Project description
Revolutionary quantum sensing experiments for studying spin-correlated radical pairs
The spin chemistry of photogenerated spin-correlated radical pairs (SCRPs) has played a key role in many and varied fields of biology, including the leading hypothesis for avian magnetoreception and as a versatile platform for quantum information applications with synthetic chemical tunability. Recently, growing interest has been directed towards SCRPs in chiral systems to study mechanisms of chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS). Unfortunately, our poor understanding of the connection between SCRP spin dynamics and CISS in biological systems has greatly limited these efforts. The ERC-funded Q-CISS project will develop and use quantum sensing experiments to enable the detection, measurement and manipulation of photogenerated SCRPs at the single-to-few-molecule regime at room temperature.
Objective
Photogenerated spin-correlated radical pairs (SCRPs) are electron spin pairs formed in well-defined spin states. Spin chemistry of SCRPs plays important roles in biology, as famously implicated in the leading hypothesis for avian magnetoreception. At the same time, synthetic molecules supporting SCRPs provide a versatile platform for quantum information applications with synthetic chemical tunability. Recently, significant interest in SCRPs in chiral (non-superimposable mirror image) systems has grown as systems to study mechanisms of chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS), which describes spin-dependent interactions with chiral molecules like proteins at room temperature. However, the role of CISS in the spin dynamics of SCRP and physiological relevance of CISS in biological systems remain poorly understood and are significant open questions in both quantum science and modern biophysics. Quantum sensing of SCRPs using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond offers untapped potential to elucidate the complex spin dynamics of these systems and create a long-anticipated breakthrough in identifying the potential biological roles of CISS.
In the proposed work of Q-CISS, novel quantum sensing experiments using single NV centers in nanophotonic diamond waveguides will be used to detect, measure, and manipulate photogenerated SCRPs at the single to few-molecule regime and at room temperature. First, this interdisciplinary approach will systematically build new knowledge by investigating well-defined synthetic achiral and chiral model systems. Second, key experiments are outlined to identify unambiguously the potential roles of CISS in SCRP dynamics in biological proteins hypothesized to be involved in avian magnetoreception. Collectively, Q-CISS will establish a unique approach to investigate combined roles of molecular chirality and spin physics in biological systems, while more broadly advancing room-temperature quantum sensing strategies for the chemical sciences.
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Keywords
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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1700 Fribourg
Switzerland
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