- Combining wine components and precision synthetic polymers to create nanomachines carrying adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs)

- Nanomachine wrapping of AAV suppresses the production of neutralizing antibodies and also overcomes hepatotoxicity, a side effect of gene therapy with AAV, for the first time in the world.

- Efficient gene therapy with gene-loaded AAVs as a new approach to clinical application

- Published in ACS Nano as a result of joint research by iCONM and Institute of Science Tokyo

Quantum spin liquids are fascinating states of matter where magnetic spins stay disordered, defying the usual rules of magnetism. Professor Yasuyuki Ishii and his team have made an exciting discovery about one such material, β’-EtMe₃Sb[Pd(dmit)₂]₂. Instead of acting like a 2D system as expected, it behaves like a 1D system. This breakthrough changes how we understand these mysterious materials, offering new insights into magnetism and opening doors to advances in quantum materials and technology.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder with unclear causes, affecting about 10% of the global population. Researchers from Japan have now discovered that opioid delta-receptor agonists may alleviate IBS symptoms by acting directly on the central nervous system. Using a novel stress-induced mouse model, they found these drugs reduce abdominal pain and regulate bowel movements. This research suggests a promising approach to treating IBS by targeting stress as a contributing factor.

A collaboration led by researchers at Osaka University has developed a versatile platform with an electrically controlled nanogate that can be used for applications in sensing, chemical synthesis, memristors, and neuromorphic computing. The nanogate, which consists of a pore in a membrane, is closed by the formation of a precipitate and opened by the dissolution of the precipitate, which are regulated by the applied voltage.

Scientists have developed a high-resolution distributed temperature sensing technique using plastic optical fibers, achieving a spatial resolution of 4.8 centimeters. This breakthrough, based on Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry (BOCDR), enables precise detection of temperature changes over short distances, with potential applications in structural health monitoring and industrial diagnostics.

Researchers at Osaka University developed advanced terahertz photodetectors containing ‘living’ microelectrodes. A vanadium dioxide (VO₂) layer was precisely deposited on a silicon substrate. Temperature regulation modulated the size of conductive metallic areas in VO₂, forming a dynamic microelectrode network that selectively enhanced the response of the silicon substrate to terahertz light. These advanced photodetectors reveal the potential of modifiable metamaterials such as VO₂ to overcome the performance limitations of traditional materials.

The Kobe University start-up Photo-on-Demand Chemical Co. Ltd. demonstrated that it can produce methane from sewage to refine it into pharmaceutical raw materials and other useful chemicals. For this, TSUDA Akihiko, the CEO and associate professor at the Graduate School of Science, and his team have developed a “photoproduction” method that produces such chemicals by shining light on methane and chlorine, etc. The company was established in April 2024 and began demonstration tests at a sewage treatment plant of Kobe City in September. We asked Tsuda about the background to the research, which also promotes decarbonization policies known as “green transformation” (GX) in Japan, and future developments.

Thirty years have passed since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, often referred to as “the birthplace of volunteerism” in Japan. Today, it is common to see volunteers involved in the recovery and reconstruction of disaster-stricken areas. On the other hand, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in 2024 has raised various issues, including moves by the government to restrict the activities of volunteers. What is the role of volunteers in disaster-stricken areas? We interviewed Professor MATSUOKA from the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, who as a specialist in social education continues to do research on and practice community empowerment.

During the summer of 2024, while the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games were in full swing, the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games (PAMG), an international multi-sport event for masters athletes, took place in Cleveland, USA. Professor CHOGAHARA Makoto from the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment participated in the 10-day event both as an athlete and as a board member of the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), the organizing body, and shared in the excitement of rubbing shoulders with rivals from around the world. With the World Masters Games 2027 Kansai coming up, we asked Chogahara, who specializes in sports promotion and serves as a council member for the event, about its significance and the role lifelong sports play in an aging society.

What created the Noto Peninsula landscape we know today? After examining the devastation from the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, researchers from Tohoku University have a theory.