Quantum Breakthrough: Protein Sensors Unveil Cellular Secrets
Scientists at the University of Chicago, led by Peter Maurer and David Awschalom, have made a groundbreaking discovery. They've developed quantum sensors using proteins that can operate within living animal cells, opening doors to unprecedented insights into cellular structures and processes.
The innovative sensors utilise a quantum state called a 'triplet state' as a qubit, enabling them to store and process quantum information. This allows them to sense physical properties with unparalleled precision, potentially revealing the atomic structure of cellular machinery or how drugs interact with specific proteins inside the cell.
These sensors can be encoded in DNA, allowing cells to produce them and target sub-cellular structures. Moreover, they use fluorescent proteins, commonly employed in biological imaging, demonstrating a clever repurposing of existing tools. However, significant improvements in stability and sensitivity are required for practical, widespread use.
The team's work, published in Nature, marks a significant step forward in cellular imaging and quantum computing. While practical applications like cellular magnetic resonance imaging are still in the future, this research paves the way for a deeper understanding of cellular processes at the atomic level.
