Signal First Biological Qubit Created from Living Cell Protein — UChicago PME Breakthrough

Summary

Researchers at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering turned a protein found in living cells into a working qubit, described as a first-of-its-kind result. The work was co-led by Chicago Quantum Exchange director David Awschalom and assistant professor Peter Maurer, under the title A Fluorescent-Protein Spin Qubit. Awschalom said the approach was to develop a biological system itself into a qubit, rather than taking a conventional quantum sensor and disguising it to fit inside a biological system. The protein qubit can reportedly be built directly by cells, positioned with atomic precision, and detects signals thousands of times stronger than existing quantum sensors. The work was named among Physics World's top ten breakthroughs of the year for designing a protein qubit usable as a magnetic-field sensor inside living cells.