A $21 million donation from philanthropist Thea Berggren to the University of Chicago will fund the creation of the Berggren Center for Quantum Biology and Medicine. This new center aims to merge quantum technology with biology, potentially revolutionizing medical diagnostics and therapies.
The initiative seeks to use quantum engineering for sensitive measurements that could offer unprecedented insights into human biology and disease. University President Paul Alivisatos remarked on the interdisciplinary nature of the project, stating, “The establishment of the Berggren Center reflects a commitment to a powerful idea: that the deepest scientific insights often emerge when we bring distinct disciplines together in bold new ways.”
The Berggren Center will be part of UChicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, utilizing its strengths in quantum science and biomedical research. Nadya Mason, dean of the school, expressed gratitude for Berggren's investment, saying, “UChicago is a global leader in quantum science, engineering and medicine. The Berggren Center will bring together faculty from across the University to create a new frontier in patient care.”
The center focuses on developing revolutionary quantum tools for biomedical applications and training scientists fluent in both fields. It will fund fellowships, technical projects, and host global conferences to foster an international community around this emerging field.
UChicago researchers are already engaged in related work. For instance, Assistant Professor Peter Maurer is collaborating with other faculty members on using quantum-enabled identifiers to observe immune cells in real time. Mark Anderson emphasized that the center would help translate quantum breakthroughs into clinical practice.
Co-directed by Greg Engel and Julian Solway, who have collaborated through the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Sensing for Biophysics and Bioengineering (QuBBE), the center aims to accelerate clinical impact by building on existing foundations.
Engel noted the challenges but potential rewards of merging these disciplines: “Fusing quantum physics and medicine is no small feat, but it opens the door to tools and discoveries we never thought possible.” Solway highlighted its role as a new frontier in translational science.
Berggren's contribution includes endowed funds for sustainability as well as current support funding. Reflecting on her inspiration for this gift during a visit to Chile’s Atacama Desert, she said: “What if we applied [quantum] principles to cellular physiology and pathology? The potential to transform medicine...is extraordinary.”