Quantum biology: From mechanisms to medicine

Abstract

Background: Quantum biology explores how quantum mechanical phenomena—including coherence, tunneling, superposition, and spin dynamics—contribute to biological function. Although once considered negligible in warm and noisy biological environments, increasing evidence suggests that quantum effects play important roles in diverse living systems.

Objective: This review aims to summarize the current understanding of quantum biological mechanisms, highlight their relevance to physiology and disease, and discuss emerging biomedical and technological applications.

Methods: We reviewed recent experimental, computational, and theoretical advances in quantum biology, including studies employing ultrafast spectroscopy, quantum sensing, cryo-electron microscopy, and quantum simulation approaches. Key biological systems examined include photosynthetic complexes, enzymatic reactions, DNA base pairing, sensory systems, and mitochondrial electron transport.

Results: Accumulating evidence indicates that quantum coherence, tunneling, and spin-dependent processes contribute to photosynthetic energy transfer, enzymatic catalysis, proton transfer in DNA, magnetoreception, olfaction, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Advances in quantum sensing and computational modeling have further enabled direct investigation of coherence dynamics and electron transfer mechanisms in biological systems. These findings suggest that quantum effects may influence aging, cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic dysfunction through mechanisms involving reactive oxygen species production, mutagenesis, and altered redox signaling.

Conclusion: Quantum biology is evolving from a speculative concept into an experimentally accessible and translationally relevant discipline. Integrating quantum principles with systems biology, multi-omics, and precision medicine may provide new opportunities for diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic development. Continued advances in spectroscopy, quantum sensing, and quantum computing are expected to further establish the role of quantum phenomena in health and disease.

Keywords

DNA proton tautomerisation and mutation / mitochondrial electron transport and ROS / quantum biology / quantum coherence and tunnelling / quantum-informed medicine / radical pair mechanism / spin dynamics

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