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| Israeli scientist hails opening of French lab in Technion
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Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor, head of the Technion's gynaecology department
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PARIS (EJP) --- An Israeli scientist has hailed the opening of a French-Israeli laboratory in Haifa's Technion Institute as “a clear political statement,” by the French government.
The opening is part of the increased cooperation between France and Israel.
Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor, head of the Technion's gynaecology department and one of the world’s leading researchers on embryonic stem cells spoke to EJP about the new project and its implication.
EJP: Today the national French research Institute Inserm is inaugurating its own lab in the Technion. What does this intense collaboration represent to an Israeli lab director as yourself?
Joseph Itskovit-Eldor : Our collaboration concerns research on stem cells, a leading field of research today, in particular foetus stem cells.
The exchanges between us and the French scientists, our mutual assistance, can only help us both move forward on several grounds. We are complementary and not competing.
But I think this program doesn’t have exclusively scientific importance, it also has a political dimension. It set an example that stands out in today’s political context.
The French government, the Inserm research institute, are setting a lab next to my own research centre in the Technion.
By doing so they are recognising the Technion and the Israeli scientists’ work and they are also recognising Israel itself.
Seeing this development moves me, and even more so since the launch took place in the French Senate, with the chamber’s Vice-President Philippe Richert, political officials and scientists that are enabling this whole collaboration. This is our modest way of contributing to science and to our country’s relations with France now and in the future.
Today the French research institute is inaugurating the lab and we are already discussing future programs for common research.
EJP: When did you start your joint work?
Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor: We have been working jointly with Inserm scientists for the past two years. French scientists visit us and we visit them, there is constant movement both ways. One of my scientists just came back from a mission in the Nice Inserm laboratory run by Daniel Aberdam, who is also the head of the new joint lab inaugurated in the Technion.
We can only assist each other.
EJP: Do you have this type of intense collaboration with other countries or is the French example quite unusual?
Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor: The Technion has numerous programs with other Universities around the world. We obviously have exchange programs with universities around the world, most of all in the US, but the link we have now with France is quite unique. This is not a simple joint research program, the Franch government has decided to invest and build its own Inserm lab in the Technion, next to my lab.
This is a very strong statement, a rare gesture. This isn’t France’s first lab abroad; the country has invested in Universities in the US for example. But this type of commitment is rare. There only four or five such labs in the world, and today there is one in Israel, in our Technion.
This is a statement that proves France recognises Israeli research.
EJP: Do you think this will have an impact on other countries, such as the UK where some consider boycotting Israeli universities?
Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor: I sure hope so but you can never know. Every country has its own priorities but from what I heard, the British boycott project was annulled.
The French attitude might have an impact on other countries because Israel and France haven’t always had great, flawless relations. I think the British initiative of boycott was dropped, but I hope many countries will reinforce their contacts with us.
I dream, I imagine such collaborations with Universities in our neighbouring countries. But that is just a dream for now.
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