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Unveiling the Mechanism of Flowering Time Regulation through Protein Phase Separation
A research team led by Professor Jae-Hoon Jung from the Department of Biological Sciences has revealed that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) in plant cells is delicately and reversibly regulated by changes in ambient temperature and that this phenomenon serves as a key mechanism for determining the timing of flowering in plants. This study was conducted in collaboration with Professor Pil Joon Seo’s group in the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University (first author Dr. Hong Gil Lee) and Professor Jong-Chan Lee’s group in the Department of New Biology at DGIST (first author Ph.D. candidate Jinkwang Kim). The team discovered that GIGANTEA (GI), a core regulator of flowering, undergoes reversible phase separation depending on temperature. At lower temperatures (22°C), GI forms inactive nuclear condensates inside the plant cell nucleus. At higher temperatures (28°C), these condensates dissolve, and GI becomes dispersed and activated. Notably, GI in its dispersed state—rather than in condensates—binds to the floral repressor SVP and promotes its degradation, thereby accelerating flowering under warm temperature conditions. Furthermore, the researchers found that FKF1, a blue-light photoreceptor, selectively binds to the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of GI, enabling the temperature-specific and reversible dissolution of GI condensates at elevated temperatures, thereby activating GI. Previously, in a 2020 Nature paper, Professor Jung’s team identified temperature-dependent phase separation of the ELF3 protein as a plant-specific temperature-sensing mechanism. In this study, they demonstrated that phase separation of a key flowering regulator is a central mechanism enabling plants to fine-tune their development in response to even slight changes in air temperature. This work highlights the potential of developing precision control technologies for plant growth and development based on intracellular phase separation, which could play a crucial role in ensuring stable food production and enhancing agricultural competitiveness under climate change. This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the Rural Development Administration, and was published online in Nature Plants on July 4th. ※ Paper Title: High-temperature-induced FKF1 accumulation promotes flowering through the dispersion of GI and degradation of SVP ※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-025-02019-4 ※ Authors: Prof. Hong Gil Lee (first author, SNU), Ph.D. candidate Jinkwang Kim (first author, DGIST). Ph.D. candidate Kyung-Ho Park (first author, SKKU Department of Biological Sciences), researcher Sol-Bi Kim (co-author, SKKU Department of Biological Sciences), Prof. Jae-Hoon Jung (corresponding author, SKKU Department of Biological Sciences), Prof. Jong-Chan Lee (corresponding author, DGIST), Prof. Pil Joon Seo (corresponding author, SNU) Figure. Working model of FKF1–GI in temperature-responsive flowering
- No. 329
- 2025-09-09
- 3063
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SKKU Next-Generation Channeling Research Center Team led by Prof. Sang-Hyo Kim Leads AI-Based Error Correction Codes for
Prof. Sang-Hyo Kim’s research team at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (IITP NRC: SKKU Next-Generation Channel Coding Research Center) has developing next-generation wireless error correction code technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI), establishing a foundation to lead 6G and future communication technologies. In this study, Prof. Kim’s team developed a Multiple-Masks Attention–based decoding method built upon the Transformer architecture, a core structure of large language models. By leveraging the structural diversity of codes, this approach significantly improves the decoding performance of short block error correction codes and demonstrates the potential for application in ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) for autonomous driving, industrial IoT, and AI-based wireless networks (AI-RAN). In addition, the team applied a boosted learning method to neural decoders for LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) codes, which are currently used in 5G communication systems, achieving extremely low error rates. This result meets the ultra-reliability requirements demanded by 6G, marking an important milestone that is expected to contribute to future 6G standardization and commercialization. These research achievements were realized through collaboration with Prof. Yongjune Kim (POSTECH), Prof. Hee-Youl Kwak (University of Ulsan), Dr. Seong-Joon Park (POSTECH), and Emeritus Prof. Jong-Seon No (Seoul National University). The related technologies were published as two papers in the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications (JSAC) (JCR Top 1.0%, IF 17.2) in April and July 2025. Furthermore, the team presented their work on the Cross-Message Passing Transformer (CrossMPT) decoder at ICLR 2025, one of the world’s top three conferences in machine learning and deep learning, where the academic and technical value of their AI-based error correction technology was internationally recognized. Prof. Kim stated, “AI technology is providing a new paradigm for wireless communications. We expect our research to contribute to the advancement of 6G technologies, AI-native networks, machine-to-machine and AI-to-AI communications, and ultimately the realization of semantic communications.” Established in 2024, the IITP-NRC Next-Generation Channel Coding Research Center at SKKU is the only dedicated research hub in Korea focusing on channel coding (error correction code) technologies for 6G and future communications. The program will continue through 2031. This research has been supported by the Network Research Center (NRC) program of the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), Channel Coding/Decoding and Channel Estimation for Next-Generation Communications, and by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). ※ Paper 1: Multiple-Masks Error Correction Code Transformer for Short Block Codes (Published in July 2025) ※ Paper 2: Boosted Neural Decoders: Achieving Extreme Reliability of LDPC Codes for 6G Networks (2025? 4? ??) ※ Journal: IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications (JCR top 1% in Electrial Engineering) ▲ IIT-NRC SKKU Next Generation Channel Coding Research Center ▲ Architecture of Error Correction Code Transformer with Multiple Masks
- No. 328
- 2025-09-05
- 3335
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World’s First ‘Electrochemical-Based Universal Nanoplastic Sensor’ Developed
A research team led by Professor Jinsung Park from the Department of Biomechatronics at Sungkyunkwan University (co-first authors: Dr. Chihyun Kim and Dr. Joohyung Park), in collaboration with Professor Gyudo Lee’s group at Korea University and Professor Wonseok Lee’s group at Korea National University of Transportation, has developed the world’s first universal sensor capable of precisely detecting nanoplastics of various types and sizes using a single platform. Nanoplastics infiltrate diverse ecosystems and the biosphere—including marine, soil, aquatic organisms, and even the human body—causing ecological disruption and posing threats to human health. However, due to their extremely small size (tens to hundreds of nanometers), they are difficult to detect with conventional filtration or optical equipment. Existing detection technologies are often limited to specific plastic types or shapes, and require expensive instruments and complex preprocessing, making on-site application highly challenging. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a universal sensor technology capable of quantitatively detecting nanoplastics of various types, sizes, and morphologies. Inspired by the natural phenomenon of epizoochory, in which hooked seeds attach to animal fur for dispersal, the research team devised a bioinspired sensor architecture that “attaches” nanoplastics to proteins and then “detaches” them. The sensor leverages amyloid oligomer proteins functionalized on the electrode surface, where interactions with nanoplastics induce measurable electrochemical signal changes, enabling precise detection of nanoscale particles. In particular, the incorporation of gold nanostructure-based micro-protrusions significantly enhanced protein adhesion and detection sensitivity, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.679 ng/mL—over 500 times more sensitive than conventional technologies. Furthermore, high precision and reproducibility were demonstrated not only in various environmental samples such as seawater and sand, but also in real biological samples including Daphnia magna, flying fish roe, and human serum, confirming the feasibility and scalability of the platform as a universal diagnostic tool. This study presents the world’s first universal electrochemical nanoplastic sensor that is not limited to specific plastic types, enabling rapid and sensitive detection without expensive instrumentation. The technology is expected to find wide-ranging applications in environmental monitoring, including water, soil, and food safety, as well as in human exposure assessment. This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (IITP-2025-RS-2023-00258971), the Ministry of Health and Welfare (KH140292), and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2023R1A2C2004964, RS-2023-00222737, RS-2024-00460957, RS-2024-00438542, RS-2025-00561260, RS-2025-00554830, RS-2024-00353529). The excellence of this work was recognized with publication in the Chemical Engineering Journal (Impact Factor: 13.2), a leading international journal in the field of environmental engineering, on June 27, 2025. ※ Paper Title: Epizoochory-inspired universal nanoplastic sensor ※ Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal ※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.165434 Electrochemical nanoplastic sensing inspired by the natural phenomenon of epizoochory
- No. 327
- 2025-09-01
- 3352
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Cutting-Edge Technologies for Converting Waste CO2 into Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most prominent greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. As the world moves toward carbon neutrality, attention is shifting beyond simply reducing emissions to technologies that convert CO2 back into useful fuels and chemical feedstocks. This process is known as direct CO2 conversion. The three studies introduced here present different catalysts that enable the transformation of CO2 into liquid fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, or chemical feedstocks. A common feature among them is the use of hydrogenation reactions—reacting CO2 with hydrogen (H2)—to produce high-value products. 1. Producing Long-Chain Liquid Fuels with an Iron–Zirconia Catalyst The first study developed a catalyst combining iron (Fe) and zirconia (ZrO2) to convert CO2 into long-chain hydrocarbons (C5 and above), which are the primary constituents of liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The catalyst maintained its performance for 750 hours (over a month) under reaction conditions, achieving a world-class C5+ yield of 26%. Zirconia played a multifaceted role—not merely as a support, but also in preventing iron particle agglomeration, enhancing reactivity, and tuning the electronic structure of the active sites. Title: High-yield pentanes-plus production via hydrogenation of carbon dioxide: Revealing new roles of zirconia as promoter of iron catalyst with long-term stability Journal: Journal of Energy Chemistry DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2024.11.010 2. Suppressing Methane Formation to Favor Higher Hydrocarbons with a Cobalt–Zirconia Catalyst The second study focused on a cobalt (Co) and zirconia catalyst that suppresses the “methane runaway” phenomenon often observed in CO2 hydrogenation, instead selectively producing C5+ hydrocarbons used in gasoline, kerosene, and diesel. At the Co–ZrO2 interface, CO2 was effectively activated, promoting reaction pathways that favor longer hydrocarbon chains over methane. The catalyst demonstrated long-term stability, indicating strong potential for industrial application. Title: Elucidating the role of ZrO2 in a cobalt catalyst in the direct hydrogenation of CO2 to C5+ hydrocarbons Journal: Journal of Energy Chemistry DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2025.05.004 3. Producing Higher Alcohols with a Sodium–Copper–Iron Catalyst The third study introduced a catalyst composed of sodium (Na), copper (Cu), and Fe to convert CO2 into C2+ alcohols (such as ethanol and propanol), which have high value as fuel additives and chemical precursors. Sodium enhanced the surface basicity of the catalyst, facilitating CO2 adsorption and C–C bond formation, while oxygen vacancies in the catalyst structure aided in hydrogen activation. This combination delivered both high selectivity and excellent stability. Title: Tandem reductive hydroformylation: A mechanism for selective synthesis of straight-chain α-alcohols by CO2 hydrogenation Journal: Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2024.124978 Significance and Outlook These studies demonstrate core technologies for carbon neutrality by transforming emitted CO2 from a waste product into valuable fuels and chemical feedstocks. They show compatibility with existing petroleum refining infrastructure while achieving world-leading levels of long-term stability, yield, and selectivity. The research highlights the potential of turning CO2 from an environmental burden into a resource, using relatively common metals like Fe, Co, and Cu, and maximizing efficiency and stability through precise structural and electronic tuning. Beyond laboratory success, these breakthroughs have the potential to reshape the petroleum, petrochemical, and fuel production industries of the future.
- No. 326
- 2025-08-26
- 3677
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Ruthenium-Based Oxygen Evolution Catalyst to Replace Iridium, Boosting Green Hydrogen Production
Professor Hyoyoung Lee’s research team (first authors: Yang Liu and Weixuan Wang) has developed a novel ruthenium-based catalyst by introducing tensile strain and doping with tantalum and strontium. This catalyst exhibits superior oxygen evolution performance compared not only to commercial catalysts but also to the most recent state-of-the-art systems. Most notably, it achieves both high efficiency and outstanding stability, demonstrating its potential to replace iridium. Green hydrogen production relies on the electrolysis of water, where hydrogen is produced through a relatively simple two-electron reduction reaction, while oxygen generation involves a more sluggish four-electron oxidation process. The latter is hampered by low reactivity and limited electrode stability, making the use of iridium catalysts indispensable until now. However, iridium suffers from scarcity, high cost, and limited supply, creating an urgent demand for alternative catalysts. The team turned its attention to ruthenium as a promising substitute. While ruthenium is more abundant and less expensive than iridium, conventional ruthenium oxide catalysts suffer from poor stability because lattice oxygen participates in the oxygen evolution reaction. To overcome this limitation, the researchers tuned the energy levels of ruthenium and oxygen orbitals to prevent lattice oxygen involvement, thereby creating a new reaction pathway. They further enhanced performance by applying tensile strain to adjust the electronic structure and by doping with tantalum and strontium to maximize catalytic efficiency. This breakthrough effectively addresses the major bottleneck of oxygen evolution in water electrolysis, significantly improving the commercialization potential of low-cost ruthenium catalysts. The team anticipates that this achievement will enhance the economic feasibility of water-splitting technologies and contribute meaningfully to the realization of a sustainable carbon-neutral society. Supported by the Mid-Career Researcher Program (NRF?2022R1A2C2093415) of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea, this research has been recognized for its excellence and published in Nature Communications (Impact Factor: 15.7), a leading international journal ranked 10th in Multidisciplinary Sciences worldwide. ※ Paper Title: Effectiveness of strain and dopants on breaking the activity-stability trade-off of RuO2 acidic oxygen evolution electrocatalysts ※ Journal: Nature Communications ※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56638-8 Image of improved stability through structural modification of ruthenium catalysts and metal doping
- No. 325
- 2025-08-19
- 3390
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Stereoisomerism of Multi-Functional Electrolyte Additives for Initially Anodeless Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries
A research team led by Professors Hoseok Park and Saebyeok Cho from the Department of Chemical Engineering announced that they have successfully designed stereoisomer-based electrolyte additives and developed functional electrolytes for high-capacity, long-life aqueous batteries. * Stereoisomers: Compounds that have the same atomic connectivity but differ in their three-dimensional arrangement, acting as distinct substances. Recently, research into high-capacity, safe, and low-cost batteries for large-scale applications such as data centers and energy storage systems (ESS) has been active. In particular, zinc, a non-lithium metal, is attracting attention as an anode material for aqueous batteries due to its high capacity, abundance, and ability to be deposited in water-based electrolytes. However, zinc anodes face challenges such as uneven deposition, metal corrosion, and cell swelling caused by hydrogen evolution, leading to reduced efficiency and limited charge–discharge cycles. To overcome this, the development of electrolyte and interfacial control technologies that can induce reversible zinc deposition is required. The research team developed an electrolyte additive technology inspired by stereoisomers found in nature, improving both the reversibility of zinc deposition and the cycle life of aqueous batteries. * Reversibility: The ability of a material to change into another state and then return to its original state. By using the stereoisomers of butenedioic acid—fumaric acid (trans-isomer) and maleic acid (cis-isomer)—which have different electron distributions and spatial arrangements, the researchers created multifunctional additives that simultaneously control the solvation structure and interfacial properties of electrolytes. This enabled them to achieve over 99.9% Coulombic efficiency and a cycle life exceeding 6,000 hours. * Coulombic efficiency: The ratio of discharge capacity to charge capacity. Using advanced analysis techniques such as femtosecond laser spectroscopy, the team further clarified the solvation structures and desolvation dynamics of electrolytes depending on the isomer type. Fumaric acid was shown to form ion-conducting channels at the electrode interface, thereby enhancing the reversibility of zinc deposition. In experiments with copper current collectors coated with zinc and with full cells, they achieved a record-high capacity of 100 mAh/g and a cycle life of over 1,000 cycles. Moreover, they demonstrated anode-free technology using only copper current collectors, achieving stable cycling performance up to 270 cycles in anode-free full cells. Current collector: A thin conductive substrate that enables electron transfer between active materials and external circuits during charge and discharge. Full cell: Unlike half-cells that assume an unlimited zinc supply, a full cell balances the capacities of the anode and cathode, better reflecting the design of commercial batteries. Professor Park, the lead researcher, stated:“The electrolyte additive technology we developed is significant as an economical and efficient approach applicable to various battery systems and compatible with existing process infrastructure. Moving forward, we plan to continue research on high-voltage, high-capacity cathode thick-film technology and tailored electrolytes to raise the energy density of aqueous batteries to the level of lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion batteries.” This research was supported by the Leader Research Program and the Future-Pioneering Convergence Program of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The results were published in Nature Communications on July 10, 2025. (Figure 1) A schematic showing the effects of stereoisomer-based additives (trans-fumaric acid and cis-maleic acid) on solvation structure and interfacial control in suppressing irreversible reactions. The trans-fumaric acid additive, through molecular interactions, induced changes in solvation structure, SEI formation, and ion-channel formation at the interface, thereby suppressing irreversible reactions (hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and dendrite growth) at the zinc anode. ※ Title : Stereoisomerism of Multi-Functional Electrolyte Additives for Initially Anodeless Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries ※ Journal : Nature Communications ※ DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61382-0
- No. 324
- 2025-08-18
- 4007
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Development of AI-optimized, high efficient electrochemical hydrogen production
Professor Jung Kyu Kim’s research group (School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University), in collaboration with Professor Uk Sim’s group (School of Energy Technology, Korea Institute of Energy Technology, KENTECH) and Min-Cheol Kim’s group (Department of Chemistry, Sookmyung Women’s University) developed a facile experimental and systemical condition optimization by genetic algorithm based machine learning catalyst optimization and verification strategy for high efficient electrochemical hydrogen production system. Electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen (H2) production in acidic media has attracted wide attention since its sufficient proton supply towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) induces much favourable reaction kinetics on the surface of catalysts. To develop the rational design of transition metal based electrocatalysts for electrochemical H2 production, high-throughput screening with density functional theory (DFT) simulations and machine-learning (ML) models trained on DFT data has been extensively used to predict candidate materials for high-efficiency catalysts. Although such data-aided screening strategies can be a useful tool for accelerating the design of efficient electrocatalysts, realizing the predicted candidates as practical electrocatalysts is challenging due to the over-simplification of DFT models and the complexity of electrochemical systems. Thus, for the rational design of practical and efficient electrocatalysts, it is critical to use a prediction model that can optimize various experimental factors, including the type of catalyst, which would be the type of an element as the TM dopant in the M@CQD catalyst. Unfortunately, the traditional methods to optimize such experimental conditions are not applicable to electrochemical experiments due to the dependency amongst different variables and poor scaling with the increasing number of optimization variables. Thus, utilizing ML techniques that are effective for such nonlinear multivariable problems is essential. In this work, we present a simple and facile catalyst prediction and experimental condition optimization strategy that can be readily used in the rational design of electrocatalysts by combining the ML-based catalyst prediction and optimization step with experimental and theoretical verification processes. Due to the complexity of the electrochemical system, ML techniques were first used to predict catalytic properties of electrocatalysts to optimize the experimental conditions and find the systemical key factors influencing catalytic performance were considered as input data, including conductors, loading amount, electrode type, temperature, and pH of electrolyte. We used the genetic algorithm (GA), which is advantageous for multivariable optimization problems with a limited amount of prior knowledge, and the Na?ve Bayes classifier during the selection process to accelerate the convergence. The prediction is validated by obtaining experimental data under the predicted optimized conditions. This resulted in the synthesized single atom Ni@CQD electrocatalysts presenting the lower overpotential of 151?mV at 10?mA?cm?2 and Tafel slope of 52?mV?dec?1 for HER, which demonstrates that the ML process can predict the results of unexplored experimental conditions with high accuracy and provide a complete picture of M@CQD HER performance within the parameter space. This innovative research provides effective strategy of rational design and optimization process for M@CQD-based HER electrocatalysts by combining a BGA prediction model with verification steps of electrochemical experiments, thereby accelerating the development of efficient electrocatalytic models. This research achievement was selected as the cover art of journal 'Carbon Energy' (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cey2.70006) on July, 2025. Bayesian Genetic Algorithm and Catalyst Material Synthesis Schematic Development of carbon quantum dot synthesis technology incorporating Ni single atoms Implementation of a high efficient electrochemical hydrogen production system integrated with PEMWE Selected as the cover article of Carbon Energy (July 2025 issue)
- No. 323
- 2025-08-14
- 3321
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Single-Person Households: The Quiet Culprit of Energy Waste?
As the global push for carbon neutrality by 2050 accelerates, the building sector accounts for approximately 30-40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Because emissions from buildings are directly tied to daily life, many countries—especially those in the EU—have prioritized reducing them as a core element of their decarbonization strategies. In South Korea, buildings contribute about 24% of total national emissions, with the share from residential buildings steadily increasing. A particularly important trend is the surge in single-person households. In 2023, single-person household made up 35.5% of all Korean households, with projections suggesting that this figure could approach 50% by 2040. This is not unique to Korea. In major advanced economies like Sweden, Germany, France, and Japan, single-person households already comprise 30-50% of all households. In Stockholm, Sweden, they even exceed 50%, the highest proportion in the world. Recent research is drawing global attention by identifying the rise in single-person households as a significant driver of increased energy use and carbon emissions in the building sector. Professor Doosam Song’s research team conducted a large-scale field study to investigate the actual energy consumption patterns of single-person households in Korea and identify underlying structural causes of inefficiency. Single-Person Households Consume More Than Twice the Energy per Person The team tracked heating, electricity, and how water usage in 518 real households in central Seoul over a full year, recording hourly data. Using an AI-based algorithm to automatically detect occupancy, they analyzed not just raw usage but behavior-driven consumption patterns in detail. The results were striking. On a per-person basis, single-person households consumed significantly more energy than multi-person households. <Comparison of Single- vs. Multi-Person Household Energy Consumption (based on large-scale field measurements) > The main driver of heating energy waste was the habit of leaving heating system running even while away from home. For example, single-person households made up of office workers or students spent most of the day outside but still consumed 43.6% of their daily heating energy while the home was unoccupied. Single-Person Households Lives in Homes Designed for Four Why do people living alone use so much more energy? The core issue is structural. Most housing is still designed and built for four-person households, with heating, electrical, and hot-water systems sized accordingly. Single-person households do not share these systems with others, meaning that even when they turn things off, standby power remains. Hot-water tanks are oversized, heating more water than a single occupant needs. This loss of economies of scale creates a structural limitation, making it inevitable that single-person households consume more energy per person to achieve the same level of comfort and service. . Single-Person Households Lives in Homes Designed for Four Why do people living alone use so much more energy? The core issue is structural. Most housing is still designed and built for four-person households, with heating, electrical, and hot-water systems sized accordingly. Single-person households do not share these systems with others, meaning that even when they turn things off, standby power remains. Hot-water tanks are oversized, heating more water than a single occupant needs. This loss of economies of scale creates a structural limitation, making it inevitable that single-person households consume more energy per person to achieve the same level of comfort and service. A Paradigm Shift in Housing Design and Policy Prof. Doosam Song emphasizes: “This is the first study to reveal the energy consumption problem of single-person households using objective field measurements and algorithmic analysis. Previously, it was merely assumed or overlooked.” He argues that achieving carbon neutrality will require new strategies for housing design, heating/cooling/hot-water systems, and smart control technologies specially targeted at single-person households. Single-person households are no longer a niche or special case—they represent a global structural shift in how people live. Without tailored design and policy, reducing emissions from the building sector will face fundamental limits. This research was supported by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety. It has been published in the leading international energy journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (Impact Factor 16.3) in February 2025. ※ Title: Unveiling energy inefficiencies: A study on building energy consumption in single-person households ※ Authors: Dr. Jisoo Shim (First Author), Professor Doosam Song (Corresponding Author) ※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2025.115546
- No. 322
- 2025-08-07
- 2690
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Amplifying Electromagnetic Fields in Oxide Semiconductors Development of Plasmonic Technology for Converting Light
Professor Jung kyu Kim’s research group (School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University), in collaboration with Professor Ji-hee Kim’s group and Professor Seok joon Kwon’s group, developed a novel plasmonic nanostructure that amplifies the local electromagnetic field (E-field) on a metal oxide-based photoelectrode. This advancement significantly improves photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performance and enables the solar-to-chemical energy conversion by oxidizing glycerol, a major byproduct of biodiesel production, into value-added chemicals. Water electrolysis technology for green hydrogen production, as a zero-carbon and eco-friendly alternative fuel, faces critical limitations in practical application due to the sluggish kinetics of the oxidative reaction at the anode. Therefore, the development of efficient oxidation electrodes is essential for improving water electrolysis performance. To address this, PEC systems that utilize solar energy have been introduced to improve oxidation performance at photoanode. However, transition metal-based photoelectrode materials commonly used in PEC systems still suffer from poor electrical conductivity and poor surface oxidation activity, hindering to achieve efficient oxidation performance at the anode. To resolve the aforementioned drawbacks, the research team was inspired by the solar-driven nature of PEC systems and introduced a plasmonic nanostructure activated by solar energy into the photoanode. This approach achieved a synergistic effect, enhancing the oxidative reaction at the photoanode while realizing efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Utilizing the close relationship between the photoelectrode performance and the generation of internal E-field, the research team designed a novel plasmonic structure that amplifies the E-field through intra-cluster and inter-cluster coupling effects. In particular, an ultrathin insulating layer (~5 nm) was introduced on plasmonic nanostructures to facilitate the energy trasnfer mechanism from amplified E-field to photoanode. This approach enhanced charge transport efficiency, maximized surface photovoltage, and significantly improved surface charge transfer efficiency of photoanode. As a result, the developed c-Au/BVO photoanode exhibited enhanced solar water oxidation performance and enabled the highly active PEC glycerol oxidation reaction, producing high-value-added chemical products. The research team demonstrated improved photo-generated charge carrier dynamics with the introduction of plasmonic nanostructure through transient absorption spectroscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and in-situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, thereby revealed the underlying mechanism of improved oxidative reactions. This research provides a promising solar-to-chemical energy conversion strategy that enhances the oxidation reaction in water electrolysis for practical application and creates value from waste resources in the biodiesel industry, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable carbon-neutral society. This research achievement was accepted for publication in 'Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy' (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2025.125600) on June 15, 2025. ※ Title: Plasmon Induced Field Amplification for Enhancing Photoelectrochemical Oxidative Valorization ※ Journal: Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy ※ Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2025.125600 A high-performance solar-to-chemical energy conversion technology using plasmonic structures that amplify electromagnetic fields Development of an oxide semiconductor electrode incorporating plasmonic structures that amplify sunlight-induced electromagnetic fields The plasmonic structures enhance the light-induced electromagnetic fields, improving photoelectrochemical energy conversion performance (Co-corresponding Author): Professor Seokjoon Kwon, Department of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (First Author): Seunghoon Noh, Integrated Master’s-PhD Program, Department of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University
- No. 321
- 2025-07-31
- 2623
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Regular Light to Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes:
Prof. Jinhee Hur from the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University (President Ji-Beom Yoo), in collaboration with investigators from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has reported that regular light to moderate alcohol consumption* may be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The findings are based on up to 40 years of follow-up from the three large-scale prospective cohorts in the US—the Nurses’ Health Study I and II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study—involving 200,969 women and men. (*Defined as less than 15 g/day for women and less than 30 g/day for men) While excessive alcohol consumption is clearly linked to increased risk of cancers, liver diseases, mental health issues, and injuries, the association between light to moderate drinking and health outcomes, particularly the risk of type 2 diabetes, remains inconsistent across prior studies. Furthermore, limited studies have addressed how specific drinking patterns—including frequency, beverage type, and whether alcohol is consumed with meals—may influence diabetes risk. To address these evidence gaps, the collaborative research group conducted a comprehensive analysis examining not only the amount of alcohol consumed but also various drinking patterns and their combined consequences on the development of type 2 diabetes. Prof. Hur, a corresponding author of the article, emphasized, “Our findings suggest that regular light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes in both men and women; however, this should not be interpreted as a recommendation to initiate drinking for diabetes prevention.” She further noted, “Given the well-established, wide range of physical and mental health issues associated with alcohol consumption, a cautious and balanced interpretation is needed.” This research was supported by the US National Institutes of Health and the National Research Foundation of Korea. It was published in the July 2025 issue of Diabetes Care (impact factor: 16.6). The study was highly acknowledged for its sophisticated and multidimensional analysis of alcohol consumption and drinking patterns with risk of type 2 diabetes, and thus received an invited commentary underscoring its academic significance by world-leading experts in the relevant disciplines. - Title: Alcohol intake, drinking pattern, and risk of type 2 diabetes in three prospective cohorts of U.S. women and men - Journal: Diabetes Care (IF: 16.6, top 2.9% in endocrinology & metabolism) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-1902
- No. 320
- 2025-07-25
- 2984
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Development of High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells Using Caramelized Sucrose as a Natural Additive
A research team led by Professor Il Jeon from the SKKU Advanced Institute of Nano Technology (SAINT) has continuously developed high-efficiency perovskite solar cells based on natural materials. Following their publication in Advanced Materials, their latest findings were published on the 9th of this month in Advanced Energy Materials, another leading journal in the field of energy materials. Professor Jeon's team has been at the forefront of research on bio-based and natural-material additives in the perovskite solar cell field. More recently, they explored the largely uncharted potential of cellulose-based materials (Adv. Mater. DOI: 10.1002/adma.20241032). In an attempt to replicate a prior study from China using sugar as an additive, they found that the strong hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) inherent in sugar actually hindered crystallisation. However, during experiments involving heat treatment of sugar, i.e., caramelisation, they discovered that the caramelised byproducts had a positive effect on crystal growth. This opened up a pathway for the practical utilisation of cellulose-derived natural additives. In this new study, they used caramelised sucrose derivatives formed by thermally decomposing the natural material sucrose as an additive for perovskite solar cells. Sucrose is a naturally derived, unrefined sugar extracted from sugarcane or sugar beet. While purified and recrystallised sucrose caused performance degradation due to its strong hydrogen bonding, the caramelised form obtained by heating at 220°C produced large amounts of humin. This humin assisted the crystallisation of the photoactive perovskite layer, reducing defects and enhancing charge transport, which ultimately led to significant improvements in performance. As a result, the developed perovskite solar cells achieved a power conversion efficiency of 25.26%, the highest reported among solar cells using natural additives. The efficiency was officially certified at 25.07% by Daegu Technopark (DGTP). The devices also demonstrated excellent long-term stability, maintaining over 80% of their initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of continuous illumination. Professor Jeon commented, “This is a meaningful study that establishes a precedent for using biologically derived materials in optoelectronics,” adding that “as a sustainable and eco-friendly technology, this approach holds great promise for future applications in next-generation photovoltaic and display devices.” The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) under the Ministry of Science and ICT, and by JSPS KAKENHI. Experimental work was carried out using equipment provided by the SAINT-MBraun Application Laboratory and MBraun Co. Ltd., including a glove box system. ?Paper Title (Advanced Materials): Natural and Nature-Inspired Biomaterial Additives for Metal Halide Perovskite Optoelectronics DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202410327 Paper Title (Advanced Energy Materials): A Sweeter Solution: Caramelized Sucrose Additives Render Eco-Friendly and High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202501911 Use of caramelised sucrose derivatives formed by thermally decomposing the natural material sucrose as an additive for perovskite solar cells.
- No. 319
- 2025-07-21
- 2731
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A Better Option for Previously Treated Lung Cancer Patients: Dato-DXd Extends Survival and Reduces Side Effects
The TROPION-Lung01 study is a multinational Phase III clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of a novel antibody-drug conjugate, Datopotamab Deruxtecan (Dato-DXd), with the standard chemotherapy drug Docetaxel in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have previously undergone treatment. A total of 604 patients were enrolled, with approximately half receiving Dato-DXd and the other half receiving Docetaxel every three weeks. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), while objective response rates and safety profiles were also assessed. Across the entire patient population, Dato-DXd significantly improved median PFS compared to Docetaxel (4.4 months vs. 3.7 months). This effect was especially pronounced in patients with non-squamous histology, where median PFS reached 5.5 months and median OS extended to 14.6 months, demonstrating meaningful improvements over standard treatment. However, in patients with squamous histology, Dato-DXd did not show clear superiority. Although the overall survival was numerically higher in the Dato-DXd group, the difference was not statistically significant. Regarding safety, Dato-DXd exhibited a generally favorable profile compared to Docetaxel. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 25.6% of patients treated with Dato-DXd, significantly lower than the 42.1% observed in the Docetaxel group. Notably, drug-related pulmonary toxicities such as interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis were more frequent in the Dato-DXd arm but remained manageable. In conclusion, Dato-DXd presents a promising new second-line treatment option for patients with previously treated non-squamous NSCLC, offering improved progression-free survival with a manageable safety profile. This study supports the potential of Dato-DXd to become a new standard of care for this patient population. · Journal : JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY · Title : Datopotamab Deruxtecan Versus Docetaxel for Previously Treated Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Randomized, Open-Label Phase III TROPION-Lung01 Study · Link : https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-24-01544
- No. 318
- 2025-07-14
- 2988
