First at Hadassah...
Parkinson’s Disease
Hadassah researchers have demonstrated for the first time that nerve cells created from human embryonic stem cells can improve the functioning of a laboratory rat with Parkinson’s disease. This brings us one step closer to eradicating this devastating illness.
In another breakthrough, Hadassah neurosurgeons successfully eliminated the physical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease by implanting electrodes in a patient’s brain.
Bubble Babies
Using gene therapy, researchers from Hadassah and the San Raffaele Institute for Gene Therapy in Italy have successfully treated “bubble babies” born without an immune system.
Multiple Sclerosis
Hadassah pioneered a pump that enables multiple sclerosis patients who could no longer move their legs or speak to walk and talk again. The pump, when implanted in a patient’s spinal cord, delivers medicine directly into the cerebrospinal fluid without damaging cognitive function.
Metabolic Disorders
Hadassah researchers at its new Center for Excellence in Pediatric Metabolic Diseases have identified two genes involved in metabolic disorders. These inborn errors of metabolism often cause irreversible damage to an infant’s brain, liver, heart, and other organs.
Orthopedics
Hadassah orthopedists and therapists are healing survivors of terrorism with a new technique developed at Hadassah. “Computer-Assisted Navigational Surgery” allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with maximal accuracy. Using this technology, Hadassah performed the world’s first computer-assisted, minimally invasive hip replacement.
Cancer
Hadassah’s Sidney Weisner Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cancer Immunotherapy is turning donor lymphocytes into cancer killers. These cells, when transfused into the patient, destroy cancer cells that remain following chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. As for reducing the risk of cancer, Hadassah researchers have discovered that anti-inflammatory drugs may help prevent liver cancer.
Crohn’s Disease
Hadassah internal medicine specialists are successfully treating patients with Crohn’s disease by borrowing a technique that helps patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The technique involves having patients eat a customized protein, which leads them to develop
oral tolerance to foreign substances and avoid life-threatening inflammations.
Cystic Fibrosis
Using antibiotic nasal drops commonly prescribed for bacterial infections, Hadassah researchers corrected functional abnormalities in patients with cystic fibrosis that were caused by a gene mutation.
Mad Cow Disease
Hadassah’s Neurology Department discovered a method for early detection of prion diseases, including mad cow (Creutzfeldt-Jakob) disease.
Partners around the World ...
Within hours after the tsunami hit Southeast Aisia in 2004, Hadassah doctors were on the ground lending their expertise. Hadassah provided invaluable psychiatric training and psychological training for treating post- traumatic stress.
AIDS/HIV
For over a decade, Hadassah has improved the health of Ethiopia’s people. One of Hadassah’s most important contributions is treating and preventing HIV/AIDS. Hadassah’s AIDS Center has teamed up with the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to run an advanced training course in Israel on AIDS Medicine for Ethiopian doctors and nurses.
Trauma Medicine
Hadassah’s Judy and Sidney Swartz Center for Emergency Medicine, including its levelone trauma unit, is the training ground for health experts around the world in emergency preparedness and terror medicine. Together with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the United States, Hadassah is helping the Palestinians upgrade emergency medicine at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem.
Pediatric Oncology
Hadassah’s Pediatric Oncology Department, in a program sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace, developed the first West Bank pediatric oncology department at the Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Two Hadassah pediatric cardiac surgeons, one Palestinian and one Israeli, have been working together to repair the hearts of Palestinian children at Hadassah. The program is sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace with funding from the Tuscany Regional Council in Italy and corporations and individuals in Italy, Switzerland, and the United States.
Hospice Care
Impressed by Hadassah’s hospice, a Japanese engineer had the dream of replicating it in his own country. Arrangements were made for health professionals from Japan to train at Hadassah.
Hadassah’s hospice director then traveled to Japan to help set up a facility for the terminally ill in Kudamatsu City of Yamaguchi.
