256 innovations from Bar-Ilan University, available for licensing, co-investment, or spin-out through BIRAD.
Naveh Doron
A system comprising one or more spectrometers coupled to one or more battery cells, wherein the one or more spectrometers generate one or more electrical signals in response to an incident source in proximity to the one or more battery cells, and wherein the electrical signals comprise spectral data associated with emissions from the one or more battery cells. The system further comprising a computing device configured to receive the spectral data and one or more operating variables, compare the spectral data with reference spectral data and the one or more operating variables, and determine a presence of abnormal operating conditions of the one or more battery cells based on the comparison.
Yavits Leonid
We present SquiBNet, a deep learning framework for large-scale bacterial pathogen identification directly from raw Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) electrical signals, termed squiggles. Conventional nanopore pipelines require computationally expensive basecalling and reference alignment before classification. These stages introduce latency and preclude real-time operation on resource-constrained edge platforms. SquiBNet bypasses both stages and classifies organisms directly in signal space. The architecture combines a one-dimensional ConvNeXt-Base backbone with four Transformer encoder blocks. The convolutional backbone captures local signal structure. The Transformer head models long-range dependencies across the squiggle. Across 256 clinically relevant bacterial species, SquiBNet attains 82.07% test accuracy. This represents a 51.5 percentage-point absolute gain, approximately 2.7 times, over the strongest prior-art baseline adapted to the same task. Training relies on a validated large-scale simulated dataset constructed with Badread, Squiggulator, and slow5tools, comprising 18.5 million signal windows. Simulated signals were validated against real nanopore data through signal-to-noise ratio analysis and visual comparison. On the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX edge platform, SquiBNet achieves a single-sample latency of 41.5 ms and sustains 32.5 samples per second at batch size 32, with negligible preprocessing overhead. The framework supports concurrent real-time classification of multiple nanopore channels, enabling point-of-care deployment within Read Until adaptive sequencing.
Mandel Yossi
The invention relates to a stimuli-responsive carrier system that enables controlled, transient, and reversible release of therapeutic and other functional substances. The system is based on a polymeric matrix crosslinked by redox-active metal ions, whose mechanical properties and diffusivity can be reversibly modulated by externally applied stimuli, such as ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) or visible light irradiation. Upon application of the stimulus, the matrix transiently softens and becomes permeable, allowing controlled release of incorporated cargos. Removal of the stimulus results in autonomous recovery of the matrix to its original, mechanically robust state, halting further release. The dissipative mechanism enables repeated on-demand release cycles from a single carrier depot without permanent degradation. The invention has broad applicability, including medical, ocular, industrial, and environmental uses. The invention is a collaborative effort of HUJI (Prof. Itamar Willner) and BIU (Prof. Yossi Mandel). BIU will share parts of the invention that are related solely to ocular use of the application.
Grinberg Ilya
his is a new design concept for intrinsic, single-phase magnetoelectric, multiferroics. The invention is both the concept – which is rather novel wherein we have developed a ordered chemistry-based approach to produce large magnetic moments in typically weakly magnetic materials and, by extension, get large magnetoelectric coupling between the polarization and magnetization. This is the realization of the ultimate goal of research in this field for more than 20 years. We have made a robust, room-temperature ferroelectric, magnetic, and magnetoelectric single-phase material.
Cohen Cyrille
The invention involves the computational design and development of novel constant regions for human T-cell receptors (TCRs), termed "Structurally Enhanced TCR" (SET). By introducing a set of strategic mutations into the TCR constant domains, the SET design improves receptor stability, enhances surface expression, increases functional avidity, and ensures preferential pairing of the α and β chains, minimizing mispairing with endogenous TCRs. This innovation offers a universal platform to optimize T-cell therapies for cancer and infectious diseases without requiring additional gene editing.
Banin Ehud
A novel formulation to produce pickering emulsion that utilizes a green solvent and allows production of superhydrophobic coatings with antibiofilm activity.
Barda-Saad Mira
The focus of this patent application is the development of a novel therapeutic approach for controlling and improving NK cell killing of cancer cells or viruses in vivo by suppressing the key negative regulators of NK cell cytotoxicity. Natural-killer (NK) cells represent a powerful weapon of immune defense against viral infections and tumor growth, via cytotoxicity of target cells. Specifically, NK cells are particularly efficient in removing metastatic cells and tumor grafts. We recently revealed that NK cell response is inhibited by two main mechanisms: (1) dephosphorylation of signaling molecule by the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, and (2) ubiquitylation mediated degradation of signaling molecule by the E3 ubiquitin ligases c-Cbl and Cbl-b. These molecular events block NK cell activation; however, their suppression increases NK cell cytotoxicity of cancer cells. NK cell-based immunotherapies represent a promising strategy to combat cancer, yet, no clinical trial has demonstrated a significant benefit in malignancies. Our novel approach for improving NK cell killing of cancer cells is composed of an in vivo NK-targeted drug-delivery system that strike the molecular mechanisms that inhibits NK cell activation, i.e. SHP-1 and the Cbls, using specific siRNA. To specifically target the NK cells, the siRNA will be coupled to nanoparticles coated with specific antibodies to NK cells.
Byk Gerardo
The invention describes the synthesis of new nanoparticles with monodispersed sizes from 20 to 500 nm. The nanoparticles complex nucleic acids and is able to transfer genes into mammalian cells to express a foreign protein. The singularity of the nanoparticles is that they are highly biocompatible. The complexes can be incubated with cells for undetermined time without toxicity. The expression of the foreign protein start at low level after 48h but arrives to high level after 1 week with no toxicity. The transfected cells can be passed several times without loss of protein expression, indicating a controlled release of the nucleic acids and their expression. The invention includes the use of DNA or RNA. Finaly, in vivo experiments demonstrated that the gene can be administered for example SC or IM and the protein expression can be detected after 1 month.
Margel Shlomo
Synthesis and Characterization of New Durable Anti-biofilm and Antiviral Silane-Phosphonium Thin Coatings for Medical and Agricultural Applications
Margel Shlomo
The present invention describes the synthesis of polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVA/PVP) hydrogels containing water soluble and insoluble functional active materials, e.g., fungicides, fertilizers, essential oils, oxidants, metal ions, drugs, dyes, etc.) for different applications in agriculture, environment, cosmetics, and medicine. For this purpose, two methods have been used, direct and a swelling method. In the direct method, PVP was added to warm PVA aqueous solution, e.g., 90-95 °C. After a while the system was cooled down slowly to room temperature. During the cooling process and the PVA/PVP hydrogel formation appropriate concentration/s of water soluble, e.g. hydrogen peroxide, urea, methyl orange or trichloro acetic acid, or water insoluble materials, e.g., essential oils such as thymol or benzoyl peroxide was/were added. The water-soluble functional materials were dissolved in the aqueous phase of the hydrogel while the water insoluble in the organic (PVP and/or PVA) part. The formation of the PVA/PVP hydrogels (due to hydrogen bonds between PVP and PVA) leads to gradual increased viscosity which enable to mold the formed hydrogel to any desired shape. The mechanical properties of the final material were improved by repeated freezing-thawing cycles. If necessary, surface crosslinking of the hydrogel for controlled release is accomplished by reacting surface PVA (hydroxyl groups) with glutaraldehyde under acidic conditions via formation of polyacetal bonds.
Popovtzer Rachala
The human microbiome is emerging as a central player in health and disease. In particular, a strong connection has been shown between the human gut microbiome population and the etiology of a variety of diseases, ranging from gastrointestinal diseases to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and brain disorders. A fundamental phenomenon of bacterial communication is quorum sensing, in which signal molecules, termed autoinducers (AI), regulate bacterial colony density and coordinate pathogenic behaviors. AI molecules are emerging as important factors, and key indicators, in various diseases. However, despite their importance, there has not yet been developed a sensitive and reliable sensor that can detect AI communication molecules in real-time, for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease. The present project aims to develop an innovative biochip technology, combining advanced synthetic biology together with cutting-edge electronic systems, for quantitative, sensitive, and real-time detection of AI signals for diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. Our technology consists of a nano biochip, incorporating a variety of synthetic bacteria each engineered to sense a specific disease-associated AI molecule and generate a quantifiable electric signal in response, which will be measured, and wirelessly transmitted, by the electronic component. The nano biochip will accurately associate a specific electric response with a specific AI type. The ability of the nano-biochip system to identify the specific AI signals will be investigated in bacterial conditioned media and in ex vivo samples from gastrointestinal disease patients at different stages of the disease. This novel technology has the potential to serve as a next-generation tool for non-invasive early diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of gastrointestinal diseases. The nanobiochip’s unique features will also advance the potential for real-time detection of gastrointestinal disorders within the human body.
Yadid Gal Moshe
Synthetic delta receptor peptide agonists as a new treatment for cocaine addiction and pain.
