Center builds on all the work Bloomberg Philanthropies is doing to help local leaders around the world innovate, lead effectively, and share ideas for tackling complex problems,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, 108th Mayor of New York City and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P. “This inaugural class brings together a dynamic group of mayors from across Israel. We’re looking forward to working with them, and to seeing the results in their cities and beyond.”

The Center was established at TAU’s Coller School of Management and is led by Prof. Moshe Zviran, the former Dean of the School, who serves as the Head of the Center and the Academic Director of the Program. The mayors will conclude the year with additional training and networking hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Harvard University in New York City and Boston, in the United States.

Local Innovation

“When I became aware of the Bloomberg Harvard City Initiative, I realized how suitable it can be for us in Israel, by creating a long-lasting impact on our cities and local leadership”, said Yossi Sagol, Chairman of Sagol Holdings Corporation and the founding partner of the Program.

 

“Mayors serve as the first and most significant line of leadership for the citizens in Israel, and they manage the most important matters for its residents. Through learning and training at the Bloomberg-Sagol Program, they will be exposed to the best and latest management practices in the business world and will be able to apply their newly gained skills in local leadership. Doing so, we hope, will support bold public innovation and create more effective city halls. Our partnership with Mike Bloomberg is very exciting and will undoubtedly strengthen the leadership of the local authorities across Israel.”

Meet the Students

The first class of the City Leadership Program includes: Ran Konik, Mayor of Givatayim; Itzik Danino, Mayor of Ofakim;Samir Mahamid, Mayor of Umm al-Fahm; Rotem Yadlin, Head of the Gezer Regional Council; Liat Shochat, Mayor of Or Yehuda Municipality; Israel Gantz, Head of the Benjamin Regional Council; Israel Gal, Mayor of Kiryat Ono; Tzvika Brot, Mayor of Bat-Yam; Avraham Rubinstein, Mayor of Bnei Barak; Abed Elaziz Nasasara, Head of the Local Council of Kseifa; Israel Parosh, Mayor of Elad; Oshrat Gani Gonen, Head of the South Sharon Regional Council; Moshe Fadlon, Mayor of Herzliya;  Shoshi Kahlon Kidor, Mayor of Kfar Yona; Niv Wiesel, Head of the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council; Moshe Koninski, Mayor of Karmiel; Rafik Halabi, head of the Dalit El-Karmel Local Council; Nissan Ben Hamo, Mayor of Arad; Shay Hajaj, Head of the Merhavim Regional Council; and Yaala Maklis, Mayor of Yehud-Monoson.

Israel has 257 cities and towns with mayors. Each class of the City Leadership Program will accommodate 20 participants, who will invite two key members of their team to attend as well.

Featured image: Israeli Mayors and heads of municipalities participating in the yearlong training program (Photo: Maxim Golovanov)

Will Biden Lose Congress?

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

Next week’s elections in the U.S. will be critical. Tel Aviv University researchers explain why.

The U.S. 2022 midterm elections on November 8 are fast approaching, but if a new President is not on the menu, then why should we care?

What are U.S. Midterms?

In the U.S. midterms, Americans vote on representatives in Congress, the legislature of the federal government 

Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, whereby the Senate consists of 100 Senators who represent the interest of the state, and the House of Representatives consists of 435 Members of the House who represent their local populations.

The entire House of Representatives is up for elections – as is one third of the Senate (each midterm a different third).

In addition, state governors, state legislatures and local gov. officials are running for office in various U.S. states.

Biden’s Downfall?

“The 2022 midterm elections are important,” says Dr. Yoav Fromer, Head of the Center for the Study of the United States at Tel Aviv University, “exactly because of the 2024 elections. The prospects of President Biden possibly loosing either the Senate or the House – or both – means that he may be disabled by the Republican Congress in the next two years. This would prevent him from following up on many of the promises that he has made – including his ‘Build Back Better Plan’, along with initiatives related to climate action, education, expanding government-run healthcare programs, and more. If this will be the case,” he says, “Biden won’t have much to show for in 2024.”

Both houses of Congress are currently controlled by the Democratic party, and while the majority is very small, it has been sufficient for Biden, a Democrat – whose initiatives must be approved by Congress first – to execute his policies. The Republicans need to win only five more seats in the House and one more in the Senate to gain control. A Republican majority in either chamber would make it much easier for them to block Biden’s plans going forward. 

What is the prognosis for this to happen? Dr. Lior Sheffer from TAU’s School of Political Science, at the Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences, is an expert on elections, voter behavior and polls. He explains that typically, the party that holds the White House tends to lose seats in the midterm. “This prognosis,” he says, “is indeed supported by the polls ahead of the 2022 election midterms: The Republicans are currently leading in polls and will most likely get a majority in the House of Representatives. As for the Senate, polls show that there’s a very small chance that Democrats will have a slight majority after the midterms.”

 

“It is sufficient for Republicans to get a majority in the House of Representatives and they will be able to hamper the Democrats’ agenda over the next two years.” Dr. Lior Sheffer

 

“However, this could quickly change, depending on a few local races in various states, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina or Arizona.” He adds that “It is important to note that it is sufficient for Republicans to get a majority in the House of Representatives and they will be able to hamper the Democrats’ agenda over the next two years.” Moreover, Sheffer says that “if the 2020 polls serve as an indicator, the victories of the Republicans in both houses could be significantly greater than predicted.”

Will U.S. President Joe Biden be disabled in the next two years? 

Towards Civil War?

“In addition,” says Fromer, “the local state elections are more important than ever. In the 2020 elections, we learnt how Secretaries of state can choose to reject votes [so-called “election deniers”], and Trump would indeed try to convince them to do so. While no one ended up acting on this in 2020, these ‘election deniers’ could end up being elected [in the 2022 races] and try to influence the outcome of the presidential campaign in 2024, which could lead to a Constitutional crisis.”

 

“In the U.S., there has always been an agreement on the rule of law. Whenever someone lost in elections, he would step down peacefully. This came close to an end in 2020, with the refusal by Trump and his supporters to accept the election results.” Dr. Yael Sternhell

 

Dr. Yael Sternhell, head of the American Studies Program at Tel Aviv University elaborates further on the threats which U.S. democracy is currently facing, pointing out that today, about 70% of Republican voters suspect there was election fraud in the 2020 elections. “In the U.S.,” she says, “there has always been an agreement on the rule of law. Whenever someone lost in an election, they would step down peacefully. This came close to an end in 2020, with the refusal by Trump and his supporters to accept the election results. This has had a surprisingly lasting effect on Americans.” 

“Will we live to see another big upheaval, like the Civil War in 1861? What would be indicators of this?” asks Sternhell, offering: “Do we begin to see House Representatives who refuse to accept election outcomes? Will that be the ‘new normal’? Will it be followed by violence? There are lots of guns circulating in the U.S… Will the Republicans accept a defeat in the midterm elections if that happens? These would be critical indicators,” she concludes.

Protecting U.S. Democracy

If the notion of midterm elections has you confused, that’s understandable. Fromer shares that, “those who vote in the midterms tend to be people who are politically engaged in general, with special interests and/or who are involved through political parties, social or religious affiliations.” Midterm elections are typically more focused on state-level interests. 

 

“The Founding Fathers wanted a strong centralized government upholding law and order (…) they also wanted an expression of democracy which allowed the crowd to rule without degenerating into anarchy.” Dr. Yoav Fromer 

 

While less sexy and straightforward than presidential elections, these biennial elections have been held since the first U.S. presidential elections (in 1788), and can be argued to be the most important ones. According to Fromer the role of midterm elections is and has always been, to protect U.S. democracy: “The Founding Fathers wanted a strong centralized government upholding law and order on the one hand, and on the other hand, they also wanted an expression of democracy which allowed the crowd to rule without degenerating into anarchy. Midterm elections was the mechanism chosen to ensure this balance.”

Regular midterm elections, they figured, would prevent the acting president from organizing congressional elections whenever it suited him and ensure that the Members of Congress would have “an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people.” Midterm elections were to function as a guarantee against tyranny.

 

Election officials check voters’ identification during midterm election voting in Virginia, USA (2018)

Powerful Indicator

The U.S. midterm elections play an important role in the American democracy and serves as a powerful indicator of what will follow in the next two years, as well as in the 2024 presidential elections. Those of us with an interested in American or world politics, therefore, ought to monitor next weeks’ midterm elections closely. 

Featured image: Washington, DC – January 6, 2021: Protesters seen all over Capitol building where pro-Trump supporters riot and breached the Capitol

Ukrainian Citizens Display High Resilience Amid Fighting

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Ukrainian People show more national resilience than Israelis did during Operation “Guardian of the Walls”.

A first-of-its-kind study conducted by Tel Aviv University has found that the national resilience of the citizens of Ukraine, who are currently fighting for their independence, is comparatively very high (4.35) on a scale of 1 to 6. It is, in fact, significantly higher than the national resilience that characterized Israeli citizens (3.89) at the height of “Operation Guardian of the Walls” in May 2021.

The researchers explain this difference by saying that whereas Ukrainian citizens now find themselves fighting for their homeland and are ready to do anything to win the war, the rounds of fighting in Gaza have become a kind of recurrent nuisance for the citizens of Israel, accompanied by a moderate level of national resilience.

The study was led by Prof. Bruria Adini and Prof. Shaul Kimhi of the ResWell Research Center at Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine.

Ukrainian Citizens Still Have Hope

According to the researchers, the current study constitutes the first attempt by academic researchers to assess Ukrainian citizens’ positive and negative coping indices during wartime. The study indicates that in such conditions of conflict, a population may experience high levels of stress and, simultaneously, high levels of societal resilience and hope for the future.

In the current situation in Ukraine, the population has also demonstrated a great deal of support for their government.

The study surveyed 1000 Ukrainian citizens, as well as a sample of about 650 Israeli citizens using data collected during Operation Guardian of the Walls. The study’s findings suggest that the danger, in the eyes of Ukrainian citizens, is perceived as much more tangible (3.7 on a scale of 1 to 5) than Israelis’ perception of danger in the rounds of fighting against Hamas in Gaza (2.45). The perception of threat amongst Ukrainians is also more significant (3.29) than among the citizens of Israel (2.79).

The researchers note that the younger population, those between the ages of 26 to 30, present higher levels of stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms compared to other age groups. Women report higher levels of all negative coping mechanisms in comparison to men.

Interestingly, despite the significant dangers and threats they face, Ukrainian citizens have not lost hope, with their ‘hope index’ being higher (an average of 3.95) than that of Israelis (an average of 3.5).

 

“Israelis, unlike the Ukrainian People, do not feel that their country is under a direct existential threat and have, to a certain degree, adapted to an ‘emergency routine’ due to the recurrent conflicts.” Prof. Adini and Prof. Kimhi

 

Israelis Adapted to ‘Emergency Routine’

Prof. Adini and Prof. Kimhi explain that “the perception of a threat as existential to the survival and sovereignty of the state and society is likely, under certain conditions, to enhance the population’s societal resilience and sense of hope. This is the case even when the population feels anxious and threatened by the situation. “

“Moreover, it appears that the war launched by Russia against Ukraine has actually contributed to the process of Ukrainian identity-building, which also leads to increased levels of resilience, as well as an extremely high sense of hope.”

“Israelis, unlike the Ukrainian People, do not feel that their country is under a direct existential threat and have, to a certain degree, adapted to an ‘emergency routine’ due to the recurrent conflicts. In light of this, they present lower levels of resilience relative to Ukrainians, but at the same time higher levels of well-being and morale.”

The Bible – Fact or Fiction?

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Researchers confirm invasions of biblical Israel using geomagnetic fields.

A joint study by TAU and the Hebrew University, involving 20 researchers from different countries and disciplines, has accurately dated 21 destruction layers at 17 archaeological sites in Israel by reconstructing the direction and/or intensity of the earth’s magnetic field recorded in burnt remnants. The new data verify the Biblical accounts of the Egyptian, Aramean, Assyrian, and Babylonian military campaigns against the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Findings indicate, for example, that the army of Hazael, King of Aram-Damascus, was responsible for the destruction of several cities – Tel Rehov, Tel Zayit, and Horvat Tevet, in addition to Gath of the Philistines, whose destruction is noted in the Hebrew Bible. At the same time, the study refutes the prevailing theory that Hazael was the conqueror who destroyed Tel Beth-Shean.

Other geomagnetic findings reveal that the cities in the Negev were destroyed by the Edomites, who took advantage of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians.

The groundbreaking interdisciplinary study was published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA) and is based on the doctoral thesis of Yoav Vaknin, supervised by Prof. Erez Ben-Yosef and Prof. Oded Lipschits of TAU’s Nadler Institute of Archaeology and Prof. Ron Shaar from the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University.

WATCH: Yoav Vaknin from TAU’s Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology explains about the research

 

Reliable Tool for Archaeological Dating

The researchers explain that geophysicists, attempting to understand the mechanism of earth’s magnetic field, track changes in this field throughout history. To this end, they use archaeological findings containing magnetic minerals which, when heated or burned, record the magnetic field at the time of the fire.

Thus, in a 2020 study, researchers reconstructed the magnetic field as it was on the 9th of the month of Av, 586 BCE, the Hebrew date of the destruction of the First Temple and the City of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army.

Now, using archaeological findings unearthed over several decades at 17 sites throughout Israel, alongside historical information from ancient inscriptions and Biblical accounts, the researchers were able to reconstruct the magnetic fields recorded in 21 destruction layers. They used the data to develop a reliable new scientific tool for archaeological dating.

Yoav Vaknin explains: “Based on the similarity or difference in intensity and direction of the magnetic field, we can either corroborate or disprove hypotheses claiming that specific sites were burned during the same military campaign. Moreover, we have constructed a variation curve of field intensity over time which can serve as a scientific dating tool, similar to the radiocarbon dating method.”

Yoav Vaknin measuring at the site (Photo: Shai Halevi, Israel Antiquities Authority)

One example given by the researchers is the destruction of Gath of the Philistines (identified today as Tel Tzafit in the Judean foothills) by Hazael, King of Aram-Damascus. Various dating methods have placed this event at around 830 BCE but were unable to verify that Hazael was also responsible for the destruction of Tel Rehov, Tel Zayit and Horvat Tevet.

The new study, identifying full statistical synchronization between the magnetic fields recorded at all these four sites at the time of destruction, now makes a very strong case for their destruction having taken place during the same campaign.

A destruction level at Tel Beth-Shean, on the other hand, recording a totally different magnetic field, refutes the prevailing hypothesis that it too was destroyed by Hazael. Instead, the magnetic data from Beth-Shean indicate that this city, along with two other sites in northern Israel, was probably destroyed 70-100 years earlier, a date which could correspond with the military campaign of the Egyptian Pharaoh Shoshenq.

Shoshenq’s campaign is described in the Hebrew Bible and in an inscription on a wall of the Temple of Amun in Karnak, Egypt, which mentions Beth-Shean as one of his conquests.

 

“While Jerusalem and frontier cities in the Judean foothills ceased to exist, other towns in the Negev, the southern Judean Mountains and the southern Judean foothills remained almost unaffected. Now, the magnetic results support this hypothesis, indicating that the Babylonians were not solely responsible for Judah’s ultimate demise.” Prof. Erez Ben Yosef

 

Judah’s Ultimate Demise

One of the most interesting findings revealed by the new dating method has to do with the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Prof. Erez Ben Yosef: “The last days of the Kingdom of Judah are widely debated. Some researchers, relying on archaeological evidence, argue that Judah was not completely destroyed by the Babylonians. While Jerusalem and frontier cities in the Judean foothills ceased to exist, other towns in the Negev, the southern Judean Mountains and the southern Judean foothills remained almost unaffected. Now, the magnetic results support this hypothesis, indicating that the Babylonians were not solely responsible for Judah’s ultimate demise.”

“Several decades after they had destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, sites in the Negev, which had survived the Babylonian campaign, were destroyed – probably by the Edomites who took advantage of the fall of Jerusalem. This betrayal and participation in the destruction of the surviving cities may explain why the Hebrew Bible expresses so much hatred for the Edomites – for example, in the prophecy of Obadiah.”   

Prof. Oded Lipschits adds that “the new dating tool is unique because it is based on geomagnetic data from sites, whose exact destruction dates are known from historical sources. By combining precise historical information with advanced, comprehensive archaeological research, we were able to base the magnetic method on reliably anchored chronology.”

 

Burnt mud stones

 

“Until recently scientists believed that [the magnetic field] remains quite stable for decades, but archaeomagnetic research has contradicted this assumption by revealing some extreme and unpredictable changes in antiquity.” Prof. Ron Shaar

 

Taking Advantage of an Unstable Geomagnetic Field

Prof. Ron Shaar, who led the geophysical aspects of the study, as well as the development of the geomagnetic dating method, explains: “Earth’s magnetic field is critical to our existence. Most people don’t realize that without it there could be no life on earth – since it shields us from cosmic radiation and the solar wind. In addition, both humans and animals use it to navigate.”

“The geomagnetic field is generated by earth’s outer core, at a depth of 2,900 km, by currents of liquid iron. Due to the chaotic motion of this iron, the magnetic field changes over time. Until recently scientists believed that it remains quite stable for decades, but archaeomagnetic research has contradicted this assumption by revealing some extreme and unpredictable changes in antiquity.”

“Our location here in Israel is uniquely conducive to archaeomagnetic research, due to an abundance of well-dated archaeological findings. Over the past decade we have reconstructed magnetic fields recorded by hundreds of archaeological items. By combining this dataset with the data from Yoav’s investigation of historical destruction layers, we were able to form a continuous variation curve showing rapid, sharp changes in the geomagnetic field. This is wonderful news, both for archaeologists, who can now use geomagnetic data to determine the age of ancient materials, and for geophysicists studying the earth’s core.”

A separate paper, presenting the scientific principles of the novel archaeomagnetic dating method, is in preparation.

Ready, Set, Study!

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Over 3000 freshmen attend Tel Aviv University’s fall semester orientation day.

Just before the academic school year begins in Israel on Sunday October 23, 3,000 freshmen attended TAU’s “First Date” event, organized especially for them by the University and its Student Union, to help students arrive ready and confident for their first day of studies.

The day was packed with activities, ranging from lectures, campus tours and faculty visits to musical performances, sports and celebrations. The freshmen met with TAU alumni and current students who gave them an inside look at their favorite Tel Aviv University moments and shared tips and tricks. In the afternoon, students toured the museums and libraries on TAU campus and ended their summer with a big dance party on the central lawn.

Now, they are officially part of the TAU campus community.

 

The New Kid in Class, 2023-Style

“If you’ve ever experienced being the new kid in class, you’re probably familiar with the mixed feeling of apprehension and excitement. We wanted to give our new students a special welcome – an exciting ‘first date’ with the University, and with each other. We wanted to make sure that their first experiences on TAU campus would be more exciting than the plain: ‘Yay, I’ve finally found the right lecture hall’ reaction,” explains Sharon Ariel, TAU’s Marketing Director.

“We created an event where each new student could schedule his or her own day, and decide what meetings to attend,” she adds.

 

Opening ceremony at the Faculty of Life Sciences (Photo: Chen Galili)

What Happened on the “First Date”?

The new students got a taste of the best that our campus has to offer. They could choose from a myriad of inspirational lectures in a wide variety of fields, from poetry in hip hop and ecological fashion to practical lectures related to student life, including on decision making, stress management and networking.

Students and graduates were mobilized and took part in special panels where they shared their experiences as students. The sports center held kickboxing, yoga and Zumba training on the lawn, and the event ended in a huge party, Tel Aviv-style.

 

The lecture halls were filled with curious minds (Photo: Chen Galili)

The students did not leave empty-handed: incoming female students model the collection of bags that were distributed as gifts (Photo: Chen Galili)

Just before the DJ got on stage, the president of the university, Prof. Ariel Porat, and the rector, Prof. Mark Shtaif, congratulated the celebrants and wished them all a successful academic year.

The president of the university, Prof. Ariel Porat, welcomes the new students (Photo: Chen Galili)

This is how you start a study year! (Photo: Chen Galili)

Improving the Well-being of Women with BRCA Gene, Responsible for Breast Cancer

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

Unique technique found by Tel Aviv University researchers to improve emotional well-being of women with increased risk of breast cancer, assist in decision making.

Many young women with increased risk of breast cancer (carriers of BRCA1/BRCA2 genes) suffer from a state of uncertainty regarding their future, mainly due to the realization that they are highly likely to contract breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer. There is currently no effective treatment for preventing the illness and the only active procedure available is a risk-reducing mastectomy [surgery to remove a breast] and/or oophorectomy [a surgical procedure to remove one or both ovaries] around the age of 40 (it was this procedure that Angelina Jolie underwent in 2013).

Due to fear and uncertainty, these women often suffer psychological and physical symptoms that significantly disrupt their normal lives. In a new study conducted at Tel Aviv University, researchers sought to examine whether workshops and tools for promoting personal health, relief of stress and tension, and strengthening of mental soundness can improve the emotional well-being and quality of sleep of these young women. The researchers determined that use of the Inquiry Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) technique can be very helpful in coping with stressful events, enhance emotional and psychological well-being, improve quality of sleep, and assist in decision making.

Doing “The Work”

The study was led by Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, in cooperation with Prof. Eitan Friedman of Sheba Medical Center and assistance from other researchers, as part of PhD student Clara Landau’s dissertation. The study was published in the prestigious medical journal JAMA Network Open.

The study included 100 women, all carriers of BRCA1/BRCA2 genes and currently under supervision at the Meirav Breast Center at Sheba Medical Center. As part of the study, the women learned and practiced the IBSR method, a clinical application of “The Work” by Byron Katie, consisting of a mindful self-inquiry for increased mindfulness, work on stress-causing beliefs (the “Inquiry” process) for reduction of stress, and cognitive reframing.

Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari

 

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest ever study in the world in the framework of such an experiment, as far as the number of participants is concerned.” 

 

Significant Improvements

The results were impressive. After participating in the workshops, as well as self-practice, the women showed great improvement in all aspects of personal growth, positive relations with others, life goals, and self acceptance. A clear improvement was seen in quality of sleep, which returned to normal.

Furthermore, a clear change of attitude was found among the participants with regard to previous doubts over whether to undergo surgical procedures such as mastectomy and oophorectomy. The technique helped the women make rational medical decisions, and some changed their position from ruling out the option of having any procedure done to scheduling a doctor’s appointment to discuss the option.

The researchers believe their findings indicate that study and practice of IBSR techniques might improve the psychological well-being of women with BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations, and form the basis (in conjunction with other studies) for recommending to consider providing this technique to women, along with their oncogenetic consultation.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest ever study in the world in the framework of such an experiment, as far as the number of participants is concerned,” says Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari.

“We think that healthcare services in Israel and worldwide should evaluate the impact of coping with the genetic information and surgical procedures offered to asymptomatic women carriers on their emotional well-being and quality of life, and offer them interventions to promote their health on the individual level, such that have been scientifically proven in improving the quality of life and emotional well-being of women with the BRCA1/BRCA2 genes,” he summarizes.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide for Hostile Species

Written by AUFTAU on . Posted in Newsroom.

First-of-its-kind study shows how invasive marine species survive under surprising environmental conditions.

The phenomenon of marine animals invading distant regions endangers local marine environments and their resident species. A new study from Tel Aviv University included a pioneering experiment simulating the changing environmental conditions encountered en route by marine animals ‘hitching a ride’ by clinging to the bottom of container ships, traveling with the ship to distant regions around the globe. In this study, researchers demonstrate that suitable regulation can decrease this phenomenon and prevent potential invaders from reaching new habitats.

The study was led by research student Doron Bereza under the supervision of Prof. Noa Shenkar of the School of Zoology at the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University. The paper was published in the prestigious journal Science of the Total Environment. 

 

“At any given moment, thousands of marine creatures travel from one location to another by marine vessels.”

 

Harmful to Local Species

The experiment demonstrated that the animals’ ability to survive the arduous journey depends on factors like the type of vessel and the route it navigates, as well as the changing temperature and salinity of seawater.

According to the researchers, the routes of vessels of different sizes are determined mainly by technical limitations of infrastructures at different ports, as well as economic trends in the shipping industry. This results in unique geographic routes that create completely different sets of environmental and other challenges for creatures attaching themselves to these vessels. 

“At any given moment, thousands of marine creatures travel from one location to another by marine vessels,” says Prof. Shenkar. “They do this in two different ways: in the ballast water – seawater taken on by the vessel for stabilizing, or by clinging to the ship’s hull. The problem of invasive species transferred by ballast is addressed by legislation, but the ‘hitchhikers’ clinging to the ships are not – and thus numerous species are transferred from place to place along international trade routes.”

 

Prof. Noa Shenkar

An experiment conducted by research student Doron Bereza, together with Prof. Shenkar, examined the survivability of two species of ‘ascidians’ [marine invertebrates, or cold-blooded animals with no backbone], known to be harmful, on a journey that follows a typical trade route – from Southeast Asia to Northern Europe. Ascidians attach to hard surfaces such as rocks, breakwaters, and ship hulls. There are hundreds of species of ascidians, and the rise in global trade enables some opportunistic species to disperse over great distances, sometimes establishing themselves as invasive species and harming both marine infrastructures and local species in their new habitats.

Doron Bereza: “We focused on two species of ascidians that are common in the Mediterranean, including Israel, and are known to be transferred by ships. I created a comprehensive database, comprising info from about 200 container ships, and used it to build a route representing the trade routes of two different types of container ships – giant vessels, over 395m in length, vs. ‘regular’ container ships that can be served by the infrastructures of more harbors. In addition, I collected data about changes in seawater temperatures and salinity, as well as chlorophyl concentrations, as a measure for the availability of food on the voyage and at the different ports along the way.”

 

“We were surprised to discover that one tropical ascidian species survived the entire journey to Rotterdam. This does not mean that the creatures enjoyed their trip, but the fact is that they did survive, and just a few individuals are sufficient for launching an invasive population in the new territory.” 

 

Making their Trip Unbearable

In the second stage of the study, the researchers exposed both species of ascidians to similar conditions in the lab. Bereza: “We discovered that survivability was significantly impacted by several factors: environmental conditions, the type of vessel, and traits of the animal itself. Under extreme conditions, found in some eastern ports, such as a combination of high temperatures and low salinity, one species died out completely, while no mortality was observed in the other species.”

“In real life, even when routes are generally similar, these ports are not visited by ships over a certain size, for lack of suitable infrastructures. Thus, we concluded that docking at ports with different extremes in conditions can significantly diminish the survival chances of specific species clinging to the ships. Additional experiments of this kind, specifically addressing groups of marine animals that pose a threat, can lead to effective regulatory measures for preventing the conveyance of species.”

Prof. Shenkar adds: “We were surprised to discover that one tropical ascidian species survived the entire journey to Rotterdam. This does not mean that the creatures enjoyed their trip, but the fact is that they did survive, and just a few individuals are sufficient for launching an invasive population in the new territory. Moreover, global warming is expected to enable tropical species to thrive in water that is still too cold at present. The fact that the environmental conditions in some ports on the way proved deadly to almost all members of a certain species, suggests that such locations may be utilized as environmental barriers to prevent the spreading of invasive species.”

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