Diamonds on the brain: Quantum sensors for next generation neuroscience

Speaker: Professor Lezanne Ooi
Affiliation: University of Wollongong

Abstract

Neurons are the brain’s fundamental computing units — yet we still don’t fully understand how vast networks of neurons work together to generate thought, memory, and behaviour. A central challenge in neuroscience is not only decoding how these networks compute, but also developing technologies capable of imaging millions of neurons in real time within living systems. Over the past decades, powerful tools, such as single-cell patch clamp recordings, multielectrode arrays, and optogenetics have transformed our ability to probe neural circuits at single-neuron resolution. These advances have revealed extraordinary detail — but they also come with critical limitations. Multielectrode arrays undersample complex three-dimensional networks. Optical voltage dyes bleach and fade. Optogenetic approaches require intense illumination that can perturb or damage delicate tissue, restricting long-term studies. What if we could measure electrical activity without these trade-offs? In this talk, I will introduce a new direction: quantum-enabled electrophysiology using fluorescent quantum defects in diamond. By harnessing the remarkable properties of these defects, we are using quantum microscopes to measure electrical signals in vitro—without invasive electrodes or damaging light levels. I will share our latest findings on how neuronal function changes in neurodegenerative disease models, and how these emerging quantum tools may allow us to visualise electrical dynamics with unprecedented sensitivity and stability. This work opens a path toward scalable, long-term imaging approaches that could reshape how we study—and ultimately treat—neurological disease.