Optical NMR using Diamond Quantum Sensing for Imaging Metabolic Processes in Live Cells

C53-28b-271112Quantum enabled approaches pose new concepts for bioimaging and sensing of biological processes in living biological systems, non-destructively in real time. Processes of interest for bioenergy include measuring enzyme function within cells, tracking metabolic pathways in vivo, monitoring the transport of materials into and out of cells or across cellular membranes and, measuring signaling process between cells and within plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. High-utility organic products (biofuels, biochemicals, biomaterials, etc.) are most effectively produced by way of industrial fermentation enabled by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi. End-product synthesis begins with genetically engineered microbial strains with redirected metabolic paths which either increase the yield of natural metabolites or produce new molecules. Because bioprocess scale-up costs are extremely high, reliable scale-up remains an enormous technical and economic barrier for commercialization of bioprocesses. To provide insight into the metabolic process with the goal of increasing yield, single-cell NMR sensors based on nanodiamond (ND) particles with unique quantum properties are being developed. 13C nuclear spins in nanodiamond will be employed as NMR sensors of the surrounding analyte nuclei. Hyperpolarization of 13C nuclei boost their NMR signal and increase the capability to measure the NMR chemical shift of potential analytes present in nearby hyperpolarized 13C nuclei. Products that will result from this research include a single-cell NMR detector, consisting of a 13C hyperpolarization module and RF detection module, along with the diamond particles that are used by the device. This will enable real-time analysis at a temporal scale of bioprocess dynamics in bioreactors.