New Patent is a Research Milestone

It could be a breatkthrough in biological pest control. And it’s the first patent by a Sapir faculty member.

Dr. Lilach Mondaca, head of the Science Department at Sapir Academic College, has pioneered a new, environmentally friendly technology to protect crops against destructive parasites. It’s all part of a major, international effort to find natural alternatives to dangerous chemical pesticides. Mondaca’s research team also included scientists from Ben Gurion University, the Volcani Research Institute and Achva Academic College. Led by Prof. Arieh Zaritsky of Ben Gurion, the project was funded jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Biodalia Microbiology Technologies. As part of their efforts, the team discovered a new strain of Bacillus Thuringiensis, hitherto unknown to science. The goal of the project was to develop bacterial agents for the industrial production of biological pest management techniques.  Mondaca’s work is a perfect example of applied research, driven by the spirit of innovation at Sapir and inspired by the agricultural ethos of the Western Negev region.