New quantum sensing technology reveals subatomic signals
Penn Engineers have created a novel approach to detect tiny variations in individual atoms, enabling protein research in drug development.
Scientists have long used radio waves to uncover the molecular “fingerprints” of unknown materials. These methods rely on signals averaged from trillions of atoms, making it impossible to detect tiny variations between individual molecules. Such limitations hinder applications in fields like protein research, where small differences in shape control functionality and can determine the difference between health and disease.
A rendering of the minute nucleic differences detectable using the form of nuclear quadrupolar resonance.
(Image: Mathieu Ouellet)
Now, engineers at Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science have utilized quantum sensors to realize a groundbreaking variation of nuclear quadrupolar resonance (NQR) spectroscopy, a technique traditionally used to detect drugs and explosives or analyze pharmaceuticals.
Described in Nano Letters, the new method is so precise that it can detect the NQR signals from individual atoms—a feat once thought unattainable. This unprecedented sensitivity opens the door to breakthroughs in fields like drug development, where understanding molecular interactions at the atomic level is critical.
“This technique allows us to isolate individual nuclei and reveal tiny differences in what were thought to be identical molecules,” says Lee Bassett, associate professor in electrical and systems engineering, director of Penn’s Quantum Engineering Laboratory, and the paper’s senior author. “By focusing on a single nucleus, we can uncover details about molecular structure and dynamics that were previously hidden. This capability allows us to study the building blocks of the natural world at an entirely new scale.”
Novel plant-based approach to a better, cheaper GLP-1 delivery system
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell investigates the use of a lettuce-based, plant-encapsulated delivery platform as a new oral delivery of two GLP-1 drugs previously approved by the FDA in injectable form.
No brain, no gain: Neuronal activity enhances benefits of exercise
Research led by Penn neuroscientist J. Nicholas Betley and collaborators finds that hypothalamic neurons are essential for translating physical exertion into endurance, potentially opening the door to exercise-mimicking therapies.
In honor of Valentine's Day, and as a way of fostering community in her Shakespeare in Love course, Becky Friedman took her students to the University Club for lunch one class period. They talked about the movie "Shakespeare in Love," as part of a broader conversation on how Shakespeare's works are adapted.
In Becky Friedman’s English course Shakespeare in Love, undergraduate students analyze language, genre, and adaptation in the Bard’s plays through the lens of love.
Beating the heat: Designing cooling for bodies in motion
Dorit Aviv, director of Weitzman’s Thermal Architecture Lab, studies how humans, technology, and design intersect, paving the way for the development of novel approaches to cooling people efficiently.
