Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iranian Scientists in UQ Grow Living Skin in World-First
Dr. Abbas Shafiee and Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani from the University of Queensland's Frazer Institute have been the first in the world to successfully grow fully functioning human skin in a laboratory.
The research team at UQ’s Frazer Institute used stem cells to create a replica of human skin, complete with blood vessels, capillaries, hair follicles, layers of tissue and immune cells.
Shafiee said the skin model, that was 6 years in the making, would be transformative for skin graft transplants, wound healing and studying skin disorders.
“This is the most life-like skin model that’s been developed anywhere in the world and will allow us to study diseases and test treatments more accurately,” he added.
“Until now, scientists have been limited in how we study skin diseases and develop new therapies.
“But with a skin model like this, that closely mimics real human skin, we will be able to study diseases more closely, test treatments and develop new therapies more effectively.”
Shafiee, who conducted the study in collaboration with Metro North Health, said recent advancements in stem cell research allowed them to create 3-dimensional skin lab models.
“We took human skin cells and reprogrammed them into stem cells, which can be turned into any type of cell in the body,” Shafiee said.
“We placed these stem cells into petri dishes and grew them into mini versions of skin, called skin organoids.”
“We then used the same stem cells to create tiny blood vessels and added these to the growing skin.
“It developed just like natural human skin, with layers, hair follicles, pigmentation, appendage patterning, nerves, and most importantly, its own blood supply,” he said.
Also Khosrotehrani said the engineered skin would help improve skin graft transplants and treatments for inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, scleroderma and other genetic diseases.
Iranian Scientists Find Way to Increase Efficiency of Thermal Power Plants with Nanotechnology
A research by the Iranian scientists at Niroo Research Institute shows that the use of nanotechnology in thermal power plants can increase the efficiency of electricity generation by 30 percent.
Also, the study showed that the use of artificial intelligence in these power plants reduces fuel consumption and the amount of pollutants by 40 percent.
“The use of nanostructured insulators like silica aerogels and advanced nanocomposites significantly reduces heat losses in power plants. These insulators, which are lightweight and resistant to high temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, reduce maintenance and repair costs and increase the durability of equipment,” said Majid Mirzayee, the deputy director of the Specialized Center for Innovation and Development of Nanotechnology at Niroo Research Institute.
He underlined the role of nanocatalysts and membrane nanofilters in refining diesel fuel, and said, “Nanocatalysts and membrane nanofilters reduce the emission of harmful gases and suspended particles by removing sulfur compounds and heavy metals. Fuel nanoemulsions also increase thermal efficiency by improving the combustion process and reduce the amount of soot and pollutants by up to 40 percent.” Mirzayee also pointed to the use of resistant nanocoatings on turbine blades, compressors and boilers, saying, “These nanocoatings increase resistance to corrosion, wear and heat and prevent premature destruction. Nanofluids also help increase efficiency and reduce resource consumption by improving heat transfer in exchangers and nanofilters by purifying inlet air and cooling water.”
Iran Develops High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cell Technology
‘Development of high-efficiency organic solar cell technology’ is a research project of an Iranian scientist conducted in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and supported by the National Science Foundation of Iran.
“Organic solar cells, as a new energy conversion technology, have attracted considerable attention in the past two decades, due to their advantages like low cost of preparation materials, highly scalable roll-to-roll devices, light weight, and mechanical flexibility,” said Asqar Asgari, a PhD graduate in photonics physics from the University of Tabriz.
“In this joint project, we were looking for new, low-cost, high-efficiency n-OS donor and acceptor polymer materials, and the efficiency of the studied system was optimized by structural design and selection of active morphology, exciton separation, carrier transport, and we also achieved the technology for growing and manufacturing cells in commercial sizes,” he added.
Noting that during the joint project, the power conversion efficiency of these cells reached more than 13% on a laboratory scale and over 8% for large commercial cells, Asgari said, “Organic solar cells have attracted much attention in the last two decades due to their several advantages like fast and low-cost fabrication, lightness and flexibility, and optical transparency. However, three problems of power conversion efficiency, device lifetime, and mass production of organic solar cells should be solved for this technology to compete with existing technologies in the industrial market.”
Iran Exports 145 Million Dollars of Nano-Based Products to 50 Countries
Iran's nano-based product exports grew significantly to over $145 million and were exported to 50 countries around the world in the Persian calendar year of 1402 (ended on March 19, 2023).
In the same year, Iraq, India, and China were among the most important destinations for these products. Also, achievements like the production of three anti-cancer nanomedicines and indigenization of 45 oil and petrochemical nanocatalysts have played an important role in improving the quality of life of people.
Also, over $145 million of Iran-made nano products were exported to 50 countries around the world in 1402. Civil engineering and construction, nanomaterials, electronics and optics, and chemicals are the four industrial sectors that had the highest exports of Iran-made nano products in 1402. Also, Iran has targeted the most diverse export destinations in the fields of civil engineering, textiles, and equipment, with exports to 21, 20, and 18 countries, respectively. Iraq has been a consistent export destination for most Iranian-made nano products in all industrial sectors except nanomaterials, energy, and agriculture.
In the construction industry, Iran exported the most to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Georgia. In nanomaterials, India, Pakistan, and the UAE are the top three export destinations. In chemicals, China and India are also in the first and second place, respectively, and in the fields of oil, optoelectronics, and agriculture, they had the least variety of export destinations, and nano products in these two fields were exported to only two countries.
Iranian Researchers Find Way to Speed Up Movement of Nanoparticles
Iranian researchers at Arak University succeeded in designing a mathematical model to predict the critical time for moving and manipulating micro and nano-based particles with high accuracy which can help increase the speed and accuracy of new technologies in the field of nanotechnology.
The research was conducted by Mo’ein Taheri, an associate professor of the Department of Manufacturing Engineering at Arak University, and Fereshteh Qaneh, a bachelor's student in the same department.
Based on the research, moving particles at the nano and micro scale using atomic force microscopy (AFM) is known as one of the advanced methods in nanotechnology. One of the key factors in increasing the accuracy and efficiency of this process is reducing the critical time for manipulation.
In this study, the effect of the dimensional parameters of the AFM microcantilever, including the thickness, width, and length of the cantilever, and the radius and height of its tip, on the critical time was investigated.
Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze the data and develop the mathematical model. The results showed that the presented regression model has a prediction accuracy of 91.04% and among the factors studied, the cantilever thickness has the greatest impact on the critical time of nanoparticle manipulation.
This finding can be considered an important step in improving the accuracy and speed of nanomanipulation technology and its applications in various fields of nanotechnology.
Iranian Technologists Improve Safety, Capacity of Lithium Batteries with Neo-Structures
Iranian technologists at a startup team presented an innovative solution to overcome the limitations of conventional lithium-ion batteries by using solid polymer electrolytes containing metal-organic nanostructures which can affect the future of electric vehicles and portable devices.
The startup has focused on developing solid electrolytes that can simultaneously address several key weaknesses of current batteries, and succeeded in producing experimental coin cells that have shown ionic conductivity higher than 3-10 Siemens/cm.
Such a level of ionic conductivity paves the way for the production of batteries that will be superior to the current generation in terms of both safety and charging capacity. In other words, the technology proposed by these technologists can double the capacity of batteries and reduce charging time to less than 15 minutes; an advantage that is of great importance in the electric vehicle industry.
The successes of this startup were possible in the prototype stage, and for the industrial development and scalability of this technology, more investment is required, and the team has carefully mapped out the path of technology growth and commercialization and is seeking to attract business partners with domestic and foreign investors.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firms Building Upgraded Version of Kowsar Satellite
The Iranian technologists at the knowledge-based companies put the design and construction of an upgraded version of Kowsar satellite with agricultural applications on their agenda.
“Our first step was to ensure that the satellites were launched into orbit correctly, which is what happened. The correct launch of the satellite into the orbit depends on the performance of the satellite and the interface between the satellite and the satellite carrier, both of which are part of the product achievements of our company,” said Hossein Shahrabi, the managing director of an Iranian knowledge-based company active in the space sector.
He described the next step of this project as the stabilization of the satellite in the orbit, and said, “The panel section of these satellites is another achievement of our company, as telemetry data indicates that the solar panels are performing well and charging and discharging are taking place.”
Shahrabi referred to the design and construction of the upgraded model of the Kowsar sensing satellite, and said, “The tests of this satellite have been carried out with the launcher and the necessary adjustments have been made in full.”
Noting that the satellite is used in the field of agriculture, he said, “To utilize it, we need a set of smart measures to implement two main missions; first, providing images of plant greenery every 24 hours and second, online and real-time Internet of Things communications.”
ISC Declares Ranking of World Universities in 2024
A total of 2,661 universities from 114 countries and 6 continents are present in the 2024 Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC)’s World Ranking, of which 72 universities are from Iran.
“In the 2025 ranking, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and the University of Tehran have been able to be among the top 500 universities in the world, with a ranking in the range of 401-500, and have taken the first place among the Iranian universities,” said Mohammad Mehdi Alavian, the ISC president.
“Tarbiat Modarres University is the third Iranian university in this ranking, with a ranking in the range of 701-800,” he added.
“Among the top universities in Islamic countries, Saudi Arabia has the best global rankings with a ranking of 172, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Egypt are in the range of 401-450, and Qatar is in the range of 451-500,” Alavian said.
72 universities from the Islamic Republic of Iran are present in the 2024 ISC World Ranking.
Iranian Firm Manufactures Fluorescent Molecular Imaging Device
Tajhiz Afarinan Nouri Parseh company in Iran produced and launched a fluorescent molecular imaging device called FluoVision.
This advanced system, designed for non-invasive research on animal models, provides a new perspective in oncology, immunology, and cardiovascular research with capabilities like high sensitivity, multi-wavelength imaging, and live video recording.
FluoVision, which is offered at a much lower price than foreign models, allows researchers to track the accumulation of biological molecules and observe lymph nodes without the need for complex cooling and with user-friendly software, and reduces dependence on imported technologies.
The FluoVision molecular imaging device provides a powerful tool for two-dimensional fluorescent imaging in vivo and on laboratory animal models.
The FluoVision device is designed to track and study biological processes at the molecular level. Its most important technical features include very high sensitivity in detecting low light intensities, the ability to image at different wavelengths, and advanced filtering capabilities for precise separation of emitted signals.
Scientists Crack 40-Year Puzzle in Unbreakable Encryption
For decades, scientists thought unbreakable quantum encryption required flawless light sources, a nearly impossible feat but a team has flipped the script using tiny engineered “quantum dots” and clever new protocols.
By making imperfect light behave more securely, they proved that encrypted messages can travel farther and more safely than ever before. Real-world tests have shown that their method outperforms even the best current systems, bringing practical, affordable quantum-safe communication a significant step closer, the journal PRX Quantum reported.
A team of physicists has made a breakthrough that could bring secure quantum communication closer to everyday use — without needing flawless hardware.
The research, led by PhD students Yuval Bloom and Yoad Ordan, under the guidance of Professor Ronen Rapaport from the Racah Institute of Physics at Hebrew University in collaboration with researchers from Los-Alamos National Labs, and published in PRX Quantum, introduces a new practical approach that significantly improve how we send quantum encrypted information using light particles — even when using imperfect equipment.
For four decades, the holy grail of quantum key distribution (QKD) — the science of creating unbreakable encryption using quantum mechanics — has hinged on one elusive requirement: perfectly engineered single-photon sources. These are tiny light sources that can emit one particle of light (photon) at a time. But in practice, building such devices with absolute precision has proven extremely difficult and expensive.
Iranian Scientists Use Carbon Membranes to Treat Aquaculture Wastewater
A new study by Iranian researchers at the University of Tehran shows that advanced carbon membrane technology can remove hazardous pollutants from fish farm wastewater with an efficiency of over 90%.
The study showed that using carbon membranes in reverse osmosis systems can significantly reduce key pollutants in the industry's wastewater, including nitrate, phosphate, ammonia, and salinity.
“The study examines different types of carbon membranes, including carbon molecular sieves, activated carbon membranes, carbon nanotube membranes, and graphene oxide membranes, and emphasizes that these materials enjoy exceptional filtration capabilities due to their unique structure and extraordinary porosity,” said Arash Javanshir, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Tehran.
“The research showed that the efficiency of removing critical pollutants by these membranes can exceed 90%. This achievement not only significantly improves the quality of the effluent water, but also allows for the recovery and reuse of water, which means less consumption of fresh water and the protection of natural resources,” he added.
Javanshir described the development of hybrid membranes and nanocomposites as another key finding of this research, and said, “This new generation of membranes, by combining the advantages of different materials, offers superior performance and enables the design of customized solutions for specific types of wastewater.”
“The research showed that factors like acidity (pH), temperature and composition of the incoming water leave a direct impact on the efficiency of these membranes. To this end, the research has proposed the use of real-time monitoring systems that provide operators with the ability to adjust and optimize the treatment process by providing immediate data,” he noted.
Iranian Scientists, Czech Colleagues Develop Nano-Based Tool to Diagnose Parkinson Disease
A group of Iranian researchers from Tarbiat Modarres University, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and Palacký University in the Czech Republic succeeded in developing a new fluorescence sensor system for the early diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD).
The developed sensor is based on an array of three types of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with different surface functional groups. Each of these quantum dots exhibits a distinct fluorescence response when exposed to a target molecule. These changes include an increase or decrease in fluorescence intensity or a change in the emission wavelength. Collectively, these changes create a specific pattern or optical fingerprint for the target molecule.
In this study, three types of carbon quantum dots were used, including NH₂-CQD, L-Trp-CQD, and D-Trp-CQD. The combination of these three elements allowed the creation of a three-component sensor array that was able to distinguish α-Syn oligomers well from its other forms (single-molecule or fibrillar) as well as from other common proteins like insulin, lysozyme, and bovine albumin.
The fluorescence responses obtained from the sensor array were analyzed using the NPLS-DA statistical method. The results showed that the system was able to distinguish all the tested protein species with high accuracy. In addition, the sensor was able to detect the presence of α-Syn oligomers in a concentration range of 0.5 to 32 μg/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) of this system reached 0.5 μg/mL in an aqueous medium and 0.3 μg/mL in a saliva medium.
The cross-validation accuracy of the system also reached about 92% in an aqueous medium, indicating the high sensitivity and specificity of this technology. Remarkably, the sensor was able to perform reliably even in the complex conditions of human saliva, making it a viable option for clinical applications. One of the outstanding features of this system is that it operates without the need for labeling or the use of additional chemicals.
Iranian, Chinese Scientists Use Nanotechnology to Develop 2D Biosensors for Medical Applications
Researchers from the Iranian University of Tehran and the University of Science and Technology of China managed to develop electrochemical-luminescence (ECL) biosensing technology by focusing on MXene nanostructures for disease diagnostic tests.
In a recent research, researchers at the University of Tehran and the University of Science and Technology of China employed a series of novel methods for synthesizing and modifying the surface of MXenes to create nanostructures that act both as a substrate for stabilizing biomolecules and as signaling units.
By designing MXene-based nanocomposites, the team was able to significantly increase the intensity of ECL signals and enhance the performance of the sensors to a level beyond conventional standards.
One of the key achievements of this project is the use of MXenes as co-reactant accelerators. This feature not only increases the intensity of the emitted light in the ECL process, but also allows for more accurate and rapid detection of target molecules. Also, the use of MXenes as precursors for the synthesis of new ECL emitters has expanded the scope of applications of these nanostructures in the design of biosensors. Despite significant progress, MXenes also face challenges. Current synthesis processes often rely on strong corrosive agents such as HF, which raises environmental concerns. Also, precise control over the surface functionalization of MXenes is still a major technical problem, since different types of functional groups (–F, –OH, –O) can provide different sensing performance. Researchers at the University of Tehran and Chinese colleagues are focusing on improving these limitations, seeking to improve the stability, biocompatibility, and performance of MXenes.
MXene is an emerging 2D material with rare combination of properties like electric and metallic conductivity, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, large surface area, size tunability, rich surface chemistry, flexibility, layered structure. Since the discovery of first member of the family, MXene (Ti3C2Tx) in 2011, MXene has drawn the attention and left the prodigious impact on the scientific community and opens the avenue for the plethora of applications.
Due to the versatile properties; MXene is considered as the building block of the future materials and devices.
Iran-Made Skin Care Product Awarded in Silicon Valley Invention Festival
The Iran-made invention of ‘skin care products based on exosome technology’ developed by the technologists of an Iranian knowledge-based company won the gold medal of the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF 2025).
The invention of Maria Beyhaqqi, the managing-director of the knowledge-based company stationed at the incubator center of Comprehensive Technology Units of Mashhad Health and Medical Sciences Park, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in the field of ‘skin care products based on exosome technology’ was selected as a winner at the SVIIF 2025 and awarded a gold medal.
The product of the company won a gold medal and a diploma of honor at the SVIIF 2025.
The Iranian knowledge-based company has managed to design and produce biorecombinant drugs for the treatment of skin diseases.
“These products are based on natural ingredients like edible mushrooms, spirulina algae and human blood serum and can help with wound healing, rejuvenation and skin regeneration without causing allergies or chemical side effects,” said Beyhaqqi in June.
“In our regenerative products, we have used edible mushrooms Shinage, spirulina algae and human blood serum as drug delivery systems and carriers, which are effective in treating many skin diseases,” she added.
Noting that in addition to these compounds, medicinal plant extracts are also used to reduce melanin production and fight free radicals which helps to brighten and rejuvenate the skin, Beyhaqqi said, “Our engineered compounds cause skin cell proliferation, collagen regeneration and prevention of wound hyperplasia.”
“In the production process of these drugs, advanced synthesis methods and specific synergistic compounds based on human cells are used, which not only have high and specific performance, but also do not cause any allergies or chemical side effects,” she noted.
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