In the spring of 2025, the African Conviviality Center was established in Kobe University’s Graduate School of Intercultural Studies. Established to more consciously promote exchange between African researchers and students, this organization, which has incorporated Africa into its name, is a rarity in Japan. After nearly a full year of activity at the center, we sat down to talk with Professor UMEYA Kiyoshi, dean of the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies and a major promoter of the center’s creation, to talk about the role of the center, what can be expected from the university and Africa’s current situation and position in international society. 

A new study shows that a simple measurement from routine chest X-rays can help predict survival among patients with lung cancer and breathing disorders. Researchers found that lower diaphragmatic dome height (DDH) before surgery was associated with poorer long-term outcomes and higher respiratory-related deaths. This is the first study to establish DDH as a practical prognostic marker, offering a low-cost, widely accessible way to identify high-risk patients and guide treatment decisions.

The behavior of battery electrode slurries under coating-like shear conditions influences the electrical connectivity, resistance, and cycle stability of the final electrode. A new study from Tokyo University of Science uses a method called rheo-impedance spectroscopy to analyze slurry behavior under different shear conditions that simulate real manufacturing. It identifies an intermediate shear rate that disperses particles evenly while preserving conductive networks, leading to lower electrode resistance and better cycle stability.

anti-Markovnikov hydration of alkenes has remained a long-standing challenge in chemistry due to limitations of conventional catalysts. Researchers have now demonstrated that photoexcited copper(II) complexes can achieve this transformation via single-electron oxidation under mild conditions. This approach enables the synthesis of valuable alcohols from a wide range of alkenes, including less reactive aliphatic substrates. The study introduces a new strategy for photoredox catalysis using earth-abundant metals, offering a sustainable alternative to precious metal-based systems.

A tiny change to the arrangement of organic molecules in nanoparticle systems can result in a massive change to material properties. By synthesizing gold nanoparticles coated with two different types of organic molecules, a research team has uncovered new insights into this phenomenon.

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) has opened applications for the 2027–2028 cohort of its flagship Innovation Accelerator. The 10-month program supports entrepreneurial researchers developing deep technologies with strong potential for commercialization in the Japanese market.

Researchers from The University of Osaka and collaborators developed a wastewater-based method to estimate influenza incidence by measuring viral RNA concentrations in wastewater. The approach can separately estimate influenza A and B trends and may detect epidemic changes about one week earlier than conventional patient report data. The study highlights wastewater surveillance as a promising complement to existing public health systems for earlier healthcare preparedness.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers found that a nonuniform particle size distribution in the solid electrolyte significantly improves the efficiency of lithium‑ion transport within the electrodes.

Different psychiatric symptoms stem from different disruptions in the brain, suggesting that targeting those specific disruptions could enable more precise treatment. This study focused on coupling between two brain regions linked to rumination — the repetitive, intrusive negative thinking common in depression. Using real-time fMRI functional connectivity neurofeedback, a technique that allows people to observe and regulate their own brain activity, 68 subclinical participants with depressive symptoms were guided to shift this coupling pattern toward what is typically seen in healthy individuals. As participants' brain activity moved closer to the healthy pattern, their rumination symptoms improved. The same was not seen for unrelated symptoms like anxiety. Furthermore, the broader brain networks containing these regions also showed healthier activity patterns. Overall, this targeted, brain-based approach holds promise for more precise psychiatric treatment — one that addresses the specific neural roots of individual symptoms rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.