Tel Aviv University Canada is proud to share news of a historic milestone for Tel Aviv University and for the future of neuroscience research worldwide.

Driven by the conviction that scientific breakthroughs do not happen in isolation, the Larry and Judy Tanenbaum Family Foundation has established the Tanenbaum Open Science Fund in perpetuity at the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University (TAU).

More than a philanthropic investment, this gift represents a vision for how science can better serve humanity: through openness, collaboration, and the free exchange of knowledge across borders. The Fund will advance open science practices, strengthening transparency, accessibility, reproducibility, and global cooperation so discoveries can move faster from the laboratory to the people whose lives depend on them.

For Larry and Judy Tanenbaum, this initiative reflects a longstanding commitment to building institutions and ideas that create lasting impact for future generations:

“Open science is built on a simple conviction: discoveries should not sit behind a patent while patients wait. We are proud that Tel Aviv University is the first international institution to join us, forging a lasting link between two of the great research communities in Canada and Israel.”

This moment also marks a major milestone for the Tanenbaum Open Science Institute, as TAU becomes its first international partner and its only Israeli partner. The collaboration reflects a shared belief that the greatest scientific progress happens when researchers work together rather than apart.

Through the Fund, and under the leadership of Prof. Tom Schonberg, open science infrastructure will become embedded within the Sagol School of Neuroscience, empowering researchers to share findings more efficiently, collaborate across disciplines and continents, and accelerate progress in understanding neurological and psychiatric disorders. The ripple effects will extend far beyond academia, ultimately benefiting clinicians, patients, and families around the world waiting for answers.

Michael Tenenbaum, National Chair of Tel Aviv University Canada, reflected on the broader significance of the initiative: “Open science has the power to transform both the pace and impact of discovery. This fund supports not only neuroscience at Tel Aviv University, but also a global research culture grounded in shared knowledge.”

The Sagol School of Neuroscience is internationally recognized for its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together leading experts across scientific and medical fields to tackle some of the most complex challenges in brain science. Its collaborative model makes it a natural home for an initiative rooted in openness and innovation.

“Open science only works when great institutions are willing to do research differently, sharing openly rather than competing in silos. The Sagol School has that mindset, which makes it the right first international partner for the Institute. We are confident TAU’s researchers will use these tools to move discoveries from the lab to patients faster than ever before,” said Julie Tanenbaum-Albert, President, Larry and Judy Tanenbaum Family Foundation.

The Fund was originally created to advance open science across Canadian neuroscience research institutions. Its expansion to Tel Aviv University builds on a longstanding relationship between the Tanenbaum Family Foundation and Tel Aviv University Canada — a relationship grounded not only in philanthropy, but in a shared commitment to advancing knowledge, strengthening institutions, and improving lives through research.

“This is a transformative investment in how science is conducted and shared,” said Stephen J. Adler, CEO of Tel Aviv University Canada. “The Tanenbaum Open Science Fund will significantly strengthen Tel Aviv University’s role within the global scientific community.”

At its heart, this gift is about possibility: the possibility that when knowledge is shared more openly, discoveries can come sooner, collaboration can reach farther, and science can better fulfill its promise to humanity.

For more information:

Sagol School of Neuroscience | Tel Aviv University

About the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences | Faculty of Medicine | Tel Aviv University