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Institute for Basic Science


A neural compass for fear: Mapping how the brain distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear

A research team has uncovered a fundamental brain circuit that distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear, with the locus coeruleus playing a crucial role in processing fear. The study reveals a lateralized LC-NAergic system that separates personal from socially learned fear, shedding light on empathy and social learning.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2025

Decoding the neural basis of affective empathy: how the brain feels others' pain

A study by Dr. Keum Sehoon's team identified key neural ensembles in the anterior cingulate cortex that encode empathic freezing, a behavioral response to witnessing distress in others. The researchers found that observing another's pain triggers activation in the ACC as if the observer were experiencing pain themselves.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2025

How the brain distinguishes between pain and itch

Researchers discovered distinct neuronal populations in the ACC process pain and itch information separately, with stimulus-specific neurons receiving differentiated synaptic inputs from the mediodorsal thalamus. Suppressing these neurons reduced corresponding sensations without affecting the other.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Models show intensifying wildfires in a warming world due to changes in vegetation and humidity; only a minor role for lightning

A new study reveals that climate change is driving intensifying wildfires by altering vegetation and humidity levels, but not significantly impacting lightning strikes. The simulations predict a 14% increase in global area burned by fires annually with every degree of global warming.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 12, 2025

Charting a path toward overcoming glioblastoma resistance to chemotherapy

Researchers uncover Achilles' heel of TMZ chemotherapy resistance, revealing critical insights into mechanisms behind glioblastoma's inactivation of DNA repair pathways. The study sheds light on potential mechanisms of aging and offers new avenues for developing more effective therapies against this devastating cancer.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNucleic Acids Research·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 18, 2024

Research team demonstrated nonlinear compton scattering with a multi-petawatt laser, mimicking astrophysical phenomena and producing ultra-bright gamma rays

A team of researchers successfully demonstrated nonlinear Compton scattering using a multi-petawatt laser, producing ultra-bright gamma rays. The achievement offers new insights into high-energy electron-photon interactions without traditional particle accelerators.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 25, 2024

Opening a new avenue in predicting mood episodes using wearable devices: A sleep and circadian rhythm data analysis model

Researchers developed a novel model predicting mood episodes using only sleep-wake pattern data from wearable devices. The study found daily changes in circadian rhythm are key predictors of mood episodes, offering new possibilities for tracking individual changes to prevent future episodes.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·Journalnpj Digital Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 19, 2024

New study reveals how the brain integrates pain prediction and stimuli

Researchers used fMRI to observe brain activity in participants exposed to varying levels of pain stimuli, manipulating their expectations about the level of pain. The study found that higher-level networks integrated pain-related signals into the experience of pain by adding preserved expectation and stimulus information together.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 23, 2024

Protein mutant stability can be inferred from AI-predicted structures

Researchers used AlphaFold2 to predict structural effects of mutations on protein stability, finding correlations between small structural changes and stability changes. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for protein engineering, enabling scientists to design proteins with specific functions more effectively.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 28, 2024

Quantum sensor for the atomic world developed through international scientific collaboration

A groundbreaking quantum sensor capable of detecting minute magnetic fields has been developed through international scientific collaboration. The sensor utilizes a single molecule to sense electric and magnetic properties of atoms, offering spatial resolution on the order of a tenth of an angstrom.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 25, 2024

New technology to control the brain using magnetic fields developed

Researchers have developed Nano-MIND technology, which uses magnetism to selectively activate specific deep brain neural circuits, modulating complex brain functions such as cognition and emotion. The technology has been successfully tested in animals, demonstrating its potential to regulate feeding behaviors and maternal instincts.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 17, 2024

Unprecedented warming threatens earth’s lakes and their ecosystems

A recent study predicts that lakes worldwide will experience unprecedented surface and subsurface warming, leading to severe disruptions in ecosystems. Tropical lakes are expected to be the first to emerge from natural temperature bounds, while high-latitude lakes may shield their subsurface layers from surface warming.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 12, 2024

Hepatitis C leaves “scars” in immune cells even after successful treatment

Researchers found that the frequency of activated TREG cells remained elevated during treatment and continued to be high even after the virus was eliminated. Inflammatory features, such as increased TNF signaling, were sustained in TREG cells, indicating long-term immune system changes induced by the chronic infection.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalJournal of Hepatology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 9, 2024

Decoding the principle of functional brain development: thalamocortical connectivity and the formation of functional networks

This study reveals that thalamocortical connectivity plays a vital role in the formation of functional brain networks. The researchers used advanced neuroimaging techniques and computational models to map changes in thalamocortical connectivity across different age groups, from infancy to adulthood.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 18, 2024

Reading pleasure and pain from the brain

Using fMRI, researchers analyzed brain activity while participants experienced sustained pain and pleasure induced by capsaicin and chocolate fluids. The study identified common brain regions activated by both experiences and developed predictive models to capture affective intensity and valence information.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 11, 2024

Innovative bird-eye-inspired camera developed for enhanced object detection

Researchers have developed a new perovskite-based camera inspired by the structures and functions of bird's eyes, specializing in object detection. The camera features an artificial fovea and multispectral image sensor that detects UV and RGB light, providing greater motion detection capabilities than conventional cameras.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 30, 2024

Brain mechanisms underlying sensory hypersensitivity in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder

A study by IBS researchers has identified the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a key region responsible for sensory hypersensitivity associated with autism spectrum disorders. The team discovered that ACC hyperactivity and brain-wide hyperconnectivity contribute to sensory abnormalities in Grin2b-mutant mice.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 9, 2024

Revolutionary 'scLENS' unveiled to decode complex single-cell genomic data

The new 'scLENS' tool overcomes challenges in single-cell transcriptomics by automatically differentiating signals from noise using Random Matrix Theory and Signal robustness test. This innovation significantly improves analysis accuracy and efficiency, enabling researchers to extract biological signals conveniently and automatically.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 30, 2024

Making diamonds at ambient pressure

Researchers create diamond film at 1 atm pressure and 1025°C using a novel liquid metal alloy, breaking the high-pressure requirement. The synthesized diamond has a high purity and unique silicon-vacancy color centers, opening new avenues for applications in magnetic sensing and quantum computing.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 24, 2024

Stretchable quantum dot display

Researchers from the Institute for Basic Science created QLEDs using a ternary nanocomposite film that enhances carrier delivery to quantum dots, resulting in optimal device performance. The devices exhibit high brightness and low threshold voltage, with no damage when stretched up to 1.5 times.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 15, 2024

Filming ultrafast molecular motions in single crystal

Scientists have applied time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) to study molecular motion in real-time with atomic resolution, revealing three pathways of structural change in a porous coordination network sample. This breakthrough unlocks new opportunities for investigating chemical systems and material science.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2024

Revolutionary brain stimulation technique shows promise for treating brain disorders

A new brain stimulation technique called Patterned Low-Intensity Low-Frequency Ultrasound (LILFUS) has been developed by researchers at the Institute for Basic Science. This non-invasive method uses ultrasound to induce long-lasting changes in brain function and has shown promise in treating various neurological disorders.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2024

Discovery of magnetic liquid crystal

Researchers have directly observed a magnetic analog of liquid crystal, known as the 'spin-nematic phase', in a quantum spin system. This discovery was made possible by advancements in synchrotron facility development and has significant implications for quantum computing and information technologies.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 13, 2023