Quantum and drugs: spin dynamics in an antibiotic

Spin physics, the science that describes how electron spin may be coupled through ‘spooky action at a distance’ or quantum entanglement. The Radical Pair Mechanism (RPM) in which two radicals are linked through the spin of quantum-entangled electrons, is believed to provide the avian compass but may also be involved in health-related phenomena, such as inflammation and wound healing. Yet progress is dogged by the difficulties of working with birds. Recent experiments have demonstrated that spin physics may be involved in the activation of some drugs. The discovery will enable biological spin physics to be studied with simple molecular biological approaches. The project could lead to new approaches to drug therapy and maybe even a new science of quantum pharmacology. The project will involve a mixture of molecular biology, microbiology and experimental physics. It will involve collaboration with the University of Exeter, the National Physics Laboratory and the University of California, USA.