In the April1 issue of G&D, a Korean research team led by Dr. Kyong-Tai Kim (POSTECH) describes how melatonin production is coordinated with the body‘s natural sleep/wake cycles.Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, which helps to regulate our bodies’ circadian rhythm (the roughly-24-hour cycle around which basic physiological processes proceed). Normally, melatonin production is inhibited by light and enhanced by darkness, usually peaking in the middle of the night. Melatonin‘s expression pattern is mimicked by a protein called AANAT, which is..

Nobel Laureate conferred first POSTECH Honorary DoctorateDr. Roderick MacKinnonPOSTECH, in celebrating 20th Anniversary on December, awarded the first honorary doctorate to Dr. Roderick MacKinnon of the Rockefeller University. Dr. MacKinnon received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 for his work on the structure and operation of ion channels. He is currently the head of Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics which studies the structure and function of ion channels and associated regulatory proteins. International Affairs Office (IAO): First, congratulations on your honorary docto..

First drug delivery method developed for mitochondrial diseasesWhat do Huntington’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease (familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; the disease the physicist Stephen Hawking is suffering from) and Alzheimer’s disease have in common? The answer is mitochondria; these diseases are now called mitochondrial diseases.These incurable degenerative neurological or neuromuscular diseases, together with apoptosis (programmed cell death) and aging, are understood to occur largely at mitochondria sites. What then are mitochondria? Mitochondria (plural of mitochondr..

A research achievement first published in the world’s foremost chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie by a prominent Korean chemist and his coworkers has gained spotlight with additional coverage in Nature Nanotechnology, Chemistry World and other world’s leading chemistry and medical related journals.Prof. Kimoon Kim and his team at the Dept. of Chemistry have developed a novel approach to the production of polymeric nanocapsules, which has revolutionized our understanding of manufacturing nanocapsules. Furthermore, the research has generated much interest not only from chemists in t..

A research team of Department of Life Science’s Center for Biomolecular Recognition and Division of Molecular and Life Science, consisting of Professor Byung-Ha Oh, Doctor Jae-Sung Woo, and Doctor Jae-Hong Lim, has solved secrets of the ring-shaped molecular structure of the MukBEF condensin, the key mediator of chromosome condensation.In eukaryotic organisms, chromosomes are found in the nucleus of every cell. Before cell division, chromosomes are condensed, and the two replicated copies of the chromosomes are partitioned into the two daughter cells. In prokaryotic organisms, chromosome..

Practical recombinant hybrid mussel bioadhesiveWhat man-made good exists that provides us both life’s necessity and luxury? A popular seafood cuisine, mussels are enjoyed all around the world. They can be smoked, boiled, or steamed to be served alone or as an ingredient of a larger dish. It can also produce beautiful pearls and jewelry. Now scientists have discovered another use for this nature’s gift. Professor Hyung Joon Cha and his team at the Department of Chemical Engineering have developed a novel type of practical recombinant hybrid bioadhesive material that originates from ..

Honorable founding Chairman Tae-Joon Park, fellow Postechians, guests, ladies and gentlemen!We are gathered here today to commemorate the significant occasion of POSTECH’s 20th Anniversary.I would like to extend my deepest respects to the founding Chairman Tae-Joon Park for his dedication and resolution to establish a world-class research-oriented university despite overwhelming criticism and opposition 20 years ago and to POSTECH Foundation and POSCO for their absolute confidence and wholehearted support. Also, warm welcome is due to the many dedicated people who have contributed to mak..

Revolutionary plastic memory devices developedRecent increases in demand for mobile devices have stimulated the development of nonvolatile memory devices with high performance. These nonvolatile memory devices are unpowered computer memory devices such as USB flash drives. However, with recent developments will soon see foldable electronic newspapers, books, magazines, and even wearable computers. Professor Moonhor Ree (Department of Chemistry) and Professor Ohyun Kim (Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering) research team, in their paper entitled, “Novel Digital Nonvolatile ..

Ultra-fast flash light revealing mystery of atoms, into the world of attoseconds (10-18 second)Beyond the femtosecond (10-15 second) barrierAs momentary flash lights capture the motion of fast moving objects such as a bullet or explosion splinter, ultra-fast laser lights can be utilized to take pictures of ultra-fast natural phenomena following their dynamical change. The last decade has observed a rapid progress in femtosecond laser technology. This development allows us to carry out new kinds of experiments to open up a new area of nature that has never been explored before. Is there no phen..

30-nano class Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) nano-transistor: comparative advantages in its performanceEasy manufacturing process: less than half the cost of commercializationIt is possible to receive and enjoy various multimedia contents such as music, movies, and other data, at speeds of several tens of Mbps using high-speed internet widely available in households. Studies on the improvement of communication speeds have been continuously conducted over the recent years.Professor Yoon-Ha Jeong and research team have successfully succeeded in developing 35-nano GaAs nano-transistors (metamorphic HEMT..