Similar to the way that a conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine uses large magnets to generate 3D images, physicists have developed a proposal for a quantum nano-MRI machine that would use the magnetic properties of a single atomic qubit to generate 3D images with angstrom-level (0.1-nanometer) resolution. The new technique could lead to the development of single-molecule microscopes for imaging biomolecules, with applications in drug discovery and better understanding diseases.
Similar to the way that a conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine uses large magnets to generate 3D images, physicists have developed a proposal for a quantum nano-MRI machine that would use the magnetic properties of a single atomic qubit to generate 3D images with angstrom-level (0.1-nanometer) resolution. The new technique could lead to the development of single-molecule microscopes for imaging biomolecules, with applications in drug discovery and better understanding diseases.
“The ability to image the atomic structure of molecules in their native cellular environments is vital to both understanding disease’s origin and finding its cure,” Hollenberg said. “For example, in the search and testing of new drugs one would first identify a target, often a membrane protein. Imaging the true structure of the protein in the cellular environment is key to understanding how drug molecules will interact with it. On the basis of this information, a drug molecule could be selected or designed. Importantly, the same imaging device would provide means to understand and test how well the drug is working, by observing its interactions with the target molecule on the atomic level. Our goal is to develop a versatile technology for observing the presently inaccessible bio-chemical atomic structure of important molecules in situ, in manner analogue to how hospital MRI machines observe the anatomy of our bodies.”
Due to the large amount of data involved, simulations show that the total time to generate an image of the rapamycin molecule is currently about 175 hours. However, the researchers expect that future improvements will greatly reduce this time, as well as further increase the resolution. In the future, they also plan to scale up the system design for imaging larger biomolecules.
“So far our work has focused on the fundamental theoretical groundwork, understanding how to physically construct the device with presently accessible technology,” Perunicic said. “We are developing the intricate quantum mechanical control that would provide the capacity to image individual molecules, and are also performing simulations to test the performance under realistic conditions. As the outcomes of these investigations were encouraging, the natural direction for the next couple of years is to venture into experimental proof-of-concept demonstrations.”
