Diamond Based Quantum Sensing for Detecting Stress Responses in Living Cells with Subcellular Resolution

Free radical generation plays a key role in many different biological processes including cell communication, immune responses or ageing. Since free radical generation also occurs when cells are under stress, it is elevated in many different diseases. Unfortunately, free radicals are short lived and reactive and thus the use of free radical generation as a biomarker is limited.<br/>My group has pioneered using diamond-based quantum sensing to solve this problem. The method is based on NV centers, a defect in diamond, which converts magnetic signals into optical signals. As a result, one can detect signals that are equivalent to T1 in clinical MRI but by optical means with a microscope. Since these signals are easier to detect than small magnetic signals, this technique enables measurements down to the single electron level. In a cellular context that means that we have subcellular resolution at the nanoscale. Here I will show data from free radical measurements in living cells. I will further show our first clinical data we obtained with this technique. More specifically, I will show how we can use this technique to measure synovial fluid from arthritis patients and to assess the working mechanism of certain drugs[1]. In the second part of my talk, I will show the results on germ cells where we hope to contribute to a better understanding into male and female infertility.<br/><br/>[1] Elías-Llumbet, A., et al., 2023. Nano Letters, 23(18), pp.8406-8410<br/>[2] Lin, N., et al. 2023. ACS Central Science, 9(9), pp.1784-1798<br/>[3] Reyes, C., et al. 2022. ACS Nano, 16(7), pp 10701-10710