Switzerland Institute Celebrates Twentieth Anniversary

Swiss Ambassador Dr. Andreas Baum hosts a celebration of the outstanding interdisciplinary work carried out by the Switzerland Institute of Developmental Biology over the past two decades
10 July 2013
Guests were welcomed by (from left) TAU Vice President of R & D Prof. Yoav Henis; Deputy Head of the Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland Natalie Kohli; Director of the Switzerland Institute Prof. Lily Vardimon, and TAU Rector Prof. Aron Shai

The 20th anniversary of TAU’s Switzerland Institute of Developmental Biology  – an interdisciplinary framework that spans 20 research groups in the field of biology – was celebrated at the residence of Swiss Ambassador Dr. Andreas Baum during the 2013 Board of Governors meeting. The reception was the closing event for a research symposium on “Signaling Pathways in Development”, which took place at TAU. 

 

The Switzerland Institute of Developmental Biology is jointly run by TAU’s George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine. The institute’s activities focus on different areas of developmental biology – from molecular processes to cell biology of organ formation, evolution, stem cell and cancer research. These studies contribute to understanding the etiology of complex diseases, including birth defects, diabetes, neuronal disorders and cancer and to the development of new strategies for therapy.   

 

Prof. Lily Vardimon, Director of the Institute, gave an overview of its research activities and numerous academic collaborations with institutes and researchers in Switzerland.  Natalie Kohli, Deputy Head of the Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland, emphasized the importance of the strong academic bonds between the two countries and said she hoped to be instrumental in strengthening this collaboration and exchange.

 

During the event, TAU Rector Prof. Aron Shai awarded fellowships to outstanding PhD students in memory of the late Prof. Yehuda Ben-Shaul, founder and first director of the Switzerland Institute. Prof. Ben-Shaul was a former rector of TAU who envisioned the idea for the institute and made it a reality.

 

Three talented young musicians of TAU’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music inspired the audience with their outstanding performances, which included musical works by Swiss composers. 

 

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