Resarcher's Awards

Prof. Eliyahu Cohen from the Faculty of Engineering Bar-Ilan University and Bar Ilan Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University has been awarded a grant from the Horizon Fund of the European Union.
The grant is intended for research on computational approaches to solving open problems in decision theory, including challenges faced by democratic regimes worldwide. His research group is responsible for utilizing principles of quantum theory to enhance existing voting methods, with a focus on addressing a well-known constraint known as Arrow's impossibility theorem. Pilot studies are planned in two major European cities to evaluate the research outcomes.

Prof. Handel was awarded for his pioneering work in genetic editing technologies to cure blood and immune system diseases. This year, he published two groundbreaking papers. In the first study, published in the journal Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, he presented preclinical evidence for the genetic correction of Bubble Boy Disease, a genetic disease characterized by the absence of an immune system. In the second study, published in the journal Nature Communications, Prof. Handel developed an innovative genetic editing method that replaces a faulty DNA segment with a correct one while removing the defective DNA from the genome. This method is preferable to existing genetic editing methods and may allow more efficient treatment of genetic diseases. To learn more about Prof. Handel and his research, you can watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNuncsZQHOw&t=1s

Dr. Lewi was awarded for his research on the extraordinary optical properties of materials from the chalcogenide family. His team measured the highest refractive index ever reported in the optical field (n~11) in bismuth telluride, a topological quantum material with unique properties. They developed a nano-photonic component capable of compressing light to dimensions 10 times smaller than its wavelength. Additionally, they demonstrated that mapping the phase of light in a near field can provide information about the local optical properties of materials, which is not available in other ways. In another project, the team developed optical components that are not temperature-dependent and hold potential for space optics applications. To learn more about Dr. Lewi and his research, you can watch this video: https://youtu.be/me4m1G6UScg?si=NDJbhHpkDxpRBlIO