Respiratory viruses that have diverse strains and mutate rapidly, such as influenza and COVID-19, are difficult to block perfectly with vaccines alone. To solve this problem, KAIST's research team has successfully developed a nasal (intranasal) antiviral platform using AI technology to overcome the existing limitations of interferon-lambda treatments—namely, being "weak against heat and disappearing quickly from the nasal mucosa."

KAIST announced on December 15th that a joint research team—consisting of Professor Ho Min Ktim and Professor Hyun Jung Chung from the Department of Biological Sciences, and Professor Ji Eun Oh from the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering used AI to stably redesign the interferon-lambda protein and combined it with a delivery technology that ensures effective diffusion and long-term retention in the nasal mucosa, thereby implementing a universal prevention technology for various respiratory viruses.

A landmark invited review published in Genomic Psychiatry provides a comprehensive synthesis to date of tau protein's complex roles in both health and disease. Dr. Peng Lei of Sichuan University and colleagues examine how tau, once considered merely a structural protein, participates in iron metabolism, synaptic plasticity, and insulin signaling while also driving pathology in Alzheimer disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and, surprisingly, psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and delirium. The synthesis spans over 300 referenced studies across more than four decades of research, revealing critical gaps in understanding tau's transition from physiological guardian to pathological driver. The review authors propose that tau dysfunction represents a convergence point for multiple neurodegenerative and psychiatric mechanisms, offering new frameworks for biomarker development and therapeutic intervention.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related, progressive, neurodegenerative condition, caused by loss of dopamine-producing neurons. To overcome the shortcomings of conventional levodopa-based therapies, recent focus has shifted to advanced, combination therapies. A recently published review article focuses on the potential of combining stem cell therapy with brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhancement as a synergistic approach to manage PD by offering both symptomatic relief and disease modification.

With heart disease as the leading cause of death worldwide, there is growing recognition that recovery is not only physical but also emotional and social. A new study shows that strong and supportive relationships can indeed improve heart health for individuals with cardiovascular disease. The work is described in an article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier, which calls for intimate partners to be included in cardiac rehabilitation programs to support long-term heart health and quality of life for both members of the couple.

A team of researchers from YOKOHAMA National University, Japan, have discovered a previously unknown species of marine fungus that can kill harmful, bloom-forming algae.

The new species, Algophthora mediterranea, is a form of microscopic chytrid fungus that can occupy a broad range of hosts, suggesting that chytrid fungi – a diverse group of aquatic fungi – may play a greater role in marine ecosystems than previously thought.

Critically, the fungus was identified as a destructive parasite in a species of algae, Ostreopsis cf. ovata, known to cause toxic blooms that have adverse health effects on humans. The findings are published online in Mycologia on December 15, 2025.