Journal article
Probing Cellular Activity Via Charge-Sensitive Quantum Nanoprobes
Advanced materials (Weinheim), e05107
02/04/2026
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202505107
PMCID: PMC12966981
PMID: 41640003
Abstract
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) based quantum sensors hold great potential for real-time single-cell sensing with far-reaching applications in fundamental biology and medical diagnostics. Although highly sensitive, the mapping of quantum measurements onto cellular physiological states has remained an exceptional challenge. Here, we introduce a novel quantum sensing modality capable of detecting changes in cellular activity. Our approach is based on the detection of environment-induced charge depletion within an individual particle that, owing to a previously unaccounted transverse dipole term, induces systematic shifts in the zero-field splitting (ZFS). Importantly, these charge-induced shifts serve as a reliable indicator for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammatory response in macrophages. Furthermore, we demonstrate that surface modification of our diamond nanoprobes effectively suppresses these environment-induced ZFS shifts, providing an important tool for differentiating electrostatic shifts caused by the environment from other unrelated effects, such as temperature variations. Notably, this surface modification also leads to significant reductions in particle-induced toxicity and inflammation. Our findings shed light on systematic drifts and sensitivity limits of NV spectroscopy in a biological environment with ramifications for the critical discussion surrounding single-cell thermogenesis. Notably, this work establishes the foundation for a novel sensing modality capable of probing complex cellular processes through straightforward physical measurements.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Probing Cellular Activity Via Charge-Sensitive Quantum Nanoprobes
- Creators
- Uri Zvi - University of ChicagoShivam Mundhra - University of ChicagoDavid Ovetsky - University of ChicagoQing Chen - University of ChicagoAidan R. Jones - University of ChicagoStella Wang - University of ChicagoMaria J. Roman-vazquez - University of ChicagoMarie Kim - University of ChicagoUdoka M. Ibeh - University of ChicagoMichele Ferro - University of ChicagoKunle Odunsi - University of ChicagoMarina C. Garassino - University of ChicagoMichael E. Flatte - University of IowaMelody A. Swartz - University of ChicagoDenis R. Candido - University of IowaAaron Esser-kahn - University of ChicagoPeter C. Maurer - University of Chicago
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Advanced materials (Weinheim), e05107
- DOI
- 10.1002/adma.202505107
- PMID
- 41640003
- PMCID
- PMC12966981
- NLM abbreviation
- Adv Mater
- ISSN
- 0935-9648
- eISSN
- 1521-4095
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- P30CA014599 / NCI Cancer Center Support Grant; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) T32GM007281 / NIH/NIGMS Medical Scientist Training Program R01 CA253248 / National Institutes of Health (NIH); United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA DE-SC0021314 / U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (CMQT, EFRC); United States Department of Energy (DOE) ECCS-2025633 / NSF, Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering OMA-2121044 / QuBBE QLC (via NSF) CZ Biohub DMR-2011854 / NSF, University of Chicago Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC)
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 02/04/2026
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985139300602771
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