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A Molecular Switch Controlling Self-Assembly of Protein Nanotubes Discovered
International collaborative research among South Korea, United States, and Israel research institutionsThe key to the treatment of cancer and brain disease mechanism The molecular switch that controls the self-assembly structure of the protein nanotubes, which plays crucial role in cell division and intracellular transport of materials, has been discovered. KAIST Bio and Brain Engineering Department’s Professor Myeong-Cheol Choi and Professor Chae-Yeon Song conducted the research, in collaboration with the University of California in Santa Barbara, U.S., and Hebrew University in Israel. The findings of the research were published in Nature Materials on the 19th. Microtubules are tube shaped and composed of protein that plays a key role in cell division, cytoskeleton, and intercellular material transport and is only 25nm in diameter (1/100,000 thickness of a human hair). Conventionally, cancer treatment focused on disrupting the formation of microtubules to suppress the division of cancer cells. In addition Alzheimer’s is known to be caused by the diminishing of structural integrity of microtubules responsible for intercellular material transport which leads to failure in signal transfer. The research team utilized synchrotron x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscope to analyze the self assemble structure of protein nanotubes to subnanometer accuracy. As a result, the microtubules were found to assemble into 25nm thickness tubules by stacking protein blocks 4 x 5 x 8nm in dimension. In the process, the research team discovered the molecular switch that controls the shape of these protein blocks. In addition the research team was successful in creating a new protein tube structure. Professor Choi commented that they were successful in introducing a new paradigm that suggests the possibility of controlling the complex biological functions of human’s biological system with the simple use of physical principles. He commented further that it is anticipated that the findings will allow for the application of bio nanotubes in engineering and that this is a small step in finding the mechanism behind cancer treatment and neural diseases.
2014.02.03 View 11306 -
A KAIST research team developed in vivo flexible large scale integrated circuits
Daejeon, Republic of Korea, May 6th, 2013–-A team led by Professor Keon Jae Lee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST has developed in vivo silicon-based flexible large scale integrated circuits (LSI) for bio-medical wireless communication.
Silicon-based semiconductors have played significant roles in signal processing, nerve stimulation, memory storage, and wireless communication in implantable electronics. However, the rigid and bulky LSI chips have limited uses in in vivo devices due to incongruent contact with the curvilinear surfaces of human organs. Especially, artificial retinas recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (refer to the press release of FDA"s artificial retina approval) require extremely flexible and slim LSI to incorporate it within the cramped area of the human eye.
Although several research teams have fabricated flexible integrated circuits (ICs, tens of interconnected transistors) on plastics, their inaccurate nano-scale alignment on plastics has restricted the demonstration of flexible nano-transistors and their large scale interconnection for in vivo LSI applications such as main process unit (MPU), high density memory and wireless communication. Professor Lee"s team previously demonstrated fully functional flexible memory using ultrathin silicon membranes (Nano Letters, Flexible Memristive Memory Array on Plastic Substrates), however, its integration level and transistor size (over micron scale) have limited functional applications for flexible consumer electronics.
Professor Keon Jae Lee"s team fabricated radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) interconnected with thousand nano-transistors on silicon wafer by state-of-the-art CMOS process, and then they removed the entire bottom substrate except top 100 nm active circuit layer by wet chemical etching. The flexible RF switches for wireless communication were monolithically encapsulated with biocompatible liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) for in vivo bio-medical applications. Finally, they implanted the LCP encapsulated RFICs into live rats to demonstrate the stable operation of flexible devices under in vivo circumstances.
Professor Lee said, "This work could provide an approach to flexible LSI for an ideal artificial retina system and other bio-medical devices. Moreover, the result represents an exciting technology with the strong potential to realize fully flexible consumer electronics such as application processor (AP) for mobile operating system, high-capacity memory, and wireless communication in the near future."
This result was published in the May online issue of the American Chemical Society"s journal, ACS Nano (In vivo Flexible RFICs Monolithically Encapsulated with LCP). They are currently engaged in commercializing efforts of roll-to-roll printing of flexible LSI on large area plastic substrates.
Movie at Youtube Link: Fabrication process for flexible LSI for flexible display, wearable computer and artificial retina for in vivo biomedical application
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PpbM7m2PPs&feature=youtu.be
Applications of in Vivo Flexible Large Scale Integrated Circuits
Top: In vivo flexible large scale integrated circuits (LSI); Bottom: Schematic of roll-to-roll printing of flexible LSI on large area plastics.
2013.06.09 View 14792 -
Household Scale Indoor Position Tracking Technology Developed
Technology that will allow household scale position tracking of smartphones indoors, where GPS signals do not reach, has been developed. It is anticipated that the newly developed technology will enable the tracking of persons indoors in an emergency situation or aid in the finding of a lost smartphone.
Professor Han Dong Soo (Department of Computer Sciences) and his research team has developed the technology that enables tracking a smartphone’s location indoors using wireless LAN signals accurate to 10 meters.
Because the technology utilizes wireless LAN signals and the address of smartphone users, the technology can be implemented for a low cost all over the world.
Conventionally the location of a lost smartphone can be found through a telecommunications company. However the location found using the base station is only accurate to 500m~700m and therefore reclaiming lost smartphones is nearly impossible.
In addition, there have been unfortunate events where the kidnapped victim called the police but was murdered due to the inaccuracy of smartphone location tracking.
The newly developed technology by Professor Han’s team remedies the inaccuracy of smartphone location tracking.
Professor Han’s team collected wireless LAN data recorded in the smartphones for a week to analyze the patterns to distinguish patterns between signals recorded in the workplace and in the household.
The stability and accuracy of the technology was verified over a period of five months in various locations across Korea with varying population densities.
The result was when the total amount of data collected passes 50% of the number of households, the technology show accuracy to 10 meters. The result showed that the new technology can track the location of the smartphone to 10 meters on a household scale. In addition it was possible to distinguish which floor the smartphone was located.
The technology is anticipated to improve smartphone positioning. However caution needs to be practiced as the technology requires the address of the user’s workplace and home.
2012.12.21 View 8766 -
Technology that will allow household scale position tracking of smartphones indoors, where GPS signals do not reach, has been developed. It is anticipated that the newly developed technology will enable the tracking of persons indoors in an emergency situ
Technology that will allow household scale position tracking of smartphones indoors, where GPS signals do not reach, has been developed. It is anticipated that the newly developed technology will enable the tracking of persons indoors in an emergency situation or aid in the finding of a lost smartphone.
Professor Han Dong Soo (Department of Computer Sciences) and his research team has developed the technology that enables tracking a smartphone’s location indoors using wireless LAN signals accurate to 10 meters.
Because the technology utilizes wireless LAN signals and the address of smartphone users, the technology can be implemented for a low cost all over the world.
Conventionally the location of a lost smartphone can be found through a telecommunications company. However the location found using the base station is only accurate to 500m~700m and therefore reclaiming lost smartphones is nearly impossible.
In addition, there have been unfortunate events where the kidnapped victim called the police but was murdered due to the inaccuracy of smartphone location tracking.
The newly developed technology by Professor Han’s team remedies the inaccuracy of smartphone location tracking.
Professor Han’s team collected wireless LAN data recorded in the smartphones for a week to analyze the patterns to distinguish patterns between signals recorded in the workplace and in the household.
The stability and accuracy of the technology was verified over a period of five months in various locations across Korea with varying population densities.
The result was when the total amount of data collected passes 50% of the number of households, the technology show accuracy to 10 meters. The result showed that the new technology can track the location of the smartphone to 10 meters on a household scale. In addition it was possible to distinguish which floor the smartphone was located.
The technology is anticipated to improve smartphone positioning. However caution needs to be practiced as the technology requires the address of the user’s workplace and home.
2012.12.21 View 9590
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International Forum on Electric Vehicles 2012
KAIST hosted the International Forum on Electric Vehicles 2012 was held on the 7th of November.
IFEV provided the opportunity for domestic and international front runners of future transportation technology research to come together and discuss the direction and possibility of commercialization of electric vehicles.
The keynote speaker of the forum was Hong Soon Man Director of Korea Railroad Research Institute. Lectures were given by distinguished speakers including Kim Gyung Chul Director of Korea Transportation Research Institute, Takashi Ohira Professor at Toyohashi University of Technology, Tomoyuki Shinkai Professor at Keio University, Christian Kobel Director of Development at Germany’s Bombardier, and Peter Burggraef Professor at Rheinisch University of Technology.
Four topics will be debated on: Future road vehicles and wireless power technology, future high speed railway system, future maritime transportation system, and strategy and policy for green transportation technology.
The IFEV is expected to yield a positive result by allowing government, academia, and industry to come together and discuss the direction of future transportation technology and its social implications.
Detailed information can be found at http://gt.kaist.ac.kr/ifev2012/
2012.11.29 View 8621
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KAIST researchers verify and control the mechanical properties of graphene
KAIST researchers have successfully verified and controlled the mechanical properties of graphene, a next-generation material. Professor Park Jung Yong from the EEWS Graduate School and Professor Kim Yong Hyun from the Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology have succeeded in fluorinating a single atomic-layered graphene sample and controlling its frictional and adhesive properties. This is the first time the frictional properties of graphene have been examined at the atomic level, and the technology is expected to be applied to nano-sized robots and microscopic joints.
Graphene is often dubbed “the dream material” because of its ability to conduct high amounts of electricity even when bent, making it the next-generation substitute for silicon semiconductors, paving the way for flexible display and wearable computer technologies. Graphene also has high potential applications in mechanical engineering because of its great material strength, but its mechanical properties remained elusive until now.
Professor Park’s research team successfully produced individual graphene samples with fluorine-deficiency at the atomic level by placing the samples in Fluoro-xenon (XeF2) gas and applying heat. The surface of the graphene was scanned using a micro probe and a high vacuum atomic microscope to measure its dynamic properties.
The research team found that the fluorinated graphene sample had 6 times more friction and 0.7 times more adhesiveness than the original graphene. Electrical measurements confirmed the fluorination process, and the analysis of the findings helped setup the theory of frictional changes in graphene.
Professor Park stated that “graphene can be used for the lubrication of joints in nano-sized devices” and that this research has numerous applications such as the coating of graphene-based microdynamic devices.
This research was published in the online June edition of Nano Letters and was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Education and the National Research Foundation as part of the World Class University (WCU) program.
2012.07.24 View 17493 -
New wireless charging device developed
The On-line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) developed by KAIST has made a step towards commercialization with the development of a more economic wireless charging device.
Professor Chun-Taek Rim from the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering at KAIST has developed a new I-shaped wireless charging device that differs from the pre-existing rail-type electricity feeder. This device can be modularly produced and requires relatively less construction, significantly reducing the cost of implementation.
The KAIST OLEV is a new concept electric car that has a special electricity collecting device underneath it. The car’s battery is charged by magnetic fields produced from electric lines buried 15cm underneath the road. The vehicle was first tested in 2009, making it the first wireless electric car in the world. OLEV can be charged during stoppage time between traffic lights and receives real-time power when running. OLEV is currently in operation at the KAIST Munji Campus in Daejeon and is also being exhibited at the Yeosu Expo and Seoul Grand Park.
The device itself has a charging capacity of 15kW, and the electricity is supplied through an electricity feeder with a width of 80cm with a space interval of 20cm. Despite being hailed as a technological breakthrough and revolutionary concept, KAIST OLEV has been criticized for problems in commercialization, due to the difficulties in installing wires beneath existing roads, which costs a considerable amount of money.
The new I-shaped wireless charging device reduces the width of the electricity feeder by 10cm, a mere one-eighth of the size of the previous version, and greatly increases the charging power to 25kW. Furthermore, the left and right permissible space of automobiles has increased to 24cm and the magnetic field complies with the international design guidelines, making the OLEV safe for the human body.
The reduction of the width has made the mass production of modules possible, making the installation of KAIST OLEV more economical and marketable. Professor Rim emphasized that compared with the existing rail-type electricity feeder, the new technology will need only one-tenth of the construction time and 80% of the cost, significantly improving OLEV’s constructability and workability.
The research was published in the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics last December, and Professor Rim was invited to talk at the Conference on Electric Roads & Vehicles, which was held in February in the United States, about the new technology.
2012.07.06 View 12685
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Declaration of 2011 International Presidential Forum on Research Universities
The 4th International Presidential Forum on Research Universities was held in Seoul on November 8, 2011. The forum attracted a wide range of participants from around the world, presidents and leaders from 44 higher education institutions in 27 nations. Participants had a full-day of in-depth discussion on the theme of “borderless and creative education.”
At the end of the forum, 29 keynote speakers, representing 120 attendees of the meeting, released a declaration that sums up the main points of consensus on the principles and commitments to be supported by research universities for the development of higher education in the 21st century. For the declaration, please open the attached file.
2011.11.09 View 8403
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New Technology Developed for Analysis of New Drugs by Using Smart Nano-Sensors
Doctor Sang-Kyu Lee
Doctor Sang-Kyu Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, has developed the technology that allows biological nano particles to be implanted into human cells for monitoring the effect of new drugs in real time from within the cell. It is expected that this technology will boost the ability to weigh the effects and properties of a new drug more quickly and accurately.
Conventionally, the candidate drug was injected into the human body, and then its cells are extracted to analyze the effects of the drugs. The problem with this method was that the cells were analyzed at a ‘dead’ state which made it incredibly difficult to find candidate substances due to uncontrollable side effects. This made the development of new drugs very difficult despite the large costs and efforts invested into its development.
The research team latched onto the idea that nanoparticles can connect to form a large complex. The complex acts as a nanosensor which allows for real time observation of drug target and the drug itself binding.
The team named the nanosensor technology ‘InCell SMART-i’ and was named ‘Hot Paper’ of the September edition of ‘Angewandte Chemie International Edition’ magazine, a world famous Chemistry Magazine.When a new drug injected into the human body, the drug and drug targets are gradually combined, and the smart nanosensor detects in real time the effect of the new drug as shown in the pictures above (shaded spot).
2011.09.19 View 10253 -
Late Dr. Ryu Geun Chul's Achievements and Generous Contributions
First Doctor in the field of Korean Traditional Medicine
The late Dr. Ryu was born in 1926 and is the father figure of Korea’s Traditional Medicine and is its First Doctor (1976 Kyung Hee University), and was the vice-professor of Kyung Hee University of Medicine, Vice-Director of Kyung Hee Institute of Korean Traditional Medicine, and was the first chairman of the Association of Korea Oriental Medicine. He developed the painless acupuncture administering device for the first time in Korea in 1962, and succeeded in anesthetizing a patient for cesarean procedure using acupuncture in 1972.
He even was the first to receive a medical engineering doctorate degree from the Moscow National Engineering School in April of 1996 and developed a stroke rehabilitation machine.
Korea’s Most Generous Donor
Dr. Ryu surprised the world by donating 57.8billion Won worth of real estate to KAIST in August of 2008. Dr. Ryu revealed that his reason for donating such a huge sum to KAIST was due to its focused students giving him the belief that the future of Korea is at KAIST and that the development of science and technology is necessary for Korea to develop into a world class nation and KAIST is the institute most suitable to lead Korea in the field.
Dr. Ryu lived on KAIST campus after donating his entire fortune and even established ‘KAIST scholars and spacemen health research center’ and ‘Dr. Ryu Health Clinic’ as he also wanted to donate his knowledge.
Even when he was a professor at Moscow National Engineering University in the late 1990s he carried out free medical work throughout Korea and in recognition of his devoted work, he was named honorary citizen from Chun Ahn city, San Chung city, and DaeJeon city. In 2007 he donated 450million Won to Cheon Dong Elementary School in Chun Ahn city to build a gymnasium and an indoor golf practice range.
Role as Science and Technology Public Relations Officer
Dr. Ryu volunteered to numerous lectures and interviews after donation to advertise science and technology. His belief that the development of science and technology is necessary for Korea’s development was the driving force behind his efforts at increasing interest and support for the field of science and technology.
In addition, through interviews with MBC, KBS, SBS, KTV, Joong Ang Newspapers, Dong Ah Newspaper and other media mediums, Dr. Ryu improved the public perception on donations whilst increasing the pride of scientists and researchers by highlighting their importance and the importance of science and technology.
In recognition of Dr. Ryu’s efforts, he received the 43rd Science Day Science and Technology Creation Award, 2010 MBC Social Service Special Award, and 2010 ‘Proud Chung Cheong Citizen’ Award.
2011.03.22 View 19693
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International Workshop on EEWS 2010 was held.
On October 7 and 8th at Fusion Hall of KI Building, KAIST, the 2010 International Workshop on EEWS (Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability) was held.
The third to be held, forty national and international academic professionals including Mark Shannon, professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Domen Kazunari, Tokyo University professor, Dong Sub Kim, CTO of SK Energy and Doyoung Seung, Senior Vice President of GS Caltex, participated at this year’s workshop.
In twelve sessions, themes including Artificial Photosynthesis, Wireless Power Transfer, Green Aviation, Safe Nuclear Fuel Reuse, Fuel Cells in Action, LED 2.0, Foundation of Energy-Water Nexus, and Flexible Battery & Solar Cell were presented and discussed.
“Through this workshop, current EEWS policy and research progress from different countries and the future of related technologies will be foreseen,” said Jae Kyu Lee, Dean of KAIST EEWS Initiative. “I hope it became an opportunity to create cooperative relationships with leading researchers.”
EEWS is a research project conducted by KAIST to solve global issues that mankind faces today such as depletion of energy, environmental pollution, water shortage, and sustainability.
2010.10.15 View 18487
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Nanowerk Spotlight: Bacteria as environmentally friendly nanoparticle factories, Sep. 24, 2010
The Nanowerk.com is a leading portal site for nanotechnology and nanosciences, which runs a daily news section called “Spotlight.” On September 24, 2010, the Spotlight published an article on the latest developments of the research by a KAIST team headed by Distinguished Professor Sang-Yup Lee of the Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering Department. For the article, please click the link below:
Nanowerk Spotlight: Bacteria as environmentally friendly nanoparticle factories, Sep. 24, 2010
By Michael Berger.
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=18188.php
2010.09.25 View 12000