Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan have created the world’s smallest fully programmable, autonomous robots: microscopic swimming machines that can independently sense and respond to their surroundings, operate for months and cost just a penny each. Barely visible to the naked eye, the robots are smaller than grains of salt and could advance medicine, manufacturing and more.

In a newly published review, Professor Xiao-Jun Huang's team at Peking University People's Hospital explore how haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT), once limited by severe immune complications, has transformed into a routine treatment and a unique platform for studying the restoration of immune homeostasis.

Identifying the molecular basis of obesity has been a cornerstone in metabolic research. Building on this, a research team from Chonnam National University Medical School, Republic of Korea, discovered a new role of Ret finger protein (RFP) in driving fat cell formation and metabolism. They found that mice lacking RFP resisted weight gain and had better metabolic profile even on a high-fat diet—highlighting RFP as a promising target for obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste, contains natural umami and kokumi-active compounds. A new study from Jeonbuk National University found that monosodium glutamate (MSG) and nucleotide-based seasonings affect doenjang soup differently. Nucleotides mainly boost umami, while MSG strongly enhances both umami and kokumi, resulting in higher consumer acceptance.