The renowned British architect, Norman Foster, is to lead the redesign of the largest brain research centre in Israel.

Lord Foster's firm has been chosen to redevelop the Hebrew University's Edmond and Lily Safra Centre for Brain Sciences.

The company's previous projects have included the British Museum's Great Court and London's City Hall, as well as the new Reichstag building in Berlin and Beijing Airport, which is the world's largest single building. They will be working with a Jerusalem-based architecture firm on the project

The project will be the first time Lord Foster has worked in Israel.

The final design is expected to incorporate large public spaces, state-of-the-art lab facilities and a designated "imaging centre" for biological research.