Women and science (Israel): prestigious european grant awarded to Hadassah researcher Rinat Abramovich

Dr. Rinat Abramovich, a researcher at the Hadassah Institute for Gene Therapy and a senior lecturer at the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, has been awarded a prestigious grant of 60,000 Euros by the ESA – European Society of Anaesthesiology. Each year, only two projects are selected as recipients of this research grant.

Dr. Abramovitch received this grant for her study entitled “Modifications of the liver regenerative process as a consequence of bleeding and transfusion of red blood cells with different storage time: fresh vs. “‘aged”‘.” Her work shows that patients who lose blood during and after surgery for tumor do better using blood which has just been donated than blood stored for a long time in the blood bank. “The liver regenerates better with newer blood. No one knew that before.”

The research is at an advanced stage and the results presented to the committee are interesting and could affect future practice, for example the treatment of patients who undergo partial hepatectomy.

Said Dr. Abramovitch: “In these difficult times when funding for research is hard to get, this grant helps greatly to continue and deepen our study in the next three years. Of course, it is very flattering to get world recognition of the importance of our work by a European organization, in addition to the recognition and support received from the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Health Ministry.”

For more information: Rachel Goldblatt 0524646666