CSO, Co-founder
Assoc. Professor, quantum sensing,
DTU Physics
DIASENSE is developing a Quantum Diamond Magnetic Microscope for neuroscientists to explore causes of neurodegenerative diseases and accelerate the search for cures.
Neurodegenerative diseases (like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases or Multiple Sclerosis) or dementia has severe personal consequences for the people affected by this group of diseases and their families.
It is estimated that 55 million people worldwide had dementia in 2019, and that by 2050 this figure will increase to 139 million. In Europe, the economic burden of neurodegenerative diseases in 2020 was USD 1.06 Trillion.
Therapies are mostly limited to symptom management, and there are few disease-modifying treatments, typically limited to deceleration of the development. It is one of the five most research funded groups of diseases.
During the last five years, we have combined quantum sensing with neuroscience to measure activity in muscle and brain tissues. In 2023 we published together our proof-of-concept experiment to measure the neuronal activity in the corpus callosum.
Our microscope will utilize color centers in synthetic diamonds to record magnetic field induced by dynamics at the neuronal level. The instrument will bring the needed sensitivity, bandwidth, and spatial resolution, ultimately, to observing a neuron fire and the signal propagating along the network. Being able to observe this will bring pioneering new insights into the workings of neurodegenerative diseases and their possible treatments.
