Transparent OLED Device Capable of Displaying Different Information in Both Directions
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Prof. SONG, JANG KUN
Eun-Young Choi, Sung-chun Kang
Prof. Choi’s Research Team Observes 1/9 Magnetization Plateau and Dirac Spinon Quasiparticles in aKagome Spin Lattice
Physics
Prof. CHOI, KWANG YONG
Undergraduate student majoring in English Language and Literature and Library and Information Science, published an SSCI paper (supervised by Professor Na-yeon Kim) ▲ (from left) Ziying Li, a doctoral student, Professor Na-yeon Kim, Chaejin Lee (English Language and Literature), Seong-hyun Byun (Library and Information Science) The research paper led by Professor Na-yeon Kim of the Department of English Language and Literature, titled "Zero-derivation in Korean: the effect of covert structure in real-time processing," has been published in the December issue of the SSCI journal 'Frontiers in Psychology: Psychology Of Language.' The paper explores the linguistic and cognitive aspects of words with ambiguous grammatical categories, revealing their subtle syntactic structures through both linguistic and cognitive psychological methodologies. Notably, this paper holds significant meaning as it is a collaborative effort, not only involving Ziying Li, a doctoral student, but also featuring contributions from undergraduate students, Chae-jin Lee, a third-year English Language and Literature major, and Seong-hyun Byun, a fourth-year student majoring in Library and Information Science. The research focuses on the phenomenon of 'zero-derivation' in Korean. For instance, in Korean, the word '밝다' ('bright') can be used both as an adjective and a verb. While previous studies have explored the phenomenon of adjectives and verbs sharing grammatical categories, there has been no experimental study determining whether such categories are distinct or if the verb '밝다' derives from the adjective '밝다.' This study analyzes the process by which the verb '밝다' is derived from the adjective '밝다' through cognitive psychological methodologies. It reveals that we can easily understand sentences by being sensitive to the unseen syntactic structures and the derivation process of grammatical categories. The study suggests that sentences with omitted words, i.e., those not visible or audible, also possess delicate and intricate syntactic structures. Humans can recognize these structures, enabling them to quickly comprehend sentences involving omissions. The research team is currently collaborating with professors from foreign language departments at the University of Toronto, Northwestern University, and the National University of Singapore to systematize various syntactic experiments that elucidate the interaction mechanism between these subtle syntactic structures and cognitive processes. Additionally, ongoing research at our university's Artificial Intelligence Convergence Institute, led by Professor Kwang-soo Kim, explores whether artificial intelligence can acquire these unique language characteristics exhibited by humans. Professor Na-yeon Kim expressed, "It's commendable that two undergraduate research students and a doctoral student have passionately contributed to this research for over a year, dedicating weekends. In the future, I plan to further expand opportunities for collaborative research with students in the field of interdisciplinary research between English language and cognitive psychology through the Language and Cognition Lab." ※ Author: Kim, N., Li, Z., Byeon, S., & Lee, C. ※ Title: Zero-derivation in Korean: The Effect of Covert Structure in Real-time Processing. ※ Journal: Frontiers in Psychology,14, 1230927
2023-12-15
Professor Jae Wook Jeon's team Wins First Place in AI City Challenge at CVPR -Envisioning Future Intelligent Traffic Surveillance System Utilization In June 2023, Professor Jae Wook Jeon’s team from the Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering achieved 1st place in the 7th AI City Challenge, titled "Detecting Violation of Helmet Rule for Motorcyclists," hosted by CVPR (Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition), the world's leading conference in the field of artificial intelligence and computer vision, which took place in Vancouver, Canada. In this inaugural competition held in 2023, a total of 39 teams from around the world participated, competing from January to June over a span of five months to develop technology to find out whether motorcycle riders were wearing their helmets. Professor Jeon Jae Wook's team devised an artificial intelligence system with a two-stage structure. First, they identified the positions of various motorcycles and their riders. Then, they detected whether the riders were wearing helmets. This innovative approach earned them the highest detection performance score. This victory has allowed Professor Jae Wook Jeon's team to showcase their technological prowess on the global stage. The developed technology is expected to find widespread application in future intelligent traffic surveillance systems. The technology, led by graduate students from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering participating in the BK21 program, is the result of the research project "Real-time Intelligent Traffic Surveillance System on Edge Devices." This project was conducted under the auspices of SW StarLab (Software StarLab), an initiative by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency to secure global software technology and cultivate master's and doctoral-level talents in the field of software.
2023-08-07
Professor Jong-seo Chai (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) has been selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT's leading research center (CRC) new project in 2023 -focus on developing broadband precision radiation measurement and utilizing metaverse for visualization -creating detailed radiation maps in emergency situations Professor Jong-seo Chai from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering has been selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT's leading research center (CRC) new project in 2023. The project, titled "Metaverse-Based Radiation Safety ICT Research Center," will conduct groundbreaking research on fully visualizing radiation for the first time in the world. The goal is to implement radiation data measured in a specific space into virtual reality or mixed reality and visualize it using metaverse technologies such as AR and VR. This aims to provide a realistic radiation map. Creating accurate and reliable models of radiation levels has been a challenging task in academia, requiring vast amounts of data collection and complex calculations. To pursue research on radiation visualization based on metaverse, the research team will explore innovative approaches to visual representation based on engineering technologies for safety. The team aims to establish a new approach to radiation safety by securing independent technology that combines efficiency and stability in radiation work and utilizing radiation visualization technology. This is expected to contribute to the safe utilization of radiation in our society, including public health, radiation safety, and safety education. Professor Jong-seo Chai, who oversees the research, stated, "By creating detailed radiation maps, even in national emergencies such as radiation terrorism, we will be able to effectively prepare and plan for such situations."
2023-06-08
SAINT faculty Seongpil An and Il Jeon co-research team, developed a highly transparent and multifunctional wearable nanogenerator -Multifunctional piezoelectric nanogenerator for energy harvesting and motion sensing in next-generation wearable electronics -Winner of 2022 SKKU Graduate Student Paper Award ▲ (From left) Professor Seongpil An, Doctoral student Kiyong Kim, Doctoral student Sangsu Lee, Professor Il Jeon. Profs. Seongpil An and Il Jeon’s co-research team from SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT) announced that they have developed a multifunctional transparent composite that can harvest energy, composed of piezoelectric polymer nanofibers and high-purity carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the core materials. In previous studies, silver nanowires or electrically conductive polymers, such as PEDOT:PSS, were used as electrodes for transparent PENGs. However, metal-based transparent PENGs have inherent issues of opacity due to their natural light reflection and scattering, while electrically conductive polymer-based PENGs have shown material limitations in mechanical properties with insufficient electrical conductivity. The co-research team developed a multifunctional transparent composite capable of harvesting energy using a silicon-based elastomer embedded with piezoelectric polymer nanofibers and high-purity CNTs. The team developed piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) nanofibers with a diameter of 500 nm, 200 times thinner than a human hair, using the electrospinning technique and embedded them in a transparent silicon-bsed elastomer PDMS. They also used a differentiated aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to produce transparent CNT films for their use as electrodes in the development of a transparent PENG. The electrospinning and aerosol CVD methods used in this study are not only simple to use but also easily scalable to larger production scales compared to other methods. Based on these excellent process advantages, it is expected to have a positive impact on the commercialization of related technologies in the future. In particular, in this study, the conductivity of the CNT electrode could be improved by 3.1 times through a simple chemical doping method. The developed high-transparency PENG demonstrated decent energy harvesting performance that generated a voltage of 10 V or more even with relatively weak external force (F = 10 N). Additionally, it showed high energy harvesting performance under repetitive external force conditions of over 50,000 cycles, proving excellent mechanical durability and stability. Furthermore, when the external force was applied through a body part, such as fingers, it exhibited higher energy harvesting performance of up to 26.8 V through an additional effect of triboelectricity. ▲ Transparent PENG developed and its fabrication process It is expected that the newly developed transparent PENG can be applied extensively in the rapidly growing fields of metaverse, virtual/augmented reality, as it can not only detect subtle movements of the human body in real time by attaching it to various parts of the body, but also generate voltage signals sensitively in response to changing external forces. This study was published on January 18th in Advanced Functional Materials (IF: 19.924), a world-renowned academic journal in the top 5% of the material science field, based on the results that won the SKKU Graduate Student Paper Award. The lead authors of this paper are beginner in doctoral course, so their future research activities are highly anticipated. ※ Title: Highly Transparent and Mechanically Robust Energy-harvestable Piezocomposite with Embedded 1D P(VDF-TrFE) Nanofibers and Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes ※ Journal: Advanced Functional Materials ※ DOI: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202213374
2023-02-23
Prof. Yong Taik Lim’s Research Team (SAINT) Developed the World’s First K-nanoadjuvant Prof. Yong Taik Lim’s research team (SAINT) developed the world’s first kinetically activating nanoadjuvant (K-nanoadjuvant), which enables therapeutic immune cells to generate effective antitumor immunity without exhaustion. The research results were published in Nature Nanotechnology (IF: 39.213), a world-renowned academic journal in the field of multidisciplinary science. Various drugs capable of effective innate immune induction, such as toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, have been developed throughout the history of oncology. Although these drugs contribute to immune activation, they also cause immunotoxicity and exhaustion of immune cells, resulting in ineffective cancer immunotherapy overall. To address these issues, Prof. Lim's team designed a nanoliposome-based novel TLR7/8a (timely activating TLR7/8 agonist; t-TLR7/8a) for the first time and revealed the efficacy of K-nanoadjuvant fabricated in combination with various TLR agonists. A nanoliposome-based K-nanoadjuvant is a novel immune function-modulating platform that not only maximizes immune cell activation but also overcomes immune cell exhaustion induced by excessive immune responses. Such effect was achieved by coordinating optimized time, order, and combinatorial code of two different immunostimulants with different mechanisms of action which induce different signal transduction routes. K-nanoadjuvant solves the problem of current immunostimulants and has a high potential for clinical application, as previous research has proven the safety of nanoliposome-based platforms in the human body. Researchers expect K-nanoadjuvant to be applied to immune checkpoint inhibitors unresponsive patient group, the latest anticancer therapeutic drug, and can be used as a next-generation anticancer therapeutic drug that can prevent recurrence/metastasis. ※ Paper Title: A nanoadjuvant that dynamically coordinates innate immune stimuli activation enhances cancer immunotherapy and reduces immune cell exhaustion ※ Journal: Nature Nanotechnology
2023-01-16
Unveiling the Hidden Secrets to Crystal Facets – Perovskite Solar Cell Stability against Moistures Improved Dramatically - Discovered the most stable facet (111) against moistures, posted exclusively on US weekly scientific journal, Science - Prof. Nam Gyu Park’s research team, the first to discover Perovskite Crystal Facet (exposed side of crystal) stable against humidity - Maintaining more than 95% of initial efficiency in 2000 hours of moisture exposure experiment ▲ (from the left) Prof. Nam-Gyu Park, Prof. Seok Jun Kwon, Prof. Michael Grätzel, Dr. ChunQing Ma Prof. Nam-Gyu Park, (SKKU Department of Chemical Engineering Chair and Institute of Sungkyun Energy Science Technology Director, corresponding author) and Dr. ChunQing Ma (first author), cooperated with Prof. Seok Jun Kwon (SKKU Department of Chemical Engineering, co-corresponding author), and Prof. Michael Grätzel (Switzerland École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) to announce their research result about their success in the discovery of stability against moisture depending on Perovskite* Crystal Facets**, producing the film with the most humidity-stable facet (111) and, finally the developing the solar cell that maintained 95% of its original capacity during 2000 hours of humidity exposure experiment on journal Science, January 13th (local time). * Perovskite: Crystal with chemical formula ABX3. In the crystal, A and X have 12-fold coordination while B and X have 6-fold coordination. ** Crystal Facet: The geometrically flat side of a crystal that has a patterned structure of atom arrangement. Perovskite solar cells are solar cell technologies that include organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite light-absorbing materials. In 2012, Prof. Park’s research team first developed a solid Perovskite Solar Cell with 9.7% efficiency, pioneering a new academic field called ‘Perovskite Photovoltaics’. Due to this Perovskite Solar Cell development research credits, Clarivate nominated him for the 2017 Novel Prize candidate. The perovskite light absorption layer for solar cells can be manufactured at a relatively low temperature of 150°C or less using a simple solution process. When a generally known solution process is used, perovskite crystals have polycrystalline properties in the formed film, and crystal facets are not well developed. Prof. Park’s research team succeeded in producing perovskite films with well-developed (100) and (111) crystal facets using additive methods, revealing the photoelectric current dependence according to the facets. In this study, for the first time, they found that moisture stability depends on the facet when the perovskite film is exposed to moisture. In particular, (100) facets are very vulnerable to moisture, but (111) facets are found to be stable to moisture. Theoretical calculations have shown that (111) facets have better water stability than (100) facets because the adhesion (or wetting energy) of water is relatively low on (111) facets. Also, spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to find that a strong bond with water occurs in the moisture-sensitive (100) facet, resulting in a perovskite phase transition from alpha to delta phase, resulting in loss of light absorption characteristics. Based on the investigation of the cause of the difference in moisture stability according to facets, it is necessary to develop a film composed of (111) facets to enhance the water stability of the Perovskite Solar Cell. Thus, Prof. Park used an additive called ‘Cyclohexylamine’ to create a Perovskite film of more than 98% (111) facet composition. Testing the stability against moistures under a relative humidity of 30%~40% environment for about 2000 hours (1938 hours), the results showed that solar cells with (111) facet dominant Perovskite film maintained 95% of initial efficiency. The results of this study were supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Korea Research Foundation (NRF-2021R1A3B1076723) and are expected to significantly improve the life of perovskite solar cells and contribute to commercialization. ※ Paper Title : Unveiling facet-dependent degradation and facet engineering for stable perovskite solar cells ※ Journal: Science
2023-01-16
Prof. Il Jeon’s Research Team (SAINT) Develops High-Speed Lead-free Perovskite Photodetector - Developed Tin-based perovskite to identify noise suppression principles - Selected as the cover paper for Advanced Functional Materials ▲ Prof. Il Jeon (SAINT) / Dr. Gyu Seon Kim The domestic research team has developed lead-free perovskite material-based photodetector which can detect light much faster than conventional ones. * Perovskite: A crystal structure of a mineral found in the Ural Mountains, Russia, in 1839. Perovskite structure has high electric charge transportation and light absorption characteristics, gathering attention for its potential to be the future material for solar cells. * Photodetector: The light-detecting device in the image sensor, light sensor, etc. Prof. Il Jeon and Dr. Gyu Seon Kim’s research team (SAINT) joint with Prof. Dong Hwan Wang and Dr. Woong Sik Jang (Chung-Ang University), announced their success in implementing the passivation process on photodetector for improving the stability of perovskite thin film by suppressing noise efficiently. * Passivation: The process of passivating a film by forming a film through treatment such as using a solvent to prevent the reaction at the surface *Noise: undesired distortion of input signals such as external interference. Electric signal that impedes accurate detection. Recently, perovskite materials that can control absorbance according to their composition are in the spotlight as future-generation photosensitive materials that can replace inorganic photosensitive materials but were facing difficulties in commercialization due to the harmful effects of lead. Conventional lead-based perovskites have a relatively low binding force between lead ions and halogen ions, allowing ions to move easily in the structure, which has caused noise generation and also has been the major cause of deterioration in photodetector performance by facilitating injection of external charges. Accordingly, the joint research team succeeded in developing high-quality non-lead perovskite materials by applying passivation technology that can stably form thin films by utilizing tin materials, an ingredient that can replace lead. Unlike conventional lead-based materials, tin-based perovskite materials have shown superiority in suppressing noise generation within photodetector by limiting the movement of internal ions through the strong binding energy of tin and halogen ions. Tin based non-lead Perovskite Photodetector Structure and Noise Suppression effect due to Tin content As a result, it was possible to verify the implementation of a non-lead perovskite photodetector with the excellent photosensitive ability and fast speed by blocking the external current flow that degrades the performance. This study is expected to enable the simultaneous implementation of eco-friendly technology and performance improvement technology due to the next-generation photodetector with tin-based perovskite material. It is expected to contribute to the development of related technologies as it is expected to be applicable in the field of future photoelectric conversion devices and displays based on various perovskite materials. The research results of Prof. Jeon’s research team are published in the material field’s global academic journal, Advanced Functional Materials, on December 16th and were selected to be the cover thesis for its research excellence.
2023-01-12
Prof. Hwan Su Yoon’s Research Team (Department of Biological Sciences) Discovers Red Algae Evolution Strategy in Extreme Environment Adaptation - Confirmed various extreme environment adaptation procedures of Cyanidiophyceae Prof. Hwan Su Yoon (Department of Biological Sciences, corresponding author) and Dr. Chung Hyun Cho (first author), have announced the discovery of the genome evolution procedure of photosynthesis eukaryotic adaptation to extreme environment. * Eukaryon: Has a nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane and consists of other various cell organelles inside the cell membrane. Undergoes mitosis. All the other microorganisms other than germs and viruses belong to this group. ** Genome: The complete set of genes or genetic material information required for biological phenomena in a cell or organism. Cyanidiophyceae is the first classification to split from red algae species, ramifying from their common ancestor to adapt to extreme environments such as volcano or thermal spring. Volcano or thermal spring has high temperatures (45~60 ℃), acid concentrations (pH 0~4), and rich heavy metals, forming a harsh environment for organisms to develop in general. However, Cyanidiophyceae is the only eukaryotic organism found in this extreme environment and is the key to the evolution process of organisms that develop in harsh conditions. Living things in extreme environments are constantly exposed to various external physical and chemical stresses, which interfere with biomaterial metabolism. The research team newly decoded the genome of three kinds of Cyanidiophyceae at the chromosome level to find out how Cyanidiophyceae adapted to this environment. Genetic evolution and adaptability in heavy metal environments were analyzed through genetic comparative analysis which yielded an interesting fact that bacteria and archaea genes of various origins were found in the genome of Cyanidiophyceae. Cyanidiophyceae externally obtained a gene that neutralizes heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer and later confirmed that they adapted to extreme environments by increasing the number of genes internally through subtelomeric gene duplication. * Subtelomeric Gene Duplication: Concept of genetics that refers to the transfer of genotypes from individual to individual without reproduction. Can transfer beyond the species. All key genes related to microRNA, one of the representative gene expression control mechanisms of eukaryotes in Cyanidiophyceae, have disappeared, and in addition, some of the mechanisms unnecessary for extreme environmental survival have been lost in the classification. Moreover, through the evolution process, it was confirmed that the proteins of Cyanidiophyceae were modified and adapted suitably for a high-temperature acidic environment. The genetic evolution strategy employed to adapt to the polar environment is used in all Cyanidiophyceae species, but the detailed gene and genome composition also differed among Cyanidiophyceae species. Through this study, the team suggested that the differences in genes and genomes that occurred during the speciation process affected the differences in the habitat environment of each species within their current extreme environment. Prof. Yoon said, “Cyanidiophyceae have strong vitality to adapt to extreme environments and can be used in various applications such as biological heavy metal decontamination, system/synthesis biology, genetic engineering, etc.” This research was supported by Korea Research Foundation's Mid-size Research Support and Plant Biological Rhythm Leading Research Center. The research results were published in the global academic journal Nature Communications (IF=17.694) on January 4th (Wed). ▲ Cyanidiophyceae-living Sulfur Thermal Spring water of high temperature (45~60 ℃), acidity (pH 0~4), and heavy metal content ▲ Extreme Environment Adaptation System of Cyanidiophyceae
2023-01-11
Prof. Ju-Young Shin (School of Pharmacy) Investigates the Relationship between the Use of Gastric Acid Secretion Inhibitors and the Occurrence of Allergic Diseases in Children - Increased risk of asthma for newborns regarding gastric acid secretion inhibitors [Photo] (from the left) Prof. Ju-Young Shin, Dr. Yunha Noh, Dr. Han Eol Jeong, Ahhyung Choi, Eun Young Choi Prof. Ju Young Shin's research team (School of Pharmacy) (first co-author Dr. Yunha Noh, Dr. Han Eol Jeong, co-author Researcher Ahhyung Choi, Eun Young Choi), as a result of conducting a safety study on the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors in mothers and newborns using domestic health care big data, found that the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors during pregnancy did not increase the risk of allergic diseases in children but was revealed to increase the risk of asthma for newborns within one year of age. The number of children and adolescents with allergic diseases is increasing worldwide. Allergic diseases are caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. As recent studies have hypothesized that the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors during pregnancy or in newborns could lead to the occurrence of allergic diseases in children, it was necessary to investigate the relevance through epidemiological studies. Gastric acid secretion inhibitors are very effective in treating gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastritis. The typical examples are proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and histamine 2 receptor antagonist (H2RA). However, gastric acid secretion inhibitors can affect immunity by changing the intestinal microbial ecosystem, and lack of gastric acid can also cause allergies and inflammation as protein in food is absorbed without proper decomposition. Thus, Prof. Shin’s research team collaborated with Karolinska Research Center, Oslo University, University of Southern Denmark, University College London, and Prof. Dong Keon Yon (Kyung Hee University School of Medicine), and used National Health Insurance Corporation Health Insurance Claims Data to investigate the relationship between the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors (PPI, H2RA) during pregnancy or to newborns and the occurrence of major allergic diseases in children (asphyxia, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergies). [Image] Evaluation result of relationship between the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors and the risk of developing allergic diseases in children Based on mother-newborn baby-linked data with birth records for about 12 years from 2008 to 2019, a sibling matching cohort consisting only of siblings was established to consider genetic and environmental factors. As a result of comparing the group taking gastric acid secretion inhibitors (306,406) and the group not taking gastric acid secretion inhibitors (324,539) during pregnancy within the cohort, it was found that the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors during pregnancy did not increase the risk of developing allergic diseases in children. On the other hand, as a result of comparing the gastric acid secretion inhibitor group (37,227) and the non-dose group (42,835) in newborns within 1 year of age, the risk of asthma in the taking group was 1.13 times higher than that of the non-dose group. Prof. Shin said, “As a result of confirming the relationship based on domestic data, the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors (PPI, H2RA) during pregnancy does not increase the risk of developing allergic diseases in children, so the use of the drug during pregnancy is relatively safe. However, the use of gastric acid secretion inhibitors in newborn babies has been confirmed to slightly increase the risk of asthma in children.” The research staff added that this study has significance in overcoming genetic and environmental factors that were not considered in previous studies in research design. More care should be taken when prescribing gastric acid secretion inhibitors to infants, and excessive use of the drug should be avoided unless it is required for treating a disease. However, for any medication, it is important to use it after weighing gains and losses.” This research result has been posted online in a prominent international journal in the field of pediatric and adolescent science, JAMA Pediatrics (IF: 26.800, JCR ranking Top 1.2%) on January 9th. ※ Paper Title: Prenatal and Infant Exposure to Acid-Suppressive Medications and Risk of Allergic Diseases in Children ※ Paper Link: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2800319
2023-01-11
Prof. Suk Ho Bhang (Department of Chemical Engineering) Developed Conductive Hydrogel Customized for Tumor Detection and Removal -Reactive oxygen species responsive hydrogel-based tumor excision technology -Wireless monitoring constructed through conductivity-based machinery and electronic control Prof. Suk Ho Bhang’s research team (Department of Chemical Engineering, first author: Gwang-Bum Im) developed reactive oxygen species responsive conductive hydrogel sensors that can be controlled mechanically and electronically as a result of joint research with Prof. Sung Young Park’s research team (Korea National University of Transportation). Tumor, or cancer, is a serious threat to human health because of its incidence and fatality rate. Early diagnosis and prevention are the global objective since detecting and excluding all kinds of malignant tissue through surgical operation possess difficulties. The conventional cancer detection technology which has its basis in tumor markers such as immunosensor or immunoassay is measured in clinical laboratories which use sophisticated techniques and thus is not suitable for clinical purposes, not to mention its excessive time in between body fluid acquirement and analysis result. Therefore, the need for a new method that can acquire detailed information fast without professional or special knowledge has been on the rise, and this research focused on a portable detection method that can selectively and accurately detect cancer environments. Hydrogel is a typical biocompatible material that has been used for biosensing due to its characteristic of adjustable pores for fluid absorption. Nanoparticle mixed conductive hydrogel especially can detect electronic signals related to various stimuli such as temperature, oxidation-reduction, pH, light, pressure, and strain. However, research focused on clinical diagnostic tests based on hydrogel that reacts to extracellular pH and reduced glutathione (GSH) is very rare in history, and research of cancer microenvironment based on pressure-strain detecting hydrogel is unprecedented. Prof. Bhang’s research team developed a tumor microenvironment selective conductive hydrogel sensor based on reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive carbon dot (CD)-embedded hydrogel. This sensor provides tumor selectivity by dismantling diselenide crosslinks within the ROS-rich tumor microenvironment. The existence of cancer cells can be distinguished by monitoring abnormal pressure and strain signals. Also, dsCD-Hydrogel can be used with wireless devices, allowing it to monitor hydrogel’s sensor information at the tumor-containing section and collect data using smartphones. (Figure 1) ▲ [Figure 1] Hydrogel-based sensing system that can be monitored through Prof. Bhang's smartphone The ROS scavenging activity of the dsCD-Hydrogel decreased tumor volume. Furthermore, NIR irradiation via PTT abolished the tumor, which was verified by the downregulation of tumor hypoxia by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression. (Figure 2) ▲ [Figure 2] Data on the elimination of active oxygen and photothermal effects in mice Prof. Bhang and Prof. Park, explained, “We will establish a hydrogel sensor system suitable for cancer treatment and furthermore confirm actual applicability for quick detection of tumors.” The research result was published online on December 5th in the globally renowned chemical engineering field academic journal, Chemical Engineering Journal (IF: 13.273). ※ Paper Title: ROS-responsive mechanically and electronically controllable conductive hydrogel sensor with NIR modulated photothermal therapy ※ Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal ※ Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.140729
2023-01-04
