Scientists program cells to create ‘biological qubit’ in quantum breakthrough

At first look, biology and quantum know-how appear incompatible. 

Living methods function in heat, noisy environments filled with fixed movement—whereas quantum know-how usually requires excessive isolation and temperatures close to absolute zero to perform. 

But quantum mechanics is the muse of every little thing, together with organic molecules. In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, researchers on the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have turned a protein present in dwelling cells right into a functioning quantum bit, or qubit, the muse of quantum applied sciences. The protein qubit can be utilized as a quantum sensor able to detecting minute modifications and in the end providing unprecedented perception into organic processes.

“Rather than taking a conventional quantum sensor and trying to camouflage it to enter a biological system, we wanted to explore the idea of using a biological system itself and developing it into a qubit,” stated David Awschalom, co-principal investigator of the mission, Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering at UChicago PME and director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE). “Harnessing nature to create powerful families of quantum sensors—that’s the new direction here.” 

The interdisciplinary advance was published last week in Nature.

Unlike engineered nanomaterials, protein-qubits could be constructed instantly by cells, positioned with atomic precision and detect indicators hundreds of instances stronger than current quantum sensors. Looking forward, these protein-qubits might drive a revolution in quantum-enabled nanoscale MRI, revealing the atomic construction of the mobile equipment and remodeling our solution to carry out organic analysis. Beyond biology, protein qubits might additionally open new frontiers for advancing quantum know-how itself. 

“Our findings not solely allow new methods for quantum sensing inside dwelling methods but additionally introduce a radically totally different method to designing quantum supplies,” stated Peter Maurer, co-principal investigator and assistant professor of molecular engineering at UChicago. “Specifically, we can now start using nature’s own tools of evolution and self-assembly to overcome some of the roadblocks faced by current spin-based quantum technology.” 

Genetically encoded fluorescent proteins just like the one used on this examine have turn out to be an important software in cell biology over the previous 20 years, permitting scientists to review processes that happen inside a cell. Turning one in every of these proteins right into a quantum sensor permits analysis into organic methods at a good deeper, extra exact degree. 

Though this analysis solely used one form of fluorescent protein, the researchers say it ought to work broadly throughout extensive courses of proteins and methods, opening up myriad prospects for future examine.

“This is a really exciting shift,” stated co-first writer Benjamin Soloway, a UChicago PME quantum Ph.D. candidate in Awschalom’s lab. “Through fluorescence microscopy, scientists can see biological processes but must infer what’s happening on the nanoscale. Now, for the first time, we can directly measure quantum properties inside living systems.”

Awschalom and Maurer emphasised that the tenacity of the scholars on the crew was important to the success of the mission. 

“Research projects often take multiple years, and the outcomes are far from certain. This project was no exception,” stated Jacob Feder, a co-first writer on the paper and former scholar of Awschalom and Maurer. Feder acquired his Ph.D. in April. 

“This work was only possible because our students had the courage to take risks and push forward even when the results looked discouraging for quite some time,” Awschalom stated. “Their persistence is what made this discovery successful—this was a challenging project.”

The new protein-based qubits don’t but rival the sensitivity of immediately’s finest quantum sensors, often created from defects in diamond. 

But as a result of they are often genetically encoded into dwelling methods, they promise one thing much more radical: the flexibility to observe biology unfold on the quantum degree, from protein folding and enzyme exercise to the earliest indicators of illness.

Maurer highlighted the collaborative, cross-field surroundings at UChicago as a key issue within the mission’s success.

“A project like this that is at the convergence of quantum engineering and molecular biology required an interdisciplinary approach that was only possible at a place like UChicago PME,” he stated. 

As Soloway put it: “We’re entering an era where the boundary between quantum physics and biology begins to dissolve. That’s where the really transformative science will happen.”

Citation: “A fluorescent-protein spin qubit,” Feder et al, Nature, August 20, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09417-w

Funding: NSF QuBBE QLCI (NSF OMA- 2121044) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, grant number 12216

This story was originally published on the UChicago PME website.