The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is pleased to announce the election of Prof. Oron Shagrir as its next Rector, following a vote by the University Senate.
Prof. Shagrir currently serves as the Vice-President for International Affairs. He previously held key academic and administrative roles, including Head of the Department of Cognitive Sciences and Vice Rector.
A new study analyzing spontaneous speech in 48 languages reveals that human beings across the globe structure their speech into rhythmic units at a remarkably consistent rate of one every 1.6 seconds. This low-frequency rhythm is stable across cultures, ages, and languages, suggesting a universal cognitive mechanism of human communication. The findings shed new light on how the human mind structures language in time. This may have implications for neuroscience, language learning, and speech technology.
Jerusalem, August 15, 2025 – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been ranked 88th in the world in the Shanghai World University Rankings 2025, published today. The university is placed second among Israeli institutions featured in this year’s ranking.
Prof. Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University, stated:
Would you trade the ability to climb a flight of stairs for the assurance that your country is protecting democratic freedoms? A new study asked Americans to weigh surprising tradeoffs—health versus dignity, income versus rights, convenience versus environmental quality. The answers revealed consistent patterns in how people value very different aspects of life, offering a practical way to compare “apples and oranges” in policy decisions. The approach could help governments, hospitals, and other institutions design choices that reflect real human priorities.
Researchers have revived 80-year-old fungal pathogens from a museum collection and found that these pre-Green Revolution strains differ significantly from modern ones, revealing how decades of pesticide use and intensive farming have reshaped plant pathogens. By comparing the old and new fungi, the team uncovered critical insights into the evolution of fungicide resistance, environmental adaptation, and plant disease dynamics, paving the way for more sustainable, informed strategies in modern agriculture.
Researchers have discovered a way to make the immune system’s T cells significantly more effective at fighting cancer. By blocking a protein called Ant2, they were able to reprogram how these cells consume and generate energy—essentially rewiring their internal power supply. This shift makes T cells more active, resilient, and better at attacking tumors. The findings open the door to new treatments that could strengthen the body’s own immune response, offering a smarter, more targeted approach to cancer therapy.
Airovation Technologies was awarded the prestigious 2025 Asper Prize for “The Hebrew University Rising Startup”. The prize, part of a competition launched by ASPER-HUJI Innovate, the university’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the Asper Foundation, drew entries from more than fifty startups. Airovation Technologies secured the top spot after presenting to an international panel of judges.
In a major stride toward tackling aggressive breast cancer, researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed druglike molecules that degrade a previously “undruggable” cancer-driving protein. The target, HuR—an RNA-binding protein known for stabilizing oncogenic messages—has long eluded traditional therapies. Now, using next-generation strategies involving molecular glues and PROTACs, researchers have uncovered a promising route to disarm HuR and suppress tumor growth from the inside out.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced today (Monday) that Prof. Tamir Sheafer has been elected as its next president. The decision was approved by the University's Executive Committee and Board of Governors. Prof. Sheafer, who currently serves as the university’s rector, will assume the presidency in October 2025, succeeding Prof. Asher Cohen, who will complete two four-year terms in the role.
The Hebrew University paused its activities today for 58 minutes, calling for the release of the 58 hostages still trapped in hell in Gaza.
At gatherings held simultaneously across the university’s four campuses (Mount Scopus, Givat Ram, Ein Kerem, and Rehovot), each minute was dedicated to one of the hostages held by Hamas—for 600 days now.
Professor Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University, urged the Israeli government to do everything in its power to bring them all home now, stating:
Cigarette smoke causes cancer primarily by damaging the DNA. A new study that mapped the DNA damages caused by smoking, reveals that the way our DNA is organized and chemically modified can influence how cigarette smoke damages it, how well the damage is repaired and how many mutations will form. Specifically, areas of DNA that are more open and active are more prone to damage but also better at repairing themselves, which helps to prevent mutations.
