Periodic Reporting for period 3 - HyperQ (Quantum hyperpolarisation for ultrasensitive nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging)
Période du rapport: 2023-07-01 au 2024-12-31
Many of the most remarkable contributions of modern science to society have arisen from the interdisciplinary work of scientists enabling novel methods of imaging and sensing. Outstanding examples are nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which have enabled fundamental insights in a broad range of sciences extending from Chemistry to the Life Sciences. However, the key challenge of NMR and MRI is their very low inherent sensitivity due to the weak nuclear spin polarisation under ambient conditions. This makes the extension of magnetic resonance to the nanoscale (small volumes) and to the observation of metabolic processes (low concentrations) impossible.
HyperQ addresses this challenge with the development of room-temperature quantum control of solid-state spins to increase nuclear spin polarisation several orders of magnitude above thermal equilibrium and thereby revolutionise the state-of-the-art of magnetic resonance. Essential for this development is the synergy of an interdisciplinary team of world leaders in quantum control and hyperpolarised magnetic resonance to enable the development of quantum control theory (“Quantum Software”), quantum materials (“Quantum Hardware”), their integration (“Quantum Devices”) and applications to biological and medical imaging (“Medical Quantum Applications”). HyperQ will target major breakthroughs in the field of magnetic resonance, which include chip-integrated hyperpolarisation devices designed to operate in combination with portable magnetic resonance quantum sensors, unprecedented sensitivity of bio-NMR at the nanoscale, and biomarkers of deranged cellular metabolism.
The HyperQ technology will provide access to metabolic processes from the micron to the nanoscale and thereby insights into metabolic signatures of a broad range of disease such as cancer, Alzheimer and the mechanisms behind neurodegenerative disease. This will enable fundamentally new insights into the Life Sciences.
HyperQ addresses this challenge with the development of room-temperature quantum control of solid-state spins to increase nuclear spin polarisation several orders of magnitude above thermal equilibrium and thereby revolutionise the state-of-the-art of magnetic resonance. Essential for this development is the synergy of an interdisciplinary team of world leaders in quantum control and hyperpolarised magnetic resonance to enable the development of quantum control theory (“Quantum Software”), quantum materials (“Quantum Hardware”), their integration (“Quantum Devices”) and applications to biological and medical imaging (“Medical Quantum Applications”). HyperQ will target major breakthroughs in the field of magnetic resonance, which include chip-integrated hyperpolarisation devices designed to operate in combination with portable magnetic resonance quantum sensors, unprecedented sensitivity of bio-NMR at the nanoscale, and biomarkers of deranged cellular metabolism.
The HyperQ technology will provide access to metabolic processes from the micron to the nanoscale and thereby insights into metabolic signatures of a broad range of disease such as cancer, Alzheimer and the mechanisms behind neurodegenerative disease. This will enable fundamentally new insights into the Life Sciences.
HyperQ work during the second finding period was focused in the development of hardware and software allowing to realise ultrasensitive magnetic resonance form nano- to macroscale. Three PIs and their teams continued to work on the main research line of the project according to project research plan.
Jelezko. The main focus of the Jelezko team's research has been the realisation of a quantum control toolkit to enable nuclear magnetic resonance at the nanoscale and the development of tailored diamond for hyperpolarisation-related applications. We have also demonstrated several novel sensing modalities, including the detection of free radicals in living cells.
Plenio. One focus of work has been the development of quantum control techniques that enhance hyperpolarisation with NV-centers and parahydrogen-induced polarisation. The team has also developed new control methods for magnetic resonance at the nanoscale and it has developed new theoretical models for chiral induced spin selectivity. The team has contributed to the experimental implementation of their methods with modelling and analysis.
Ardenkjær-Larsen:. he main objective has been to demonstrate NMR detection of hyperpolarized nuclei with ensembles of NV in diamonds. An experimental setup has been developed at DTU. Another objective has been to developed transmit and receive detectors for hyperpolarized 13C (and other nuclei) for clinical MRI.
Jelezko. The main focus of the Jelezko team's research has been the realisation of a quantum control toolkit to enable nuclear magnetic resonance at the nanoscale and the development of tailored diamond for hyperpolarisation-related applications. We have also demonstrated several novel sensing modalities, including the detection of free radicals in living cells.
Plenio. One focus of work has been the development of quantum control techniques that enhance hyperpolarisation with NV-centers and parahydrogen-induced polarisation. The team has also developed new control methods for magnetic resonance at the nanoscale and it has developed new theoretical models for chiral induced spin selectivity. The team has contributed to the experimental implementation of their methods with modelling and analysis.
Ardenkjær-Larsen:. he main objective has been to demonstrate NMR detection of hyperpolarized nuclei with ensembles of NV in diamonds. An experimental setup has been developed at DTU. Another objective has been to developed transmit and receive detectors for hyperpolarized 13C (and other nuclei) for clinical MRI.
HyperQ will revolutionise biological and medical understanding by providing unprecedented insight into metabolic processes at the cellular and macroscopic level that are at present inaccessible with any other technique. Our objectives are to (see Fig. 1):
1) Devise quantum control methods of electronic and nuclear spin states to mediate and sense hyperpolarised magnetic resonance (“Quantum Software”)
2) Develop novel quantum materials structured at the nanoscale with accurate control of electronic and nuclear spin sites as polarisation sources and detectors of hyperpolarised magnetic resonance (“Quantum Hardware”)
3) Build devices that deliver hyperpolarised biological molecules in combination with MR detection of single cells in a microfluidic bioreactor (“Quantum MR Devices”)
4) Demonstrate applications of HyperQ technology to biological and medical imaging challenges (“Medical Quantum Applications”)
1) Devise quantum control methods of electronic and nuclear spin states to mediate and sense hyperpolarised magnetic resonance (“Quantum Software”)
2) Develop novel quantum materials structured at the nanoscale with accurate control of electronic and nuclear spin sites as polarisation sources and detectors of hyperpolarised magnetic resonance (“Quantum Hardware”)
3) Build devices that deliver hyperpolarised biological molecules in combination with MR detection of single cells in a microfluidic bioreactor (“Quantum MR Devices”)
4) Demonstrate applications of HyperQ technology to biological and medical imaging challenges (“Medical Quantum Applications”)