Japan

Researchers at The University of Osaka developed the Balloon-Assisted Bronchoscope Delivery (BDBD) technique and in a first-in-human clinical trial, the team successfully demonstrated that this technique is both safe and effective, enabling access to lesions smaller than 20 mm. By using a small balloon to gently widen airways, it allows endoscopes to reach deep, peripheral lung tumors, promising more accurate cancer diagnosis and new minimally invasive treatment options.

Researchers from The University of Osaka and Daikin Industries, Ltd. have discovered a key metric, "electrolyte lithium-ion chemical potential," that governs lithium-ion battery performance. This quantitative indicator shows that efficient charging occurs when lithium ions are sufficiently “unstable” in the electrolyte. This breakthrough replaces trial-and-error methods with a rational design approach, enabling faster development of safer, higher-performance batteries for applications like EVs and renewable energy storage.

Researchers at Tohoku University used the Digital Hydrogen Platform - which combines data from over five thousand meticulously curated experimental records - as a tool to guide materials design for hydrogen storage.

As Japan moves closer to becoming the first nation to allow research on human embryos created from lab-grown sperm and eggs, a leading bioethicist at Hiroshima University has cautioned against the widening gap between rapid scientific advances and slower pace of ethical and societal deliberation.

A discovery of electrically controlled triple quantum dots in zinc oxide by the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, moves us closer to energy-efficient quantum devices can be used practically.

The University of Osaka D3 Center and NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) have jointly commenced a demonstration aimed at the application of a wide-area distributed campus AI processing platform that enables on-demand use of GPU’s from compute servers. This demonstration will leverage NEC's "ExpEther," a technology that transmits signals from IT equipment with high reliability and low latency, to build a high-performance AI processing platform that can connect and disconnect compute servers and GPUs on-demand, even when they are in different buildings across campus.

Determining proper subsidies for walking rewards

Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) has optimized how to run a large-scale genome analysis study over ten years – and they are now sharing their innovative techniques as a valuable resource to advance genome research.

Scientists at The University of Osaka developed a new 3D culture scaffold by integrating the strong cell-adhesive domain of laminin-511 into a clinically used fibrin gel, creating a chimeric protein called Chimera-511. This laminin-functionalized fibrin gel supports efficient 3D expansion of human iPS cells while maintaining pluripotency. As a chemically defined, xeno-free material, it offers a promising alternative to Matrigel and a potential platform for clinically applicable organoids and regenerative therapies.

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly method to create gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using microalgae. This "green synthesis" avoids harsh chemicals, resulting in nanoparticles that are more stable than conventional ones. When activated by a laser, these AuNPs effectively destroy cancer cells while showing lower toxicity to healthy cells. This breakthrough promises a more sustainable and safer approach to photothermal cancer therapy and other applications in nanomedicine.

After lecanemab treatment, MRI scans show no short-term change in waste clearance function in Alzheimer’s patients

Did you know your brain might be more receptive to learning new things depending on the time of day? This study examined how a 24-hour cycle alters brain plasticity and neuronal excitability in rats.

UOsaka and MIT scientists revealed that the motor proteins KIF18A and CENP-E work together to align chromosomes during mitosis. Cancer cells with reduced CENP-E levels are especially sensitive to KIF18A inhibition, and dual inhibition of both proteins leads to efficient cell death. The discovery offers new insights into chromosome mechanics and a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.

New molecular dynamics insights pave the way for stronger, lighter hybrid transportation materials

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society the use of three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular dynamics simulations to determine the structure of water in the hydration of different types of chitin nanocrystals, and how this affects their mechanical properties, reactivities, and interactions with enzymes and reactants.

The balance of nutrition in early childhood affects height.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new method to precisely measure nuclear elasticity—the stiffness or softness of the cell nucleus—in living cells. By employing a technique called Nanoendoscopy-AFM (NE-AFM), which inserts a nanoneedle probe directly into cells, the team revealed how cancer cell nuclei stiffen or soften depending on chromatin structure and environmental conditions. The findings provide fundamental insights into how the physical properties of cancer cell nuclei change during disease progression, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.

Researchers at Tohoku University found that a certain catalyst tends towards different reaction mechanisms at high versus low temperatures. This finding can be used to tailor catalysts with more stability, which ultimately could lead to upgrades for electrochemical devices such as batteries.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that rituximab, a monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of nephrotic syndrome in children in Japan, also improves disease management in adults. The drug kept adults with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome or steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome relapse-free for longer, compared with placebo, with good safety. By reducing the frequency of relapses, rituximab may reduce the reliance on corticosteroids and help to improve quality of life among adult patients with these challenging conditions.

To protect the diverse marine ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific region, we need to understand the full picture via collaborative data integration efforts across institutes and different disciplines.

Researchers successfully treat spinal compression fractures using stem cells from fatty tissue

New study argues standard forms of consent for cell donations would not be appropriate for this line of research

A new species of jellyfish has been discovered! Researchers at Tohoku University named this venomous creature Physalia mikazuki, after the crescent moon helmet worn by Sendai’s feudal lord Date Masamune.

Scientists shine a light on the properties of the gemstone ammolite -- a rare type of brightly coloured fossilised ammonite shell.

Researchers from SANKEN at The University of Osaka have successfully developed a groundbreaking “self-evolving” edge AI technology that enables real-time learning and forecasting capabilities directly within compact devices. This innovation, termed MicroAdapt, achieves unprecedented speed and accuracy. It processes data up to 100,000 times faster and achieves up to 60% higher accuracy compared to conventional state-of-the-art deep learning methods. This achievement represents a major advance toward next-generation real-time AI applications across manufacturing, automotive IoT, and medical wearables, addressing critical limitations of existing cloud-dependent AI.

Three‑Layer Trap: Congener‑Specific PCBs Accumulation Driven by the Biological Pump in the Sea of Japan

The Yabu Laboratory at the Tohoku University Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) has recently demonstrated a novel strategy that yields a highly efficient electrocatalyst.

Structural changes and electronic properties of pyrrole-fused aza-nanographene revealed based on oxidation state

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided researchers with a wealth of information on contemporary successes and failures in combating an emerging pathogen. This study outlines a total of 22 opportunities and strategies based on urban functionality and typology to help communities better prepare for and mitigate the effects of the next pandemic.

Development of an emissive molecule that distinguishes between chloroform and dichloromethane through solvent-responsive chirality switching