Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an artificial photosynthesis technology that produces precursors of biodegradable nylon from biomass-derived compounds and ammonia.

Natural compounds from plants and animals have long been used in drug development, but mushrooms remain underexplored despite their rich chemical potential. Now, researchers from Japan have successfully developed the first method to synthesize inaoside A, a compound derived from the edible mushroom Laetiporus cremeiporus. This achievement will help better understand more of its bioactive properties and pave the way for similar mushroom-derived compounds in pharmaceuticals and functional foods.

With the increasing number of foreign residents, the importance of Japanese language education is on the rise. Starting from the academic year 2024, Kobe University has been designated as the Kinki regional hub school for MEXT’s “Japanese language teacher training and development promotion hub project.” This comes at a time when the landscape of teacher training is undergoing significant changes, such as the establishment of a national qualification for Japanese language teachers, which allows for “registered Japanese language teachers,” starting this year. What role will Kobe University play as a hub school in this evolving environment? We spoke with Professor ISHIKAWA Shin’ichiro of the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, who is in charge of the project, about specific initiatives and future prospects.

The “Open Seminar” is a forum for dialogue between researchers and citizens on themes such as disaster prevention and recovery. Organized once a month by the Kobe University Research Center for Urban Safety and Security, its 300th session will be held in November 2024. The series started in May 1997, about two years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It was initiated by Professor Emeritus MUROSAKI Yoshiteru (then a professor at the Faculty of Engineering), who deeply felt the importance of disseminating information to the public after the disaster claimed the lives of over 6,000 people. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the disaster in January next year, starting this September, researchers from various fields will be invited each month to discuss the theme “30 years since the earthquake and the future.”

With the increasing impact of climate change becoming more and more tangible, achieving carbon neutrality—net-zero greenhouse gas emissions—has become an urgent priority.

The key is hydrogen, often referred to as the ultimate energy medium. Hydrogen does not emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) when burned and can be obtained from a variety of sources. In November 2023, Kobe University established the Research Center for Hydrogen Energy Technology (HyTec), which is engaged in research with an eye toward the future.

In nature, phenomena involving multiple fluctuations often arise interactively. At the ASDEX Upgrade^*1 experimental device in Germany, two plasma fluctuations driven by energetic particles have been observed in conjunction. Assistant Professor Hao Wang and Professor Yasushi Todo of the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), in collaboration with researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Germany, successfully reproduced the coupled generation of the two fluctuations using a simulation code developed at NIFS and performed on a supercomputer. Through detailed analysis, they clarified that as the first fluctuation grew, the distribution function^*2 of the energetic particles was significantly deformed, which caused the second fluctuation to occur in conjunction. Energetic particles and fluctuations are deeply involved in maintaining the high-temperature plasma necessary for the realization of fusion energy. This achievement will greatly contribute to research in these areas.

Juvenile dolphins were found to have specialized receptors for fatty acids on their tongues, offering new insights into their growth and feeding habits.

DNA-nanoparticle motors are exactly as they sound: tiny artificial motors that use the structures of DNA and RNA to propel motion by enzymatic RNA degradation. Essentially, chemical energy is converted into mechanical motion by biasing the Brownian motion. The DNA-nanoparticle motor uses the "burnt-bridge" Brownian ratchet mechanism. In this type of movement, the motor is being propelled by the degradation (or "burning") of the bonds (or "bridges") it crosses along the substrate, essentially biasing its motion forward.

These nano-sized motors are highly programmable and can be designed for use in molecular computation, diagnostics, and transport. Despite their genius, DNA-nanoparticle motors don't have the speed of their biological counterparts, the motor protein, which is where the issue lies. This is where researchers come in to analyze, optimize, and rebuild a faster artificial motor using single-particle tracking experiment and geometry-based kinetic simulation.

The discovery of a family with sequence similarity 102 member A (Fam102a) protein as a novel bone remodeling factor that regulates both osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation can aid the development of innovative therapeutic strategies to counter osteoporosis. Their research findings reveal the intrinsic role of Fam102a in the nuclear trafficking of key transcription factors-regulatory proteins involved in the complex bone remodeling process

Transition metals have long been used as catalysts to activate small molecules and turn them into valuable products. However, as these metals can be expensive and less abundant, scientists are increasingly looking at more common elements as alternatives. In a recent study, researchers used a concept called “frustrated Lewis pairs” to develop a transition metal-free catalyst for activating hydrogen. This breakthrough could lead to more sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient chemical processes.