In effect they behave as quantum sensors, devices whose operation depends on the behaviour of electrons at the smallest scales. The new results challenge that assumption, opening a path towards genetically encoded quantum sensors and a new class of hybrid quantum-biological technologies. Protein sensorsResearchers at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering focused on a variant of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP), a close relative of green fluorescent protein. Why inside cells mattersMost existing quantum sensors are made from solid materials such as diamond. Protein-based quantum sensors are currently less sensitive than solid-state devices, coherence times are shorter, and photobleaching remains a concern.

Source: The Hindu February 23, 2026 18:02 UTC