Weizmann Canada is hosting its third annual Wonderful Women event May 25 at Casa Loma featuring a panel of diverse, unique and inspiring women, with proceeds going to a program that helps close Israel’s gender gap in the sciences.
The event will be moderated by Dianne Buckner, a CBC News business corresponent and host of Dragons’ Den and feature a panel that includes musician Jann Arden, actress and chef Mary Jo Eustace, Sears Canada president Carrie Kirkman, and Weizmann Institute immunologist Yifat Merbl.
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Based in Rehovot, the Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world’s leading scientific research institutes. With chapters in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary, Weizmann Canada raises awareness and funds for the institute.
“All of the panelists will share their personal life experiences and what they had to overcome as women to succeed in their fields,” said Michele Atlin, chair of the Wonderful Women event since its inception.
“My idea was to create an event that would inspire women and build our brand by advancing women in science. This year, we hope to raise $200,000 to send two women to pursue their postdoctoral research abroad,” said Atlin.
In 2007, the Weizmann Institute created the National Postdoctoral Program for Advancing Women in Science to help close Israel’s gender gap in the sciences.
“This program was established to balance men and women at the highest levels of science,” said Susan Stern, national executive director of Weizmann Canada.
“This is specific to a woman who wants to do her postdoctoral work abroad. Participants receive $20,000 a year over two years, and she can use it at her discretion to help with costs such as bringing a nanny, a grandma, going back and forth, child care, supplementing a husband’s salary until he can find a job – whatever will encourage her to take that bold step,” Stern said
“The results since 2007 have been wonderful. Ninety-six women have participated in the program to date. Forty-six have completed it. Thirty-five women have already established faculty positions in Israeli academia.”
Major breakthroughs at the Weizmann Institute include a new therapy invented by scientists Avigdor Scherz and Yoram Salomon that holds promise for men with prostate cancer. Called vascular targeted photodynamic therapy, it enables targeted destruction of the prostate lobe containing cancer tissue while preserving potency, continence and overall quality of life.
“In 2003 and 2007, we held galas in Toronto and Montreal to fund the research of professors Scherz and Salomon… and as of two months ago, the technique has been accepted for treatment in Mexico and Latin America, and soon to follow will be Europe and North America,” Stern said.
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Another new development coming out of Weizmann is a study of the effects of artificial sweeteners on humans. Weizmann scientists found that artificial sweeteners might trigger high blood-sugar levels, despite these sweeteners being promoted as aiding weight loss and preventing diabetes.
The research teams discovered that artificial sweeteners, even though they don’t contain sugar, have a direct effect on the body’s ability to utilize glucose. Glucose intolerance – generally thought to occur when the body can’t cope with large amounts of sugar in a person’s diet – leads to metabolic diseases and adult-onset diabetes.
For tickets to the event, visit www.wonderfulwomen.weizmann.ca or phone 416-733-9220.