KAIST

Much like a courier reading an address on a package, neurons must deliver RNA to the precise locations where it is needed. A KAIST research team has discovered how a small chemical modification on RNA acts as a “delivery tag,” helping selected RNAs travel to distant regions of neurons. The findings provide a basis for investigating RNA “delivery errors” in brain disorders—cases in which RNA is produced normally but fails to reach its intended destination—and may ultimately inform the development of new therapeutic strategies. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 14 that a research team led by Professor Ki-Jun Yoon of the Department of Biological Sciences has identified a mechanism through which N6-methyladenosine, or m6A, facilitates the transport of specific RNAs to distal axons, the long, cable-like projections of neurons. Unlike most other cells, neurons have long, highly branched extensions. Axons transmit signals to other neurons, while dendrites receive incoming signals. For the brain to develop and function normally, these structures must grow properly and form appropriate connections. Because neurons can extend over considerable distances, RNA produced in the cell body may be needed far away, including at the growing tip of an axon. Neurons must therefore identify particular RNAs among thousands of candidates and transport them to the correct subcellular locations. Just as producing a package does not complete its delivery—the package must also reach the correct address—producing RNA is only part of the process. RNA must arrive at the right place at the right time. However, the mechanisms through which neurons select and transport RNAs over long distances have remained incompletely understood. The research team found that m6A, a small chemical modification added to RNA, plays an important role in this process. m6A is a modification of adenosine, one of the building blocks of RNA, and is known to influence several aspects of RNA metabolism, including stability and translation. The new study shows that m6A can also function as a molecular “delivery tag” that promotes the transport of specific RNAs to distal regions of neurons. The researchers first examined mice in which Mettl14, a component of the enzyme complex that installs m6A on RNA, was deleted from developing neurons. In the absence of normal m6A modification, the neurons exhibited impaired axon projection and neurite development. These findings confirmed that m6A plays an important role in the early development of neurons. The team then used a high-resolution technique known as m6A-SAC-seq to map the precise locations of m6A modifications in RNA from the developing mouse brain at single-nucleotide resolution. The resulting map revealed that RNAs associated with axon development and synapse organization were among those marked by m6A. The researchers also identified how this “delivery tag” is recognized and connected to the cellular transport machinery. They found that YTHDF2, a protein that recognizes m6A-modified RNA, works with the RNA-binding protein FMRP and the motor protein KIF5C to facilitate the transport of RNA along neuronal processes. In the delivery analogy, m6A serves as the tag attached to the RNA, YTHDF2 reads the tag, and FMRP and KIF5C help connect the RNA to the cellular machinery that carries it toward its destination. YTHDF2 has previously been studied primarily for its role in promoting the degradation of RNA that is no longer needed. This study reveals an additional function: in developing neurons, YTHDF2 also helps transport specific RNAs to distal locations rather than simply directing them toward degradation. The findings offer a new perspective on the study of brain disorders. Research has traditionally focused on whether RNA is produced and maintained correctly. The new results suggest that researchers should also consider whether normally produced RNA is delivered to the correct location within a neuron. In other words, neurological dysfunction may potentially arise not only from defects in RNA itself, but also from problems with the molecular tags or transport machinery that determine where the RNA travels. Future studies could investigate whether such RNA delivery errors occur in neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders and whether they contribute to neuronal dysfunction or disease onset. If such links are established, the findings could eventually support the development of therapeutic approaches that regulate RNA transport and restore the delivery of specific RNAs to their intended locations. The high-resolution m6A map of the developing nervous system generated in this study may also serve as a valuable resource for examining how RNA modification and intracellular transport change during brain aging and neurodegenerative disease. “Our study shows that a small chemical modification on RNA does more than regulate RNA stability—it also plays an important role in delivering specific RNAs to the locations where they are needed within neurons,” said Professor Yoon. “We hope these findings will provide a foundation for understanding why RNA may fail to reach its intended destination in brain disorders and for exploring new therapeutic possibilities.” Bonsang Koo, Dr. Ajeet Kumar, and Huiseon Hwang of the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences contributed equally to the study as co-first authors. The paper was published in Nature Communications on July 30. Paper title: The m⁶A reader YTHDF2 regulates mRNA transport and axon outgrowth in developing neurons DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-76161-8 Author information: Co-first authors (Bonsang Koo, Ajeet Kumar, Huiseon Hwang); Contributing authors (Minyeong Park, Sung-Min Lee, Ki-Heon Lee, Ji-Hoon Moon, Jaewon Yang, Chan-Woo Park, Saebom Lee, Hee-Jung Jo, Woo-il Kim, Eunji Cho, Hagyeong Lee, Chang-Won Lee, Jae-Sung Woo, Jong Hyuk Yoon, Yoon Ki Kim); Corresponding author (Ki-Jun Yoon) This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants (2020M3A9E403967022, RS-2024-00332454, RS-2024-00440778, and RS-2026-25488918 to K.-J.Y.) funded by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT, and Future Planning (MSIP), the POSCOScience Fellowship from the POSCO TJ Park Foundation (to K.-J.Y.), the Young Investigator Grant from the Suh Kyungbae Foundation (to K.-J.Y.), the Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI) Basic Research Program through the Korea Brain Research Institute, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) (24-BR-02-03 to J.H.Y).

A "wearable electroceutical" has been developed that could reduce the need to visit a hospital or rely on painkillers every time pain occurs. When attached to the skin, it modulates pain through electrical stimulation and can be remotely controlled via smartphone even across long distances, such as between Korea and the United States. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 13 that a joint research team led by Professor Jae-Woong Jeong from the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST and Dr. Sanghun Lee from the KIOM (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, President Sung-Kyu Kho) has developed a wearable electroceutical platform that combines a wireless microneedle (fine needles that adhere to the skin) electroceutical with Internet of Things (IoT)-based remote control technology. The key feature of this research is that a single small skin-attached device integrates stable electrical stimulation, smartphone-based remote control, and automatic stimulation based on the body's physiological state. Once its efficacy and safety are validated with actual patients, the technology may be used for personalized pain management at home or in daily life. The need for such an approach is particularly relevant for chronic pain management. Painkillers are widely used to treat chronic pain, but long-term medication use raises concerns about side effects and dependency. In particular, opioid analgesics used for conditions such as cancer pain carry an increasing risk of tolerance and misuse with prolonged use, which has spurred research into "electroceuticals", devices that modulate nerves through electrical stimulation as an alternative to drugs. However, existing electroceuticals have limitations. Implantable devices require surgery, and skin-attached electrodes may fail to deliver electrical current properly depending on skin conditions such as sweat or dead skin cells. A concentrated current at specific sites can also raise skin temperature or pose a risk of burns. To address these issues, the research team developed a temperature-responsive, conductive, and adhesive microneedle electrode (a fine needle electrode that conducts electricity well while adhering to the skin). Because the microneedles penetrate the highly resistive stratum corneum, the device can deliver stable electrical stimulation while reducing the influence of sweat and dead skin cells. The team also coated the electrode with a conductive hydrogel (a gel-like material that retains a large amount of water) so that current spreads evenly rather than concentrating at the needle tips. In addition to improving electrical performance, the electrode was designed with a built-in thermal safety mechanism. When skin temperature rises abnormally, the electrode's adhesion weakens and it detaches from the skin on its own, helping reduce the risk of skin burns that could occur during electrical stimulation. Beyond the skin interface itself, the research team integrated the device with IoT-based remote management. Using a smartphone and cloud server, a healthcare provider can control the device's operating time and electrical stimulation in real time or on a scheduled basis, even when located far from the patient. The team confirmed that the device could be remotely controlled even across long international distances, such as between Korea and the United States. Following future clinical validation, this could develop into a home-based or remote pain management approach in which patients use the electroceutical under medical supervision without needing to visit a hospital. The platform further extends beyond remote control by enabling automatic operation based on the body's physiological state. Using a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor (a technology that measures pulse and blood flow changes using light), the team detected pain-related stress states and, based on this, implemented a closed-loop (a method that automatically adjusts treatment while continuously checking the body's condition) therapy function that automatically triggers electrical stimulation. The researchers evaluated the performance of the platform in both animal experiments and a small-scale human study. In animal experiments, current was delivered more effectively than with conventional gel electrodes, and pain-relieving effects were also confirmed. In a small-scale study involving healthy adults, changes in skin sensory pain thresholds (the level of stimulation at which pain begins to be felt) following electrical stimulation were observed to assess the potential for application in humans. However, direct analgesic effects in this study were confirmed only through animal experiments. The research team noted that further clinical studies are needed to confirm therapeutic efficacy and the safety of long-term use in actual chronic pain patients. Professor Jae-Woong Jeong from the KAIST School of Electrical Engineering said, "By combining a stable skin interface with IoT-based remote management, we have expanded the potential for wearable electroceuticals in daily life. We hope that, following future clinical validation, this approach can evolve into a personalized digital healthcare platform that enables pain management tailored to each patient's condition." Dr. Sanghun Lee from the KIOM said, "We hope this research will be integrated with future wearable acupuncture technologies to contribute to the development of a new non-pharmacological pain management approach that stimulates acupoints through electrical stimulation." The study, co-first-authored by Heesoo Kim, a PhD student at KAIST, and Dr. Se Kyun Bang from the KIOM, was published in the international journal Nature Communications on August 28th. Paper title: Wireless IoT-Enabled Microneedle Electroceutical for Personalized and Connected Pain Management, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-76527-y Author information: Heesoo Kim (KAIST, co-first author), Se Kyun Bang (KIOM/UST, co-first author), Sanghun Lee (KIOM, co-corresponding author), Jae-Woong Jeong (KAIST, corresponding author), and 10 others Demonstration video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zrglys1t1c49l5u1xo08e/AJsbboH3sQMFag-6aO6sSSs?rlkey=dnux0jj80bdczws22u0dq7ugx&e=1&dl=0 This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2022-NR067853, RS-2025-02218624, RS-2024-00335066), and by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KSN2511012 and KSN2511013).

A future in which AI can recognize a person’s unspoken “that’s not what I meant” response from brain signals and adjust its behavior on its own is coming closer. KAIST researchers have developed a technology that detects cognitive mismatch between humans and AI through brainwaves, enabling AI systems to revise their actions in real time according to human goals. The achievement is expected to accelerate the shift from AI that follows explicit commands to AI that can infer human intent. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 11 that a research team led by Endowed Chair Professor Sang Wan Lee of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Director of the Center for Neuroscience-Inspired Artificial Intelligence), in collaboration with Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), has developed Neural Value Alignment (NVA), a next-generation brain–computer interface (BCI) technology that uses human brainwaves to align AI behavior with human intentin real time. For AI to collaborate naturally with people, it must accurately understand what a person actually wants. Until now, however, AI systems have largely inferred human intent from externally observable information such as speech, actions, or gestures. The challenge is that the same action can reflect different goals, and the same goal can also be achieved through different actions. For example, when a person picks up a cup, it may be unclear whether they intend to drink from it or hand it to someone else. Conversely, if the person's goal is simply to quench their thirst, that same goal could be pursued through several different actions — reaching for the cup, picking up a water bottle, or asking someone else to bring a drink. Because of this two-sided “goal–action ambiguity,” when AI misunderstands human intent, users often have to correct it through additional commands or actions. To address this problem, the research team focused on the “prediction error” signals that arise unconsciously in the brain when a person encounters an unexpected situation. In simple terms, the team used the brain’s instant “that’s not what I meant” response when AI performs the wrong action or pursues the wrong goal. The researchers distinguished between two types of brain responses. The first is reward prediction error (RPE), which appears when AI misunderstands the person’s ultimate goal. The second is state prediction error (SPE), which appears when the goal is correct but the process or method of action differs from what the person expected. The team measured real-time electroencephalography (EEG) signals from people as they observed AI performing tasks. They found that the brain produced different signals depending on whether the AI misunderstood the goal itself or chose the wrong method while pursuing the correct goal. The researchers also identified distinctive brainwave patterns that appeared when both types of errors occurred simultaneously. By applying deep learning to these brain signals, the team developed a technology that can determine, from EEG alone, how a person is interpreting the AI’s behavior. In other words, even without a person saying “that’s wrong,” the AI can recognize whether the human brain is signaling that “the goal is wrong” or “the method is wrong.” The team then proposed a Neural Value Alignment-based human–AI synergy algorithm, which feeds these decoded brain signals back to the AI in real time so that it can correct its own behavior. When the AI detects an SPE signal, it interprets the situation as “the desired goal is correct, but the method is wrong” and adjusts its action strategy. When it detects an RPE signal, it understands that “the goal itself was misunderstood” and searches again for what the person truly intended. Simulation results showed that the proposed method adapted more quickly than existing approaches even in uncertain situations, such as when a person’s goal suddenly changed or some human neural feedbacks were missing. The key significance of this research is that it demonstrates the possibility of AI systems correcting themselves by reading a person’s unconscious “that’s not what I meant” brain response, without requiring the user to repeatedly say “do it this way” or “that’s not right.” As the technology advances, it could be applied to physical AI robots in homes and industrial settings, allowing them to understand user intent more naturally and adjust their actions accordingly. It could also be extended to autonomous vehicles that quickly reflect driver judgment, medical and rehabilitation robots for patients who have difficulty speaking or moving, and educational AI systems that adapt to a student’s cognitive state. Ultimately, the study presents a new model of human–AI collaboration, moving beyond AI that acts only when explicitly instructed toward AI that can sense human responses and adjust itself accordingly. Professor Sang Wan Lee, who led the international collaboration, said, “This research is meaningful because it shows that AI can move beyond inferring human intent only from visible behavioral outcomes and instead directly use cognitive signals generated in the brain during collaboration with AI.” He added, “The technology can be expanded to a wide range of fields where human judgment and AI behavior must be closely connected, including physical AI, BCI, autonomous driving, precision personalized education, medical robotics, and human–computer interaction.” Miran Lee, Director, Microsoft Research Accelerator at Microsoft Research, said, “This achievement is the result of the ongoing international collaboration between KAIST and Microsoft Research Asia. We look forward to continuing this partnership to develop world-class BCI technologies that enable humans and AI to communicate and collaborate more naturally.” The study’s first author is Xin Xu, a Ph.D. student in KAIST’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Researchers from Microsoft Research Asia, including Yansen Wang, Dongqi Han, and Dongsheng Li, also participated in the study. The research was published online in August 2026 in IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, an international journal in the field of cybernetics. Paper title: Neural Value Alignment: Human–AI Collaboration Under Goal–Action Ambiguity DOI: 10.1109/TCYB.2026.3722605 Another KAIST–Microsoft Research Asia collaborative study on helping AI rapidly adapt to continuously changing environments was presented in June at ICML 2026, one of the leading international conferences in artificial intelligence. The study was led by Niklas Koeppe, a Ph.D. student in KAIST’s Program of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, as first author. Paper title: Mitigating Plasticity Loss through Architectural Design in Continual Learning Original paper: https://icml.cc/virtual/2026/poster/61534 This research was supported by the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Immune cells can become exhausted after prolonged exposure to cancer, gradually losing their ability to attack tumor cells. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in aggressive brain tumors and can severely limit the effectiveness of immunotherapy. A KAIST research team has now discovered that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a vitamin A derivative, may help prevent such exhaustion and enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 8 that a research team led by Professor Heung Kyu Lee from the Department of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, and Konyang University College of Medicine, has found that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a form of active vitamin A metabolite, suppresses the "terminal exhaustion" of CD8⁺ T cells that attack cancer cells within brain tumors, and can enhance the effect of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Anti-PD-1 is a leading immuno-oncology drug (immune checkpoint inhibitor). Glioblastoma is a representative form of intractable brain cancer that frequently recurs even after surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown only limited effect against the disease. One key reason is that immune cells that infiltrate the tumor become exhausted after prolonged combat and lose their functional capacity. Cells that reach a state of terminal exhaustion in particular lose their ability to kill cancer cells, much like soldiers who have exhausted themselves in prolonged combat. In this state, achieving sufficient therapeutic effect is difficult even with anti-PD-1 therapy, which releases the "brake" cancer cells impose on immune cells. To address this problem, the research team tried to figure out how to prevent immune cells from reaching total burnout, rather than how to revive the cells. Subsequently, the research team focused on the signaling of ATRA, an active vitamin A metabolite known to regulate cell differentiation and function. Using an in-vitro model that mimicked the hypoxic, exhaustion-promoting tumor microenvironment of brain tumors, the team induced exhaustion in CD8⁺ T cells. Those conditioned with ATRA progressed to terminal exhaustion at a markedly lower rate. These cells also produced higher levels of immune molecules essential for attacking cancer — including interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) — and retained their ability to kill brain tumor cells. The team also confirmed that ATRA activates WNT/β-catenin signaling within CD8⁺ T cells and increases TCF-1βBD, a TCF-1 isoform important for maintaining T-cell function. In simple terms, the vitamin A metabolite turns on a "function-preserving switch" inside immune cells, helping them avoid complete exhaustion even during prolonged combat with cancer cells. The effect was also confirmed in mouse glioma models. CD8⁺ T cells conditioned with ATRA maintained better immune function within the tumor, and oral administration of ATRA alone also increased both the number and function of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells. As tumor burden decreased, survival was also extended. Notably, in a model of recurrent brain tumors, anti-PD-1 immunotherapy alone showed only limited effect, but combining it with ATRA substantially improved tumor suppression and long-term survival outcomes. In other words, if anti-PD-1 therapy releases the "brake" imposed on immune cells, ATRA keeps their "battery" from running completely dead. By combining the two approaches, the researchers propose a new combination-therapy strategy that could help overcome the limitations of existing immunotherapy. The team also analyzed publicly available human glioblastoma datasets. In single-cell transcriptomic data from patients treated with anti-PD-1 therapy, CD8⁺ T cells from responders showed higher retinoic-acid-responsive and WNT signaling gene signatures than those from non-responders. Separately, in an immunotherapy-naïve glioblastoma cohort, patients with a higher proportion of retinoic-acid-responsive CD8⁺ T cells showed significantly better overall survival. The team noted that this study does not directly demonstrate ATRA's therapeutic efficacy in patients, and that further clinical research will be needed to confirm appropriate administration methods, dosages, and combination effects with immunotherapy drugs before it can be applied to actual brain tumor treatment. Professor Heung Kyu Lee said, "Glioblastoma is one of the cancers most resistant to immunotherapy, because immune cells within the tumor readily become exhausted." He added that the study is meaningful for presenting a molecular mechanism by which active vitamin A signaling helps prevent the terminal exhaustion of CD8⁺ T cells while preserving their anti-cancer function. He also noted that future work validating more precise delivery methods or combination strategies could establish this as a new approach for improving the responsiveness of immunotherapy against intractable brain tumors. The study was conducted with Dr. In Kang, a postdoctoral researcher in KAIST's Department of Biological Sciences, as first author, and Professor Heung Kyu Lee as corresponding author. Professor Jae-Byum Chang from KAIST's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor Sung Ki Lee from Konyang University College of Medicine, and Professor Stephen Ahn from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital also participated in the research. The findings were published on August 26 in the international journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. Paper title: All-trans retinoic acid suppresses CD8⁺ T-cell terminal exhaustion and potentiates anti-PD-1 therapy in glioblastoma DOI: 10.1038/s41392-026-02852-9 This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea grants (RS-2023-NR077244, RS-2024-00439735, RS-2026-25509011 to H.K.L. and RS-2024-00352668 to S.A.). This study was also supported by the Samsung Science and Technology Foundation (SSTF-BA1902-05 to H.K.L.), Republic of Korea. This research was also supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (RS-2023-00302794 to J.B.C.).

A signal that appears to show ions moving inside a battery may, in fact, be an illusion caused by an uneven surface. A KAIST research team has identified the origin of this type of artifacts, which can lead researchers to misinterpret what is happening inside a battery, and has developed a method to reduce it. The findings are expected to enable more accurate analysis of ion movement and improve the reliability of next-generation battery-material development, including that of solid-state and sodium-ion batteries. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 7 that a research team led by Professor Seungbum Hong from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, in collaboration with the research groups of Professor Jong Min Yuk from the same department and Professor Nam-Soon Choi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has identified the cause of a measurement artifact in nanoscale battery analysis that can be mistaken for actual ion transport. The team also proposed a method for effectively reducing this artifact. During charging and discharging, lithium or sodium ions move back and forth within a battery. The speed and ease with which these ions move affect the battery’s performance and lifespan. Developing better batteries therefore requires researchers to precisely determine where ions can move freely and where their movement is hindered. One technique used for this type of analysis is Electrochemical Strain Microscopy (ESM), which is based on Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). ESM scans the surface of a battery material with an extremely fine tip and measures nanoscale changes in the material associated with ion movement, allowing researchers to indirectly track ion transport. The problem is that when the surface of a battery material is rough, similar signals can appear even in the absence of actual ion movement. If these signals are interpreted as evidence of ion transport, researchers may incorrectly identify where ions are moving within the material. To investigate the origin of theseartifactss, the team created fine trenches on the surface of an ionically inactive single-crystal silicon sample. This provided an experimental environment in which no ions were moving, while the sample surface remained uneven. The results quantitatively demonstrated that variations in surface height alone can alter the degree of contact between the microscope tip and the sample, producing signals similar to those generated by actual ion movement. The same phenomenon was also observed in actual battery materials. When the team analyzed a graphite anode and the sodium solid electrolyte Na₂Zn₂TeO₆, the ESM signals likewise varied according to surface topography. This confirmed that the issue is not limited to a particular material but is a phenomenon that researchers must account for when conducting nanoscale analyses of a wide range of battery materials. As a solution, the team proposed making the surfaces of battery materials as smooth and flat as possible. To achieve this, the researchers used a cooling cross-section polisher (CCP), which employs an argon (Ar) ion beam to precisely polish sample cross sections. Because argon is chemically inert under most conditions, this technique allows the surface to be processed precisely without significantly altering the properties of the sample. This treatment substantially reduced surface roughness and, in turn, decreased measurement artifacts caused by uneven surfaces. The mechanism is comparable to a car moving up and down while traveling over a bumpy road: as the scanning tip passes over height variations on the surface of a battery material, the degree of contact between the tip and the sample changes. These changes can generate signals resembling those produced by actual ion movement. In particular, the team examined signals detected at grain boundaries—the interfaces at which the small crystals that make up a battery material meet, much like the seams between adjacent tiles. Before the surface was smoothed, strong ESM signals appeared at these grain boundaries. After the surface was polished, however, the enhanced signals disappeared. This finding indicates that some signals previously interpreted as evidence of “pathways that facilitate ion transport” may actually have resulted from variations in surface height rather than genuine ion movement. This study is significant because it experimentally demonstrates how this type of measurement artifact arises in nanoscale battery analysis and shows that it can be reduced using the practical approach of smoothing battery-material surfaces. The findings are expected to provide a more accurate understanding of where ions move freely and where their movement is hindered within a battery. Such insights could provide an important foundation for designing battery materials that facilitate ion transport, thereby enabling faster charging and longer battery life. The team expects this analytical approach to be applicable not only to widely used lithium-ion batteries but also to next-generation battery systems. These include solid-state batteries, which use solid rather than liquid electrolytes, and sodium-ion batteries, which use sodium ions in place of lithium ions. The approach could help researchers more accurately understand how these batteries operate and support the design of new materials. Furthermore, the accumulation of reliable nanoscale analysis data could provide high-quality training datasets for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning research aimed at designing new battery materials and predicting their performance. “This research clearly demonstrates how variations in surface height affect the results of nanoscale battery-material analysis,” said Professor Hong. “We expect our findings to enable more accurate tracking of ion movement within batteries and contribute to understanding the operating mechanisms of next-generation battery materials and designing improved materials.” Dongyan Chen, a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, served as the first author of the study, which was published in Small Methods, an international journal specializing in materials science and nanotechnology. Paper title: Quantitative Analysis of Topographic Crosstalk in DART-ESM Arising from Feedback-Loop-Delay-Induced Contact Stiffness Variations in Battery Materials DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.70763 This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Korean government’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) (Nos. RS-2026-25468150 and RS-2023-00247245).

KAIST and LOTTE have opened a new research hub that brings academia and industry together to address pressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and carbon neutrality. The center will support collaboration between the university and the company throughout the innovation process, from research and development to commercialization. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 13 that it had held an opening ceremony for the LOTTE x KAIST R&D CENTER at its main campus in Daejeon on August 11. Attendees included LOTTE Group Chairman Dongbin Shin, executives and representatives from LOTTE Group, senior KAIST administrators, and faculty and staff from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The center was established with KRW 10 billion, approximately USD 7.5 million, in construction funding donated by LOTTE Group, along with funds raised by the KAIST Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. It will serve as a hub for collaborations between academia and industry across the entire R&D cycle, from basic and foundational research in emerging technologies to experimentation, prototyping, and commercialization. By bringing KAIST’s research capabilities and LOTTE’s industrial expertise and commercialization experience together under one roof, the center introduces a new model of collaboration that goes beyond conventional partnerships between academia and industry. Rather than simply exchanging research findings, the two organizations will jointly identify and investigate future challenges and translate the resulting discoveries into industrial applications and commercial opportunities. The initiative is closely aligned with President Bae’s “Beyond Laboratory” strategy. KAIST is expanding joint research in which companies participate from the earliest stages of defining problems, helping ensure that discoveries move beyond laboratories and academic papers to create meaningful change in industry and society. The university is also strengthening an innovation ecosystem that connects basic and foundational research with demonstration and commercialization. The partnership between KAIST and LOTTE spans more than a decade. Since 2012, KAIST has offered commissioned master’s and doctoral programs for LOTTE employees. The two organizations have also expanded their cooperation in research and education through technology transfer and personnel exchanges involving LOTTE Chemical. In 2022, they established the LOTTE Chemical - KAIST Carbon Neutral Research Center to secure core technologies and cultivate highly skilled professionals for the transition to carbon neutrality. Building on more than a decade of partnership and mutual trust, the new LOTTE x KAIST R&D CENTER expands the relationship through shared research infrastructure supporting collaborative research, future technology development, and commercialization. The building has six floors above ground and one basement level, with a total floor area of approximately 4,298 square meters. Its open laboratories and collaborative spaces are designed to encourage researchers to work together and exchange ideas freely across disciplines and organizational boundaries. Research at the center will focus on three areas, all united by the shared goal of creating a sustainable future. The first area, Bio Sustainability, will apply systems metabolic engineering to develop sustainable biotechnology solutions, including biofuels and bioplastics that can replace conventional fossil resources. The second area, Carbon Neutral Energy, Materials, and Processes, will focus on core technologies needed for a carbon neutral society, including green hydrogen, renewable energy, batteries, advanced materials, and industrial processes. The third area, Advanced Food and Healthcare, will explore emerging technologies in future foods and health care to develop new solutions for a healthier and more sustainable society. Artificial intelligence will be integrated throughout the center’s research to accelerate the discovery of new materials and technologies, and improve the speed and efficiency of R&D. Through this approach, the center will extend KAIST’s “AI Native Campus” strategy into practical research settings. In addition to shared research facilities for LOTTE and KAIST researchers, the center houses Shin Dongbin Hall, a venue dedicated to communication and exchange among researchers. KAIST plans to use the center as a home base for expanding an open innovation ecosystem in which academic researchers and industry partners work together at every stage, from identifying problems and conducting R&D to demonstration and commercialization. Congratulating KAIST on the completion of the center, LOTTE Group Chairman Shin Dongbin said, “I hope the R&D center will become a hub for collaboration between industry and academia, transcending the boundaries between universities and businesses and unlocking even greater possibilities. LOTTE will remain a steadfast partner, empowering faculty and students to pursue bold ideas, take on new challenges, and conduct research without the fear of failure.” KAIST President Choongsik Bae said, “I am deeply grateful to LOTTE for its longstanding support of KAIST’s education and research, and for its continued partnership. Today marks not only the completion of a building, but the beginning of a new chapter in our collaboration. By combining KAIST’s research excellence with LOTTE’s industrial and commercialization capabilities, we will turn ideas and technologies born in the laboratory into tangible value in the marketplace. Together, we will create new engines of growth for Korea and develop solutions for a sustainable future.”

For more than a century, Organic Syntheses has served as a unique platform beyond conventional peer reviewed journal: before publishing a procedure, its editors personally repeat the experiment in their laboratory to confirm that another chemist's submitted method actually works as reported. Professor Sunkyu Han from KAIST’s Department of Chemistry has now become the first Korean chemist elected as a member of the Board of Editors of Organic Syntheses. KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 11 that Professor Han has been elected as a member of the Board of Editors of Organic Syntheses at the Organic Syntheses corporate meeting, held in Chicago on August 23. During his five-year term, Professor Han will participate to identify, solicit, and select work for publication in Organic Syntheses. He will also check synthetic procedures submitted by other researchers in his own laboratory to experimentally confirm their reliability and reproducilibity. His term may be extended for up to three additional years. Founded in 1921, Organic Syntheses follows a publishing model unlike that of most academic journals. A synthetic procedure is published only after the member of the Board of Editors has successfully reproduced it in their laboratory and confirmed the submitted results. The journal is currently led by Editor-in-Chief Professor Rick Danheiser from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Because each procedure undergoes rigorous experimental scrutiny, including the checking of its yield, selectivity, and purification process, the methods published in Organic Syntheses are widely regarded as trusted reference protocols by organic chemists around the world. The role of a member of the Board of Editors of Organic Syntheses therefore extends well beyond conventional editors. Editors must check other researchers’ procedures and attest to their reliability, a responsibility requiring exceptional scientific judgment and experimental rigor. Over the journal’s history, many of the world’s most distinguished organic chemists have served in this capacity. The Board of Editors currently comprises 14 members, including the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors, and has traditionally included two chemists based in Asia. Distinguished scholars from Japan, China, and Hong Kong have served on the board, among them Ryoji Noyori, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Professor Han, however, is the first Korean chemist elected as a member of the Board of Editors. He will succeed Professor Pauline Chiu of the University of Hong Kong, whose term concludes later this year. “Professor Sunkyu Han’s election as the first Korean member of the Board of Editors is a significant achievement that reflects both KAIST’s strength in basic science and the growing international stature of Korean organic chemistry,” said KAIST President Choongsik Bae. “KAIST will continue to support its researchers not only for making outstanding discoveries, but also in strengthening the reliability and advancing the frontiers of knowledge across the global academic community.” Since its founding, Organic Syntheses has published approximately 3,100 articles. Among them, nine have been contributed by organic chemists based in Korea, four of them by KAIST faculty members. Professor Han’s appointment will also enable KAIST’s Department of Chemistry to host the Organic Syntheses Distinguished Lecture Series during his tenure. Sponsored by Organic Syntheses, Inc., the program will bring internationally renowned organic chemists to KAIST, creating more opportunities for students and early-career researchers to engage directly with leading scholars in the field. Professor Han is internationally recognized for his work on the chemical synthesis of complex natural products. Since joining KAIST in 2014, he has completed the synthesis of numerous structurally complex alkaloids isolated from Securinega suffruticosa, a medicinal plant native to Korea. Recently, he has built on this expertise to expand his research into molecular photoswitches, which use light to control molecular structure and function. He is also developing anticancer agents and potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, using synthetic derivatives of natural products. Since June 2025, Professor Han has also served as an Associate Editor of Organic Letters, another leading international journal in the field of organic chemistry. “Ever since I was a student, I have relied on reactions and procedures published in Organic Syntheses and felt a profound sense of gratitude toward the chemists who personally checked those procedures and turned them into methods the broader community could trust. I have been given this opportunity thanks to everything I have learned while working alongside outstanding group members and colleagues at KAIST. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout that journey, as well as to the university,” said Professor Han. He added, “I hope to follow in the footsteps of the eminent chemists who helped shape the foundation of modern organic chemistry, including Roger Adams, George Büchi, Arthur Cope, Albert Eschenmoser, Ronald Breslow, and E. J. Corey. By faithfully and diligently carrying out my responsibilities as a member of the Board of Editors of Organic Syntheses, I hope to build a body of reliable chemical knowledge that serves chemists worldwide and contributes to the continued advancement of organic chemistry.”

KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 9 that, representing K-STAR, a consortium comprising KAIST, GIST, DGIST, UNIST, and POSTECH, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Université Paris-Saclay on September 7 to strengthen research cooperation. The signing ceremony took place at Bâtiment Bréguet on the university’s campus. The agreement was concluded on the occasion of President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to France. It follows up on plans discussed at the ninth Korea-France Joint Committee on Science and Technology, held in Seoul in April, to expand scientific, technological, and academic exchanges between K-STAR and French universities. Université Paris-Saclay is one of France’s leading research universities. It is home to a large research and education ecosystem encompassing universities, grandes écoles, and major national research organizations, including the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The university has internationally recognized strengths across a broad range of fields, from mathematics and physics to artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biology, and engineering. Under the agreement, K-STAR and Université Paris-Saclay will establish a practical framework for cooperation encompassing student exchanges, mobility programs for early-career researchers, and joint research. They plan to begin by offering research internships through which undergraduate and graduate students can gain experience in laboratories at partner institutions. They will also expand opportunities for exchanges and collaboration among postdoctoral researchers and early-career faculty members. The two sides will promote joint research in key scientific and technological fields, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, advanced biotechnology, and advanced materials. They will also facilitate shared access to research infrastructure and organize regular workshops and symposia, enabling researchers to maintain sustained exchanges and develop new collaborative research projects. The agreement strengthens “Global Connect,” KAIST’s strategy for international cooperation. Through this initiative, KAIST seeks to move beyond conventional university exchanges by closely integrating research, education, and talent mobility. It also aims to expand its global research network in partnership with Korea’s other science and technology-focused universities. “Global cooperation must move beyond conventional exchanges and evolve into partnerships that combine complementary strengths to create new knowledge and cultivate talent together. By connecting the research capabilities of Université Paris-Saclay and K-STAR, we expect to generate new research achievements in critical fields such as AI, quantum technology, and biotechnology, while further strengthening Korea’s global network in science and technology,” said KAIST President Choongsik Bae. The agreement is also significant because it expands the educational and research cooperation that KAIST has developed with France over the past 15 years to the K-STAR level. KAIST also signed a student exchange agreement with CentraleSupélec, a grande école affiliated with Université Paris-Saclay, in 2011. The two institutions subsequently established a dual-degree program in mechanical engineering in 2017 and have continued to develop their partnership. Building on the experience and mutual trust accumulated through this cooperation, the new agreement broadens the partnership to encompass K-STAR and Université Paris-Saclay. Université Paris-Saclay President Camille Galap said, “Université Paris-Saclay and K-STAR have broad research capabilities spanning basic science and advanced technology, giving this partnership considerable potential. I hope the agreement will promote more active exchanges among students and researchers from both countries and enable us to achieve new scientific advances through joint research.” Jaemin Jung, KAIST Senior Vice President for Planning and Budget, said, “This agreement marks the beginning of our efforts to translate the university-level cooperation discussed at the ninth Korea-France Joint Committee on Science and Technology in April into concrete research collaboration. KAIST will support exchanges among students and researchers so that they can work in one another’s laboratories and produce tangible outcomes, including joint research projects, publications, and the shared use of research infrastructure.” The signing ceremony was also attended by Stéphane Nonnenmacher, Director of the Graduate School of Mathematics at Université Paris-Saclay; Divya Madhavan, Director of International Relations at CentraleSupélec; and a delegation from the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS), a KAIST-affiliated institute. 

KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on September 4 that Professor Jaekyung Kim from the Department of Biological Sciences has been selected as a Fellow of the “2026 Asian Young Scientist Fellowship (AYSF),” a program that supports promising young scientists across Asia. The Asian Young Scientist Fellowship (AYSF) is a privately funded research fellowship in Asia, established to support young scientists in carrying out creative and challenging research. Since selecting its first cohort of Fellows in 2023, the AYSF selects 12 early-career researchers each year across the fundamental science disciplines of life sciences, physical sciences, and mathematics and computer science. Each selected Fellow receives a total of $100,000 USD over two years to support their research. The AYSF does more than support young scientists across individual academic disciplines —it actively encourages interdisciplinary research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries to open new research directions. It places particular emphasis on supporting young scientists at the critical stage of launching their careers as independent researchers, helping them develop creative ideas and pioneer new areas of research. Candidates are nominated from among full-time researchers at universities or research institutions in Asia who are within 10 years of completing their terminal degree (Ph.D./M.D.). Among the nominated candidates, a Selection Committee composed of scientists from Asia and around the world conducts a comprehensive evaluation of each candidate’s research achievements and future research potential. This year, 12 early-career researchers in Asia were selected as 2026 Fellows Professor Kim was named a Fellow in the life sciences category, alongside Professor Mikyung Shin of Sungkyunkwan University, making them the two Fellows affiliated with Korean universities. Previous AYS Fellows from Korea include Professor Kyeongsu Choi of the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS) in 2023; Professor Jiheong Kang of Seoul National University in 2024; and Professor Seongjun Park of Seoul National University and Professor In-Jee Jeong of KIAS in 2025. Professor Kim studies how the brain organizes experiences and information into memories during sleep. Using a systems- and computational-neuroscience approach, he focuses on memory consolidation—the process by which information learned during the day becomes stabilized into long-term memory during sleep—and the neural mechanisms involved. He also analyzes biological signals related to dreaming and investigates how sleep affects higher cognitive functions such as creative thinking. Professor Kim received his bachelor's degree from Hanyang University and his Ph.D. from KAIST, and completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. He joined the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences in 2023 and currently leads the Neural Processing Lab. The 2026 AYS Fellows will attend the 2026 AYSF Annual Conference on November 9, 2026, at the University of Hong Kong to showcase their research work and innovative ideas.

KAIST is building a new global cooperation model with the Caltech — a world-renowned U.S. research institution — that goes beyond joint research to jointly nurture next-generation researchers as well. KAIST, led by President Choongsik Bae, is holding the 1st KAIST-Caltech Joint Workshop on Molecular Science and Chemical Innovation with the Caltech in the United States from September 1 to 2. The workshop is designed not merely to share the latest research achievements in advanced molecular science and future chemical technologies, but to build a sustainable framework of cooperation that links joint research and talent development, extending even to the shared use of research facilities. At this workshop, particular attention is being given to establishing and operating the KAIST-Caltech Global Research Fellow (KCGRF) platform, a joint mentoring program for postdoctoral researchers. KCGRF is a program in which faculty members from both institutions identify joint research topics and jointly select and mentor postdoctoral researchers. By enabling participating researchers to experience the research environments of both KAIST and Caltech, the program aims to nurture next-generation scientists with strong international research capabilities. This joint initiative represents a concrete practice model of KAIST's Global Connect strategy. The vision goes beyond simple exchange with overseas universities. It aims to realize a collaborative internationalization, in which talent, knowledge, and research ideas flow between the two institutions, leading to joint research and the joint training of next-generation researchers. Caltech is a world-renowned research institution with a long-standing tradition of excellence in the natural sciences, including chemistry and physics, and has produced numerous Nobel laureates. KAIST plans to combine Caltech's basic science research capabilities with KAIST's strengths in AI-driven and autonomous research to jointly pioneer new research topics in the field of future chemistry. Collaboration between KAIST and Caltech began in 2024 through the BrainLink program, which supports exchanges among outstanding researchers. Centered on the Nitrogen-Hydrogen Synergy Hub Research Center, led by Professor Hyungjun Kim of the KAIST Department of Chemistry, the two institutions have continued joint research and researcher exchanges. This year, the partnership expanded further after being selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Top-Tier Research Institution Cooperation Platform and Joint Research Support Program. Through this program, KAIST launched the Center for Intelligent Circular Chemical Ecosystem Innovation, led by Professor Sang Woo Han of the KAIST Department of Chemistry. Building on this cooperation, the KAIST Department of Chemistry and Caltech’s Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in March 2026, further strengthening their collaborative framework. The two institutions plan to hold joint workshops every year, match faculty members for joint mentoring, identify postdoctoral researchers, promote reciprocal research visits, and establish a sustainable operating structure for the joint mentoring program. At the workshop, researchers are exploring new opportunities for collaboration in key fields shaping the future of chemistry, including AI for chemistry, autonomous laboratories, computational and theoretical chemistry, molecular science, catalysis, synthesis, electrochemistry, and sustainable and circular chemistry. KAIST is also pursuing plans to jointly utilize its autonomous laboratories in synthesis and electrochemistry with Caltech researchers. By jointly utilizing this advanced research environment, in which AI supports experimental design, execution, and data analysis, researchers from both institutions plan to expand the speed and scope of their joint research. In addition, the two institutions plan to promote short-term reciprocal visits by graduate students, building a sustainable human and academic exchange system that connects graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members. The vision goes beyond one-off, project-centered cooperation, aiming to build a long-term foundation in which next-generation researchers from both institutions naturally interact and create new joint research. The Center for Intelligent Circular Chemical Ecosystem Innovation aims to build a new chemical technology platform that contributes to carbon neutrality and the circular economy by developing intelligent chemical upcycling technologies that convert chemical industry byproducts into high-value chemicals and materials. Professor Sang Woo Han of KAIST's Department of Chemistry said, "Through this workshop, we aim to expand the KAIST-Caltech collaboration from joint research to a stage where we jointly nurture next-generation researchers." He added, "By connecting the strengths of both institutions, we will work to create new research topics and achievements in the field of future chemistry." President Choongsik Bae of KAIST said, "KAIST's international cooperation is about building relationships in which outstanding universities, people, and knowledge from around the world flow back and forth and grow together." He emphasized, "By expanding collaboration with world-class research institutions such as Caltech, we will carry KAIST's 'Global Connect' forward into concrete achievements." Professor Sarah Reisman from Caltech’s Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, “Caltech and KAIST chemistry faculty have a long history of student exchanges and research collaboration, and this workshop is a wonderful opportunity to bring our faculty together and launch new projects supported by the Center for Intelligent Circular Chemical Ecosystem Innovation.” She added, “We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with KAIST.”

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