Quantum-Inspired Nano Biotechnology: Wave–Particle Duality in In Vitro and In Vivo Bioassays

Quantum-inspired nanobiotechnology re-conceptualizes conventional bioassays by utilizing the waveparticle duality in quantum physics. Rather than considering photons, electrons or excitations strictly as wave or particle, the aim is to develop assays that exploit both aspects of their duality for ultra-sensitive, specific and informative bioassay designs. Wave-oriented assays utilize interference and coherence to amplify signals from a single molecule, particle-centric assays quantitatively count discrete events, such as an electron tunnelling through a nanopore, or photons emitted from a quantum dot; and correlation-centric assays exploit entanglement and quantum correlations to surpass classical noise thresholds. In total, these forms of bioassays provide powerful designs for In Vitro diagnostics, live-cell imaging and translational medicine. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of wave-centric, particle-centric, and correlation-centric bioassays, clarify their advantages and disadvantages, and point out the potential to merge and expand with artificial intelligence (AI), hybrid nanodevices that incorporate nanobiotechnologies, and nanotheranostics. We also cover health and safety, biocompatibility, ethical, and regulatory considerations that need to be considered in order to transition quantum-inspired bioassays from the lab to the clinic. Ultimately, we will suggest a roadmap for the next decade of this rapidly developing field.