MUQUABIS - Multiscale quantum bio-imaging and spectroscopy

Project description and objectives

Understanding and controlling complex systems at different scales is a major challenge in biology and medicine. Quantum sensing technologies hold much promise for disruptive approaches to imaging and spectroscopy of biological matter.  MUQUABIS aims at developing synergetic tools of quantum bio-sensing and bio-imaging. Such sensors will offer biology a distinctive host of powerful features – non-invasiveness, sensitivity, spatial and temporal resolutions, likely to conquer new frontiers in imaging and spectroscopy, out-of-reach of their classical counterparts. A focus is a global structural and functional understanding of cardiac cell layers from molecules to cells to tissues. ¬Their study in healthy and diseased conditions will shed light on cardiac arrhythmias, largely responsible for morbidity and sudden cardiac death. Advancing beyond modern tools of photonics and quantum measurements, new concepts for quantum frequency combs and infrared lasers will be explored. Low-light-level spectro-imaging will detect cell-membrane proteins and gaseous metabolites nearby cell tissues, below the quantum noise limit. Concurrently, a quantum magneto-microscope based on diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers will be combined to optical imaging for electrophysiology. Such a hybrid sensor will simultaneously and locally reveal the magnetic and electric fields in cardiac-cell activity.   MUQUABIS proposes a unique synergic effort, gathering complementary expertise, technologies and infrastructures. Leading research institutions in quantum sensing, quantum optics and biophysics, together with four high-tech companies will rapidly move the project from fundamental quantum sensing components and protocols to technology validation on biological samples to a roadmap for industrial exploitation.  MUQUABIS will pave the way to ground-breaking quantum-based tools and protocols for medical diagnostics and treatments, a strategic objective for the European Quantum Flagship.