WIM no. 17 Spring 2020

Weizmann scientists win all three Blavatnik Awards Honors highlight research in cryptography, genetics, and protein assembly T he annual Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel have gone to three Weizmann scientists—the first time that all three awards will be bestowed exclusively on Weizmann researchers. Dr. Igor Ulitsky, a biologist who is studying how a type of genetic material—long noncoding RNA—works to influence health and disease, received the award in the Life Sciences category. Dr. Emmanuel Levy, a biochemist investigating how proteins assemble and interact, won the Chemistry award. And computer scientist Prof. Guy Rothblum, who is advancing the study of cryptography, received the Physical Sciences & Engineering award. “Recognizing and supporting promising scientists early in their careers is essential to ensure that they maximize the impact of their future research,” says Len Blavatnik, Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation that awards the prizes. “For the past several decades, Israel has been a powerhouse of scientific breakthroughs and technological innovation. The three young scientists recognized by these awards are outstanding examples of the enormous potential of Israeli scientific talent.” The Blavatnik Foundation, which offers a series of prizes for outstanding scientists, launched its Israel awards in 2017 in collaboration with the Israel Academy of Sciences and the Humanities. g Dr. Igor Ulitsky g Prof. Guy Rothblum g Dr. Emmanuel Levy “Recognizing and supporting promising scientists early in their careers is essential to ensure that they maximize the impact of their future research,” says Len Blavatnik. Weizmann MAGAZINE 14–15 S P R I N G 2 0 2 0