On Jan. 21, 2026, in a world first, a research team led by the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science has shown it is possible to engineer a quantum mechanical process inside proteins, opening the door to a new class of quantum-enabled biological technologies. The study was been published in Nature.

In the study, the researchers created a new class of biomolecules called magneto-sensitive fluorescent proteins (or MFPs), that can interact with magnetic fields and radio waves. This is enabled by quantum mechanical interactions within the protein, and occur when it is exposed to light of an appropriate wavelength.

While quantum effects have previously been shown as central to some biological processes (such as navigation in birds), this is the first time they have been engineered to create a new family of practical technologies. This marks a shift from observing quantum effects in nature to deliberately designing them for real-world use. The researchers are already exploring applications of these technologies in biomedicine. As part of the study, the team created a prototype imaging instrument that can locate the engineered proteins using a similar mechanism to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) widely used in hospitals. However, unlike MRI, it would be able to track specific molecules or gene expression within a living organism. Such measurements are central to medical challenges including targeted drug delivery and monitoring genetic changes inside tumours.

To generate the engineered proteins, the research team used a bioengineering technique known as directed evolution. In this method, random mutations are introduced to the DNA sequence encoding the protein, creating thousands of variants with altered properties. High-performing variants are selected from this collection, and the process is repeated. After many consecutive rounds of directed evolution, the selected proteins had a dramatically improved sensitivity to magnetic fields.

Achieving the breakthrough required an ambitious interdisciplinary approach, linking expertise in Engineering Biology, Quantum, and Artificial Intelligence – three innovation areas recently highlighted as central to the UK’s Industrial Strategy. This study is thought to be the first in which their intersection has been exploited to create a new technology.