What if some of the biggest breakthroughs in health, medicine, and biotechnology come from understanding how quantum phenomena influence living systems? In this video, we explore some of the potential applications of quantum biology, check it out! youtu.be/p7z7Ph7KLkI?si=-bNJ…

The Magnetobiology Episode: A company in San Francisco, called @NonfictionBio, is building proteins (like antibodies and enzymes) that can be controlled using small magnets. In this episode, co-founder Maria Ingaramo and scientific advisor Andrew York explain how they engineered a protein, MagLOV, that responds strongly to magnetic fields, why most prior attempts have failed to replicate, and how the mechanism of magnetically-controlled proteins actually works. They also get into the “dream” use cases, like cancer drugs that activate only at the tumor, which might have a lower toxicity inside the body. This podcast is made possible by @AsteraInstitute. I'm happy with how this episode came out. I think my interviewing skills are improving, and I'm getting better at building up context throughout the episode. Enjoy! Search for "The New Biology" on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Timestamps: 00:00 - Opening 00:54 — Introduction 01:35 — The dream 05:38 — Why magnets vs. light or ultrasound 10:05 — The physics 17:48 — On the name "magnetogenetics" 21:25 — Birds and cryptochromes 27:09 — Why is the field filled with so much junk? 29:51 — Adam Cohen's molecule 33:24 — Markus Meister’s debunking 38:06 — The experiment 46:22 — Finding the LOV domain 54:11 — Singlets, triplets, and cysteine 56:54 — What the magnet is actually doing 1:05:13 — The conformational-change red herring 1:12:46 — The Quantum Biology Institute 1:19:31 — Founding Nonfiction Labs 1:24:38 — How to convince skeptical investors 1:29:39 — What a magnetogenetic medicine might look like 1:38:50 — First clinical indications 1:45:12 — The regulatory path 1:48:01 — What the field needs 1:54:30 — Appendix: Whiteboard lecture

For a long time, living systems were thought to be too warm, wet, and complex for quantum effects to play a meaningful role. But as research in quantum biology continues to grow, that assumption is being questioned. In this new video, we explore why this field could matter for human health, what scientists are investigating, and where the research may lead. Check it out! youtu.be/-3tVHkW9zt8?si=_POE…

📢 Join us this Tuesday, June 16th at 8AM PT / 11AM ET for the Quantum Biology DAO Science Working Group (open to all!). Come discuss the latest ideas in quantum biology and hear from DAO contributor Nahuel Garcia, a biologist with a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and more than a decade of experience developing cell- and extracellular vesicle-based technologies across cardiology, metabolism, and cancer research. He is also the founder of a genetic diagnostics company in Argentina, bringing expertise in both translational science and biotech entrepreneurship. Nahuel will be presenting on his paper: "DNA as a Quantum System in Evolution" 🔗 The paper: journals.plos.org/plosone/ar… 🔗 To join the call: meet.google.com/yeu-rbsv-osv

2/ THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS (1927–1944) 1927–1932 — Quantum pioneers turn to biology Shortly after quantum mechanics was developed, physicists including Niels Bohr and Pascual Jordan began wondering whether the same laws that govern atoms might also help explain living systems. Jordan's 1932 paper is generally considered the first scientific publication devoted to quantum biology, while Bohr helped introduce the question to a broader scientific audience through public lectures. 1944 — Schrödinger publishes What is Life? Erwin Schrödinger proposed that heredity must be stored in a highly ordered molecular structure capable of carrying information. He also suggested that quantum effects might contribute to biological mutations. The book became enormously influential and helped inspire the next generation of molecular biologists, including Watson and Crick.

Did you know quantum biology is older than you might think? For nearly a century, scientists have wondered whether some of life's most fundamental processes depend on quantum phenomena. What began as a theoretical question posed by some of the founders of quantum mechanics has gradually evolved into a field spanning photosynthesis, animal navigation, magnetobiology, and more. Today, quantum biology sits at the intersection of many fields, with researchers investigating how such phenomena may influence living systems. Let's take a look at some of the key milestones in the history of quantum biology. Thread below ⬇️

Are you interested to learn about quantum biology? Our grantee, the Quantum Biology Institute, will be leading a series of classes to introduce people to the field. This first one is an accessible introduction to quantum biology, radical pairs, spin physics, and how quantum-level effects may influence biological reactions. Register here: bit.ly/QBI-Q1-Class-1 These are offered free and to anyone around the world 🌎

How does smell work? The traditional explanation is that odor molecules are recognized by their shape. A molecule binds to a receptor in your nose, triggering a signal that your brain interprets as smell. But some scientists have argued that shape may not be the whole story. A competing hypothesis suggests that odor receptors may also be sensitive to the vibrational properties of molecules. In this model, quantum tunneling could help receptors distinguish between molecules that look similar but vibrate differently. The idea remains controversial, and the mechanism of olfaction is still not fully understood. Smell may be just one example... what other biological processes could be influenced by quantum effects? Related paper: arxiv.org/abs/2506.22265

Microbiologist Michael Montague (@QuantumBioDAO) explains: the color of your iris is an aggregate effect. Around 10^17 pigment molecules adding up to a visible signature. Remove one and no one would notice. What makes life quantum, in his telling, is the opposite. A single molecular event that cascades up to shape an entire cell, an entire organism, an entire life. He gives the example of a cosmic ray hitting a strand of DNA, altering a nucleotide, which starts a chain that could end in a tumor. He calls these "scale shifting effects." And he argues they're everywhere in living systems. That, he says, is the real answer to the question "how quantum is life." Michael won 3rd place in our essay competition for his essay "Scale Shifting: Quantum Biology, Quantum Omics, & a Quantum Biotech Future."

Great job @ClariceDAiello! If anyone needs a quantum biology refresher, may I suggest youtu.be/qzaPrzL7geA?si=dfmS…

Which potential application of quantum biology excites you the most?

Had an amazing time at QuEBS 2026 last week! Beyond the science, one of the biggest highlights was seeing how much momentum the field is building. We connected with researchers from around the world, explored new work in areas like magnetobiology, quantum sensing, photosynthesis, and more, and had great conversations about where quantum biology is headed next. We were honored to have the opportunity to present on the DAO and engage with researchers interested in helping shape the future of the field. We're leaving with new ideas, new connections, and even more excitement about what's ahead for quantum biology.

Experiments hint that quantum mechanisms are vital to the machinery of life. Now researchers are exploring if these effects help to explain the success of an array of puzzling health treatments newscientist.com/article/252…

>> Check out this new article! In addition to featuring our own @ClariceDAiello, the article highlights serious ongoing research in quantum biology exploring whether light and magnetic fields can influence quantum states within living systems and whether those effects may help explain some of the biological responses observed in therapies that make use of light and magnetic fields.