The evolutionary success of our species may have hinged on minute changes to our brain biochemistry after we diverged from the lineage leading to Neanderthals and Denisovans about half a million years ago 

Two of these tiny changes that set modern humans apart from Neanderthals and Denisovans affect the stability and genetic expression of the enzyme adenylosuccinate lyase, or ADSL. This enzyme is involved in the biosynthesis of purine, one of the fundamental building blocks of DNA, RNA, and other important biomolecules. In a study to be published in PNAS, researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan and the Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany have discovered that these changes may play an important role in our behavior, contributing new pieces to the great puzzle of who we humans are and where we come from. “Through our study, we have gotten clues into the functional consequences of some of the molecular changes that set modern humans apart from our ancestors,” says first author Dr. Xiang-Chun Ju of the Human Evolutionary Genomics Unit at OIST.  

Kyoto, Japan -- Opioids like morphine are widely used in medical practice due to their powerful pain-relieving effects. However, they carry the risk of serious adverse effects such as respiratory depression and drug dependence. For this reason, Japan has strict regulations in place to ensure that these medications are prescribed only by authorized physicians.

In the United States, however, the opioid OxyContin was once prescribed frequently triggering a surge in the misuse of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. As a result, the number of deaths caused by opioid overdose surpassed 80,000 in 2023, escalating into a national public health crisis now referred to as the "opioid crisis".

Opioids may soon have a rival, however. A team of researchers at Kyoto University has recently discovered a novel analgesic, or pain reliever, which exerts its effect through an entirely different mechanism. Clinical development of their drug ADRIANA is currently underway as part of an international collaborative effort.

While Japan is renowned among mountaineers for its challenging mountain terrain, it is also known for its high number of mountaineering accidents. Therefore, researchers developed a deep learning model that uses contextual information such as time of day, weather, mountain characteristics, and climbers’ details to accurately identify and predict four major categories of climbing accidents. This enables climbers and rescue teams to be better informed and prepared with safety measures at the planning stage. While Japan is renowned among mountaineers for its challenging mountain terrain, it is also known for its high number of mountaineering accidents. Therefore, researchers developed a deep learning model that uses contextual information such as time of day, weather, mountain characteristics, and climbers’ details to accurately identify and predict four major categories of climbing accidents. This enables climbers and rescue teams to be better informed and prepared with safety measures at the planning stage.

Researchers at Kyoto University have discovered that an immune molecule found only in primates, called IGFL2, plays a key role in regulating inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IGFL2 is produced by a subset of immune cells in the joints of patients with RA and acts like fuel on a fire: it activates more immune cells, further amplifying inflammation and worsening joint damage. They also found that IGFL2 levels were much higher in the blood of patients with RA, especially in those with more severe symptoms. These findings support IGFL2’s potential as a diagnostic marker, a tool for monitoring disease progression, and a target for new therapies, paving the way for earlier detection, more effective treatments, and better quality of life for people with RA worldwide.

A newly developed white organic light-emitting diode operates at under 1.5 volts, report researchers from Institute of Japan. By using triplet–triplet annihilation to generate blue light at low voltage and adding in yellow and sky-blue dopants, the research team achieved efficient white emission. This breakthrough could contribute to reducing energy consumption in the future in state-of-the-art displays, including television backlights and lighting devices, advancing portable electronics and sustainable technologies.

A research team from Kumamoto University has made a groundbreaking discovery that reveals how the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) silently persists in the body, potentially laying the foundation for new therapeutic approaches. Their findings, published on May 13, 2025, in Nature Microbiology, identify a previously unknown genetic “silencer” element that keeps the virus in a dormant, undetectable state.

Researchers at Kumamoto University and Nagoya University have developed a new class of two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using triptycene-based molecules, marking a breakthrough in the quest to understand and enhance the physical properties of these promising materials. This innovation opens new possibilities for multifunctional applications in gas/molecular sensors, electrochemical energy storage, and spintronic devices.

New study reveals that the stereochemistry of lipid nanoparticles critically influences safety and efficacy in mRNA delivery.