Joint research and innovation seed grants provide $200,000 to interdisciplinary teams

URBANA – The University of Illinois System and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) recently awarded funding to four new interdisciplinary research teams that will drive innovations and advance collaboration between the universities. The projects are the third round of a joint research and innovation seed grant program that began in 2019.  

The initiative seeks to accelerate economic development through the development of innovative technologies, building on talent, innovations and resources from the two universities. Funding for the program comes from HUJI`s International Office and its Authority for R&D, and the U of I System’s Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation. 

The newly funded projects will focus on biological stabilization of sand crust structures; artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring platform for wheat phenotyping from sprout to spike; the molecular signature of vulnerability and resilience in Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging; and managing the maize microbiome for sustainable nutrient retention.

“I am excited by both the short- and long-term promise of this program,” said Jay Walsh, the U of I System’s vice president for economic development and innovation. “The funded teams are filled with some of the most innovative researchers from Hebrew University and the University of Illinois System. We expect that these collaborations will lead to breakthrough discoveries. This program is emblematic of our strategic focus on growing the partnership with Hebrew University, its faculty and its students.”

The partnership between the two universities also includes The Hebrew University as a founding academic partner of the Discovery Partners Institute, a U of I System initiative designed to train people for high-demand tech jobs, conduct applied R&D and help build businesses to grow Chicago’s tech ecosystem. 

Project teams were required to have participation from The Hebrew University and from one of the three U of I System universities, and proposals had to be focused on agriculture, artificial intelligence, data science or medicine – key areas of strength for both institutions. 

“We are delighted to launch a third round of new and cutting-edge joint research projects with the University of Illinois System,” said Oron Shagrir, HUJI’s vice president for international affairs. “The selected projects are covering the priority focus areas of our joint program: agriculture, artificial intelligence, data science and medicine, along with the promotion of economic development and innovative technologies. We are very much looking forward to the outcomes of these exciting interdisciplinary efforts and the strengthening of the collaboration and innovation between our universities.”
 

 The projects receiving grants are: 

• Artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring platform for wheat phenotyping from sprout to spike. Co-principal investigators: Ittai Herrmann, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University; and Yanhui Guo, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Springfield.
   
• Biological stabilization of sand crust structures. Co-principal investigators: Yossi Paltiel, Faculty of Science, Hebrew University; and Karin Dahmen, Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
   
• Managing the maize microbiome for sustainable nutrient retention. Co-principal investigators: Omri Finkel, Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University; and Angela Kent, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

• The molecular signature of vulnerability and resilience in Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging. Co-principal investigators: Naomi Habib, Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University; and Orly Lazarov, College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago.
   

About the University of Illinois System: The University of Illinois System is a world leader in research and discovery, and the largest educational institution in the state with more than 94,800 students, about 26,000 faculty and staff, and universities in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The U of I System awards more than 24,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees annually. Learn more at https://www.uillinois.edu/. 

About The Hebrew University: The Hebrew University is Israel's leading academic and research institution, serving 25,000 students from 80 countries. Founded in 1918 by visionaries including Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud, HUJI is ranked among the world's 100 leading universities. HUJI it ranks 15th worldwide in patent filings and produces one-third of Israel’s civilian research, and to date, its faculty and alumni have won eight Nobel Prizes, a Fields Medal and an Abel Prize. For more information, visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en.

Contact Us:
Ben Taylor
(217) 714-3555
bktaylor@uillinois.edu