Is a Quantum Biosensing Revolution Approaching? Perspectives in NV‐Assisted Current and Thermal Biosensing in Living Cells

Giulia Petrini,Marco Genovese,Giulia Tomagra,Ivo Pietro Degiovanni,Valentina Carabelli,Paolo Traina,Ekaterina Moreva,Ettore Bernardi

doi:10.1002/qute.202000066

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding the human brain is one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century. As theoretical studies continue to improve the description of the complex mechanisms that regulate biological processes, in parallel numerous experiments are conducted to enrich or verify these theoretical predictions also with the aim of extrapolating more accurate models. In the fields of magnetometry and thermometry, among the various sensors proposed for biological application, nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers are emerging as a promising solution due to their perfect biocompatibility and the possibility of being positioned in close proximity to the cell membrane, thus allowing a nanometric spatial resolution down to the nano‐scale. Still many issues must be overcome to obtain either a sensitivity capable of revealing the very weak electromagnetic fields generated by neurons (or other excitable cells) during their firing activity or a spatial resolution sufficient to measure intracellular thermal gradient due to biological processes. However, over the last few years, significant improvements have been achieved in this direction, thanks to the use of innovative techniques. In this review, the new results regarding the application of NV centers will be analyzed and the main challenges that must be afforded for leading to practical applications will be discussed.

Highlights

Understanding the human brain is one of the most significant challenges of the21st century
High sensitivity sensing coupled to high resolution is of the utmost relevance in biological research, be overcome to obtain either a sensitivity capable of revealing the very weak especially, for instance, in studies of huelectromagnetic fields generated by neurons during man brain cell currents, which are typically their firing activity or a spatial resolution sufficient to measure intracellular thermal gradient due to biological processes
Sensors based on the NV centers in artificial bulk and nano diamonds are one of the emerging quantum technologies of huge potential interest in biological applications, thanks to both their practicality and their technical performances

Summary

Introduction

Understanding the human brain is one of the most significant challenges of the21st century. High sensitivity sensing coupled to high resolution is of the utmost relevance in biological research, be overcome to obtain either a sensitivity capable of revealing the very weak especially, for instance, in studies of huelectromagnetic fields generated by neurons (or other excitable cells) during man brain cell currents, which are typically their firing activity or a spatial resolution sufficient to measure intracellular thermal gradient due to biological processes. Localized monitoring of neuronal fields[11,12,13,14] would allow the investigation of brain currents during cognitive processes in order to improve neurological diagnostic systems the application of NV centers will be analyzed and the main challenges identifying the early stages of neuthat must be afforded for leading to practical applications will be discussed

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion