Men and women attracted to men are more empathetic than men and women attracted to women, according to a new study from the Department of Psychology. “People attracted to a particular gender, whether they are heterosexual or homosexual, have common social tools, and thus exhibit the same level of empathy,” said Professor Simone Shamay-Tsoory of the Department of Psychology who conducted the study.

The University and the East China New University (ECNU) of Shanghai inaugurated a joint Shanghai-Haifa research center in a festive ceremony. This is the first center of its kind in Shanghai for Israeli and Chinese academia, and it will enable researchers from both countries to submit research proposals to Chinese research funds. The Chinese government, who finances these funds, invests an estimated 40 billion dollars in grants each year.

An impressive achievement for Dr. Shlomo Wagner from the Department of Neurobiology who, along with three other research partners from universities in Germany, the USA, and France, has been awarded a prestigious grant awarded by the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), a EU-funded organization which encourages ground-breaking research in science. The aim of their study: deciphering the action mechanism in the brain of the hormone oxytocin which is responsible for social communication. The research grant awarded to the four is in the sum of $1.3 million.