以往量子效應多半從候鳥導航等一些生物過程（biological process，亦稱生命現象）中「觀察」得知。週三（1/22）刊登在《自然》期刊上的一項研究指出，牛津工程科學學系團隊首次透過生物工程技術在蛋白質內部產生量子力學過程（Quantum Mechanical process），進而設計出生物量子感測器，從此開啟了全新由量子驅動之生物科技的新紀元。
本次研究由牛津大學工程科學學系主導，另外包括了牛津大學化學系，以及來自丹麥奧胡斯大學（ aarhus University）、澳洲皇家墨爾本理工大學（Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology）、韓國成均館大學與美國 Calico Life Sciences LLC （Google旗下生技公司）等合作夥伴共襄盛舉。
工程生物學、量子科學與 AI 的跨越結合，量子效應實用技術的首度實作
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研究團隊使用了名為「定向演化」（directed evolution）的生物工程技術，對負責編碼蛋白質的 DNA 序列引入隨機突變，進而產生出成千上萬個具有不同特性的變異蛋白，接著從中篩選出表現最佳者。
在經過重複上述程序的多輪定向演化後，進而創造出名為磁敏螢光蛋白（Magneto-Sensitive Fluorescent Protein，MFP）的新型生物分子。這些蛋白質能與磁場和無線電波產生互動，該互動是由蛋白質內部的量子力學作用所驅動，並且是在其受到適當波長的光照射時發生。
這是透過生物工程方法創造出一系列全新實用技術的破天荒之舉。此一成果代表著從過去單純被動觀察自然界中的量子效應，正式進入到能主動將它們設計成為現實世界可行應用技術的新階段。
這次的突破更破天荒地結合了工程生物學、量子科學與 AI 等跨領域專長。近年來，這三項創新領域一直被視為英國產業策略的核心，這次的研究被認為是結合這三大核心領域專長成功創造出新技術的首例。
精準演化出生物量子感測器，探索生物醫學相關應用可能性
牛津大學工程科學系博士生 Gabriel Abrahams 將這項研究形容為「極具突破性的發現」。他表示，儘管他們目前仍不知道如何從零開始設計出真正絕佳的生物量子感測器，但透過在細菌中精準引導演化過程，大自然最終為我們找到了方法。
工程科學系副教授 Harrison Steel 表示，他們之所以能理解磁敏螢光蛋白內部的量子過程，有賴於那些花了數十年研究鳥類如何利用地球磁場導航的專家。同時，為工程化磁敏螢光蛋白提供起點的蛋白質竟然來自常見的燕麥！
press release from the University of Oxford published on January 21, 2024 (not 2026 as stated in the provided snippet). The press release details research lead by Professor Petra Cameron at the University of Oxford, demonstrating the ability to engineer proteins that exhibit quantum effects at room temperature.The research was published in Nature.
A search for updates as of January 30, 2026, 23:33:02 UTC reveals no important new developments beyond the initial publication and subsequent coverage in scientific news outlets. The research remains a significant progress in the field of quantum biology.
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University of Oxford Quantum Protein Engineering
The University of Oxford announced on January 21, 2024, that a research team successfully engineered proteins capable of exhibiting quantum effects at room temperature, potentially opening new avenues in biotechnology. This breakthrough centers on manipulating the quantum properties of proteins for enhanced functionality.
Professor Petra Cameron and the Research Team
Professor Petra Cameron, of the Department of Physics at the university of Oxford, led the research team responsible for this advancement. the team’s work,published in Nature, details the methods used to engineer these quantum-enabled proteins.
Quantum Biology and Potential Applications
Quantum biology is a field exploring the role of quantum mechanics in biological processes. The ability to engineer proteins with controlled quantum properties could lead to advancements in areas such as:
* Drug Revelation: Designing proteins with enhanced binding affinity or specificity.
* Biosensing: Creating highly sensitive sensors for detecting specific molecules.
* Biocatalysis: Developing enzymes with improved catalytic efficiency.
* Quantum Computing: Utilizing proteins as building blocks for novel quantum computing architectures.
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What is Quantum-Enabled Protein Engineering?
Quantum-enabled protein engineering is the process of designing and creating proteins that leverage quantum mechanical phenomena, such as quantum coherence and entanglement, to enhance their functionality and create novel biological capabilities. Researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated the ability to engineer proteins that exhibit quantum effects at room temperature, a significant step towards realizing the potential of this field.
The University of Oxford’s Breakthrough
The University of Oxford’s research,announced in January 2024, focused on manipulating the vibrational modes within proteins to create and sustain quantum coherence.This coherence allows the proteins to explore multiple configurations concurrently,potentially leading to more efficient and selective interactions.
Implications for Biotechnology
This research has significant implications for biotechnology, as it opens the door to designing proteins with unprecedented capabilities. the ability to control quantum effects in proteins could revolutionize fields like drug discovery, biosensing, and biocatalysis, leading to more effective and enduring solutions.
