Professor Michal Schwartz is the incumbent of the Maurice and Ilse Katz Professorial Chair in Neuroimmunology in the Department of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. For the last 15 years her primary research interest has been in central nervous system trauma, with the specific focus on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration, using the optic nerve as the model. Her studies have led to significant progress in the understanding of basic aspects of the central nervous system response to injury, particularly those aspects related to dialog with the immune cells and the role of the immune system in regeneration. In neuroprotection, the ultimate goal is to halt or at least reduce the progression of damage following chronic or acute injury regardless of the primary cause of trauma. Here, Professor Schwartz´s primary focus is on glaucoma. Together with her research team she has developed a new concept for the treatment of glaucoma and an animal model for the screening of antiglaucoma drugs. She currently serves on the advisory panels of several pharmaceutical companies and is the chairperson of the Israel Society of Neurotrauma. Professor Schwartz was born and raised in Israel. She received her B.Sc. in Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her Ph.D. in Chemical Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Professor Schwartz spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she first became interested in the field of nerve injury. She is a tenured Associate Professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She is married and has four children.

 

 

RESEARCH CENTER

The Glaucoma Foundation funds research initiatives to determine the causes of glaucoma, to improve methods of treatment, and, ultimately, to develop cures for the various kinds of glaucoma.

Three areas of particular focus in TGF's Research Grant Program are:

Optic nerve rescue and restoration
Research into new approaches designed to protect the optic nerve against glaucomatous damage, to restore vision lost to glaucoma and eventually reverse blindness by restoring or regenerating the function of the optic nerve cells, and to explore the feasibility of achieving transplantation of optic nerve cells. 

Molecular genetics
Research into the genetic causes of the various forms of glaucoma, particularly the identification of the responsible genes, with the longterm goal of finding ways to reverse these genetic defects. 

Nanotechnology
Research into the use of nanotechnology for monitoring IOP, diagnosing and monitoring damage to the optic nerve and delivering drugs and other therapies.