Research

Alzheimer’s-Linked Protein Tau Play a Role in Cell Division

[POSTECH Researchers Propose a Tau–DNA Condensate-Based Mechanism Linking Chromosomes and Microtubules] All processes such as wound healing, hair growth, and the replacement of old cells with new ones depend on cell division. During this process, chromosomes inside the cell must be evenly divided between two daughter cells. Even slight errors can lead to cellular abnormalities. A research team at POSTECH has recently uncovered new clues suggesting that a protein called tau plays an important role in this highly regulated process. The findings were published in the international journal Nature Communications. Tau is a protein frequently mentioned in Alzheimer’s disease research. In neurons, it stabilizes microtubules, which are slender structural components inside cells. In the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, however, tau is known to aggregate abnormally. More recently, tau has been reported to gather various molecules within the cell to form small structures known as condensates, but the significance of its interaction with DNA has remained unclear. The research team focused on this unexplored area. During cell division, chromosomes are captured by bundles of microtubules called spindle microtubules, which pull them apart into two daughter cells. For this process to proceed correctly, chromosomes and spindle microtubules must be precisely connected. The researchers used single DNA molecules to investigate whether tau assists in this connection. They found that tau binds to DNA to form condensates, moves freely along DNA strands, and pulls nearby strands together. Using high-resolution fluorescence imaging, the team further confirmed that tau–DNA condensates act as attachment points that capture microtubules. This interaction was observed not only in in vitro experiments but also in living cells. The researchers also found that phosphorylation, a chemical modification of tau, affects this process. When tau modified in a manner observed in Alzheimer’s disease was expressed in cells, abnormalities were detected in chromosomes that failed to align properly during cell division. This suggests that even subtle changes in tau can affect the accuracy of the entire cell division process. The team expects that this discovery will provide new perspectives not only for research on infertility and congenital disorders, but also for studies on neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Minju Shon, who led the study, said, “This work suggests that tau can directly interact not only with microtubules but also with DNA, potentially linking the two structures. It also shows that tau may be involved in the early stages when chromosomes first establish connections with spindle microtubules during cell division." The study was conducted by Professor Min Ju Shon (Department of Physics and Division of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering, POSTECH), Celine Park and Jaehun Jung (integrated Ph.D., Department of Physics, POSTECH), Professor Dong Soo Hwang (Division of Environmental Science & Engineering, Division of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering, and Graduate School of Convergence Science & Technology, POSTECH), and Dr. Yuri Hong (Division of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering, POSTECH; currently at the Max Planck Institute). This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Outstanding Young Researcher Program and Basic Research Laboratory Program). ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67888-x

Skin Can ‘Pre-Learn’: Priming Cells for Regeneration Before Injury

[how mosaic partial reprogramming enhances wound repair responses] It is well known that students who prepare in advance perform better on exams. Now, it appears that the skin can do the same. Rather than scrambling to repair itself only after injury occurs, a Korean research team has demonstrated that preconditioning a subset of skin cells into a “ready state” enables the tissue to initiate rapid and effective healing immediately upon injury. A collaborative study led by Professor Sekyu Choi at POSTECH, alongside Professor Jong Kyoung Kim, and researchers Minjun Kwak, Eunjun Choi, Yemin Jo, together with collaborators from the Institute for Basic Science, the Catholic University of Korea, and the University of Washington, reveals how partial cellular reprogramming of skin epidermal cells reshapes surrounding cells and the tissue microenvironment to accelerate wound healing. The findings were published in Nature Communications. The skin, the body’s outermost barrier, is constantly exposed to injury. While minor wounds typically heal within days in healthy individuals, healing can take months—or fail entirely—in elderly patients or those with conditions such as diabetes. To address this challenge, regenerative medicine is increasingly turning to cellular reprogramming. This process commonly relies on four proteins known as the Yamanaka factors(Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc), which can revert cells to an embryonic-like state. However, fully reprogrammed cells carry a major drawback: uncontrolled growth and dedifferentiation, raising the risk of tumor formation and limiting clinical applicability. Rather than full reprogramming, the team adopted a more restrained approach—what they describe as a “gentle rewind.” Crucially, they applied this selectively to a subset of cells. Instead of exposing all cells to the four transcription factors, only a limited number were targeted—and even these were not fully reset, but merely shifted into a slightly more youthful state. This strategy, termed mosaic partial reprogramming, represents a deliberately cautious, dual-layered intervention that both limits the number of targeted cells and moderates the extent of reprogramming. In animal models, even in the absence of injury, the skin entered a “pre-regenerative mode.” Not only the reprogrammed cells, but also neighboring normal cells, immune cells, and the broader tissue microenvironment began to change. This coordinated response was driven by activation of key signaling pathways—including PI3K-AKT, EGFR, and HIF-1α—which are central to cell survival, growth, and adaptation to hypoxic conditions. In effect, cells were signaling to one another: “An injury may be coming—let’s prepare.” When wounds were subsequently introduced, the benefits became even more pronounced. New epithelial layers formed more rapidly, blood vessel growth and immune responses were more precisely regulated, and overall healing accelerated. Scarring was also reduced. Notably, these improvements were observed even under diabetic conditions, where wound healing is typically impaired. “This study is the first to show that manipulating only a fraction of cells can reshape the state of the skin tissue as a whole through intercellular communication,” said Professor Choi. First author Minjun Kwak added, “Our findings could lay the groundwork not only for therapies targeting chronic wounds in diabetic or elderly patients, but also for anti-aging technologies and the development of regenerative medicines and biomaterials.” The research was supported by the Artificial Blastema Cell-based Regenerative BioTherapeutics Program (Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Health and Welfare), the Excellent Young Researchers Program, the Basic Research Program, the Development of Immune Mechanism Control Technology Program, and the ATLAS-Based Stem Cell Therapy Development Project for Intractable Diseases (Ministry of Science and ICT). ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69047-2

“Why Water Is Special” Mystery Finally Solved

[Ten years of persistent research leads to a discovery that could rewrite textbooks] Why is water densest at 4°C? Why is it so essential for the emergence and sustenance of life? These fundamental questions can feel like they must have clear answers somewhere in a textbook. Surprisingly, they have long been among the most stubborn puzzles in science. Now, after a decade of sustained effort, scientists have identified the underlying cause of water’s unique properties. The findings could rewrite textbook explanations of water. A team led by Professor Kyung Hwan Kim in the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH, in collaboration with Professor Anders Nilsson in the Department of Physics at Stockholm University, has successfully observed water’s liquid-liquid critical point (LLCP)1), one of the most challenging problems in science for decades. The study, which answers a fundamental mystery of water, was published in Science on March 26 (local time). Water is one of the most extensively studied substances, but also one of the most difficult substances to fully explain. A leading hypothesis proposed to account for water’s unique properties is the existence of a liquid-liquid critical point, a special point where two distinct liquid forms of water become indistinguishable. Scientists have predicted that if the LLCP exists, it would be hidden in a deeply supercooled regime, roughly between -40°C and -70°C, sometimes called “no-man’s-land.” To test the hypothesis experimentally, researchers must directly measure liquid water that remains unfrozen below -40°C. But in this temperature range, water freezes faster than conventional measurement methods can capture, making direct observation effectively impossible for decades. Over the last ten years, the research team steadily pursued this problem despite the long-standing experimental barrier. They overcame it by using an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL)2), a source often described as “dream light”, capable of producing extremely intense X-ray pulses and capturing molecular-scale motion occurring within one ten-trillionth of a second. The experiments were performed using PAL-XFEL at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. In 2017, the team became the first in the world to show that it is possible to probe liquid water without freezing down to -45°C, demonstrating that the previously “inaccessible” region could in fact be explored. In 2020, they advanced their experimental approach by utilizing amorphous ice3), extending measurements to liquid water down to -70°C and providing the first evidence that, at ultralow temperatures, water can exist in two distinct liquid states. Both studies were published in Science and drew broad attention. In the newly published work, the researchers tracked how water changes with temperature and pressure in far greater detail than before. They report the first direct observation of a liquid-liquid critical point, near -60°C, where water transitions from two distinct liquid states into a single supercritical liquid state. With this observation, the team has now identified the fundamental origin of water’s extraordinary behavior. This achievement is not a short-term result, but the culmination of long-term persistence aimed at a foundational scientific question. By turning what had remained largely theoretical into experimentally grounded evidence, the team has pushed our understanding of water into a new phase. Professor Kyung Hwan Kim said, “The intense debate in the scientific community, spanning many years, over water’s unusual properties and a liquid-liquid critical point has finally been brought to a close.” He added, “This discovery will serve as a starting point for uncovering the essential roles water plays in living systems and in a wide range of natural phenomena.” This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), through the Outstanding Young Scientist Grant program and the Leading Research Center Support Program, and by the Samsung Science and Technology Foundation. ▶️ DOI: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aec0018 1. Liquid-liquid critical point (LLCP): The point at which the distinction between two liquid phases of water, high-density liquid and low-density liquid, disappears, giving rise to a single liquid phase like the water we experience in everyday life. It has been proposed as the origin of many of water’s anomalous properties. 2. X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL): An ultra-bright X-ray source, often described as providing light up to ten quadrillion times brighter than the Sun, that can observe structural changes occurring on timescales of about one ten-trillionth of a second at the molecular level. This study used PAL-XFEL at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, where many cutting-edge experiments are conducted. 3. Amorphous ice: A glass-like form of ice in which water molecules are arranged without a crystalline structure, in a disordered configuration. Its discovery and use have enabled certain low-temperature measurements, including those involving cryogenic electron microscopy.

Softens Inside the Body? The Emergence of ‘Transformation Electrodes’

[A spinal cord neural interface using variable stiffness and liquid metal; ensures ease of insertion and long-term electrical stability] What if chronic diseases, which are difficult to treat with medicine alone, could be managed with electricity? As "neuromodulation"—a technology that restores bodily balance by sending signals directly to nerves—gains attention, a Korean research team has brought this possibility one step closer to reality. A research team led by Professor Sung-Min Park (Department of IT Convergence Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology) and Dr. Sunguk Hong (Department of Mechanical Engineering) at POSTECH has developed a spinal cord stimulator that remains rigid during insertion but softens upon contact with bodily fluids. The findings were published on the 4th (local time) in the online edition of npj Flexible Electronics, a Nature partner journal specializing in biomedical engineering. Chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes are often attributed to lifestyle or genetics. However, recently, the medical community has increasingly recognized "neural imbalance" as a fundamental cause. This is why neuromodulation1)—restoring the body's regulatory functions by sending electrical signals directly to nerves—is emerging as a powerful alternative to traditional drug therapy. The core component of neuromodulation is the neural interface that attach closely with nerves. The challenge has been a paradox: the device must be rigid enough to accurately pass through the narrow spinal canal during insertion, yet soft enough to mimic surrounding nerve tissue once placed. The research team’s solution is "transformation." By applying a variable stiffness structure using a water-soluble "sacrificial layer," the device is designed to remain rigid during insertion and soften within minutes upon contact with bodily fluids. Much like a hard medicinal capsule dissolves in the stomach to release its contents, this device reacts to its environment to change its physical state. Once softened, the device conforms closely to the spinal cord and moves naturally with the neural tissue. The team also improved the method of electrical transmission. Instead of "solid metals," which can cause unstable signals as resistance changes with body movement, the researchers utilized liquid metal. Liquid metal maintains its electrical properties even when its shape changes, allowing for stable signal transmission in dynamic environments. Furthermore, they succeeded in reducing costs. Traditional neural interfaces are expensive due to high-cost semiconductor processes and the use of gold materials. However, the team significantly lowered manufacturing costs by using liquid metal and laser processing technologies. When attached to the spinal cords of rats to regulate the sympathetic nervous system, the device successfully reduced blood pressure and stably recorded sensory signals triggered by painful stimuli to the paw. This confirmed its potential as a "bidirectional neural interface" capable of both electrical stimulation and signal measurement. The applications for this technology are vast. It could provide new options for patients who face limitations or side effects from drug treatments, including epilepsy and depression via vagus nerve stimulation, hypertension and paralysis rehabilitation via spinal cord stimulation, and overactive bladder via tibial nerve stimulation. Professor Sung-Min Park, who led the study, said, "This is a neural interface technology that combines mechanical and electrical performance alongside the convenience required in clinical settings,“ adding, "It is noteworthy for its potential to evolve into an intelligent neuromodulation system for treating chronic diseases." Meanwhile, this research was conducted with support from Pioneering Convergence Science and Technology Development Program and Priority Research Institute Program of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Doctoral Research Fellowship Program and the Mid-career Researcher Program of the Ministry of Education, National Research Laboratory 2.0 Program of the Ministry of Science and ICT & the Ministry of Education. ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-02049-7 1. Neuromodulation: Neuromodulation refers to invasive or non-invasive methods that go beyond traditional pharmacological treatments to manage conditions like depression, pain, and cognitive decline by regulating the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems through electrical, magnetic, or optical stimulation.

DNA Steps Out of the "Blueprint" Role to Become an Active "Field Agent"

[A platform for precise cellular control using "non-genetic DNA" decoupled from genetic information] Stepping away from its billions-of-years-old role as a genetic "blueprint," DNA is now embarking on a new journey as an active "field agent" within cells. This research by a team led by Professor Jongmin Kim and Ph.D. candidate Geonhu Lee from the Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH was published in the online edition of the international chemistry journal, Nature Chemistry. A cell is like a small, tirelessly operating factory. Within this factory, "proteins" and "RNA" act as the "field workforce," being produced when needed and degraded once their roles are fulfilled. In contrast, "DNA" serves as the "blueprint" orchestrating all these programmed activities. Thus, it is critical to store this blueprint safely within the factory, and it should not be misplaced or modified unintentionally. While DNA can sometimes be utilized as a tool rather than a genetic material—such as in PCR tests to check for coronavirus infections—these manipulations of DNA typically are operational only outside the cell. When inside a living cell, DNA becomes restrained once again to play its original role as a "blueprint." The research team aimed to address this particular feature that has limited the use of DNA in a broader context. Their breakthrough innovations to license DNA for free use inside the cell was achieved by repurposing a unique bacterial DNA synthesis system called "Retron." Typically, DNA multiplies by directly copying existing DNA templates inside the cell. However, the retron system employs "reverse transcription," to synthesize new DNA by reading an intermediate genetic material called RNA. More importantly, the retron DNA created in this manner can show remarkable stability and independence from other genomic DNA in the cell. In essence, the blueprint of the cell can now go around and do groundwork in the factory rather than staying in the cabinet. By carefully engineering the retron system, the research team succeeded in directly generating DNA fragments with programmable functions inside the cell. These DNA fragments bind to specific proteins and modulate cellular behavior without destabilizing the cell's genetic information. Based on this technology, the research team demonstrated three synthetic biological applications: ▲regulating specific gene expression by utilizing DNA as a "bait" to attract proteins, ▲instantaneously controlling the localization and functionality of proteins within the cell by detecting specific signals, and ▲semi-permanently recording molecular events for brief exposure to input signals. Now, DNA has become a "field agent" that can follow orders, change its location, and perform actions such as recording of molecular events for transient signals. This novel platform technology has far reaching implications beyond the state-of-art DNA-based circuit designs. The ability to capture and record transient disease markers in real-time—such as for cancer or inflammation—provides the framework to develop "smart biotherapeutics" with autonomous control and feedback regulation for therapeutic regimen. The engineered living biosensors can also be deployed to detect pollutants like microplastics or heavy metals in the environment. Graduate student Geonhu Lee, who led the study, highlighted the contribution to the field, stating, "We have provided the necessary framework to open up a whole new design space that unfetters DNA from its role as 'genetic material.'" Professor Jongmin Kim added, "We now have access to a foundational technology that can potentially be used to revolutionize multiple application areas, including medicine, environment, and energy." This research was supported by the Ministry of Education's Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Project, the Ministry of Science and ICT's Basic Research Program, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Global Research Cooperation Support Project, the Gyeongsangbukdo Food Tech Support Center Establishment and Operation Project, the National Institute of Biological Resources' Green Convergence Technology Research Professional Training Project, and the BK21 FOUR Project. ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-02049-7

Finding Order in Disorder: A New Mechanism that Amplifies Transverse Electron Transport

[POSTECH Researchers Discover a New Physical Mechanism that Enhances Transverse Electron Transport in Amorphous –Crystalline Composite Structures] For decades, it has been widely believed that electrons move most efficiently in materials that are clean and highly ordered. Much like water flowing more easily through a smooth pipe, conventional wisdom has held that electrical transport improves as a material’s internal structure becomes more perfectly arranged. However, a recent study shows that the opposite can also be true. A research team at POSTECH in South Korea has discovered that engineered disorder can actually enhance electron transport. The work was conducted by Prof. Hyungyu Jin of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at POSTECH, Dr. Sang Jun Park (currently a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan), Prof. Hyun-Woo Lee of the Department of Physics at POSTECH, and Ph.D. student Hojun Lee. Their findings were recently published in Physical Review Letters, a leading journal in physics published by the American Physical Society. The researchers investigated a phenomenon known as transverse electron transport, in which an electrical voltage emerges perpendicular to the direction of the applied current or temperature gradient. Such effects occur in magnetic materials and are actively studied because they can be used in technologies such as magnetic sensors, next-generation electronic devices, and thermoelectric systems that convert heat into electricity. Until now, achieving strong transverse transport was generally thought to require exotic quantum materials or extremely high-quality single crystals with very few defects. In other words, the prevailing view was that materials needed to be as structurally ordered as possible. Instead of trying to eliminate disorder, the research team took a different approach. They physically combined two magnetic materials while preserving the distinct properties of each component. The resulting composite contained coexisting amorphous (disordered) and crystalline regions. Surprisingly, the transverse electron transport in this mixed structure became significantly stronger than in either material alone. Both experiments and theoretical calculations confirmed the enhancement. The key lies in how electrons move through the composite material. Rather than traveling in straight paths, electrons follow complex trajectories as they pass through regions with different structural and electronic properties. As their motion repeatedly bends while navigating these regions, the sideways component of their movement becomes amplified, leading to stronger transverse transport. The findings challenge a long-standing assumption in materials science that the properties of composite materials simply reflect the average of their constituent components. Instead, the study demonstrates that the way different materials are structurally integrated can itself generate entirely new physical effects. The researchers also showed that the phenomenon does not rely on rare or expensive quantum materials. Experiments using iron-based magnetic systems produced transverse transport performance comparable to that of some high-quality quantum materials, suggesting a new pathway for designing high-performance electronic materials using relatively accessible compounds. “This work opens a pathway toward designing high-performance materials without relying on rare quantum materials,” said Prof. Hyungyu Jin, the corresponding author of the study. “The concept could lead to new opportunities in spintronics and thermoelectric energy-conversion technologies.” Co-corresponding author Prof. Hyun-Woo Lee added, “Our results suggest a new perspective in which disorder is not merely a defect to avoid, but a structural element that can be deliberately used in materials design.” The research was supported by the Samsung Future Technology Development Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and the Ministry of Science and ICT. The experimental samples were provided by Proterial Korea.

“Smart Photonic Healthcare Devices” How Light Is Transforming the Future of Healthcare

[POSTECH · University of Oxford · Northwestern University, highlighting research trends in photonic nanomaterials and smart healthcare] A research team led by Professor Sei Kwang Hahn (Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, POSTECH) has published an Editorial (foreword article) for an Advanced Materials Special Issue, in collaboration with Professor Dame Molly Stevens (University of Oxford, UK) and Professor John Rogers (Northwestern University, USA). The Editorial was recently published online in Advanced Materials and was selected as the cover article. It provides a systematic overview of the latest advances and future directions in photonic nanomaterials and healthcare devices. Light can be precisely controlled in terms of wavelength, intensity, and frequency, enabling highly precise manipulation of cells and tissues. A broad range of medical technologies have been developed with light, including fluorescence imaging, photoacoustic imaging, photothermal and photodynamic therapies, photobiomodulation, and optogenetics. Recently, the convergence of miniaturized LEDs, stretchable and flexible electronics, and wireless communication technologies has further expanded the field toward wearable and implantable medical devices. This Special Issue captures these trends in a comprehensive framework. Across a total of 17 papers, including 1 Perspective, 9 Reviews, and 7 Research Articles, it presents photonics-enabled smart healthcare through four sub-themes: (i) nanomaterials for diagnosis and therapy, (ii) wearable photonic devices, (iii) implantable photonic devices, and (iv) integration with digital healthcare. Rather than simply listing individual achievements, the issue emphasizes an integrated view of the field’s technological status and development trajectory, underscoring its academic significance. The Editorial also addresses practical challenges that must be resolved for photonic technologies to be widely adopted in clinical settings. Key cross-cutting issues include long-term stability, immunocompatibility, scale-up, and medical regulatory pathways. For wearable devices, compliance and data security are highlighted as major concerns, whereas for implantable devices, wireless energy transfer and foreign-body responses are identified as critical hurdles. If these technical challenges are overcome, healthcare can be changed dramatically. Small devices worn on the body can detect early disease signals, light-based therapies can complement drugs and surgery, and personalized precision medicine would become a part of daily life. This is why photonic technologies become increasingly important for the shift from hospital-centered care to healthcare embedded in daily life. Professor Hahn noted, “The convergence of photonic nanomaterials and digital devices is an important trend that blurs the boundary between diagnosis and treatment and advances human-centered precision medicine. We hope this Special Issue will serve as a meaningful reference point for understanding and accelerating research in photonics-based smart healthcare.” This work related to this Editorial was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) under the Ministry of Science and ICT (including the BRIDGE program and Basic Science Research Program), the Multi-ministerial Medical Device R&D Program, the B-IRC program, and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202518886

Mussel Adhesion Meets Conductivity: New Bioglue for Bioelectronic Implants

[POSTECH and Pukyong National University researchers develop a conductive bioglue that seamlessly integrates tissues and electronic devices in the fluid‑filled body] A research team led by Professors Hyung Joon Cha (POSTECH) and Kang-Il Song (Pukyong National University) has successfully developed a conductive bioglue that ensures both firm adhesion and stable electrical signaling within the human body. Inspired by the way mussels cling to underwater rocks, this new biomaterial is expected to revolutionize muscle and nerve regeneration as well as the stability of implantable medical devices. The body's internal environment, much like the ocean, is filled with blood and interstitial fluids, making it extremely difficult for materials to remain attached. This has been a major hurdle in connecting damaged tissues or attaching bioelectronic devices, such as pacemakers and brain stimulators, to organs. Conventional adhesives often exhibit weak bonding in wet environments and poor electrical conductivity, making it difficult to achieve long-term monitoring and treatment. To overcome these challenges, the team developed a liquid protein-based adhesive that is immiscible (does not mix with water) and highly conductive. They integrated an electro-crosslinking technology that enables the adhesive to solidify into a gel within seconds upon receiving an electrical stimulus, securing it precisely at the target site. The efficacy of this innovation was clearly demonstrated in diverse experimental settings. In tissue-to-tissue interface tests, the adhesive successfully restored interrupted electrical signals between nerves and muscles in severed tissue, promoting regeneration and immediate recovery of motor functions without the need for additional sutures. Furthermore, in tissue-to-device interface experiments, the adhesive enabled medical devices to be securely affixed to organ surfaces without sutures or toxic chemical adhesives. This integration significantly reduced electrical resistance between the organ and the device, enabling stable, long-term, high-precision monitoring of biological signals. "This research presents a new biomaterial technology that goes beyond simple adhesion to provide stable signal transmission even in the body’s harsh environment," said Professor Hyung Joon Cha of POSTECH. "It will contribute significantly to rehabilitation and healthcare, serving as a key adhesive material for next-generation implantable bioelectronics and nerve regeneration therapies." This study, conducted by the research team, including Mr. Hyun Tack Woo and Dr. Jinyoung Yun from POSTECH, was recently published online in Biomaterials, a leading international journal in the field of biomaterials. The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123904

Multiply and Subtract Your Way to More Lifelike VR Avatars

[Prof. Inseok Hwang’s team unveils ArithMotion, enabling socially-aligned avatar motions with simple arithmetic inputs] POSTECH Professor Inseok Hwang’s team has developed ArithMotion, a mobile virtual reality (VR) system that enables anyone to express a wide range of avatar motions with ease. Using simple arithmetic-like controls, users can scale an avatar’s motion up or down and reverse it into an opposite response, allowing more natural nonverbal communication without expensive equipment. In social VR platforms such as VRChat, people communicate through their avatars’ movements, facial expressions, and gestures. In particular, bodily motions are a key channel for building emotional connections between users and enhancing immersion and a sense of agency. However, because most users do not have access to expensive full-body tracking equipment, they are often limited to repeating preset motions—making natural, spontaneous communication difficult. In this study, the team focused on a natural form of social behavior known as “peer relativity”—the way people instinctively mirror others’ actions or respond in the opposite direction. They brought this phenomenon directly into VR avatars: when another player celebrates a win with an excited gesture, your avatar can respond in the same way, while threatening behavior from others can trigger a more defensive, protective reaction—preserving a more lifelike sense of social realism. The key idea is an intuitive, arithmetic-style input method. If a user multiplies another person’s motion by a number, such as 2, the avatar produces an amplified, more expressive reaction; applying a minus sign generates an opposite response. Much like pressing “+” or “−” buttons on a calculator, users can convey their intent through simple inputs without complex controls. The team implemented the technology as a mobile-ready system, making it practical for real-world use. As a result, even in motion-limited settings such as mobile VR, users can express a variety of socially-aligned motions. Instead of repeating the same preset gestures like a robot, they can react in ways that match their intent—allowing them to feel more like themselves, even in virtual spaces. This work is significant in that it helps narrow the gap in nonverbal expression caused by differences in hardware, opening a path for more people to communicate on more equal terms. Professor Inseok Hwang, who led the study, said, “ArithMotion was designed so that avatars can respond naturally to others’ actions, enabling more lifelike communication in VR,” adding, “We also expanded its potential applications by making it usable on smartphones.” Jaewoong Jang, the first author of the paper, added, “We focused on helping the system understand users’ intent accurately and express it in a much more natural way.” This study—conducted by Professor Inseok Hwang’s team in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at POSTECH (integrated Ph.D. student Jaewoong Jang, Ph.D. student Sungjae Cho, and undergraduate student Yeseul Shin)—was recently presented at ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST 2025), a leading international conference in the VR field. This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea through the Mid-career Researcher Program and the Future Convergence Technology Pioneer Program, as well as by grants from the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, and the Korea Innovation Foundation. ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3756884.3766039 1. ArithMotion : A portmanteau of “arithmetic” and “motion.” It refers to a method that generates new avatar motions by applying simple arithmetic operations—such as multiplication and subtraction—to another person’s movements.

Typhoons: The Hidden Lifeline in a Drying World

[Prof. Jonghun Kam’s team identifies the role of typhoons in mitigating droughts through an analysis assuming a world without typhoons] A research team led by Professor Jonghun Kam from POSTECH has revealed that typhoons are a critical factor in mitigating global droughts by simulating a scenario where typhoon-induced precipitation is removed. The study delivers the message that "imagining a world without typhoons is the starting point for understanding future droughts," and was recently published in Geophysical Research Letters, a leading international journal in the field of Earth sciences. Typhoons are commonly perceived as disasters that bring floods and destruction. However, the rain they leave behind plays a vital role in delaying droughts and maintaining the water cycle. Despite this, the impact of a lack of typhoons on drought has rarely been systematically analyzed. This study began with a simple but profound question: "How much would drought patterns change if typhoons never occurred?" Using global data spanning 40 years (1980–2020), the research team conducted global hydrological model experiments comparing scenarios with and without typhoon precipitation. Essentially, they placed a "world with typhoons" and a "world without typhoons" side-by-side to analyze differences in soil moisture, river runoff, and drought intensity. The results showed that if typhoon precipitation was removed, soil moisture declined sharply across many regions worldwide, leading to significantly more severe drought conditions. Notably, the way typhoons moistened the soil and the duration of that effect varied significantly by region: • Arid and semi-Arid Regions (e.g., Oceania): Soil moisture provided by typhoons vanished within a year, and the absence of typhoons resulted in extreme drought. • Humid Regions (e.g., East Asia): Soil moisture did not deplete entirely even without typhoon rain. These findings indicate that while a lack of typhoons is a decisive trigger for drought in some regions, it acts as a condition that exacerbates drought in others. This research introduces a new variable for water management in the era of climate change. As typhoon paths and frequencies shift, some regions may face droughts far more severe than anticipated. These impacts may extend beyond agricultural production to include water resource management, urban water supply, and disaster response strategies. Professor Jonghun Kam highlighted the significance of the study, stating: "While landfalling typhoons have primarily been a research interest as the key cause of flooding and damage, this study scientifically shifts the perspective toward its role in alleviating droughts. The findings of this study highlight the need for climate models that can accurately simulate both typhoons and droughts simultaneously." This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) through the Individual Basic Research Program. ▶️ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL120290