The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine is Inaugurated at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem

This new multidisciplinary institute is the result of a partnership between the Wohl Legacy, Hadassah International UK, and the Hadassah Medical Organization.

Thanks to this gift from the UK, Hadassah’s status as a world leader in Applied Research for Personalized Medicine will be greatly enhanced.

The Wohl Institute offers state-of-the-art imaging technologies for preclinical research
The research at the Wohl Institute will promote the development of dedicated medications and treatments for the welfare of patients
The Wohl Institute will provide pre-clinical services to researchers from Hadassah Hospital and other Israeli hospitals and universities
The Institute offers pre-clinical imaging technologies which are the first of its kind in Israel
$6.5m. out of the $8m. building project are a generous donation from the Wohl Legacy in the UK

Among the scientists, researchers and dignitaries attending the inauguration ceremony of the Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine at Hadassah Ein Kerem on October 24, 2019 were Hadassah Medical Organization Director-General Zeev Rotstein; Wohl Foundation’s Trustees: Prof. David Latchman, Sir Ian Gainsford, Mrs Ella Latchman , Mr Martin Paisner and Mr Daniel Dover; Hadassah Research Fund Director-General Eyal Mishani; Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dina Ben-Yehuda; Mark Addleman, Chief Executive of Hadassah UK, as well as heads of universities, representatives of the National Science Foundation, the Jerusalem Development Authority, the British Embassy in Israel.

In his remarks, Professor Zeev Rotstein, Director General, Hadassah, said: “Thanks to the generous donation from the Wohl Legacy, Hadassah has gained state of the art translational infrastructure, the first of its kind in Israel that is currently in use in only a handful of institutes worldwide. The collaborations between researchers from the Faculty of Medicine to Hadassah clinicians together with the unique machinery will intensify the development of new medications and technologies for the clinical benefit of incurable conditions including cancer. I am proud to direct a leading medical organization with such exceptional opportunity and ability to promote medicine.”

Wohl Legacy trustee Prof. David Latchman stated: “We are proud to be partners in the establishment of this Institute at Hadassah which will advance medical research using state-of-the-art technologies. During their lifetimes Maurice and Vivienne Wohl invested in research that could lead to better understanding of diseases that have no cure. This institute will do exactly that and hopefully lead to the development of medications to both improve and save lives.”

Professor Eyal Mishani, Director General, Hadassah Research Fund added “The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine is a first of its kind in Israel. The institute is already acting as a magnet for leading medical research projects. We are thrilled that many researchers from Hadassah and the Hebrew University faculty of Medicine have joined the institute. We are thankful to the Wohl Legacy Foundation for their generous support and for putting their faith in Hadassah as a leading body of medical research in Israel.

The Wohl Institute for Translational Medical Research will serve as an infrastructure hub for studying models of human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, metabolic diseases.

The Wohl Center offers state-of-the-art technologies enabling visualization, digitization, and image analysis spanning from molecular resolution up to in-vivo imaging in order to elucidate the underlying diseases mechanisms and further the development of tailored drugs.

The Institute will provide imaging services using some of the world’s most advanced imaging devices. These include:

Ultrasound combined with a photo-acoustic unit for non-invasive monitoring of changes in blood flow, cardiac problems and changes in oxygen levels in the tissue.
An integrated PET/CT device to test anatomical changes (particularly in bones and internal organs) together with metabolic and molecular changes.
An Integrated MRI/PET device, which includes a 7-tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner with PET insert– the first of its kind in the country to enable high exactitude monitoring of anatomical changes while acquiring PET images demonstrating cancer, metabolic and molecular changes.
Optical Imaging: Two fluorescence and luminescence IVIS devices that enable high-sensitivity and accurate tracking of cells/molecules.
Micro CT that enables imaging of bone changes in non-invasive, single micron precision.

According to Prof. Rinat Abramovitch, Director of the Wohl Institute for Translational Medical Research, alongside the imaging devices, the institute will include biological and chemical laboratories and image analysis rooms that will allow all studies to be conducted under one roof.

Prof. Abramovitch added that Hadassah currently operates two cyclotron facilities (particle accelerators) that allow synthesis of unique and short-lived materials for use in PET. Additional services that are available on the Ein Kerem campus, includes experimental surgery, behavioral laboratories, drug development and pathological services.

Caption photo above: L-R Prof. Zeev Rotstein, Director General of Hadassah with Wohl Legacy trustees Prof. David Latchman and his mother Ella Latchman, the sister of the late Maurice Wohl.