Collaborative Cancer Bioinformatics and AI research grants
The Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics aims to promote excellence in clinical bioinformatics research by bringing together bioinformatics scientists and clinicians. The Center, partnering with the Cancer Biology Research Center (CBRC), Djerassi Oncology Center, and Tel Aviv University Center for AI and Data Science (TAD), will provide several one-year research grants in the field of cancer bioinformatics and AI, to support collaborative efforts between clinicians and basic research scientists.
A total of 900,000 NIS will be awarded, with up to 200,000 NIS per grant. The research grants will support integration of big data analysis, bioinformatics tools and artificial intelligence with translational research on the causes, mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.
Please note Teva involvement as indicated in the call: A fraction of the total budget is provided by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Applicants can provide consent for Teva experts to read their proposal, and to be considered for sponsorship and mentorship by Teva during the project. Teva will not be involved in determining the winning applications and their budget.
See here the grant call. The deadline for proposal submission is 07/06/2022 at midnight. Proposals will undergo external peer review. Funding of selected projects will begin on 1/10/2022 after Helsinki, DTA and ethic approvals.
Announcing the Awardees of Cancer Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence
Collaborative research grants (Year 2022-2023)
A joint funding program by the following Centers at Tel Aviv University:
The Cancer Biology Research Center (CBRC)
Djerassi Oncology Center
Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics
Tel Aviv University Center for AI and Data Science (TAD)
The four Centers issued a joint call for research proposals to support collaborative research efforts between clinicians and basic research scientists. The research grants support integration of big data analysis, bioinformatics tools, and artificial intelligence with translational research on the causes, mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.
Each proposal was reviewed by several external reviewers. Final decisions were made by the grant committee. A total of 900,000 NIS will be awarded with up to 200,000 NIS per grant. The program will be also supported with sponsorship and professional mentorship from Teva pharmaceutical Industries Ltd for two of the selected projects.
We are excited to announce the awardees:
Irit Avivi, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Yohai Bar Sinai, School of Physics, TAU
"Sensitive detection of diffuse large B cell Lymphoma by neural network assisted circulating microRNA classification"
Orit Furman, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Leor Zach, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Raja Giryes, Department of Electrical Engineering, TAU
"Developing radiological biomarkers for brain metastases response to radiotherapy treatment, using deep learning analysis of MRI and radiation plans"
Shai Izraeli, Schneider Children's Medical Center, and Yuval Ebenstein, School of Chemistry, TAU
"A personalized approach for childhood cancer: Whole-genome Cell-free DNA methylation for molecular monitoring"
Oren Pleniceanu, Sheba Medical Center, and Lior Wolf, School of Computer Science, TAU
"AI-based analysis of tumor organoids and in-vivo xenograft models as a novel approach to improve cancer treatment: kidney cancer as a proof of concept"
Ilan Volovitz, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Roded Sharan, School of Computer Science, TAU
"Deep learning based deconvolution of gene expression data of human glioblastomas for improving future immunotherapy"
Rinat Yerushalmi, Rabin Medical Center, and Ran Elkon, Faculty of Medicine, TAU
"Improving early breast cancer detection in diverse ethnic groups in Israel"
Congratulations to the awardees!
Many thanks to the applicants and to the reviewers. We appreciate your participation and hope these grants will lay the foundation for larger and advanced collaborations in the future.
Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Director, Cancer Biology Research Center (CBRC), Prof. Noam Shomron, Director, Djerassi Institute of Oncology, Prof. Ron Shamir, Director, Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics, and and Prof. Meir Feder, Director, The Tel Aviv University Center for AI and Data Science (TAD).
Grant Committee: Prof. Yael Cohen (Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center), Prof. Dinorah Friedmann-Morvinski (Faculty of Life Sciences, TAU), Prof. Malka Gorfine-Orgad ( Faculty of Exact Sciences, TAU), Prof. Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld (Faculty of Medicine, TAU), and Prof. Tamir Tuller (Faculty of Engineering, TAU).
