QuSeC-TAQS: Nanodiamond Quantum Sensing for Four-Dimensional Live-Cell Imaging

QuSeC-TAQS：用于四维活细胞成像的纳米金刚石量子传感

• 批准号: 2326628
• 负责人: Shengwang Du
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Dallas
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2027-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2326628&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: QuSeC; TAQS; Nanodiamond; Quantum; Sensing

This project aims to revolutionize live-cell imaging by harnessing the power of nanodiamond quantum sensing and advanced microscopy. By developing nanodiamond quantum sensors with exceptional sensitivity, this project will study intricacies of life processes with unprecedented detail. This research aligns with NSF's mission to promote the progress of science and serves the national interest by advancing the understanding of fundamental biological mechanisms. While traditional fluorescence microscopy provides valuable insights into cell structures and functions, nanodiamond quantum sensors with ultra-high sensitivity to local electromagnetic fields offer a new dimension to see through live cells and reveal the underlying physical mechanisms of life processes. By integrating nanodiamond quantum sensors with advanced imaging techniques, this project will capture four-dimensional (4D) information, encompassing three-dimensional spatial data and an additional temporal dimension. This has wide-ranging implications, from enhancing cancer immunotherapy through the monitoring of T cell activity to unraveling the mysteries of membrane potentials in cardiac and neuronal cells. Furthermore, this project extends beyond scientific discoveries. It encompasses comprehensive educational and outreach programs, with a particular focus on fostering diversity in STEM fields. By engaging underrepresented minorities in quantum-related studies, this team aims to create a vibrant and inclusive community of quantum scientists and engineers. This project not only supports education but also benefits society at large, offering new avenues for biomedical research and applications.The research will involve the fabrication of scalable nanodiamond sensors with biocompatible interfaces, uniform sizes and shapes, controlled color center densities, and minimal impurities. By integrating optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy of nanodiamond quantum sensors with light-sheet microscopy (LSM), this team will achieve high spatiotemporal resolution and low phototoxicity, enabling precise imaging of live cells. The technical approach includes the utilization of machine learning algorithms and image processing techniques to analyze the acquired data and extract valuable insights into the dynamics of live cells. Particularly, this team will apply the developed ODMR-LSM quantum sensing imaging technology to study T cell activity in cancer immunotherapy and measure membrane electrical potential. The synergy between nanodiamond quantum sensing and advanced imaging techniques will deepen the understanding of complex biological processes. The proposed nanodiamond quantum sensing system, with the ability for correlating the ODMR spectroscopy and the spatiotemporal imaging of LSM, allows for revealing 4D live-cell dynamics which have not been studied before. This project will bridge the gap between fundamental quantum science and applied bioengineering and bring quantum sensing into rich applications in biomedical fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目的目的是通过利用纳米原子量子传感和高级显微镜的力量来彻底改变活细胞成像。通过开发具有出色敏感性的纳米原子量子传感器，该项目将以前所未有的细节研究生命过程的复杂性。这项研究符合NSF促进科学进步的使命，并通过促进对基本生物学机制的理解来促进国家利益。虽然传统的荧光显微镜为细胞结构和功能提供了有价值的见解，但对局部电磁场的敏感性超高的纳米座量子传感器提供了一个新的维度，可以通过活细胞观察并揭示生命过程的潜在物理机制。通过将纳米蒙德量子传感器与高级成像技术集成，该项目将捕获四维（4D）信息，涵盖三维空间数据和附加的时间维度。从通过监测T细胞活性来增强癌症免疫疗法到揭示心脏和神经元细胞中膜电位的奥秘，这具有广泛的含义。此外，该项目超出了科学发现。它涵盖了全面的教育和外展计划，特别着眼于促进STEM领域的多样性。通过使代表性不足的少数民族参与与量子有关的研究，该团队旨在建立一个充满活力的量子科学家和工程师社区。该项目不仅支持教育，而且在整个社会中都受益，为生物医学研究和应用提供了新的途径。该研究将涉及与具有生物相同的接口，均匀尺寸和形状，受控的色中心密度以及最小不重要的可伸缩纳米符号传感器的制造。通过将光学量子传感器的光学检测到的磁共振（ODMR）与光片显微镜（LSM）整合在一起，该团队将实现高时空分辨率和低光毒性，从而实现了活细胞的精确成像。技术方法包括使用机器学习算法和图像处理技术来分析获得的数据并提取对活细胞动力学的有价值的见解。特别是，该团队将应用开发的ODMR-LSM量子传感成像技术来研究癌症免疫疗法中的T细胞活性并测量膜电位。纳米原子量子量子传感和高级成像技术之间的协同作用将加深对复杂生物过程的理解。提出的纳米座量子传感系统具有将ODMR光谱和LSM的时空成像相关联的能力，允许揭示以前从未研究过的4D Live细胞动力学。该项目将弥合基本量子科学与应用生物工程之间的差距，并将量子传感带入生物医学领域的丰富应用中。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并认为值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来获得支持。