About the Project
We are fascinated by biological crystallization in both healthy and disease states. Crystals play an important role in the functionality of many organisms, from the beautiful colors of chameleons to bone formation in humans. However, when crystals form uncontrollably in humans, it can lead to serious health problems such as kidney stones, which affect millions of people around the globe.
Despite its high prevalence, the formation mechanisms of kidney stones are not well understood. This project is a collaboration between Sheba, Hadassah, BGU, and the Weizmann institute, together we would like to bring new technologies to this old question, and identify novel therapeutic targets.
We will combine an in-depth view of the spatial composition of kidney stones and an in-depth view of the historical clinical state of the person. By developing machine learning-based algorithms, we want to generate a comprehensive list of potential molecular inhibitors and promoters of stone formation.
By implementing a deep learning-based pipeline, we will collect and analyze data to generate a comprehensive list of potential molecular inhibitors and promoters of stone formation. Our ultimate aim is to enhance the quality of life of individuals worldwide affected by kidney stones, through our research.