Researchers at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have made a significant advancement in quantum technology by successfully engineering a protein within living cells to function as a quantum bit, or qubit. This breakthrough, published on August 29, 2025, in the journal Nature, enables quantum sensing in the warm, dynamic environments of biological systems, a feat previously challenging for traditional solid-state quantum sensors requiring extremely cold conditions.
The study, led by David Awschalom and Peter Maurer, focused on a genetically encoded fluorescent protein, demonstrating its capability to act as a quantum sensor. This innovation holds the potential to revolutionize nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), offering atomic-level insights into biological processes. The team utilized a novel spin-readout technique, achieving optically addressable spin qubits in the Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein (EYFP). Their experiments recorded a spin-lattice relaxation time of 141 microseconds and a coherence time of 16 microseconds, highlighting fluorescent proteins as a promising new platform for quantum sensors.
This pioneering work received crucial support from the National Science Foundation's Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Sensing for Biophysics and Bioengineering (QuBBE), established in 2021. QuBBE's mission is to advance quantum technology in biology and cultivate a quantum workforce through STEM education. Additional backing came from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which supports exploratory research in quantum materials and systems.
The integration of quantum sensors directly into living cells represents a profound advancement, promising to deepen our understanding of cellular functions and disease mechanisms, thereby paving the way for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. While these protein-based qubits do not yet match the sensitivity of diamond-based quantum sensors, their inherent ability to be genetically encoded into living systems offers a unique advantage. This allows for precise positioning within cells and the potential to detect signals thousands of times stronger than current quantum sensors, signifying a paradigm shift towards harnessing biological systems for powerful quantum sensing modalities.