The Institute of Lipid and Atherosclerosis Research provides Sheba Medical Center with cutting-edge expertise for treating and preventing vascular diseases. Our Institute integrates a sophisticated patient care program with advanced basic research. Since our founding in 1993, we have gained nation-wide recognition as a leading center for consulting, evaluating and treatment of lipid metabolism disorders and cardiovascular diseases. The Institute consists of a lipid clinic, a service laboratory and a research laboratory.

Our lipid clinic is the largest in Israel. We are engaged both in primary and secondary preventive programs for cardiovascular diseases and, with the growing public awareness of the importance of normalizing blood lipids, we expect these numbers to rise in the coming years. We also frequently counsel other medical centers around the country in the diagnosis and treatment of complicated cases of lipid disorders. For example, in 1997 we diagnosed the first two cases of Congenital Deficiency of Lipoprotein Lipase (a critical enzyme in lipid metabolism). This diagnosis enabled us to save the lives of these inflicted newborns. Moreover, we recently identified the basis for a severe pregnancy-related Hyperlipidemia that caused recurrent miscarriages in two women. Following our treatment, both women gave birth to normal children.

Our service laboratory routinely performs a wide variety of biochemical and genetic tests. These routines as well as the more sophisticated biochemical and genetic tests enable us to diagnose the more complicated cases and counsel the patients and their physicians accordingly. We are proud to provide laboratory services to all the medical centers in Israel.

Our staff is actively engaged in research and study basic and clinical aspects of Lipoproteins Metabolism and Cholesterol Homeostasis, mode of action of Hypolipidemic drugs, targeting therapeutic genes to the vascular wall, and the development and progression of the Atherosclerotic Lesion.

Several of our staff members are also faculty members of the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. Their graduate students are vigorously involved in the Institute's research projects.

Laboratory

The Institute of Lipid and Atherosclerosis Research Service Laboratory routinely performs a wide variety of biochemical and genetic tests. Since 1994 we have analyzed approximately 70,000 samples annually. We adhere to the highest standard of quality and our results are accredited by the American Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.  We offer a variety of tests, some of which are conducted in Israel exclusively in our laboratory. These routine, as well as more sophisticated biochemical and genetic tests, enable us to diagnose the more complicated cases and counsel patients and their physicians accordingly. The Institute provides laboratory services to all medical centers in Israel. Together with Israeli and international biotechnology companies, we are actively involved in the development of new diagnostic tests. Some of the tests we offer include: A complete blood lipid profile: Cholesterol (total), Triglycerides (total), HDL, LDL, VLDL Levels of Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Phospholipids, and free fatty acids in body (Urine, Peritoneal, Pericardial, Pleural, Synovial) fluids Measurement of blood levels of Lipoprotein (a), Apolipoprotein AI, Apolipoprotein B, and Apolipoprotein CII, CIII and C-Reactive Protein Determination of Apolipoprotein E Genotype Activities of Hepatic Lipase and Lipoprotein Lipase Levels of free and esterified Cholesterol Determination of 5 A Cholestanol and ∆7 Cholesterol levels Analysis of Plasma Lipoproteins by ultracentrifugation Levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and ß Carotene, both in Plasma and in LDL. Determination of LDL Receptor activity in blood monocytes. Center at a Glance     Number of Outpatients per Year - 5000  Director - Prof. Dror Harats Prof. Harats, a world known authority in Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology is a graduate of the Hadassah Medical School at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.  He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Hadassah and Fellowship in Pulmonary and Molecular Biology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In the last 20 years Prof. Harats has been involved in cutting edge research in Lipid Metabolism, Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology.  He is one of the pioneers in the study of the role of the Immune System in Atherosclerosis and invented new genetic tools for treatment of Angiogenesis, a process that plays a major role in Cancer and Cardiovascular Disorders. His research has been published in more than 100 papers and chapters in books, and rewarded him with numerous prizes and grants in the field of Atherosclerosis and Cancer. Prof. Harats is a faculty member at the Sackler School of Medicine at the Tel Aviv University and a supervisor of many graduate and undergraduate students in his lab.  Staff - Hofit Cohen, M.D. Rafael Bitzur, M.D.  Address - Bert W. Strassburger Lipid Center building  E-mail - dharats@sheba.health.gov.il  Tel - 972-3-530-2940