NEW
Qdai-mail Tsushin#101
The e-mail magazine "Qdai-mail Tsushin" delivers campus news every month.
****************************************************************
Friday, June 26, 2026
Kyushu U7s CONNECT Issue 7: Our annual English university magazine is available from the link below!
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/publicity/publications/connect
Kyushu U Connect: Keep up to date on how Kyushu U is engaging with society.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/connect/
==================================
**Topics
------------------------------------------------------------
* France-Japan workshop held at Sorbonne University
~~~~~~~~~~
The France–Japan Workshop on Optoelectronics & Photonics was held on May 21–22, 2026, at Sorbonne University, marking the launch of OPHELIA, a joint lab by Kyushu University and the CNRS. Around 30 researchers participated, sharing advances in key fields and engaging in active discussions. The event strengthened international collaboration and laid the foundation for future joint research and researcher development.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/707
------------------------------------------------------------
* Four new international collaborative research projects launch under the RENKEI Consortium
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University, a RENKEI member, secured four projects under the RENKEI Collaboration Grant 2025, promoting UK–Japan research led by early career researchers. The projects address climate-related challenges ranging from pollination-based sustainable agriculture and critical mineral supply chain resilience to the verification of carbon reduction claims and acoustic monitoring of coastal change, thereby strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and long-term international partnerships.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/708
------------------------------------------------------------
* Kyushu University participates in the RENKEI Early Career Researcher Collaboration Lab 2026 and Steering Committee Meeting
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University participated in the RENKEI ECR Collaboration Lab 2026 (May 25–29, Tokyo and Sendai), bringing together early career researchers from Japan and the UK. Through lectures, discussions, and group work, participants strengthened networks and explored interdisciplinary collaboration, with future partnership strategies discussed at the closing Steering Committee meeting.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/710
------------------------------------------------------------
* Durham University Pro-Vice‑Chancellor (Global) visited Kyushu University
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University hosted Professor Claire O’Malley of Durham University on May 27, 2026, to strengthen their partnership through RENKEI and bilateral collaboration. The visit included a campus tour, a roundtable on joint research, and strategic discussions with university leadership. Researchers shared experiences of interdisciplinary collaboration and explored future opportunities. Combined with prior researcher exchanges, the visit strengthened ties from researcher-level collaborations to institutional partnerships, highlighting a shared commitment to address global challenges through this partnership.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/711
------------------------------------------------------------
* Three universities, one shared vision for the future — seven international projects now underway!
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University, together with UIUC and NTU, advances global collaboration through the UNIQ initiative, with seven projects launched in 2025. Covering areas from societal challenges to advanced technologies and education, these projects promote interdisciplinary research, innovation, and talent development through international cooperation.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/709
==================================
**Research
------------------------------------------------------------
* Unstable software tests cause issues that spread across projects
~~~~~~~~~~
Flaky tests—automated checks that produce inconsistent results—are a persistent issue in software development, wasting time and computational resources. Researchers from Kyushu University analyzed 649 projects in the OpenStack ecosystem and found that over half were affected by flakiness that often spreads across projects. They identified cross-project flakiness caused by an unstable test affecting multiple projects and inconsistent flakiness as key phenomena.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/389
------------------------------------------------------------
* Scientists show how baby stars' cradles get their radial shape
~~~~~~~~~~
The cradles of baby stars have a wheel-and-spoke like shape, with streams of gas
converging toward a dense central hub. Using 3D simulations, researchers from Kyushu University and Nagoya University found that when an external shockwave strikes a gas cloud with a pinched magnetic field, it reorganizes the cloud into radial filaments. These findings open a new window into the environments where massive stars and star clusters are born.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/383
------------------------------------------------------------
* How Alaska Native communities navigate a potential $170 billion gold mine
~~~~~~~~~~
What does it mean to weigh a $170 billion gold mine against a way of life?
Researchers at Kyushu University and Oita University found that for Alaska Native communities, the answer cannot be reduced to simple ‘support’ or ‘opposition.’ Many community members occupy multiple, often conflicting roles, and must balance economic opportunity, cultural survival, and environmental stewardship. The findings call for governance structures that center Indigenous worldviews and their own definitions of well-being.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/401
------------------------------------------------------------
* Seven-second X-ray scan accurately detects severity of heart valve regurgitation in patients with repaired congenital heart defects
~~~~~~~~~~
Pulmonary Regurgitation (PR) is a common and significant complication after treatment of the congenital heart disease Tetralogy of Fallot. MRIs are the standard method to evaluate the severity of PR, but may not be accessible to all patients due to limited availability or contraindications such as pacemakers or claustrophobia. Researchers have developed a new technique using dynamic chest radiography to analyze PR severity that can evaluate it with 93% accuracy with only a seven-second scan.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/395
------------------------------------------------------------
* Favorable lifestyle and health linked to lower dementia risk even in people with a genetic risk factor
~~~~~~~~~~
A new study shows that maintaining favorable lifestyle and health conditions effectively mitigates dementia risk for APOE ε4 noncarriers and heterozygo tes valida ting population based public health interventions targeting modifiable risk factors. Conversely, the persistently high risk in homozygotes, regardless of lifestyle, underscores the need for personalized precision prevention alongside these broad public health efforts.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/399
------------------------------------------------------------
* Developing a theoretical model to understand how isotopes change spectroscopy results
~~~~~~~~~~
Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool, but it lacks data on how isotopes from natural materials affect results. To bridge this gap, a researcher from Kyushu University studied how oxygen isotopes affect the results of Raman spectroscopy on forsterite. They found that higher oxygen isotopes result in lower wavenumbers; where the isotopes are located can cause peak splitting and new vibrational modes; and peak broadening due to a decrease in symmetry of the material.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/386
------------------------------------------------------------
* Body clock found to control inflammatory responses in macrophages
~~~~~~~~~~
Macrophages, immune cells often involved in inflammation, are regulated by the body clock (circadian clock). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Now, researchers from Kyushu University have discovered that the circadian clock protein BMAL1 transports the enzyme MFP2 into the cell nucleus, where MFP2 activates inflammatory genes and drives macrophages into a proinflammatory state. These findings open new possibilities for treating inflammatory diseases and cancer, potentially through timed drug therapies.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/398
------------------------------------------------------------
* New method enables accurate sequencing of short peptides hidden in food and human body
~~~~~~~~~~
Peptides are important biological compounds that carry key information for many
biological processes. However, accurately reading their sequences has long been a challenge. In a new study, researchers developed a mass spectrometry-based
approach that attaches a coumarin-derived tag to the N-terminus of each peptide,
enabling accurate and reliable sequencing of even short peptides, directly from
spectral data without relying on protein sequence databases. This helps in identifying novel peptides.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/406
------------------------------------------------------------
* Exploring the origin of freely adjustable parameters in the fundamental equations of nature
~~~~~~~~~~
Physicists have long wondered whether the fundamental laws of nature contain freely adjustable external dials. A researcher at Kyushu University and collaborators have shown under certain assumptions, that continuous parameters in conformal field theories can be generated by operators within the theory itself. The findings support Einstein’s idea that apparent free parameters in quantum gravity should be explained by dynamical fields rather than chosen externally.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/400
------------------------------------------------------------
* Harvesting UV Light from sunlight just got 'solid’
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University researchers have overcome a long-standing challenge of efficiently converting visible light into UV in solid materials through precise molecular design. By adding side chains to the sp³ carbon atoms of an organic molecule, they achieved high luminescence and efficient energy transfer in the solid state. The system reaches 1.9% conversion efficiency under weak light intensity comparable to sunlight, opening the door to applications including solar-driven photocatalysts, indoor air purification, OLEDs and 3D printing.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/384
==================================
**Discover the research
------------------------------------------------------------
* Supporting lives through psychotherapy, Dohsa-hou
~~~~~~~~~~
Associate Professor Reika Nomura focuses on Clinical Dohsa-hou, a Japanese psychotherapy that emphasizes the interaction between mind and body through both movement and dialogue. Her work integrates clinical practice, research, and education, informed by experiences in hospitals, disaster-affected areas, and personal encounters with illness. She underscores the importance of listening as a form of emotional support and recognizes the resilience people show in difficult circumstances. Dohsa-hou helps individuals regain self-regulation by becoming aware of physical tension and relaxation. Nomura also stresses humility and openness in psychological practice, encouraging students to embrace diverse approaches. She aims to expand community-based mental health support and contribute to more inclusive systems, particularly in Okinawa and other underserved regions.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/ja/research/information/discover-research/015_nomura
==================================
**Notice
------------------------------------------------------------
* Kyushu University and DENSO IT Laboratory propose new technology for smarter Indirect Time-of-Flight cameras
~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers from Kyushu University and DENSO IT Laboratory developed a new method to improve indirect Time-of-Flight (I-ToF) camera accuracy by accounting for real sensor limitations. They created coding schemes optimized for both high- and low-noise conditions, reducing depth errors in simulations and experiments. The approach improves performance for moving objects, enabling higher frame rates, and expands applications in robotics, vehicles, drones, and human motion analysis.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/notices/view/536
==================================
**EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------
* FY2026 3rd & 4th I²CNER Seminar
~~~~~~~~~~
Date:2026.06.30 [Tue] 13:30 – 15:30
International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I²CNER) will hold the 3rd & 4th I²CNER Seminars for FY2026, featuring Professor Xiaojia Wang from University of Minnesota and Associate Professor Jonathan Boreyko from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. We look forward to your participation.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/638
------------------------------------------------------------
* Winter School 2026
~~~~~~~~~~
Date:2026.11.09 [Mon] 09:00 – 2026.11.13 [Fri] 12:30
Hosted by the Graduate School of Design at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, this immersive five-day program (November 9–13, 2026) invites prospective international graduate students to experience our research environment, campus life, and Japanese design culture firsthand.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/644
------------------------------------------------------------
* Kyushu U Connect: Insects, Inspiration, Innovation: Working with the Secret Engineers of Nature
~~~~~~~~~~
Date:2026.07.12 [Sun] 13:00 – 17:00
The fifth Kyushu U Connect event is here to bring you an afternoon of bilingual talks and discussions exploring the different ways insects impact our lives.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/647
------------------------------------------------------------
* Q-AOS Brown Bag Seminar Series
~~~~~~~~~~
Date: Every Wednesday 12:10 – 12:50
Every Wednesday during lunch, learn about research related to SDGs in Asian and Oceanian regions and expand your research network at the Q-AOS Brown Bag Seminar Series. The webinar is free, available in English and Japanese, and open to everyone!
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events?tag_id=2
****************************************************************
** Introduction to Alumni Platform "Kyudai PAL"(Free registration)
"Kyudai PAL" (abbreviated as KyuPAL) is a closed online platform where alumni and current students can easily connect with friends and the university
In addition to interacting with other members in communities organized by graduation department, industry, and club, members can receive news about the university and information about alumni events, send direct messages, and participate in group chats with other users.
*Registration application, Kyudai PAL details here (Free registration)
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/graduate/kyupal
****************************************************************
** Stay Connected
------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.facebook.com/KyushuUniv.en/
https://x.com/KyushuUniv_en
https://www.instagram.com/kyushuuniversity/
https://www.youtube.com/user/KyushuUniv
****************************************************************
Qdai-mail Tsushin is published by Lifetime Email Account Service Kyushu University.
* Update subscription preferences (For users of the Lifetime EmailAddress (@kyudai.jp) ONLY)
After logging in, you can make various changes from My Page.
https://kyudai.jp/en/