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Shikhar Mehrotra named co-leader of Cancer Biology and Immunology research program at MUSC Hollings – The Cancer Letter

January 27, 2024 medical

Shikhar Mehrotra, professor of surgery and Cecilia and Vincent Peng Endowed Chair in melanoma and cutaneous oncology, will take on the role of co-leader of the Cancer Biology and Immunology Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, alongside Philip Howe, professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Sophie Paczesny, professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology.

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Immunology

Gut Microbiome Benefits of Breast Milk Revealed in Mouse Study – Technology Networks

January 27, 2024 medical

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An immune component of breast milk known as the complement system shapes the gut environment of infant mice in ways that make them less susceptible to certain disease-causing bacteria, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The researchers found that mouse pups that nursed from lactating mice whose breast milk lacked a key complement protein had different gut microbe populations than pups that nursed on standard mouse breast milk, making them highly vulnerable toCitrobacter rodentium,a bacterium that infects the guts of mice.Citrobacter rodentiumis similar to certain types of diarrhea-causingE. colithat can infect humans but not mice.

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The researchers experiments suggest that mouse breast milks complement components boost mouse infant health by directly eliminating some types of gut-dwelling bacteria. This reshaping of the gut microbiota leaves the infant mice far less susceptible toCitrobacter rodentiuminfection, thus protecting the young from certain infectious threats. The reshaping activity is not dependent on antibodies, in contrast to the way complement components are thought to typically work.

The researchers also confirmed in separate in vitro analyses that human breast milk contains these complement components, which demonstrated similar activity in targeting specific bacteria.

Taken together, these findings shed light on the mechanisms of how breast milk functions to provide protection from certain bacterial infections.

Thestudywas published online January 18 in the journalCell.

These findings reveal a critical role for breast milk complement proteins in shaping offsprings gut microbecompositions and protecting against bacterial infection in the gutin early life, says study senior author Fengyi Wan, PhD, a professor in theBloomberg SchoolsDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. This represents an important expansion of our understanding of breast milks protective mechanisms.

The studys first author is Dongqing Xu, PhD, an assistant scientist in Wans research group.

Breastfeeding has many known and suspected benefits. It provides excellent nutrition to infants and appears to protect against some short-term or long-term illnesses. Breast milk is also known to help protect against common infections by sharing antibodies and white blood cells from the mother.

Breast milk also contains complement proteins that can work with, or complement, antibodies in attacking bacteria. While complement proteins that circulate in the blood have been the focus of much research, complement proteins in breast milk have been far less studied, and until now their role has been unclear.

In the new study, Wan and his team used engineered mice that lacked critical complement genes. They found that milk from female mice of this type left several-weeks-old mouse pupseven those with normal complement geneshighly susceptible to colitis, often lethal, fromCitrobacter rodentiuminfections.By contrast, pups feeding on normal, complement-containing milk showed only minor and transient signs of gut infection.

The team discovered that this protective effect of breast milk complement proteins depends on their capacity in shaping infant gut microbiota. The complement proteins kill certain gut bacterial species, and this culling of microbes creates an overall gut environment in which harmful inflammation is much less likely in the presence ofCitrobacter rodentium.

Gut microbiota is of great importance to health, says Wan. Breast milk complement proteins contribute crucially to the establishment of a protective gut microbiota during the early stages of development, promoting infant health and defending against pathogens.

The study also appears to mark an advance in basic immunology. Complement proteins in blood, although known to be capable of causing direct damage to bacterial cells, have been thought to typically work in partnership with antibodies in a specific immune response. However, Wan and his team showed that this breast milk complement activity against bacteria does not require antibodies and is a nonspecific immune response.

This opens the door to a lot of new investigations, for example, elucidating the specific complement biology in breast milk and comparing that to complement biology in the blood, andassessingthe role of complement beyond the antibody-dependent specific immune system, Wan says.

Reference:Xu D, Zhou S, Liu Y, Scott AL, Yang J, Wan F. Complement in breast milk modifies offspring gut microbiota to promote infant health. Cell. 2024:S0092867423013843. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.019

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Immunology

Research on Immunological Diseases Launches with Hungarian Participation – Hungary Today

January 27, 2024 medical

A project studying the impact of infectious diseases on the development of immunological diseases is being launched with the participation of the HUN-REN SZBK Systems Biology Research Group, announced the Szeged Biological Research Center (SZBK), a member of the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN).

Within the ID-DarkMatter-NCD project, funded by the European Unions Framework Program for Research and Innovation, researchers are investigating why certain infectious diseases are followed by immunological diseases. The consortium is led by Thomas Vogl from the Medical University of Vienna and the team is made up of top experts in immunology, genetics, and data science. The Systemic Immunology Research Group at the SZBK is coordinating the genetic analysis of patients within the project.

To achieve this, the team will analyze the antibody-mediated immune response to around 600,000 antigens from 6,000 patients. Diseases selected for detailed analysis include post-COVID syndrome, inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disease with inflammatory lesions of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic autoimmune disease affecting various organs of the body, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease.

The 60-month project, funded by the Horizon Europe program with EUR 8.4 million, involves 12 European consortium partners, including the University of Basel as a Swiss co-partner with additional funding of around EUR 1.2 million.

Stanford scientist to return to Hungary as part of the Foreign Researcher Recruitment Programme.Continue reading

Via MTI, Featured image: Pixabay

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Research on Immunological Diseases Launches with Hungarian Participation - Hungary Today

Cell Biology

Shengjie Feng channels the powers of cryogenic electron microscopy – Newswise

January 19, 2024 medical

BYLINE: Scott LaFee

Newswise Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is sciences view of the future, or more precisely, a look at life at the smallest of scales. The imaging technology uses the very tiny wavelengths of electrons (much shorter than the wavelengths of light) to make clear images of equally tiny things.

With cryo-EM, researchers can peer inside cells to create stop-action movies of proteins and other biomolecules jostling and connecting with each other while mitochondria and other organelles generate energy, assemble new molecules and transport cargo. It is biology in action, a revealing new way to parse the secrets of life that earned its developers the 2017 Nobel Prize in chemistry.

Shengjie Feng, Ph.D., who recently joined Sanford Burnham Prebys as an assistant professor, is an expert in how to leverage the powers of cryo-EM. My research is truly interdisciplinary, she says. I believe that the strong cryo-EM core facility, drug discovery, cancer research and neuroscience research at Sanford Burnham Prebys will play a crucial role in advancing my work.

Feng, who will be part of the Degenerative Diseases program, focuses on the creation and characteristics of ion channels, both in healthy cells and in disease conditions. Ion channels are protein molecules that span the cell membrane, allowing passage of ions (atoms or molecules with a net electric charge, such as sodium, calcium and potassium) from one side of the cell membrane to the other, from outside in or inside out. They are critical to cellular operations, including facilitating communications between cells. Feng has specifically studied ion channels in neural cells.

We perceive the outer world and construct our inner world through neural circuits in our brain, she says. While neurons are the fundamental unit of information integration, responsible for all cognitive behaviors, ion channels serve as the molecular foundation of the electrical signaling that facilitates cell-cell communication. The coordinated opening and closing of these molecules generate a continuous wave of electrical signals throughout the nervous system, which underlies our perception and cognition.

More broadly, Feng notes that ion channel dysfunction is associated with a wide range of diseases, including epilepsy, muscle tension, diabetes and various types of cancers. Approximately 15% of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies currently target ion channels as key molecular players.

Yet, these channels remain poorly understood. Feng hopes that by using the visual superpowers of cryo-EM, she can better illuminate their underlying form and function, identifying new drug targets specifically associated with certain diseases.

I believe that one of the most significant obstacles in neuroscience lies in connecting the molecular level to the circuit level in order to accurately predict the behaviors of neurons and, ultimately, human behavior.

With advance in cryo-EM technology, we now have the ability to observe protein complexes in their natural environment at the atomic level. I am optimistic that cryo-EM can serve as the crucial tool needed to bridge the gap between molecular neuroscience and circuit and cognitive neuroscience.

Previously, Feng was a postdoctoral scholar at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and UC San Francisco, where she worked with biophysicist Yifan Cheng, M.D. and neuroscientist Lily Jan, Ph.D.

In Fengs most recent published work, she helped find a novel drug-binding groove in TMEM16F, an enzyme that moves lipids around in cell membranes that contributes to SARS-Cov-2-induced lung damage. The study is critical for understanding the mechanism of action and for designing drugs that target TMEM16F to potentially help COVID patients with severe symptoms.

Feng earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience at the Institute of Neuroscience, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she used mouse models to understand the mechanisms and functions of membrane proteins and ion channels during neural development and disease.

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Shengjie Feng channels the powers of cryogenic electron microscopy - Newswise

Cell Biology

Study pinpoints breast cancer cells-of-origi – EurekAlert

January 19, 2024 medical

image:

Caption: Pre-cancerous breast tissue from a BRCA2 mutation carrier. Credit: Dr Bianca Capaldo, WEHI

Credit: Must credit Dr Bianca Capaldo, WEHI

Australian scientists have pinpointed likely cells-of-origin, the source cells that can grow into breast cancer, in women carrying a faulty BRCA2 gene who are at high risk of developing the disease.

The WEHI-led study also showed these cells have potential to be targeted with an existing cancer drug to delay tumour growth, in findings that may lead to future preventive treatments for the disease.

At a glance

Women with faulty BRCA2 genes are at a substantially higher risk of developing breast cancer, with 70% of carriers going on to develop the disease, which is often aggressive.

A milestone finding from a WEHI-led research study has pinpointed likely cells-of-origin that have the potential to develop into breast cancers in women carrying a faulty BRCA2 gene.

The scientists also uncovered a vulnerability in these cells that they successfully targeted with an existing cancer drug to delay tumour growth in the lab.

Abnormal cells

Women who inherit and carry a faulty BRCA2 gene have a substantially increased risk of developing breast cancer approximately 70% of carriers will develop the disease over their lifetime.

These cancers often occur at a young age and can be clinically aggressive. Early screening is encouraged and some women undertake preventive breast surgery (mastectomy) to reduce their breast cancer risk.

In a milestone finding published in Nature Cell Biology, researchers have discovered the likely cells-of-origin of cancer in BRCA2 carriers. By comparing cancer-free tissue samples from both carriers and non-carriers, they identified an aberrant population of cells that divide more quickly.

Study joint first author Dr Rachel Joyce said this perturbed cell population was found in the majority of tissue samples from women with a faulty BRCA2 gene.

Given they were found in most of the BRCA2 tissue samples from healthy females, we believe these may be the cells-of-origin that lead to future breast cancers in women that carry the BRCA2 mutation, Dr Joyce said.

Treatment targets

The aberrant cells in BRCA2 tissue, a subset of breast ductal cells called luminal progenitor cells, stood out to the scientific team because they displayed altered protein production, which is critical for the correct growth and functioning of tissues in our bodies.

These changes may also make the cells more vulnerable to certain therapies aimed at preventing or delaying breast cancer development, said study joint first author Dr Rosa Pascual.

Lead author Professor Jane Visvader said the team developed a pre-clinical BRCA2 model that showed similar alterations in the ductal cells, and targeted them with the existing cancer drug everolimus, which is approved to treat patients with relapsed breast cancer.

Through pinpointing this vulnerability in protein production, we were able to show that pre-treatment with this drug delayed the formation of tumours in the pre-clinical model, said Prof Visvader, joint head of the ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division and the Breast Cancer Laboratory at WEHI.

This raises the possibility that targeting specific aspects of protein production in this way could represent a new breast cancer prevention strategy for women with a faulty BRCA2 gene.

Towards prevention

The findings are an important first step towards the goal of preventative treatments for breast cancer in BRCA2-mutation carriers.

Study author and cancer clinician, Professor Geoff Lindeman said that while the findings were exciting, more work was needed before they could be applied in the clinic.

While everolimus did delay tumour development in the lab, this drug can have side-effects, which might limit its capacity to be used as a preventative treatment," said Prof Lindeman, joint head of the ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division at WEHI, and a medical oncologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Our team want to further explore which specific parts of protein processing are dysregulated, and use this information to develop more selective and tolerable preventative treatments.

Theres still a way to go, but were a big step closer.

A few years ago, we identified the likely cells-of-origin for breast cancer in females carrying a fault in the BRCA1 gene, which is also associated with a high risk of developing breast cancer. That research has since led to an international breast cancer prevention study (BRCA-P).

We hope that our new findings will now inform future treatment and prevention for women with a faulty BRCA2 gene.

The study, Identification of aberrant luminal progenitors and mTORC1 as a potential breast cancer prevention target in BRCA2 mutation carriers, is published in Nature Cell Biology (DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01315-5).

The research was carried out on breast tissue samples kindly donated by women undergoing breast surgery, with assistance from the Victorian Cancer Biobank (funded by the Victorian Government) and the Kathleen Cuningham Foundation Consortium for research into Familial Breast cancer. The research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, The Medical Research Future Fund, the Two Sisters Foundation and the Heine Family.

M: +61 475 751 811 E:communications@wehi.edu.au

About WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) WEHI is where the worlds brightest minds collaborate and innovate to make life-changing scientific discoveries that help people live healthier for longer. Our medical researchers have been serving the community for more than 100 years, making transformative discoveries in cancers, infectious and immune diseases, developmental disorders, and healthy ageing. WEHI brings together diverse and creative people with different experience and expertise to solve some of the worlds most complex health problems. With partners across science, health, government, industry, and philanthropy, we are committed to long-term discovery, collaboration, and translation. At WEHI, we are brighter together. Find out more at http://www.wehi.edu.au

Nature Cell Biology

Observational study

Cells

Identification of aberrant luminal progenitors and mTORC1 as a potential breast cancer prevention target in BRCA2 mutation carriers

12-Jan-2024

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Cell Biology

New analysis of cancer cells identifies 370 targets for smarter, personalized treatments – News-Medical.Net

January 19, 2024 medical

A new, systematic analysis of cancer cells identifies 370 candidate priority drug targets across 27 cancer types, including breast, lung and ovarian cancers.

By looking at multiple layers of functional and genomic information, researchers were able to create an unbiased, panoramic view of what enables cancer cells to grow and survive. They identify new opportunities for cancer therapies in a significant leap towards a new generation of smarter, more effective cancer treatments.

In the most comprehensive study of its kind, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Open Targets and their collaborators, pooled together data from 930 cancer cell lines. They then used machine learning methods to find the drug targets that show the most promise for developing new treatments, and the patients who would most benefit from such treatments. This involved assessing the occurrence of these targets in actual patient tumors and linking them to specific biological markers and genetic and molecular features found in the tumors.

The findings, published today (11 January) inCancer Cell, not only bring researchers one step closer to producing a full Cancer Dependency Map1of every vulnerability in every type of cancer, but help guide focused efforts to accelerate the development of targeted cancer treatments.

There are many types of cancer that currently lack effective treatments, such as liver and ovarian cancers. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective treatments, but unable to distinguish normal cells from cancerous ones, so can cause damage throughout the entire body with harsh side effects, such as extreme fatigue, nausea and hair loss.

New precision drugs based on the exact genetic mutations that drive the cancer are needed to help the millions of patients diagnosed with some form of cancer each year, responsible for one in six deaths worldwide2. However, drug development has a 90 per cent failure rate3, making it both costly and inefficient.

With over 20,000 potential anti-cancer targets in the genome, determining which are suitable to target for specific types of cancers and patients is a significant challenge.

In this new study, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators set out to narrow down potential drug targets. By analyzing data available from the Cancer Dependency Map project, which involved CRISPR technology4to disrupt every gene inside 930 human cancer lines one at a time, they were able to produce the most comprehensive view of potential new cancer targets to date.

The researchers first identified weaknesses within different cancer types so-called genetic dependencies, meaning which genes, proteins or cellular processes that cancer cells rely on to survive that could be harnessed to make new therapies. They then linked those weaknesses to clinical markers to identify patients in which those therapies would be most effective. Finally, they explored how dependency-marker pairs fit into known networks of molecular interactions within cells, providing clues as to how cell biology is disrupted by cancer, and which targets might yield the most effective therapies.

The work provides a clearer understanding of which types of cancer can possibly be treated by existing drug discovery strategies and pinpoint areas where novel and innovative approaches are needed.

The findings underscore the importance of tailoring treatments to the unique characteristics of each cancer, promising more personalized care for patients with fewer side effects in the future.

Dr Francesco Iorio, co-lead author of the study from the Computational Biology Research Centre of Human Technopole, said: Analyzing the largest-ever cancer dependency dataset, we present the most comprehensive map yet of human cancers' vulnerabilities - their "Achilles heel". We identify a new list of top-priority targets for potential treatments, along with clues about which patients might benefit the most - all made possible through the design and use of innovative computational and machine intelligence methodologies.

Dr Mathew Garnett, co-lead author of the study at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Open Targets, said: Our work uncovers 370 candidate priority targets for tackling the most prevalent cancers, including breast, lung and colon cancers. This work exploits the latest in genomics and computational biology to understand how we can best target cancer cells. This will help drug developers focus their efforts on the highest value targets to bring new medicines to patients more quickly.

Two people might have the same type of cancer, but their diseases can behave differently. That is why we need precision medicine. This ambitious work is a compelling example of research informing drug discovery from the start, paving the way for more effective precision cancer therapies. Giving people treatments for their unique cancer can improve the odds of success and help more people affected by cancer live longer, better lives.

Dr Marianne Baker, Science Engagement Manager, Cancer Research UK

Source:

Journal reference:

Pacini, C., et al. (2024). A comprehensive clinically informed map of dependencies in cancer cells and framework for target prioritization. Cancer Cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2023.12.016.

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Cell Biology

EU funding for pioneering research on the treatment of gliomas – EurekAlert

January 19, 2024 medical

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Dr. Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux, coordinator of the GlioLighT project funded by the EU

Credit: : Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux

Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumors and are difficult to treat because they tend to be diffuse and are often located deep within the brain. A very promising and innovative technique for the therapy of gliomas will be investigated in a new EU project and should pave the way for clinical use. "We are convinced that our research will help to significantly improve the treatment of gliomas," said the coordinator of the project, Dr. Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The other project partners are Aston University in Birmingham, the University of Barcelona, LMU Munich, the Finnish laser manufacturer Modulight, and MODUS Research and Innovation Ltd., a British not-for-profit organization providing advice to secure research funding. Through its Pathfinder program, the European Innovation Council (EIC) supports the exploration of highly innovative and speculative new technologies at the very earliest phase of their development. The new GlioLighT project will receive funding of approximately EUR 2.2 million over the next three years.

Using extremely toxic singlet oxygen to combat gliomas

Gliomas are an extremely deadly form of cancer, mainly due to the inaccessibility of the brain and the widespread dissemination of the tumor cells. These diffuse cells are often anchored too deeply in the brain to be removed completely using current therapeutic techniques, such as resection, irradiation, or chemotherapy. A promising alternative to eliminate glioma cells is to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) directly at the affected sites. Currently, ROS can only be produced through photodynamic therapy, which has been employed for decades but involves potentially toxic photosensitizers. To avoid detrimental side effects of this type of treatment, the GlioLighT partners propose a different approach involving direct light therapy. This method will entail the direct generation of ROS using laser light at a wavelength of 1,267 nanometers, which is in the near-infrared range. The irradiation of light will produce singlet oxygen, which destroys cancer cells.

"Assuming we can reach the tumor cells directly with laser light, we will no longer need photosensitizers as amplifiers. We will have a minimally invasive and selective procedure, representing a completely new strategy for glioma treatment," said Dr. Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux. The benefits of this approach include improved efficacy of treatment, earlier intervention, and reduced costs. Currently, the precise cancer-inhibiting mechanism of direct light therapy and the safety of the procedure itself are not well understood.

Janus-headed macrophages: Anti-inflammatory potential promotes tumor growth

The laser radiation will also affect the cells of the immune system which are expected to fight tumor cells. "We will be paying special attention to the effects on tumor cells but also on immune cells, particularly the macrophages," emphasized Rgnier-Vigouroux. Macrophages are scavenger cells that take up pathogens and render them harmless. They can trigger inflammatory reactions and thus contribute to the bodys immune response and the fight against tumor cells. However, they can also have anti-inflammatory activities and thus prevent other immune cells from attacking the tumor.

"Macrophages can kill tumor cells, but they can also be recruited and manipulated by them, resulting in tumor growth." It is this second possibility that Dr. Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux aims to prevent: "We need to eliminate the tumor cells and, at the same time, trigger the immune cells in their vicinity to exert toxic effects on them."

Other aspects that the GlioLighT researchers will investigate include the type of tumor cell death induced by the laser light, the effect of laser light exposure on healthy cells in the brain, such as the neurons, and the determination of a safe dosage that can be administered without harming healthy cells. The project partners will work on innovative ultrashort pulse lasers to optimize the optical penetration through tissue and to minimize potential risks, ensuring that direct light therapy is suitable for clinical application. Ultimately, the development of a preclinical GlioLighT delivery and sensing system (pcGlio-DSS) should improve glioma treatment.

EIC Pathfinder program provides support for visionary and high-risk technologies in their early stages of development

The GlioLighT Next Generation Glioma Treatments using Direct Light Therapy project is being financed through the future-oriented EIC Pathfinder program under the aegis of the European Union's Horizon Europe program. The EU will provide a total of EUR 2.2 million in financial support to the project, of which approximately EUR 770,000 is earmarked for the research to be undertaken at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The purpose of the EIC Pathfinder Open program of the European Innovation Council is to identify radically new technologies that have the potential to create new markets. Grants are thus awarded to groundbreaking and highly speculative projects that are still in an early stage of development. The participants in a project that has been awarded EIC Pathfinder support are typically visionary and entrepreneurial-minded specialists and researchers at universities, research institutes, start-ups, high-tech SMEs, and individuals working in the industrial realm who have a particular interest in investigating and creating technological innovations.

Project coordinator Dr. Anne Rgnier-Vigouroux has been research group leader at JGU's Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology since January 2013. Her group focuses on the study of cerebral anti-tumor immunity, particularly on the role of microglia and macrophages in brain tumor biology.

"Reichman University’s behavioral economics program: Navigating human be – The Jerusalem Post

January 19, 2024 medical

Human behavior takes center stage in times of crisis. Amid the "Swords of Iron" war, this aspect becomes even more crucial. Adhering to the directives of the Home Front Command and navigating the economic crisis stemming from the ongoing situation compel individuals to act against their usual habits and inclinations.

Seeking shelter during alarms, exiting vehicles promptly, handling unpaid leave, and cutting expensesall these actions underscore the societal challenges, highlighting the necessity for a deeper comprehension of human behavior. This is precisely the focus of behavioral economics, a field that the MA in Behavioral Economics program at Reichman University seeks to explore.

But how does behavioral economics contribute during wartime? This emerging scientific discipline melds insights from economics and psychology to unravel the motivations and influences behind people's decisions. Armed with this understanding, behavioral economists craft practical tools and interventions to guide individuals toward better and more adaptive choices. These tools include subtle environmental changes, like signage indicating the location of protected spaces, facilitating access during alarms, even in unfamiliar places, and financial management aids to navigate price hikes and income reductions.

Students in our MA in Behavioral Economics program receive a robust theoretical foundation in economics and psychology. Simultaneously, they acquire practical tools designed to enhance decision-making processes for individuals and organizations. The program's social orientation fosters engagement with Israeli society, addressing the growing need to formulate public policies and interventions that enhance resilience and mitigate the social impacts of war.

During the initial weeks of the war, students from our program, alongside faculty members, spearheaded various initiatives. These initiatives aimed to enhance the personal resilience of international students at the University and assist organizations in tackling economic challenges.

The program's faculty and I led research projects addressing the economic crisis. This research informs policymakers about designing interventions and campaigns that promote suitable behavior to bolster resilience. The challenges post-war are abundant, and our MA program in Behavioral Economics encourages student and faculty initiatives to address them. Guided by our faculty, students gain hands-on experience in behavioral interventions, leading projects to help people cope with anxiety, mental stress, and financial difficulties. This practical approach aims to enable Israeli society to resume normal life efficiently.

For more info >

This article was written in cooperation with Reichman University

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Human Behavior

Of trees, symbols of humankind, on Tu BShevat – The Jewish Star

January 19, 2024 medical

By Rabbi Yossy Goldman

There is a wealth of symbolism to the holiday of Tu BShevat and many lessons for human behavior.

While Tu BShevat (the 15th of the month Shevat), observed this year on Thursday, Jan. 25, had an halachic link tothe first fruit offerings, its observance today is mainly symbolic. It includes such traditions as eating fruit (particularly those of the holy land olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates).

But there is a wealth of symbolism to this day and many lessons for human behavior. I remember once teasing a friend whose birthday is on Tu BShevat, the New Year for Trees. I told him: Make like a tree and grow up!

The source linking trees to humans comes from Deuteronomy 20:19, ironically, in the laws of warfare. The Torah teaches us not to destroy fruit trees wantonly, even on the battlefield. Is the tree like your human enemy? asks the verse. Indeed, to this day, we continue to practice ethics and morality during intense warfare South Africas accusations to the International Court of Justice notwithstanding.

But that scriptural verse can also be construed as a statement of fact. Man is as the tree of the field. Indeed, this interpretation has inspired many a commentary on the similarities between trees and people and the numerous lessons we can learn from trees. Let me share a few of my favorites.

There are three structural elements to a tree, especially a fruit tree: the roots, the trunk and the fruit.

The roots, from which every tree is nurtured, represent our forebears, particularly our parents and grandparents who nurtured us and have had such a powerful influence on our growth, upbringing and personal value systems.

The trunk is, of course, the main body of any tree expressing its fundamental identity. It represents the person, himself or herself.

And the fruits symbolize our progeny our children and grandchildren, who grow and are sustained by us, and then go on to live their own independent lives.

Alternatively, according to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the roots are our faith; the trunk is our own good deeds and Torah study; and the fruits are the positive impacts we have on our family, friends and broader spheres of influence.

And our roots are long and deep. When we are inspired by our history, traditions, teachers and role models of the past, we are able to produce fruits that nourish and sweeten the world that is, our own strong, positive values and way of life.

Another idea the Rebbe often borrowed from trees was a message on the vital importance of educating our children. When it comes to a fully-grown tree, a scratch on the trunk will cause little damage. But if someone scratches the body of a young sapling, it can have devastating effects and leave a massive scar as the tree grows. Similarly, the formative years of a child require exceptional sensitivity and great care as we would give a sapling.

Trees also present a symbol of continuity down the generations. The Talmud tells the story of a very righteous man named Choni Hamaagal, who once saw an elderly man planting a carob tree.

How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit? asked Choni of the old man.

70 years, said the man.

What? Do you think you will live so long to enjoy the fruit of this tree?

I found carob trees in this world, said the old man. Just as my predecessors planted trees for me, so do I plant trees for those who will follow me. (Taanit 23a)

It may take many years for the trees we plant to develop and become productive, but we must ensure our generational continuity for eternity.

So on Tu BShevat, let us remember the importance of our trees, for the ecosystem and for all the important lessons we learn from them.

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Of trees, symbols of humankind, on Tu BShevat - The Jewish Star

Human Behavior

Tapping Into The Power Of Positive Psychology With Acclaimed Expert Niyc Pidgeon – GirlTalkHQ

January 19, 2024 medical

[Trigger warning: mention of suicide and suicide attempt]

According to Psychology Today, the term Positive Psychology refers to a branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and behaviors that allow individuals to build a life of meaning and purpose. Positive psychology emphasizes meaning and deep satisfaction, not just on fleeting happiness.

While there is overlap with traditional areas of psychology, positive psychology has been described as different from other areas due to its primary interest in identifying and building mental assets, as opposed to addressing weaknesses and problems.

Positive Psychology expert Niyc Pidgeon not only makes it her life mission to help clients build a life of meaning and purpose, she has the personal experience to back it up. She isan award-winning and best-selling motivationalspeaker, accomplished author, business mentor, and positive psychologist, deeply committed to igniting joy and personal empowerment in her clients. Niyc shares her insights and tips through her podcast series Unstoppable Success, which we highly recommend subscribing to.

Niyc has a thriving positive psychology practice that she scaled from her friends bedroom floor and has touched the lives of over 100k people through her seminars and books like Now is Your Chance. Shes opened up about incredibly tough subjects, like inher interview with Marie Clairewhichcovers the time she was abducted and sexually assaulted while on vacation in Ibiza. She has also lost several friends to suicide and survived a suicide attempt herself.

Without falling into the tropes of toxic positivity we see online and in mental health conversations today, Niyc has found ways to encourage others to tap into their communities for support and buoy their resilience in the face of the insurmountable.Today, Niyc is known as one of the most influential positive psychologists, according toForbes,Marie ClaireandRichard Branson. NBD

As 2024 continues to unfold and we work our way through goal-setting, and living up to the resolutions and commitments we have made for ourselves this year, we wanted to learn more from Niyc and tap into the power of positive psychology. Read on below to learn how Niyc utilizes her personal story to create connection, the daily rituals she swears by, and her definition of success.

I became fascinated by human behavior after having a conversation with my boyfriend back in 2005. He was a professional cricket player and the sport psychologist he was working with had him do a visualization process in a session where he guided him to imagine he was on the cricket field with the bat in his hand. He asked him not to look at the fielders, but to look for the gaps in between them instead.

It made me think about what might be possible when we focus on opportunities instead of problems. And from that single conversation I was inspired to cancel my mechanical and automotive engineering degrees and study psychology instead and Im so glad I did.

Ive always been entrepreneurial with a desire to help people. My first business was as a kid ironing my dads work shirts and charging him 50p per item. I wasnt very good at it at all!

Then after reading Tim Ferris 4 hour work week back in 2009 I decided I wanted to set up an online business to create passive income. My first online business was actually a supplements company, and alongside that I was working as a personal trainer, as well as lecturing in universities, and running my own events, and studying my masters degree! I was far too busy and I had to reassess my strategy because I was making money some months and struggling other months. The income rollercoaster was also an emotional rollercoaster and I was putting in a lot of effort and helping a lot of people, but wasnt getting paid enough to thrive.

So I decided to look at what was most profitable and scalable in alignment with my vision for the future. I set up my online courses and coaching in 2015 based on what Id learned from so many years of testing and doing it wrong! Then finally things started to take off. I made $35,000 in my first month of getting focused and taking my coaching business online, then went on to scale a multi million dollar business from there.

All of the challenges we experience in life are opportunities for us to grow and learn. I know Im able to help other people now from a place of more depth and strength and Im able to support people to keep going even when they feel like giving up. Post traumatic growth is a phenomenon we study in positive psychology which shows it is possible to not just bounce back after experiencing hard things, but actually go on to be stronger than ever before.

My challenges help me lead with greater compassion and perspective we all go through tough times and by sharing and supporting each other to show theres a light at the end of the tunnel were able to foster more resilience and live with more hope.

Every step of the way Ive looked for the lessons and the blessings within the challenges. In positive psychology we talk about about two types of mindsets the growth mindset and the fixed mindset. The fixed mindset is very rigid and only focuses on the outcome and sees absolute failure or absolute success. The growth mindset finds the joy in the journey, trusts the process and looks for the learning along the way.

When you realize the process is the reward youre able to gain perspective more easily and enjoy the journey instead of just wishing you could get to a goal. Knowing the growth mindset framework helps me to remember Im always capable and that Im developing my emotional, spiritual and psychological tool kit which allows me to help myself, and then share with others how they might be able to navigate tough things too. On paper youd think Id had a terrible life with a suicide attempt, losing 7 close friends 3 of which died by suicide, surviving an assault, domestic violence, and healing heavy metals poisoning, mold poisoning and adrenal fatigue.

But all of these experiences have given me so much energy for my mission to help other people. As Ive healed through one tough experience, Ive had multiple other people who have come to me for support with the same thing. Its helped me help more people, and helped me guide the narrative for my books too.

We all need to feel we have somewhere to belong whether thats within your family, a social club, or within an online network. Consider which platforms or relationships bring you joy and choose to get more intentional about showing up there.

Humans are social creatures and we cannot thrive alone so its important to remember to cultivate positive relationships in your life. Look for who you already have in your circle who is a cheerleader for you and invest more energy into the people who are already supporting you. Look at what it is you love and value about this person and ask yourself how you might be able to demonstrate more of that quality yourself so you can become a great friend too both for your existing connections and new people who come into your world. Starting from this place of strength can remind you of the simplicity of looking for what already works and doing more of that.

Relationships are one of the core 6 elements of psychological flourishing, along with positive emotions, engagement, meaning, accomplishment, and health. A simple question you can ask to help build relationships, whether online or offline, is whats been going well for you this week? People love to talk about themselves and instead of complaining and blaming this shifts a conversation into celebration which helps both of you access more positive emotions. Following up with active constructive responding and asking more questions about the thing they are celebrating can help you to deepen your connections.

Its not all about pretending to be positive all of the time too. Being a safe place for a friend to share vulnerably, and you being willing to open up to a friend about where you have been navigating something tough, can also be a powerful way to deepen relationships and remind each other that we are stronger together.

Success is having the freedom to choose to live your life exactly the way you want to. This is going to be different for everybody. For me it means having peace in my heart, peace in my home, and the ability to structure my day as I wish, and travel whenever I want. I always start with the vision and version of success thats present for that person and work backwards from the goal. When you know how you want your ideal day and week to look you can build a business model and personal success systems to support that.

The strategy and protocols wont be the same for everyone and its never a prescription. I always invite our students to discover more about who they are through positive psychology and use what they learned to guide the development of their business on their terms.

Women come to work with me when they want to accelerate within themselves and their career. They know theyre made for more but they often need more clarity around the steps to take to reach their goal. As well as this I see theyve often been jaded by negative comments or people around them which has affected their self belief. Sometimes we are our own biggest barrier to success and were getting in our own way without realizing it.

Coming into a supportive community with a new perspective and a trusted mentor always helps them feel more certain on their path. Theyre able to break through past perceived income ceilings, and create values driven, purpose led businesses which allow them to make more money, reclaim their time and invest more special moments with their loved ones many have also even retired their husbands too!

I start my day in gratitude by saying to myself as soon as I wake up and even before I open my eyes, thank you thank you thank you thank you for this day, I am grateful in every possible way. I then meditate with a kundalini mantra and practice a breath work which helps energize me for the day. Ill listen to Abraham hicks, workout, and use the sauna, infra-red PEMF mat, and ice bath daily. I love to hike, and also have a Pilates trainer. Or Ill go for a run or do a workout on my peloton bike or lululemon mirror. I like to stay active and always have so many ideas when Im moving my body too!

First of all I highly recommend diving into positive psychology and learning about yourself through practicing the exercises and tools. Even after 15 years of working with the science of happiness Im still learning so much about myself and I love boosting my well-being through the practices.

What I love about positive psychology is its not difficult to start using it. The tools are really simple steps you can take daily to shift the way you feel. The small positive actions compound together to create big results and youre able to look back and see how far youve come.

Now more than ever before it is vital to take action to support your own mental well-being. And through the ripple effect of positive psychology youre then able to impact your family and loved ones. Working on your own well-being isnt selfish as youre also helping everyone around you too.

Want to tap into the power of positive psychology with Niyc Pidgeon? See more of her work on her website, and connect with Niyc on Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.

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Tapping Into The Power Of Positive Psychology With Acclaimed Expert Niyc Pidgeon - GirlTalkHQ