A recent study in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts describes a bio-based, multimetallic Fe-MOF nanoreactor designed to enhance chemodynamic and ferroptosis-based cancer therapy. The researchers used protocatechuic acid (PCA), a natural phenolic compound, as a redox-active ligand to construct a mixed-valence Fe-MOF framework. Ultrasmall Au nanoparticles and Cu ions were subsequently introduced to establish an Fe/Cu/Au redox-cycling network, while brazilin was incorporated as a natural therapeutic compound and a 4T1 breast cancer cell membrane was used for biomimetic surface coating. The resulting nanoreactor promoted H₂O₂ conversion, hydroxyl-radical generation and glutathione depletion, while increasing lipid peroxidation and disrupting ferroptosis-defense pathways. In 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, the optimized nanoreactor produced an approximately 80% tumor inhibition rate and also provided T1-weighted MRI contrast, demonstrating the potential of the platform for integrated therapeutic and imaging applications.

The European Research Council (ERC) is providing EUR 1.65 million in funding for his research project on autonomous systems that adapt during operation to cope with complex tasks and changing environments. The Starting Grant is considered a highly prestigious mark of excellence for early-career researchers in Europe.

In a recent study published in Advanced Functional Materials, Virginia Tech researchers demonstrated a tape with adhesive and plastic backing layers that can be recycled together. The researchers describe their tape as “mono-material” design since both layers are chemically similar but perform different functions.

A new study finds that composite metal foam (CMF) could significantly improve automobile safety during frontal collisions. Using computational models to run detailed simulations, researchers found that incorporating CMF into automobile “front rails” would allow them to absorb more energy during high-velocity impacts.

A team of Korean researchers, including the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Dr. Lee Ho Seong) and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST, President Lim Kichul), has become the first in the world to identify the origin of the “beating*”signal that has long been a major obstacle to interpreting quantum signals in topological insulator (TI) nanowires. Their analysis confirmed that the beating arises when two different quantum oscillations overlap, where one created by the topological electronic states on the surface and the other by the ordinary electronic states inner the nanowire. This achievement provides a key criterion for interpreting the signals of topological quantum devices and for realizing desired electronic states.

Black phosphorus-based micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) are a highly promising micro-scale energy storage technology beyond traditional lithium-ion batteries. They offer significant advantages in flexible wearable electronics, yet suffer from intrinsic instability and sluggish electron kinetics. The two-dimensional phosphorene/bismuthene (BP/Bi) heterojunction, featuring a highly conductive network and anti-stacking architecture constructed via interfacial P-O-Bi covalent coupling, provides a new solution for the development of high-performance, low-temperature-tolerant MSCs and integrated sensing systems.