feeding the future - new strategy rehovot

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FacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalQualitySciences

TheHebrewUniversityofJerusalem

FEEDINGTHEFUTURETHROUGHKNOWLEDGEDRIVENAGRICULTURE:ANINTEGRATIVEAPPROACH

a landofwheatandbarley,ofvinesandfigtreesandpomegranates,a landof

olivetreesandhoney,alandinwhichyouwilleatbreadwithoutscarcity,inwhich

youwilllacknothingDeuteronomy8;8

March2007


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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Feeding the Future

2

FEEDINGTHEFUTURETHROUGHKNOWLEDGEDRIVENAGRICULTURE:

ANINTEGRATIVEAPPROACH

(March2007)

TableofContents

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

THECHALLENGE WHYHEBREWUNIVERSITY THEWAY:APARADIGMSHIFT THEINTEGRATION MODEL

THEPILLARS

THE ROBERT H. SMITH INSTITUTE OF PLANT SCIENCES AND GENETICS INAGRICULTURE

THEINSTITUTEOFBIOCHEMISTRY,FOODSCIENCESANDNUTRITION THENEWINSTITUTEOFENVIRONMENTALSCIENCESANDNATURALRESOURCESIN

AGRICULTURE

THENEWCOMPLEXOFANIMALSCIENCESANDVETERINARYMEDICINE

ENCHANCING CROSSDISCLIPLINARY COLLLABORATION THROUGH FOUR UNIQUE

RESEARCHCENTERS

THERESEARCHCENTERFORBASICAGRICULTURALSCIENCES THERESEARCHCENTERFORSUSTAINABLEANIMALHEALTHANDHUSBANDRY THERESEARCHCENTERFORNUTRAGENOMICSANDFUNCTIONALFOOD THE RESEARCH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SUSTAINABILITY

ANDBIOENERGY

SHARINGKNOWLEDGEMULTIPLYINGTHEIMPACT

TEACHINGPROGRAMS EDUCATIONINAGRICULTURESHOULDKNOWNOBOUNDARIES

SUPPORTINGTHEINTEGRATIONMODELWITHNECESSARYRESOURCES

RETAININGANDATTRACTINGTOPSCIENTISTS STRENGTHENINGINFRASTRUCTUREANDINVESTINGINRESEARCH

CONCLUSION


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FEEDINGTHEFUTURETHROUGHKNOWLEDGEDRIVENAGRICULTURE:

ANINTEGRATIVEAPPROACH

ExecutiveSummary

Our future is not guaranteed. With a population growing exponentially and fragile

ecosystems damagedby human activity, the earth is under threat. We face a daunting

challenge: to provide enough healthy food for the worlds increasing populations, while

preserving the environment. With its team of worldrenowned scientists, proven track

recordforinnovativeresearchandappliedagriculturalstrategies,anditskeylocationinthe

ecologicallydiverse

Middle

East,

the

Faculty

of

Agricultural

Food

and

Environmental

QualitySciencesisuniquelypoisedtofacethechallengeofpreservingourcollectivefuture.

Our vision is to develop and disseminate innovative, daring and broadly applicable

solutionstoprovidehealthynutrition,inasustainablemanner,toaneverhungrierplanet.

OurstrategyistoassemblethecollectiveexpertiseoftheFacultyofAgriculturalFoodand

Environmental Quality Sciences around four pillar Institutes, closely linked by four

interdisciplinaryresearchcenters.

We believe that only synergistic, integrative and interdisciplinary research across

traditionalboundaries

will

lead

to

the

scientific

advances

we

aim

to

achieve.

Thus

we

will

reorganize the arcane departmental structure of the Faculty around four main research

entities:theRobertH.SmithInstituteofPlantSciencesandGenetics inAgriculture,the

Institute of Biochemistry, Food Sciences and Nutrition, the new Institute of

EnvironmentalSciencesandNaturalResources inAgriculture,and the newComplexof

AnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicine. This reorganizationwillenhance interaction

andcollaborationbetweenandamong researchers in relateddisciplines,andenableus to

produceanddisseminateinnovativeadvancesinthesediscretefieldsofknowledge.

In addition, to further facilitate and fuel interdisciplinary and integrative approaches to

agriculturalscience,

and

to

encourage

innovation

and

creativity,

these

entities

will

be

linked

by four dynamic interdisciplinary research centers: the Research Center for Basic

Agricultural Sciences; the Research Center for Sustainable Animal Health and

Husbandry; theResearchCenter for EnvironmentalProtection,Sustainability andBio

energy;andtheResearchCenterforNutragenomicsandFunctionalFood.

Thenew structureof theFacultywillbebased on the combinationof existing successful

conceptswithnew,revolutionaryapproaches toagriculturalsciences.Wewill: (i) increase

interactionamongscientistswithvariousareasofexpertise.Theutilityofthisstrategyhas

beenamplydemonstratedinthecaseoftherecentlyestablishedRobertH.SmithInstitute

ofPlant

Sciences

and

Genetics

in

Agriculture,

which

joined

three

formerly

distinct

departments. The success of the Smith Institute will serve as ablueprint for other sub


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disciplinesoncampus,andallwill then function inconcertwitheachother. (ii) introduce

Systems Biology to agricultural research. This novel approach involves integrating the

inputfromexactsciencespecialists(e.g.,mathematicians,physicists,engineersetc.)intothe

contextofagriculturalsystems,thuscombiningourlocalavailablescientificstrengthsjoined

bynonbiologyscientistsfromoutsidetheFaculty,todissectfundamentalphenomenaand

solve complexproblemson a goalorientedbasis.Thisunorthodox approachpromises to

provideamorecomprehensiveunderstandingofproblems,andthus,morenovelsolutions.

Realizing our vision rests on our continued ability to recruit talented and imaginative

faculty, to fund the research they will perform, and to provide a supportive physical

environment, including necessary research labs and equipment, that will encourage and

enable synergism within disciplines as well as fruitful interdisciplinary collaboration.

Specifically, we need tobuild a physical home for the new Institute of Environmental

Sciences and Natural Resources in Agriculture, a new teaching laboratory annex and

renovationoftwofloorsintheInstituteofBiochemistry,FoodSciencesandNutrition,and

anewwingandcommonspaceforthenewComplexofAnimalSciencesandVeterinary

Medicine. Weneed to createand endow the four interdisciplinary research centers,and

equip the newly formed research entities with stateoftheart scientific instruments and

equipment,whileattractingandfundingthehighestqualityofnewfacultyrecruits.

ThescientistsattheFacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalQualitySciencesare

eagertoembarkonthisnovel anddaring plan.Wefeelsurethattheproposedintegrated

approachwillleadtothedevelopmentoftheinnovativestrategiesrequiredfornourishing

mankindwhilepreservingourenvironment.


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TheChallenge

The world is changing;populations are expanding steadily and food sources are neither

keepingpace,

nor

are

they

distributed

equitably.

Pollution,

erosion,

non

potable

water,

and

soildepletion,amongotherenvironmentalchanges,areseriously andperhapsirreversibly

impacting the delicatebalance of our ecosystem and further curtailing mans ability to

produce healthy food. Ironically, in many instances, those very innovations that have

ultimatelybroughtincreasedbountytoourdinnertableshavealsotakenaheavytollonour

environment and on our wellbeing. Adding to the paradox is the fact that while

supermarket shelves inmostof theWest arebrimmingwithunprecedentedplenty, even

causingalarmoverincreasingratesofobesity,millionsofpeopleindevelopingareassuffer

fromchronichungerandmalnutrition.

Factsabouthunger:*Morethan840millionpeopleintheworldaremalnourished799millionof

themliveinthedevelopingworld.

Morethan153millionoftheworldsmalnourishedpeoplearechildrenunder

theageof5.

Sixmillionchildrenundertheageof5dieeveryyearasaresultofhunger.

Malnutritioncanseverelyaffectachildsintellectualdevelopment.

Malnourishedchildrenoftenhavestuntedgrowthandscoresignificantlylower

onmathandlanguageachievementteststhandowellnourishedchildren.

Lackofdietarydiversityandessentialmineralsandvitaminsalsocontributesto

increasedchildandadultmortality.VitaminAdeficiencyimpairstheimmunesystem,increasingtheannualdeathtollfrommeaslesandotherdiseasesbyan

estimated1.3million2.5millionchildren.

Whileeverycountryintheworldhasthepotentialtogrowenoughfoodtofeed

itself,54nationscurrentlydonotproduceenoughfoodtofeedtheir

populations,norcantheyaffordtoimportthenecessarycommoditiestomake

upthegap.*source:http://www.care.org/campaigns/worldhunger/facts.asp

Withourcollectivefutureatstake,thisdichotomousrealitymustserveasawakeupcallto

the scientificcommunity, ingeneral,andagronomists, inparticular, toweighcompetitiveagriculturalproductionneedsagainstagrowinglistofpressingenvironmentalconcerns,to

ensureenough food,healthy food,for thosewhoneed it.Whilemostagreethatachieving

highlyadvanced and sustainable agricultural practices is not linked to one particular

technology,thechargeisclear:scientistsand,infact,allstakeholdersmustsearchfornew

and more effective means of utilizing the Earths limited natural resources in sustainable

ways.

OurchallengeatTheHebrewUniversitysFacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmental

Quality Sciences is to lead in the global environment of agricultural practices by

introducing novel approaches in research and problemsolving, aimed at helping theworld feed itself. This challenge canbe metby harnessing state of the art research and


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teaching with daring initiatives which combine traditional with innovative and

sophisticatedconcepts.Morespecifically,westriveto:

1) Compileahighqualitypivotalcoreofindividualsworking,inconcert,inasupportiveenvironmentthatwillyieldintra andinterdisciplinarysolutionsfor

complexproblemsonalocal,regionalandgloballevel;

2) Identifynewfrontiersandchallengetheminordertomakeourenvironmentamoresustainableone;

3) IntroduceaSystemsBiologyresearchapproach,integratingtheinputfromexactsciencespecialistsintothecontextofagriculturalsystems;and

4) Freelyperpetuateknowledgeforthebenefitofall.

WhyUs?

The Hebrew Universitys Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality

Sciences, (The Faculty), Israels leading research institute for advanced agricultural

technology,whose researchershaveaproven track record inadvancing Israeliandworld

agriculture,ispreparedtoembracethecomplexchallengesoffeedingourhungryplanetby

developingnovel,creativeways togrowandpreservehealthy food,whileprotectingand

sustainingtheenvironment.TheFacultyisalreadyaworldrecognizedcenterofexcellence

anditsvisionandfutureplansarebasedonitsuniquequalities.Theseincludethefactthat

theFacultyisauniquehubof:

1) Naturalresourcesatthecradleofagriculturestaplesandaresourceforfutureones.2) Geological and climate diversity soil (arable and desert), water (potable, saline,

ultra saline, seawater), landscape (fertile, rocky, sandy, coastal), all within close

(maximum4hoursdrive)proximity.

3) Humanresourcesameltingpotofculturesand traditions (scientistsandgeneralpopulationalike).

4) Politicaldiversitytangentandinteractivewithdiversepopulationsandentities.Our faculty combineshighqualitybasicandapplied researchwith theability to conduct

largescale

interdisciplinary

research.

It

is

endowed

with

the

ability

to

dissect

the

traits

of

complexbiological systems, encompassing plants, animals and microorganisms, and to

harness our understanding, along with ingenuity, towards beneficial outcomes for

agricultureandenvironmentalmanagement.

TheFaculty is considered among the top such facultiesworldwide and leads theway in

cuttingedge agriculturalbreakthroughs.Someof ourpast achievements and innovations

include: Improved Plant Traits (taste, fragrance, nutritional value), Soil and Water

Management (drip irrigation), Plant andEnvironmental Protection (soil solarization,bio

fertilization andbiocontrol) andDomesticatedAnimalManagement (optimizationof the

dairyindustry,

heat

tolerant

chicken

breeding).


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TheFacultysprovenachievements reveal itspotential,whichcanbe furtherexpanded to

new and groundbreaking levels to tackle the agricultural, environmental and health

challengesofthe21stcentury.

TheWay: AParadigmShift TransitiontoIntegration

Inordertoremainatthecuttingedgeofagriculturalresearchanddevelopmentandtomeet

the challenges of modern agriculture, our Faculty will need to undergo significant

restructuring,nothingshortofafullscaleparadigmshift.Specifically,theFacultywillalter

the patterns of scientific research from the traditional emphasis on single scientistbased

programsby adapting (via reorganization and incentives) a fullyintegrated approach to

research, teaching andoutreach; anew organizationalmodelwhichwillbring together a

powerful intellectualcommunityoftopscientiststo facilitateamultidisciplinaryapproachtoagriculture. Numerousprogramsandfacultymembersfromenvironmentalscienceto

food scienceandnutrition toagriculturalpolicyandplanning, fromeconomics to animal

science to community development will come together to address the challenges of

environmentallyresponsible, healthy food production in novel ways. The Faculty will

reorganizearoundanintegrativemodelthatfocusesonmodernandsustainableagriculture

as a continuum across several main anchors ranging from (1) sustainable resources,

through (2) the process of foodproduction (both animal and plant), to (3) consumption

(deliveryandconsumptionofthehealthyfoodendproduct).Inordertoreorganizearound

this concept, a number of currently disparate departments will be combined on both

intellectualandphysicallevels.

Thenew integratedsystemwillbefarbetterequippedtobestutilizehumanandscientific

resources to examine the scientific, technological, business and social repercussions of

agricultural options and, ultimately, to translate research into innovative solutions

applicable around the globe. This new system will enable the Faculty to realize its full

potentialinresearchandteachingand,thus,tocontributetotheglobaleffort.

The transition to integrationon theRehovotcampushas in factalreadybegun with the

creationoftheRobertH.SmithInstituteofPlantSciencesandGeneticsinAgricultureat

the Hebrew University, which brought together scientists from diverse fields such asAgriculturalBotany;FieldCrops,VegetablesandGenetics;andHorticulture,enabling the

Faculty tobreak though the frontiers of plant science (by increasing productivity) and

genetics(bydevelopingnewtechnologies).Thismergerensuredthatscientificresourcesare

shared, duplication of efforts is avoided, andbrain power from different disciplines and

perspectivesisbroughttobearonscientificchallenges. Today,theRobertH.SmithInstitute

forPlant Sciences andGenetics inAgriculture serves as Israels largest andmostdiverse

academicinstitutedevotedtotheimportantfieldofplantsciences,withanimpressivearray

ofachievements.Withinonlythreeyearsof itsinception, theRobertH.SmithInstitutefor

Plant Sciences andGenetics inAgriculturehas already created theplatform required for

newscientificcollaborationstobe formed.Novelactivitieswithin theInstitutearealreadyimpactingthegeneralscientificcommunity(viafirstclasspublications),thankstothesenew


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research alliances. For example, by combining the power of genetics with plant

biochemistry,weare able todecipher fundamentalmechanisms required forproper light

utilizationby plants. Another interdisciplinary venture linking a developmentalbiology

approachtoplantphysiologyhasbroughtaboutnovelinsightsconcerningtheregulationof

plant cell growth.What theRobertH. Smith Institute is doing for plant sciences, the

proposed new integrative restructuring process will do on an even grander scale for

agriculturalandenvironmentalscienceasawhole.

In addition, the introduction of a new concept Systems Biology into agricultural

sciences ispartandparcelofourvision.Biologistsaremakingremarkablestrides in their

ability to reveal all changes in genes, RNA and proteins within a modified organism.

However, sifting through this huge amount of data and comprehending its significance

requires expertise from a variety of fields beyond biology such as computer science,

mathematicalmodeling,physics,etc.Suchanapproachisreferredtoas SystemsBiology,

anditprovidesapromisingnewpathfortheadvancementofsciencewhileatthesametime

takingintoaccountandthusavoidingpotentialnegativeimpactonourfragileenvironment.

Todosowemustcombineourlocalavailablescientificstrengths(inanappropriatephysical

and intellectualenvironment)and involvenonbiologyscientists fromoutside theFaculty,

on agoalorientedbasis. In thismannerwewill formunique scientific cadreswithinour

Faculty, with other Faculties at the Hebrew University, as well as with neighboring and

international institutes. This unorthodox approach promises to provide an original,

comprehensive understanding of the problems at hand and, concomitantly, innovative

solutionstowardsthechallengesofhelpingtheworldfeeditself.


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TheIntegratedSystem

The planned integrated system will be composed of two existing and two new major

academic pillars: the existing Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and

GeneticsinAgricultureand theexistingInstituteofBiochemistry,FoodSciences

andNutrition,alongwiththenewInstituteofEnvironmentalSciencesandNatural

Resources in Agriculture and the Complex of Animal Sciences and Veterinary

Medicine.

THEINTEGRATIONMODEL

The Facultywide integration model rests on the development of two

additionalmajorintegrativeframeworksinadditiontotheexistingRobert

H.SmithInstituteofPlantSciencesandGeneticsinAgricultureandtothe

existingInstituteofBiochemistry,FoodSciencesandNutrition:

1) A new Institute of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources in

Agriculturewillbring together topresearchers in fieldsranging fromplant

pathologyand

microbiology

to

entomology

and

soil

and

water

sciences

to

developandimplementnewwaystomanagenaturalresources.

2) AnewComplexofAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicinewillcombine

theStudyofAnimalScienceswiththeKoretSchoolofVeterinaryMedicinein

ordertoencouragestrongercollaborationintheresearchanddevelopmentof

farmanimalbiosciences.

In addition, four new interdisciplinary Research Centers will further

encourage and fuel integrative approaches to agricultural research and

development,namely:

the

Research

Center

for

Basic

Agricultural

Sciences

;

the

ResearchCenterforSustainableAnimalHealthandHusbandry;theResearchCenter

for Environmental Protection, Sustainability and Bioenergy; and the Research

CenterforNutragenomicsandFunctionalFood.


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TheFourPillars

1.TheRobertH.SmithInstituteofPlantSciencesandGeneticsinAgriculture

TheRobertH.Smith InstituteofPlantSciencesandGenetics inAgricultureamalgamates

three formerly distinct departments Agricultural Botany;Field Crops, Vegetables and

Genetics; and Horticulture and is the largest, most diverse interdisciplinary Israeli

academic institution devoted to plant sciences. The Institute combines applied andbasic

research, employing conventional and novel research tools, at the wholeorganism and

cellularmolecular levels. Its 25 faculty members are actively engaged in exploiting the

wealthofplantvariationandinidentifyingsolutionstotheagriculturalproblemscurrently

facing Israel and neighboring countries as well as those arising from the constantly

changingharmfulglobalconditions.

TheInstituteisengagedinfourmajorthematicareas:

Management and interaction of agricultural plants with the environment(functionalphysiologyandtolerancetoabioticstress;controlofvegetativeand

reproductive development; management of agricultural crops and their

products)

Biotechnologyandbiochemistryatthecellular,tissueand intactorganism level(production of natural compounds; propagation materials and micro

propagation;developmentoftransgenicplantsandbioactiveproducts)

Genetics,breedingandgenomics (generalgenetics;breedingofcropsand farmanimals for qualitative and quantitative traits; molecular genetics, genomics,

proteomicsandbioinformatics)

Appliedecology(generalecologyofplantsandtheirenvironment;weedcontrol;natureconservation,openareas,forests,andlandscaping)

SeveralcentersoperatewithintheRobertH.SmithInstitute.TheKennedyLeighCenterfor

HorticulturalResearch,foundedin1992bytheKennedyLeighCharitableTrust,isnowan

activeelementwithintheRobertH.SmithInstituteandcontinuestopromoteandadvance

teachingandresearchinallaspectsofhorticulture,atbothnationalandinternationallevels.

Two additional centers were created following the establishment of the Institute: TheWolfsonCenter forPlantGenomics andBiotechnology inSemiAridClimates and the

Robert H. Smith Transgenic Greenhouse Center. The establishment of The Robert H.

SmithInstitutemotivatedtheWolfsonFamilyCharitableTrusttoinvestonemillionBritish

poundstoprovideinstitutememberswithstateoftheartequipmentinordertoexploitthe

wealthofnaturalplantvariation, and to engage in theongoingworldwide revolution in

plant genomics and proteomics, to identify solutions to agricultural problems and to

develop crop plants which are more tolerant to abiotic stress. At the Robert H. Smith

TransgenicGreenhouseCenter,thefirstnewlyconstructedgreenhouse,theonlyoneof its

kind in Israel,hasbeen specificallydesigned for theevaluationofnovel transgenicplants

underconfined,strictlycontrolledenvironmentalconditionsthroughouttheyear.


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2.TheInstituteofBiochemistry,FoodSciencesandNutrition

The

Institute

of

Biochemistry,

Food

Sciences

and

Nutrition

includes

the

School

of

Nutritional Sciences and the Department of Food Biochemistry. Striving to maintain

excellence in its researchand teachingofnutritionand food science, itawardsdegreesat

both theundergraduate andgraduate levels and admission standards areveryhigh.The

staff includes 12 research scientistsand 3 full time teachingmembers.The Institutehosts

researchers studying the effects of nutrients on health at the molecular, cellular, and

physiological levels, as well as researchers studying the molecular composition, physical

properties and technological aspects of foods. Thus, the Institute presents a

multidisciplinaryresearchenvironmentthatcombinesbiochemicalandmedicalexpertisein

nutritionandmetabolismwith studieson theeffectsofnutrientsoncellbiology, together

with

an

understanding

of

the

chemistry,

physics

and

technology

of

food

and

food

components. The interactionbetween nutrition and human physiology is complex and

relatestogeneticdifferencesbetweenindividuals.Afullunderstandingoftheimpactofdiet

onhealthwilloccuronlywhengene/nutrientinteractionsareelucidated.

The Institute is inauniqueposition tobea frontrunner in innovativeprojectssuchas the

development of tiny edible capsules or nanoparticles which allow medicines and

supplementstobeincorporatedintofoods,enablingthereleaseoftheircontentsondemand

at targeted tissues in the body. In collaboration with plant scientists, whole genome

metabolic profiling of fruits and vegetables can be carried out to identify secondary

metaboliteswithhealthbenefitsandorganolepticproperties.

TheInstitutehasfourmajorareasofresearchexpertiseandactivity:

a.FunctionalFoodsandNutraceuticals: Identification and isolationofbiologicallyactive

components fromplantsourcesand investigationof theireffectsonmetabolismandgene

expression. Therapeuticpropertiesaresubstantiatedinwholeanimalmodelsandinhuman

studiesthatprovideascientificbasisforhealthclaims. Foodproductssuchaspepper,olive

oil,artichokeandcompoundsisolatedfromplantsareexamplesofcandidatesforresearch

andapplication.

b.AdvancedFoodScience,Technology andBiochemistry: Methods for improving food

quality and innovative technologies for new product development. Projects include

developing environmentallyfriendly protective coatings for foods and agricultural

products, drying of foods, development of a legumebased infant formula and new

approachesforpreventingfoodspoilage.

c.Nutrigenomics:Examiningtheeffectsofdietanddietarycomponentsongeneexpression

andmetabolismatacellular,tissueandwholeanimallevel. Projectsincludeusingprobiotic

bacteriaasanticancerandantiinflammatoryagents;anticarcinogenicagentsderivedfrom

different plants; nutrients which help prevent obesity and others which promote bone

development.


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d.ClinicalandCommunityNutritionInterventions:Assessingthenutritionalneedsofthe

new immigrant Ethiopian community and providing nutrition education programs to

improveeatinghabitsinthispopulation.

ScientistsatthisInstituteseektobetterunderstandthephysiologicaleffectsoffoodsonthe

bodyby looking at the impact on metabolic pathways and gene expression in order to

preventdiseaseandpromotegoodhealth.

3.The(new)InstituteofEnvironmentalSciencesandNaturalResourcesin

Agriculture

AgricultureandtheEnvironment TowardsHarmoniousCoexistence

Themodernization

and

intensification

of

agriculture

in

Israel

has

been

achieved

by

providing farmers with scientific and technical support andby economic planning and

stablemarketingpolicies. Usingadvancedknowledge,generatedingreatpartbyscientists

at the Hebrew Universitys Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality

Sciences in Rehovot, farmers havebeen able to increase yields as well as the variety of

produce they grow. Faculty scientists have been at the forefront of national and

internationalaridandsemiaridzoneresearchintowaystorenderthedesertandwilderness

fertileandhaveaidedinturningIsraelsaridandsemiaridregionsintoarablelands.

Intensiveagricultureoverextendedareasandprolongedperiodsisknowntohaveadverse

effectson

the

environment.

This

is

certainly

true

in

Israel,

where

almost

all

the

land

suitable

for agriculture is actually farmed and water resources are currently overutilized. The

environmental situation in this country is particularly critical, as there are few natural

resources,and thesehave tobemostcarefullymanagedandprotected,whileat thesame

timeused intensively.The intensiveand rapidagriculturaland industrialdevelopment in

Israel, coupled with limitations in space and resources, has already imposed acute

environmentalproblemsthatwillsoonbecommonintherestoftheindustrializedworld(in

many cases for the same reasons, yet at a slower pace). Intense exploitation of the land,

water,biotic and open spaces has forced the Israeli scientist to investigate issues on the

cuttingedgeofenvironmentalsciences.

RegionalandGlobalConcerns

Theseenvironmentalchallengesaremagnifiedbytheregionaloverlapofresourcesandthe

factthatfreshwater,wastewater,insects,pests,andplantdiseasesdonotrecognizeborders.

Thus,improperuseofwaterresourceshaslednotonlytonationalbuttoregionalproblems.

Future plans for the utilization of scarce resources such as soil and water, new

environmental management practices and integrated control of pests and diseases must

accordingly be based on regional strategies. Indeed, a number of existing research

collaborations, withJordanian, Egyptian and Palestinian scientists, in the fields of water

safetyanditsutilization,remediation,pestcontrolandpollinationcanserveasmodelsfor

future

regional

networks

and

will

surely

have

implications

on

dealing

with

similar

problems

aroundtheworld.


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EnvironmentalStudies,ResearchandManagement

TheexpertiseofresearchersstudyingtheenvironmentattheHebrewUniversitysFacultyof

Agricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalQualitySciences isrecognizedonnational,regional

and international levels. At present, some 30 Faculty scientists are conducting over 50

researchprojectsconcernedwithenvironmentalquality,andover100studentsarestudying

Environmental Quality at the Faculty at undergraduate and graduate levels, including a

new program on Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management launched in 2005.

About30%oftheprofessionalsattheIsraeliMinistryoftheEnvironmentaregraduateswith

advanced degrees from the Faculty, and many other faculty graduates are employedby

otheragencies focusingontheenvironmentandappliedecology,suchastheMinistriesof

AgricultureandHealth,theForestryDivisionoftheJewishNationalFund,andtheNational

ParksAuthorityaswellaswatertreatmentfacilitiesandvariousothercompaniesacrossthe

country(whichserveenvironmentalneedssuchasmonitoringtoxicwastelevels,biological

remediationofpollutedsoilsandwaters,etc.).

OurAims

In itsnewconfiguration,activityat the Institutewillbededicated to thepreservationand

improvement of the environment in general, and of soil, water andbiotic resources in

particular. By bringing together (physically and conceptually) the researchers in the

departmentsof (i)SoilandWaterSciences; (ii)Entomology;and (iii)PlantPathologyand

Microbiology,wewillenhance theFacultys researchonaridand semiarid regions, thus

enablingtheFacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalQualitySciencestocontinue

to lead inaddressing thecomplexenvironmentalproblems that face Israeland theworld,

now and in theyears ahead.This intensificationof teaching and research in the fieldsof

environmentalqualitysciencesandnaturalresourceswillgreatlyinfluencethequalityoflife

intheStateofIsrael,theregionandtheworld.

Togetherwithothersat theFaculty, Institute scientistswillwork towardsgreater,cleaner

and safer crop productivity, thus making foodstuffs, as well as industrial raw materials,

moreabundantlyavailable,whileatthesametimeensuringanappropriatebalancebetween

agricultureandtheenvironment. Bypioneeringtechnologiesthatincreaseyieldsandthus

bringaboutreductions inprices,makingfoodplentifulandpotentiallymoreaffordable to

populationsindevelopingcountries,Facultyscientistswillcontributetohumanwellbeing

and social stability. Concurrently, this work facilitates efforts of the more developed

countries to sustain their standard of living, without damaging the environment, in

changingclimaticconditions.

Examples of Institute research areas include: wastewater recycling and utilization,

composting of agricultural wastes and their application as soil amendments in arid and

semiaridregions,yieldimprovementindrylandagriculture,waterconservation,breeding

salttolerantcropsanduseofsalinewater forcropproduction,useofnaturalenemies for

biologicalcontrolofvariouspestsanddiseases,andunderstandingandaffectingtheactivity

ofmicroorganismsintheirenvironment(e.g.,curbingtheactivityofdetrimentalspecieslike


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disease causing agents while enhancing that ofbeneficial species like degraders of toxic

wastes).TheestablishmentofanInstituteforEnvironmentalSciencesandNaturalResources

inAgriculturewillfacilitateinterdisciplinarycollaborationsrequiringnovelcombinationsof

scientific expertise.The closeproximity of the scientists involvedwill also encourage the

more efficient sharing of expensive scientific instrumentationby the scientists and their

students.

JointAcademicActivitiesandTeachingPrograms

Faculty members of the three departments currently cooperate in theEnvironmentalQualitySciences studyprogram.AsaresultofthenewInstitute,

thisstudyprogramwillbeenhancedandstrengthenedbythesynergisticactivities

fosteredbetweenthemembersofthevariousdepartments.Inadditiontoexisting

programs in Environmental Quality, the Faculty recently developed a new

teaching program entitled Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management ,

whichistaughtjointlybyfacultymembersfromEntomologyandPlantPathology,

together with members of the Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and

GeneticsinAgricultureandtheDepartmentofAnimalSciences.

The Institute will encourage interdisciplinary research projects and the jointsupervisionofgraduatestudents.

TheInstitutewillencouragesynergismbyconductinganinterdisciplinaryseminarcovering the various disciplines related to environmental sciences and natural

resources.

The Institute frameworkwillenablescientificequipment tobesharedamong thevariousmembers,thusensuringmaximumutilization.

Participation in the academic programs runby the Institute willbe open to allfaculty members with relevant expertise and interests, including those from the

DepartmentofAnimalSciences,andfromtheSmithInstituteofPlantSciences(via

theproposedresearchcenter seethegeneralfacultyvisionscheme).

PotentialBenefits

The Institutewillensure theFacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalQualitySciences continued leadershiprole inresearchonenvironmentalandnaturalresources

onthenationalandinternationallevels.

The Institute will play a central role in higher learning and training of experts inEnvironmentalSciencesandNaturalResources.

The Institutewill facilitatesynergismamong thediverseexpertiseof itsmemberswhospecialize in areas such as: Environmental quality, applied ecology, sustainable

agriculture, and management of natural resources (focusing on soil, water andbiotic

interactionsbetweenagriculturalandneighboringhabitats).

The Institute will enhance the effectiveness of the currently existing departments inresearch, teaching and administrative functions. This willbe ensuredby the planned

physical proximity of the scientists along with the support to be provided by the

proposedresearchcenters.


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15

4.The(new)ComplexofAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicine

Asthe

world

population

increases

along

with

the

demand

for

healthier

and

cleaner

food,

livestockfarminginthe21stcenturyfacesnewchallenges.Amongthesechallengesare:the

developmentofwatereconomiccrops,adaptationoffarmanimalstohotandaridclimates,

generating new technologies for farming (e.g. fish culture systems), improvement of

reproduction, animal welfare, management of disease outbreaks affecting animals and

humans especiallyzoonoses(diseasesthataretransmittedfromanimalstohumanssuch

as chicken flu or mad cow disease), conservation of wildlife and endangered species,

strengthening the humananimal bond, improvement of public health conditions and

environmentalqualityinanimalproduction.Continuedresearchanddevelopmentthatwill

meet these challenges must be supported by highly knowledgeable agricultural and

veterinaryscientists

and

managers.

RegionalandGlobalConcerns

Israels location in the midst of the developing Middle East has rendered the animal

husbandrypracticetobehighlyvulnerabletodiseaserisks.Notwithstanding,thisriskhas

beenminimized inIsraeldue tothe integrationofsciencebasedproductionmethodswith

advancedveterinaryservicesfordetectionanderadicationofdiseases.Continuedresearch

anddevelopmentinthesefieldsisanecessityformaintainingIsraelsleadingedgeinfarm

animalbio andveterinarymedicalsciences.BecomingacenterofexcellenceintheMiddle

Eastwithafocusoncollaborationwithneighboringcountriesisanimportantchallengefor

thenew

Complex

for

Animal

Sciences

and

Veterinary

Medicine.

In

an

age

where

the

movementofpeople, livestock,animal feedandanimalproducts iscommonpractice, the

disseminationofknowledgeandgoods (e.g., successfulbreeds)canbeextremelyefficient

andbenefitalargenumberofpeopleonaglobalscale.Wemust,however,rememberthat

the spreadofdisease (e.g.,bird flu, SARS etc.) is alsomore rapiddue to this expanding

freedomofmovement.Thus,ahigh levelofexpertise isrequiredtotakeadvantageofthe

pros, while avoiding the cons, of mobility and the exchange of animals and agricultural

goodsinthemodernera.

AnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicineStudiesandResearch

TheFaculty

of

Agricultural,

Food

and

Environmental

Quality

Sciences

is

the

only

institution

inIsraelofferinghighereducationinthefieldsofAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicine.

Atpresent,approximately26FacultymembersfromtheDepartmentofAnimalSciencesand

from theSchoolofVeterinaryMedicine are conducting researchprojects regarding farm

animal agriculture.Over 270 students studyAnimal Sciences at theundergraduate level,

andover160studentsstudyforhigherdegreesinthejointteachingprogramofAnimaland

Veterinary Sciences. Some of the students combine Animal Sciences studies with other

programs such as Environmental Quality, Biotechnology or Economy. Many of these

graduatesarethenrecruitedbytheMinistryofAgricultureortheMinistryofEnvironment,

while others are employed inbiotech companies or continue their academic studies. An

additional

160

students

enroll

each

year

in

a

four

year

Veterinary

Medicine

program

and

are

abletocombinethisprogramwithgraduatedegreestudies(DVM/PhDcombinedprogram).


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16

Research in theDepartmentofAnimalSciencesmainly involvesthephysiologyofgrowth

and reproduction, stress physiology, nutrition, growth and development as affectedby

environmental impact and aquaculture, while the research conducted in the Veterinary

School involvesmetabolicdiseases, infectiousdiseases ofpet and farm animals, zoonotic

diseases, epidemiology,biomechanics, pathophysiology, neurophysiology, pharmacology,

bioanthropology,andcomparativeoncology.Collaborationsbetweenresearchersfromboth

units focus on subjects such as nutrition and diseases or fish reproduction. The new

Complex will be located on the Rehovot campus with an affiliation to the Veterinary

HospitallocatedintheBeitDaganresearchcenter.

OurAims

The new Complex for Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicinewill create the physical

proximity required to combine world class researchers from the Department of Animal

ScienceswiththoseattheKoretSchoolofVeterinaryMedicine.This,inturnwillencourage

the development of cuttingedge research in farm animalbiosciences in a manner that

combines the conceptual and practical skills of scientists involved in breeding/raising

animals together with experts in veterinary medicine (a combination which perhaps

surprisingly,doesnotexisttoday).ResearchintheDepartmentofAnimalSciencesinvolves

aspectsofgrowthand reproductionof farmanimals,while the researchconducted in the

Veterinary School involves different aspects of disease in pet and farm animals. The

complementarynatureoftheseunitsandtheirphysicalproximityprovidean idealsetting

for collaboration and for more efficient use of resources, while maintaining independent

researchagendasaswell.TheComplexforAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicineaims

tocreateaworld renownedcenterfortheresearchofdomesticanimalsinbothhealthyand

diseasedstates, inaridanddesertclimates.Thisclosercollaborationwillalsoenablejoint

educationalprogramsforbothlocalandforeignstudentsinanimalandveterinarysciences,

aswellasjointseminarsandotheractivities.

JointFacilitiesandAcademicActivities

Shared largeandsophisticatedequipment,suchas imagingsystems,clean laboratoriesforinvitrofertilization(IVF)research,aspecificpathogenfree(SPF)unitorequipment

forembryonicdevelopmentstudies,allofwhichwillbelocatedwithineasyaccessofall

Complexscientists.

Combined venues such as seminar rooms, a conference room, and a common site tofacilitatestaffandstudentinteractions.

PotentialBenefits

ThenewComplexofAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicinewillcreateafocalpointfor collaborations between Israel and neighboring countries or other regions which

confrontproblemswithanimalfarminginhotandaridareas.


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17

Thedistinctive researchwhichwillbeproduced in sucha center,where specialists inanimal husbandry will constantly interact with experts in veterinary medicine. In

additiontoestablishingnovelresearchprograms,thiswillserveasacoreforattracting

additional excellent scientists (in these and other fields as in the case of a Systems

Biologyapproach).

ThisComplexwith itsuniqueeducationalagendawill serveasabase forestablishingnewacademiceducationalprogramsand for spreadingknowledge toboth Israeliand

foreignstudents.

EnhancingCrossdisciplinaryCollaborationthrough

FourUniqueResearchCenters

Inordertotakefurtheradvantageofthegreatpotentialforinterdisciplinaryand

collaborativeresearch,beyondorganizingtheentirefacultyaroundthefourpillars,the

FacultyseekstoestablishfourResearchCenterswhichwillcrossdisciplinesandoffer

incentivesforcollaborationacrosstheentirecontinuumofagriculture:fromthenew

InstituteofNaturalResourcesandtheEnvironment,totheSmithInstituteofPlantSciences,

tothenewComplexofAnimalSciencesandVeterinaryMedicine,totheInstituteof

Biochemistry,FoodScienceandNutrition.

Thesecenterswillenablethefollowingactivities:

(i) Innovative research initiatives based on the creative merging ofacademicforcesfromdifferentdisciplines(researchersresidinginthe

differentrestructuredfacultyframeworks).

(ii) Attractionofyoungscientists(graduateandpostdoctoralstudents)toenhanceanddiversify the compositionofnationaland international

researchteams.

(iii) Inviting highranking visiting scientists to complement the existingcadreofscientistsfunctioningonspecificprojects.

(iv) Sponsorship of relevant complex workshops and seminars forbrainstorminganddisseminationofknowledge.

In principle, research center support is intended to provide the fuel for extraordinary

activities (beyond the scope of traditional funding) that emerge from nonconventional

approachestomeetingscientificchallengesofafundamentalaswellasappliednature.The

functionof thecenterswill createaunique researchatmosphere,essential forperforming

exceptionalscience.

Thefourresearchcenterswillencompassalllevelsofinterdisciplinaryagriculturalresearch.

AcenterforbasicresearchwillbethehublinkingthefourFacultyresearchpillars. Accessto

thishubwillenablescientiststoprobeanddissectchallengesofafundamentalnature,along

withtheintegrationofinputfromexactsciences(systembiology).Theotherthreecenterswill span the entire food production process, including diverse plant and animal food


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18

sources,quantitative/qualitativeoptimizationofnutritionandbiofuels,holisticapproaches

towards coping with modern agriculture (intact organism), along with environmental

protectionandsustainability.

1. TheResearchCenterforBasicAgriculturalSciencesIn order to further develop agrotechnology, researchers need to increase our basic

understandingofscientificphenomenarelated toagriculture.To thisend, theFacultywill

create a multidisciplinary research center aimed at addressingbasic questions related to

agriculture; focusing on bacteria, fungi, harmful and beneficial insects, plants, and

vertebrates at the molecular, organism and community levels ofbiological organization.

ThisCenterwillenableabetterunderstandingoffundamentalaspectsofagriculturerelated

sciences,andwillbeahubwhereresearchersfromacrossthecampuswillbeencouragedto

collaborate.

A. ResearchattheMolecularLevel.Elucidatingthenatureofthebasicbuildingblocks

ofanyprocessprovidesasignificantadvantage ifchangesoralterations in theprocess

are considered.Thegeneticmaterial (DNA andRNA), the functionalgeneticproducts

(proteins) and some of the products of their activities (biochemicals) are the primary

players in the life of any organism. This center will support activities aimed at

identifying, isolating and analyzing such components of life. This includes natural

compoundsofnutritionalvalue(highqualityproteins),healthvalue(vitaminsandother

potential food additives) and therapeutic value (antifungal, antipest and anti

cancerous). In addition to the analysis of known organisms (be they beneficial or

detrimental),powerfulnew toolswillbe employed to analyze themassiveuncultured

plantandmicrobialdiversitypresent in theenvironment toprovidenewmolecules for

therapeuticandbiotechnologicalapplications.

B. ResearchattheIntactOrganismLevel.Currentadvances inourabilitiestoanalyze

specific traits of an organismhave causedus to focus on the level of complete, intact

organisms. Even though a functional life form comprises an immense number of

variables,weareeagertobravethechallengeofunderstandingcomplexsystemssuchan

intactorganism.Thus, researchat this levelofbiologicalorganizationwill focuson the

physiologyandbehaviorof theagriculturalrelatedorganismsof interest.This includes

membersoftheplant,fungalandanimalkingdom(anythingfromthedevelopmentofan

allergenicfungalsporetonutrientutilizationinplants,theendocrinefunctioninfishand

mammals to reproductiveandsexualbehavior in insects). Theoverallobjectiveof this

type of work is to identify targets for improving food production or management

practices, based on intimate, detailed and rigorously researched biological

understanding.

C. Research at theCommunity andEcosystemLevel.Agriculture ispracticed in the

field (be it land, seaor in the future space)andnewmethodsmustbeemployed in

order to understand the spatial and temporalbehavior of plant, microbe and animal

species in the environment (including interactions amongst them). The objectives of

inquiry at the community level are to understand how species interact to stabilize


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19

ecosystems,howbest tomanagepopulationsofpests,pathogensand invasive species,

and how to conservebiodiversity on the one hand, and exploit its offerings tobetter

mankind,ontheother.

D.SystemsBiology.The remarkableadvances inbiological researchprovideuswitha

plethoraofdatathatcanbetappedindiverseways.Invitingscientistsfromfieldsofexact

sciences(e.g.,mathematicians,physicists,computerscientists)tojoinFacultyscientiststo

probe our data, together, will yield new concepts and possibilities which can be

experimentally addressed. The Faculty will be the first to adopt this truly

interdisciplinaryapproachtoagriculturalresearch.

2.TheResearchCenterforSustainableAnimalHealthandHusbandry

Themodernlivestockindustrymakesexcessiveuseofdrugsandpharmaceuticalstocombat

infectivediseases.Excessdrugusagecausesthreemajorproblems:a)diseaseproneanimals

whose health depends on drugs rather than on natural immunity; b) pharmaceutical

remnants which are stored in the animal carcass and passed to the human consumer; c)

excretion of drugs in urine that leads to underground water contamination. Hence, the

reductionofpharmaceuticalusage isamajorobjective in sustainableagriculturalpractice

and inanimalresearch. ThisCenterseeksto investigate themeans toproducenovel,safe

andpotentvaccinestopreventinfectivediseases,boostnaturalimmunity,andalleviatethe

needforexcessivedruguse.

Intensivelivestockfarming,aspracticedinIsrael,resultsinanexcessofanimalexcrement,

which percolates through the upper soil and is a major source of underground water

contamination.Thisisfurthercomplicatedbypharmaceuticalcontaminantspresentinurine.

Toovercomethisthreatandtopreservethepurityofadiminishingwaterreservoir,research

isaimedatdevelopingstrategiestodetoxifylargeanimalexcretionsinparticularbyusing

environmentallyfriendlymicroorganismsandplants.

Animalwelfareisbecominganincreasinglyimportantissueinthelivestockindustry.Thus,

new avenues arebeing sought to reduce animal densities during the growth period to

provideamorehumane,butnotlessproductive,environment. Thetechnologyrequiredin

thisarearequiresanovelapproachtoanimalhusbandryso thatproduction ismaintained

while animals are allowed to live under nonstressful conditions on the one hand and

maintain a rationalecologicalbalance ingrazingareasandotheropen spacesadjacent to

animalrearingcentersontheother.

3.TheResearchCenterforNutragenomicsandFunctionalFood

Functionalfoodsarefoodsdesignedtoprovideaspecificbeneficialphysiologicaleffecton

health,performanceand/orwellbeingextendingbeyondtheprovisionofsimplenutrients.

The Research Center for for Nutragenomics and Functional Food willbebased on the

Facultys interdisciplinaryexpertise inmolecularplantandappliedplant sciences;human


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20

nutrition with special emphasis on children, the aging and those with special health

requirements;foodchemistryandtechnology,andconsumerresearch.

Understandingthespecificdietaryfactorsof functionalfoodswillallowresearchersatthe

center toaddress thespecialneedsofpopulationgroups inorder tohelp themmeet their

uniquenutritionrequirementsandthusreduce theoccurrenceofdietrelateddiseasesand

disorders,suchasobesityandallergies.Thisknowledgecouldalsoleadtoreformulationof

processedfoods,anddevelopmentofnovelfoodsandingredients,dieteticfoodsandfoods

with nutritional and health benefits, thus, offering consumers a myriad of accessible

wellnessproductspreventinga spectrumof illnessesanddisorders.Functional foods can

alsobeutilized toenhancementalperformance, fightcancer,and improveoverallhuman

dispositionandperformance.

The distinctive sets of expertise on the Rehovot campus allow for a multidisciplinary

approach to research directed at improving human wellbeing. Animal scientists can

develop new diets for farm animals that then alter the nutrient composition of food

consumedbyhumans forexample, omega3enriched eggs,meatandmilkproducts.

Collaborationwithplantscientistscanleadtothedevelopmentofnewvarietiesoffruitsand

vegetableswithincreasedconcentrationsofspecificcompoundsbeneficialtohealth. These

advances may be achieved by changing the growing conditions of plants, through

conventional genetic methodologies (cross breeding) or by using molecular techniques.

Biologicallyactive ingredients canbe isolated, characterized, analyzedandutilized in the

food and beverage industries. Food technologists can use stateoftheart methods to

incorporate beneficial compounds found in plants into a wide range of foodstuffs in

biologically available forms and can develop analytical methods for quality control and

accuratefoodlabeling.

The interdisciplinary nature of this research center also provides the opportunity for

scientistswhoarenotexpertsinnutritiontoinitiateandleadresearchschemeswhichmay

providenovelnutritionrelatedoutputs.Thus,sucharesearchplatformmaybethetesting

groundfornewpotentialusesformicroorganisms,plantsandanimals(e.g.,identifyingnew

sources for proteins, vitamins and other nutritional requirements for human and animal

welfare).

Inadditiontothepromotionofscientificexcellence,thisresearchisexpectedtobenefitthe

community at large through addressingproblemsunique to specificpopulations, andby

increasingawarenessamongthegeneralpublicastowhatconstitutespropernutritionand

whyitisimportant.

4.TheResearchCenterforEnvironmentalProtection,SustainabilityandBioenergy

Theworldisfacingsignificantandvitalchallengestoitsenvironment,requiringustobattle

desertificationandtodevelopalternativeenergyresources.Toaddressthesechallenges,this

centerfocusesonfourmaingoals,namely:(1)reclaimingandutilizingwastewater,(2)the


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21

development of new crops and microorganisms for alternative renewable bioenergy

sourcesand theirutilization innovelchemicalandbiochemicalprocesses, (3)wardingoff

desertificationand(4)maintainingplanthealth.

Israel isunique in itsability toreclaimwater.However, recently itwasproven thatwhen

wastewaterandsludgeare introduced intosoilsandsediments,an interaction takesplace

changing their properties. Fundamental understanding gained through research would

enablereductionoftheassociatedrisksofaccumulationinthefoodchain,(eco)toxicological

effects,developmentofresistantmicrobialstrains,andgroundwatercontamination,andwill

ultimatelyallowasafeandsustainableutilizationofthispreciousresource.

Theincreasingdemandforbiologicalresources,especiallyforrenewablealternativeenergy,

can onlybe met through innovation and advancement of knowledge in the sustainable

management, production and use of energy crops. At the core of this effort is the

developmentofabasisfornew,sustainable,safer,affordable,ecoefficientandcompetitive

alternativeenergygrownonmarginalordesertland,utilizingreclaimedwater.Hence,this

fulfillstwomainobjectives,namely,resolvingtheproblemofdesertificationandbioenergy

production.

To realize thepotential in theproductionofchemicalsderived frombiologicaloilsand to

enabletherationaldevelopmentofdesigneroilproductsatsufficientyieldstomakethem

commerciallyviable,anewplatformofunderstandingisurgentlyrequired.Thisnecessitates

thecombined researcheffortsofplant scientists,geneticists,ecologistsand soilandwater

specialistsinordertodissectandharnessthebiochemicalprocessleadingtooilproduction

intargetoilproducingspecies.Theresultscouldfacilitatetherapiddomesticationofunder

utilized species as new industrial crops, the improvement of existing oil crops and the

development of novel oil crops through gene transfer methods. The full range of

applications willbe investigated. Research performed would provide an opportunity to

applynewgenomicknowledgeinthedevelopmentofvegetableoilsforindustrialuse,while

addressingtheagronomicandruralimplicationsfortheirintroduction.

Recent years of population and income growth have aggravated the problem of over

utilization of natural resources in many parts of the world. Policy makers are now

interestedineconomicincentivestorationtheutilizationofnaturalresources. Atthesame

time,therehasbeenariseinnewinnovativeagro andbiotechnologiesthatenhancefood

productionandassistincreatingenvironmentallysustainablegrowth.Thereareobstaclesto

the widespread application of these technologies, such as modest adoption rates in

developingcountriesandconsumeropposition indevelopedcountries. Thus,economists

willjoinscientistsinthepursuitofanaffordablesourceofbioenergy.

Plant health is a significant limiting factor in food production. The center will support

interdisciplinary research striving to improve plant health in a manner that will not

compromise the environment. The development of nontraditional means for enhancing

cropprotection,whetherbyavoidingorcontrollingdetrimental factors,willbeoneof the

foci of this center, in concert with the other activities mentioned.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemicalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical


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SharingknowledgeMultiplyingtheimpact

Apinnacle

of

any

scientific

accomplishment,

regardless

of

its

magnitude,

is

sharing

the

finding(s)withothers.Webelievethatteachingandtrainingfuturegenerationsofscientists

ispartandparcelofourcommitmenttodisseminateourknowledgeontheonehand,and

establishthenextgenerationsofscientificleadership,ontheother.

TeachingProgramsattheFacultyofAgriculturalFoodandEnvironmentalSciences

Asthesheervolumeofaccumulatedknowledgeincreasesatastaggeringpace,weattempt

toprovideour studentswith a firmgrounding in thebasic scienceswhile fostering their

abilityto

think

critically

and

to

synthesize

a

meaningful

understanding

from

the

overwhelming floodof information they face.Our teachingprogramsprovideknowledge

andskills.Mostimportantly,weattempttoinculcatetheabilitytoacquiremoreknowledge

andskills,byprovidingtoolsforcontinuouslearning,anattributewebelieveisessentialfor

bothscientistsandprofessionals in the21stcentury. Inorder tochallenge,stimulateand

inspireourstudents,weofferawiderangeofintroductorycoursesaimedatinformingand

excitingundergraduatesabouttheirchosenfield,andcomprehensivecoursesfortrainingin

thelatestadvancesofvariousdisciplines.

Accordingly,we offer ourundergraduate andgraduate studentsvarious studyprograms

formedalong

traditional

disciplinary

lines

(Table

1).

Table1.StudyPrograms.

LeadingtoB.Sc.: LeadingtoM.Sc.:

PlantSciences PlantSciencesInAgriculture

AnimalSciences FieldCrops

PlantProtection HorticultureandOrnamentals

Soil&WaterSciences GeneticsandBreeding

Biochemistry&FoodSciences PlantProtection

Nutrition

Soil&

Water

Sciences

AgriculturalEconomics&Management Biochemistry&FoodSciences

Hotel&TourismManagement Nutrition

AgriculturalEconomics&Management

Currently,over1,200studentsareenrolledinundergraduateprograms,andmorethan500

in thevariousprograms leading to theMastersdegree. Inadditionover300 studentsare

workingontheirPh.D.sunderthetutelageoffacultymembersorassociatedscientists,and

wegraduate40veterinarianseachyearfromtheonlyschoolofveterinarymedicineinIsrael,

alsoon

our

campus.


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23

Inaddition to these traditional studyprograms,wehave forgedanumberofnovel inter

disciplinary programs (Table 2), which aim to create tenable curricular and professional

links between the various disciplines represented on campus. These programs allow

students to combine studies in their primary program with courses from the

interdisciplinary program. While the traditional curricula provide specific professional

competencies, interdisciplinary programs combine several competencies, and provide a

widerintellectualvision.Theendresultisatrainedprofessionalwithwellestablishedskills

inthebasicsciencesandabroadperspectiveinabroad,novelandupdatedfield.

Table2.InterdisciplinaryUndergraduateandGraduateStudyPrograms

B.Sc.:

Biotechnology NatureConservationandManagement AgricultureandtheEnvironment Agriculture,EconomicsandMarketing

M.Sc.:

Biotechnology AnimalandVeterinarySciences EnvironmentalQualityandNaturalResources

EducationinAgricultureShouldKnowNoBoundaries

The Facultys teaching and research activities go waybeyond theborders of our small

country. Inorder to increaseour impactonagriculturalpracticeworldwide,wecurrently

offer2internationalM.Sc.programs,inNutritionandinPlantSciences,whichareattended

mainly by young scientists from the developing world and Eastern Europe (see

accompanying map of the Facultys international outreach). The programs are filled to

capacity,provingtheirstrongreputationinternationally.Inaddition,Facultyscientistsoften

collaboratewithcolleaguesabroad,andhostthematconferencesontheRehovotcampus.

Inadditionaltoitsinternationaltraining,theFacultyoffersavarietyofcoursesandtraining

programs aimed at training Israeli professionals in modern agricultural approaches. The

Facultyalsohasprogramsaimedatsharingourintellectualandtechnicalexpertisewiththe

wider public be they food industry giants or new immigrant mothers.


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24

SupportingtheIntegrationModelwithNecessaryResources

For

six

years

you

may

sow

your

field

and

for

six

years

you

may

prune

your

vineyard;

and

youmaygatherof its crop.But the seventhyear shallbea complete restfor the land,a

SabbathforHashem;yourfieldyoushallnotsowandyourvineyardyoushallnotprune.

Leviticus25:34

Qualityresearchanddevelopmentisimpossiblewithouttheproperresourceshumanand

physical. Facultiesrequire topscientists,who in turn requirestateoftheart facilitiesand

equipment and sufficient research funding to remain on the cutting edge of scientific

inquiry.

Retainingand

Attracting

Top

Scientists

TheimpressiveachievementsandstrongreputationoftheFacultyofAgricultural,Foodand

EnvironmentalQualitySciencesareduetotheoutstanding, innovativescientiststhathave

beenattractedtothisFacultyovertheyears. Inordertocontinuetobreakresearchfrontiers

and lead the world in sustainable agricultural innovations, the Faculty must continue to

recruitandabsorbtopscientistsinthemostrelevantareasofinquiry.

Topcandidatesmeasure theprospectofjoining theHebrewUniversityagainstcompeting

offersfromotherworldclassinstitutionsandprofitableindustriesthatofferstateoftheart

laboratoriesto

incoming

scientists.

As

dedicated

researchers,

candidates

are

prepared

to

earn significantly lower salaries than theywould receive inother industries and atother

institutions. Candidates will not, however, compromise their research. This is both

understandableandlaudable. Clearly,theUniversitysultimatesuccessinrecruitingthese

topscientistsandenablingthemtofulfilltheirresearchpotentialdependsonmaintaininga

strong cadre of scientific colleagues who can challenge and inspire one another, and the

availabilityofproperlabs,necessaryscientificequipment,andresearchfundingcomparable

tothefinestuniversitiesintheUnitedStatesandelsewhere.

AttractingtopyoungscientiststotheFacultywillensurethatthebesthumanresourcesare

puttoworkaddressingtheveryrealchallengesforsustaininghumanlifeonthisplanetovertime. The suggested reorganization will land the Faculty at the nexus of research and

academiaandwillhelptoattracttopscientistspassionatetoworkinanenvironmentatonce

competitiveandcollaborative,withsharedresourcesandaccesstocrossknowledge.

StrengtheningInfrastructureandInvestinginResearch

The Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences can claim outstanding

achievements in many areas of agricultural science, but the physical infrastructure to

support this research must be modernized if this high level of scientific inquiry is to

continue. The Faculty is, at this point, stretched beyond its capacity. Laboratory andteaching facilities mustbe renovated and equipment added in order to allow faculty to


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25

maximizetheirresearchpotential,andtoattractyoungscientiststojointhem. Newspaces

mustbecreatedandothersrenovatedtoallowspaceforinterdisciplinaryinquirytothrive.

Cuttingedge research will be possible only with enough funding to enable research,

conferences, travel, the funding of research assistants and the purchase of necessary

equipment.

Conclusion

Josephamassedgrainlikethesandoftheseaingreatabundanceuntilheceasedcounting,

fortherewasnonumber Genesis41:49

TheFacultyofAgricultural,FoodandEnvironmentalSciencesoftheHebrewUniversityhas

hadaremarkableimpactonworldagriculturalpractice.TheonlysuchFacultyofitskind,in

arelatively

small

country

in

a

developing

area,

it

has

managed

to

lead

and

innovate

in

best

farming practices, in the creation of innovative new means of producing and protecting

plantsandanimals,and in the studyofnutrition andhumanhealthandwellbeing.Drip

irrigation, longlife cherry tomatoes and vitamin enriched pomelos, increased yields,

protectedcrops,andwaterrecyclingarejustsomeof themany innovationsattributableto

this Faculty. Just as importantly, the Faculty has played a major role in improving

agricultural practice in developing nationsby sharing research, knowledge, and applied

solutionsdevelopedattheFacultythrougheducationalprogramsforinternationalstudents

andcollaborativeprojectswithcolleaguesworldwide.

Anew

integrative

model,

supported

by

adequate

resources

for

research,

infrastructure,

and

the absorption of top young researchers, coupled with the Facultys core of outstanding

scientistsand recordofoutstandingachievements,willensure that theFacultywillplaya

major role inaddressing thenextagriculturalenvironmentalchallenge: feeding the future

throughknowledgedrivenagriculture.

feeding the future - new strategy rehovot

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