The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and The New York Academy of Sciences announced today the Laureates of the prestigious 2025 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel.  This year’s Laureates, who will each receive US$100,000, are:

Yonatan Stelzer, PhD (Life Sciences) – Weizmann Institute of Science – Recognized for breakthroughs in modeling the intricate process of mammalian embryonic development and for advancing our understanding of epigenetics, holding significant promise for regenerative and therapeutic medicine.

 

Benjamin Palmer, PhD (Chemical Sciences) – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – Recognized for pioneering research on how organisms create crystals, revealing the biological processes underlying their formation and the unique ways they interact with light, leading to the emerging field of organic biomineralization and inspiring sustainable optical materials.

 

Chaim Garfinkel, PhD (Physical Sciences & Engineering) – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Recognized for advancing our ability to predict climate change on timescales from months to decades, improving weather forecast systems and providing critical insights for climate policy and adaptation strategies.

A new study published in The American Naturalist links grazing halo patterns in coral reefs, as well as those in other patchy habitats, to the spatial patterns of the shelter habitat itself. The researchers found that grazing halos are distinct when the coral is clustered but merge into each other when the coral is dispersed. According to the lead author, "...gaining a better understanding of how halo patterns reflect reef community dynamics may be useful in reef conservation efforts."

The study is the first to examine how substantial growth of preferred pharmacy networks maintained by PBMs may have contributed to the struggles of retail pharmacies.

AAAS CEO, Sudip S. Parikh, testified as a bipartisan witness before the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday, April 30, for a hearing discussing biomedical research in America. Dr. Parikh was joined by three other executives and one patient advocate to express the importance of American support and funding for biomedical research. In Dr. Parikh’s written testimony, he cites the biomedical research ecosystem developed in the United States as the “greatest engine for discovery in the service of health that the world has ever known,” while conceding some shortcomings in execution. However, despite any areas for improvement, he made it clear – including in responses to questions from Members –that recent budget cuts and rumored proposed budgets for 2026 by the current administration raise a number of major concerns that could irreparably damage the nation’s innovation ecosystem and consequently the nation’s health. “The enterprise, which has benefited our society for decades, is resilient, but there is a breaking point — and we are close to reaching it.” He also highlighted the way in which cuts to science funding could make us less competitive on a global stage, namely with China.

You can read the written testimony here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/eoeuz219dulpecekeyegv/AExcqOOmCZ4hOOg3K0Co_Lw?rlkey=z7x00p53w0feqw3ysx4sl88ue&st=ouwxhsq4&dl=0 

You can watch the full committee hearing here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/biomedical-research-keeping-americas-edge-in-innovation

 

You can read the aaas.org story on the testimony here: https://www.aaas.org/news/aaas-ceo-us-crossroads-grave-danger-losing-global-research-leadership