Quantum In Medicine (Quantum Physics - Summer 2023 bootcamp submission)
In medicine there have been many developments leading to faster healthcare. However there is still room for improvement. Quantum studies energy on a tiny scale, surveying the way atoms work and how we can harness their abilities and bring them into our health care. This process has already started. Using technology such as quantum computers as well as quantum theories. This includes aspects such as MRI scans, Blood testing, and Health DATA security.
In medicine, quantum can help with improved disease screening and treatment. Scientists can now use a new, interesting method called bio-barcode assay. They can find clues about specific diseases in our blood from using gold nanoparticles. Scientists can see these particles using MRI technology. When you use an MRI machine, waves are emitted into your body using radiation. According to Mayoclinic.org, “Radio waves cause these aligned atoms to produce faint signals,” The particles in radio waves are what allows this to happen. These gold nanoparticles have quantum properties and that lets them stick to cells that fight diseases. The nanoparticles are cheaper, safe to use on the human body, and they’re more accurate than their alternatives. A physics professor at Harvard University named Mikhail Lukin, an expert in quantum optics and atomic physics, plans to use diamond nanoparticles as a substitute for gold nano-particles to take pictures of the human body from the inside.
Quantum sensors can improve MRI machines by taking very accurate and precise measurements which helps doctors. Quantum Computing uses Qubits which helps quantum computers have quicker and more accurate results and processes. According to news.fnal.gov, “Using data from the MRI machine and information held within the voxels, or 3D pixels of the MRI image, doctors will be able to measure these properties to evaluate and monitor a patient’s health across multiple scans. Quantum computing can make these measurements faster and can generate more accurate simulations of an MRI signal to uncover the underlying properties behind the MRI data fingerprints.” The gold nanoparticles are also starting to be able to get only into tumor cells and destroy them with lasers without even touching any of the other good cells.
Instead of using shots or any other types of needles, researchers at New York University, created a patch that you apply to your skin called Nanject. Nanject basically gets cancer drugs into your body without the use of a needle and without harming any of your good cells. This is an example of Quantum Tunneling because the nanoparticles and cancer drugs are directed into your body with the human skin acting as a wall. The particles are covered in antigens and as soon as they make their way into your body, they immediately stick to any cancer cells there. An MRI machine then treats the patients and causes the particles to rise in temperature and demolish the cancer cells. According to fastcompany.com, “When the machine is turned off, the particles cool down and can be removed from the body without any harm to the patient.” “Nanotech drug delivery also allows for lower doses, since the nanoparticles aren’t eaten up by stomach acid like pill-based medications. Finally, treatments like the Nanject can help prevent the spread of disease via unsterilized needles–a major problem in developing nations.”
Blood tests are not uncommon and when you get testing doctors usually take multiple samples to test for multiple different diseases or mutations. Blood tests also take a long time to give results. It can take days or even weeks for a more complicated blood test. There is also the possibility that the blood test cannot be run through. If the sample is too small, clotted, or contaminated, it can lead to inaccurate results. Quantum computers can give more accurate, faster results while using less blood. Quantum computers use Qbits to make their calculations which act as 1 and 0 at the same time unlike classical computing being 1 or 0. This leads to faster calculations. In quantum theory, the theory that allows the qubit to be 1 and 0 simultaneously is called superposition. Superposition is the probability of a particle being at multiple positions at once. The code would be at 1(on) and 0(off) togetherThey also may not need as much blood to do these calculations, these can be more accurate as the computer can diagnose the same blood sample multiple times. They could also test the same sample for different diseases.
Your health data can be hacked. It’s true! Hackers can steal your health data and use it for many crimes including identity theft. According to fastcompany.com, “Using quantum entanglement in one of the most practical applications of the phenomenon to date, quantum cryptography prevents data from being viewed by anyone other than the intended recipient.” Quantum can be used in many fields other than medicine such as technology.
In conclusion putting Quantum in use in the medical field has benefited human society and shall continue to do so as we continue to further study Quantum physics. Maybe eventually using it to solve medical mysteries like cancer. Quantum will definitely advance healthcare in the near future. Not just in healthcare. Quantum can continue to help in many various departments. Technology, Finance, Education, and Cyber security are all improving. Quantum can and will make huge revolutions in the medical industry.
Authors: Jaeneesha Somireddy and Sreenidhi Yerneni
Citations
https://www.fastcompany.com/3016530/4-ways-that-quantum-technology-could-transform-health-care