Research themes
Research
Nine programmes spanning the field's deepest questions and its most promising applications — each led across multiple member labs.
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Coherence & energy transfer
Quantum coherence in photosynthetic light-harvesting and excitonic transport.
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Spin & magnetoreception
Radical-pair mechanisms and how living systems read weak magnetic fields.
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Enzyme catalysis & tunnelling
Proton and electron tunnelling that lets enzymes defy classical limits.
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Quantum effects in the brain
Testable hypotheses for spin and coherence in neural function.
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Drug discovery & design
Quantum-aware models of molecular recognition and reactivity.
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Health, longevity & magnetobiology
How field and spin effects shape physiology, ageing, and medicine.
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Biomanufacturing & synthetic biology
Engineering quantum-enhanced pathways for sustainable production.
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Quantum sensing & metrology
Spin-based sensors that make the invisible chemistry of life measurable.
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Theory, simulation & AI
Electronic-structure theory, stochastic methods, and machine learning at scale.
The central question
Do quantum states last long enough inside cells to matter?
This is the Quantum Biology Hypothesis. Settling it — either way — reshapes how we understand life. QBICON coordinates the experiments, instruments, and theory needed to answer it, and shares the roadmap openly.
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