Home | Spin for Life – Quantum Technology in Biomedicine

Sponsoring association founded to support the S4L idea

Sponsoring association founded to support the S⁴L idea

In order to further advance S⁴L, the team has now joined forces to form the "Förderverein Spin-Technologie in der Medizin". The aim of the association is to create a suitable operational organisation for S⁴L and to permanently promote spin research.
(German only)

Migratory birds: Spin provides orientation

Migratory birds find their way with the help of a protein in their retina. Light puts it into a certain quantum chemical state, so that opposite spins within the protein become aligned. From the percentage distribution between the two possible spin orientations and the resulting reactions, the birds deduce the direction of the Earth's magnetic field - and thus their flight path.

After coal: A new era

In Saxony, in the Leipzig-Chemnitz metropolitan area, truly interdisciplinary technological research excellence is already concentrated in a small area. In addition, there is the age-old founding and inventive spirit here. S⁴L wants to build on this tradition and harness the energy that lies in such a rapidly developing region - an energy that is needed to enter a new era after lignite.

Industry & research: Together from the start

Unique to S⁴L is that science, industry, and society meets on one campus, not just on paper, but in real life. From the idea to the application, we thus want to work closely together to prevent previous hurdles from arising in the first place. "We can actually achieve real precision medicine with this," says Dr. Rebecca Ramb, Vice President Magnetic Resonance Siemens Healthineers.

Spin: What is it?

In particle physics, spin is the intrinsic angular momentum of the protons, neutrons, and electrons that make up atoms. It is an invariable internal property of particles and it is central to quantum mechanics. The magnetic moments of the particles, the fine structure of the spectral lines and ferromagnetism, among other things, are based on spin.

Spin for Life - Research for the medicine of tomorrow

Spin, as a given quantum mechanical property of particles, is the basis of complex matter, such as atoms, molecules, peptides, nucleotides, proteins and cells, and thus of all life. Spin determines the structure and controls the function of all matter. But it can also be used as a harmless, non-invasive sensor. This makes it possible, for example, to image dense, opaque tissue using magnetic resonance imaging.

We at Spin for Life (S⁴L) want to research and use these fundamental properties of spin. Despite great initial successes such as magnetic resonance imaging, we are still at the beginning of the possibilities here. We therefore want to bring together cutting-edge research from physics, chemistry, engineering, and computer science to achieve breakthroughs in spin research that will drive fundamental innovations in the life sciences and medicine.

Our vision: individualized, predictive and preventive medicine in smartphone format. Up to now, one uses a standard therapy for a disease. We want to create diagnostics and treatment that are perfectly tailored to the patient. Neurodegeneration, cancer, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases could be detected more quickly, before serious damage occurs. This is especially relevant in an ageing society. Even fitness and pandemic tests or therapy support from a distance would then be possible.