Quantum-Enabled Sensing and Imaging for Biology

Quantum Science Concepts in Enhancing Sensing and Imaging Technologies: Applications for Biology—A Workshop will be held March 8-10, 2021 via virtual format.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is organizing this workshop on the research and development needs to advance biological applications of quantum-enabled sensing and imaging technologies.

This event is open to the public and is meant for a broad scientific audience, including anyone with interest in biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering. The workshop is intended to bring together experts working on state-of-the-art quantum-enabled technologies with scientists who are interested in applying these technologies to biological systems. Through talks, panels, and discussions, the workshop will facilitate a better understanding of the current and future biological applications of quantum-enabled technologies on fields such as microbiology, molecular biology, cell biology, plant science, mycology, and many others. Please register below, and we will be in touch as the agenda continues to develop.

The presentations and discussions may explore the following:

• The history of and terminology for quantum sensing and imaging technologies, as well as any established biological applications.
• Descriptions of current biological applications of quantum sensing and imaging as well as other potential areas of biology where these technologies might be applied.
• Understanding what advantages are imparted by quantum-enabled sensing and imaging technologies over their classical counterparts. For example, will these technologies provide a better signal-to-noise ratio, better depth of interaction (to image deep-seated signals), or increase the spatial and temporal resolution of imaging cellular and molecular functionalities?
• Determining what disadvantages, strategies, feasibility, and technical needs must be addressed for applying the principles of quantum sensing and imaging to advance the fields of interest in biology. How might the demonstrated uses of quantum approaches in other fields be adaptable to plant science, microbiology, and mycology, especially for work in intracellular molecular phenomena and intercellular interactions? What impediments must be overcome for these applications to succeed, and what investments could help drive the convergence of these disparate fields forward?
• Exploring how the applications of these technologies could have broader impacts in areas such as the development of renewable energy sources, understanding the effects of earth systems changes on biota, and the advancement of biotechnology.
• Identifying the education, training, and workforce needs for advancing quantum sensing and imaging technologies in biology.

This workshop is made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Department of Energy – Biological and Environmental Research Program.

Registration is available at: https://quantum-and-bio.heysummit.com/