Course: null

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Course title -
Course code KBF/QB
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Pospíšil Pavel, prof. RNDr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Introduction to Quantum Biology. Definition of quantum biology, the emergence of quantum biology as a scientific discipline, historical development of the field, and the relationship between quantum physics and biology. 2. Fundamental Quantum Principles: Closed Quantum Systems. Wave-particle duality, superposition, coherence, quantum entanglement, quantum tunneling, fundamentals of quantum field theory (QFT), particles as excitations of quantum fields, and the relationship between quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. 3. Fundamental Quantum Principles in Biology: Open Quantum Systems. Interactions between quantum systems and biological environments, superposition, coherence, quantum entanglement, and quantum tunneling in biological systems. 4. Limits of Quantum Phenomena in Biology. Biological noise, thermal noise (thermal fluctuations), chemical noise (molecular vibrations, molecular collisions, chemical reactions), structural noise (structural heterogeneity and molecular dynamics), decoherence, loss of quantum entanglement, and limitations of quantum tunneling. 5. Mechanisms Preserving Quantum Phenomena in Biology. Stabilization of quantum superposition (delocalization of excited states), extension of quantum coherence (ENAQT, environment-assisted quantum transport), protection of quantum entanglement (spin correlations in radical pairs), and enhancement of quantum tunneling (optimization of donor-acceptor distance and protein dynamics). 6. Quantum Coherence in Biology. Coherent excitation energy transfer in photosynthetic antenna complexes, electronic and vibronic coherence in excitation energy transfer, and coherent mechanisms of charge separation in photosynthetic reaction centers. 7. Quantum Entanglement in Biology. Radical pairs in avian magnetoreception, spin dynamics of radical pairs influenced by the Earth's geomagnetic field, spin-correlated reactions in biochemistry, and spin coherence in ultrafast photochemical processes. 8. Quantum Tunneling in Biology. Enzymatic reactions (proton and electron tunneling), DNA mutations (proton transfer between nucleobases), electron transport in mitochondria and chloroplasts, and the vibrational theory of olfaction (electron tunneling in olfactory receptors). 9. Frontier Hypotheses in Quantum Biology. The role of quantum states in cellular communication, quantum processes in neural tissue, quantum theories of consciousness (Orch OR), critical evaluation and methodological limitations, and future research perspectives.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training)
Learning outcomes
Quantum biology is an interdisciplinary field at the interface of physics and biology that investigates the role of quantum mechanical phenomena in living systems. The objectives of the course are to explain the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics relevant to biological systems, describe known quantum processes occurring in biological systems, distinguish between experimentally validated and hypothetical concepts in quantum biology, and develop the ability to critically analyze the scientific literature.

Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam, Written exam

Recommended literature
  • Babcock, N.S. (2026). Physical Principles of Quantum Biology. Singapur.
  • Engel, G.S., Plenio, M.B., Mohseni, M., Omar, Y. (2014). Quantum Effects in Biology.
  • McFadden, J., Al-Khalili, J. (2014). Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology.
  • Roy, S. (2025). Quantum Effects In Biology. Singapur.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Biophysics (2022) Category: Physics courses 1 Recommended year of study:1, Recommended semester: Summer