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  • Review Article
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Quantum sensors for biomedical applications

Nature Reviews Physics volume 5, pages 157–169 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Quantum sensors are finding their way from laboratories to the real world, as witnessed by the increasing number of start-ups in this field. The atomic length scale of quantum sensors and their coherence properties enable unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity. Biomedical applications could benefit from these quantum technologies, but it is often difficult to evaluate the potential impact of the techniques. This Review sheds light on these questions, presenting the status of quantum sensing applications and discussing their path towards commercialization. The focus is on two promising quantum sensing platforms: optically pumped atomic magnetometers, and nitrogen–vacancy centres in diamond. The broad spectrum of biomedical applications is highlighted by four case studies ranging from brain imaging to single-cell spectroscopy.

Key points

  • Quantum sensors can detect magnetic fields and other physical quantities, with unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity, making them highly interesting for biomedical applications.

  • Optically pumped magnetometers offer new functionalities in clinical magnetoencephalography, with their wearable sensor helmet allowing the subject to perform tasks and move during the recording of brain activity.

  • Nitrogen–vacancy (NV)-centre-based magnetometry of single neurons and magnetic biomarkers, with subcellular resolution, opens new avenues in studying neuronal circuits and in rapid clinical testing.

  • Nuclear magnetic resonance based on NV centres in diamond enables microscale and nanoscale detection of single molecules and single cells, which could be applied in structure determination of transmembrane proteins and in metabolomics studies.

  • Nanodiamonds containing NV centres can locally probe temperature-dependent biological processes in cells and small organisms, such as cell development and endogenous heat generation.

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Fig. 1: Quantum sensors will have an impact in biomedical research on different length scales.
Fig. 2: Operating principles of optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) and nitrogen–vacancy (NV) magnetometers.
Fig. 3: Optically pumped magnetometer (OPM)-based magnetoencephalography (MEG).
Fig. 4: Nitrogen–vacancy (NV)-centre-based magnetic sensing of biological samples.
Fig. 5: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centres.
Fig. 6: Thermometry with nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centres in nanodiamonds.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Moore Foundation. N.A. acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Nabeel Aslam, Hengyun Zhou, Elana K. Urbach, Mikhail D. Lukin & Hongkun Park

  2. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Nabeel Aslam & Hongkun Park

  3. Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

    Nabeel Aslam

  4. Quantum Technology Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Matthew J. Turner & Ronald L. Walsworth

  5. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Matthew J. Turner & Ronald L. Walsworth

  6. Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Ronald L. Walsworth

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  1. Nabeel Aslam
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All authors have read, discussed and contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hongkun Park.

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The authors declare the following competing interests: R.L.W., M.D.L. and H.P. are scientific co-founders of QDTI Inc.

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Aslam, N., Zhou, H., Urbach, E.K. et al. Quantum sensors for biomedical applications. Nat Rev Phys 5, 157–169 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00558-3

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