Chicago Quantum Exchange-led coalition advances to final round in NSF Engine competition

University of Chicago

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A Chicago Quantum Exchange–led coalition focused on leveraging cutting-edge quantum technology to protect the nation’s most sensitive information from cyber attacks has advanced to the final stage of the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program.

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Credit: Chicago Quantum Exchange

A Chicago Quantum Exchange–led coalition focused on leveraging cutting-edge quantum technology to protect the nation’s most sensitive information from cyber attacks has advanced to the final stage of the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program, the NSF announced Thursday afternoon.

If funded, Quantum Connected, a Midwest-based coalition of academic, industry, nonprofit, and government partners, will build critically needed quantum-based cyber security. It is one of 15 teams who will pitch the NSF on different projects. Winners, anticipated to be announced in early 2026, could receive as much as $160 million over 10 years to advance technologies that maintain American competitiveness in critical areas.

 “Quantum technology is our best long-term bet for securing our nation’s information, which faces escalating threats that classical technology is not equipped to address,” said David Awschalom, the University of Chicago’s Liew Family professor of molecular engineering, the director of the CQE, and Quantum Connected principal investigator. “Our region has all of the key elements — leading scientists and engineers, quantum startups, physical facilities — to deliver quantum-based security. The key gap is NSF funding support. An NSF Engine award would be an economic boost for the Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region. More crucially, though, it would be a critical win for US economic and national security — one we cannot do without.”

The CQE region is home to leading universities and national labs; more than two dozen quantum startups; and a growing roster of facilities across the Quantum Prairie, a region that includes Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana and is a leading hub for quantum innovation. Those facilities include the Roberts Impact Lab, a commercialization center and regional hub for business growth under development by Purdue University Northwest; Hyde Park Labs, which through the UChicago Science Incubator provides access to shared quantum equipment, the growing Chicago Quantum Network, and quantum graduation suites; a National Quantum Algorithm Center; and the soon-to-be-built Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park, which will include the DARPA-Illinois Quantum Proving Ground, shared cryogenic facilities, and more.

 

The region is also the home of the CQE-hosted Chicago Quantum Summit, which draws top leaders from government, academia, and industry each year. Tickets are on sale now for the November 3 and 4 event.

Launched by NSF TIP, the NSF Engines program is building and scaling regional innovation ecosystems across the country by supporting broad multi-sector coalitions to accelerate breakthrough emerging technology R&D that drives growth and, ultimately, bolsters US economic competitiveness and national security. Quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize a wide variety of industries and offer solutions to pressing global challenges. 

A CQE-led coalition was also among those to receive an NSF Development Award in 2024, which it used to deepen partnerships and strengthen workforce and economic development plans across the three-state region.

In addition to an NSF Engine Development Award, the CQE also leads the US Economic Development Administration–designated Bloch Quantum Tech Hub, which is aimed at accelerating the development of quantum technologies that strengthen US economic and national security. The Bloch, which launched the nation’s first quantum innovation team rallying entire sectors around the nation’s most urgent challenges, was instrumental in attracting Bluefors, the world leader in manufacturing cryogenic measurement systems for quantum technology, to the region and bringing its Bluefors Lab service into the United States for the first time. 

SFU physicists create new electrically controlled silicon-based quantum device

Simon Fraser University

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A pioneering team of scientists at Simon Fraser University have created a new type of silicon-based quantum device controlled both optically and electrically.

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Credit: Michael Dobinson/Simon Fraser University

A pioneering team of scientists at Simon Fraser University have created a new type of silicon-based quantum device controlled both optically and electrically, marking the latest breakthrough in the global quantum computing race.

Published in the journal Nature Photonics, researchers at the SFU Silicon Quantum Technology Lab and leading Canada-based quantum company Photonic Inc. reveal new diode nanocavity devices for electrical control over silicon colour centre qubits.

The devices have achieved the first-ever demonstration of an electrically-injected single-photon source in silicon. The breakthrough clears another hurdle toward building a quantum computer – which has enormous potential to provide computing power well beyond that of today’s supercomputers and advance fields like chemistry, materials science, medicine and cybersecurity.

“Previously, we controlled these qubits, called T centres, optically (with lasers),” says Daniel Higginbottom, assistant professor of physics. “Now we’re introducing electrical control as well, which increases the device capability and is a step toward applications in a scalable quantum computer.”

According to PhD candidate Michael Dobinson, the lead author of the study, the breakthrough will allow the research team to explore the different applications of the devices and the feasibility of scaling them up in larger quantum processors.

“This first demonstration shows that we can fabricate devices which allow for simultaneous optical and electrical control of T centres. This is exciting as it open the door to many applications in quantum computing and networking,” says Dobinson. “Overall, the optical and electrical operation combined with the silicon platform makes this a very scalable and broadly applicable device.”

The SFU lab’s leads, Stephanie Simmons and Mike Thewalt, co-founded Photonic Inc., to develop commercial-scale quantum computers and quantum networks.

The company, which recently announced plans to establish a research and development facility in the U.K., was an integral partner in the latest study.

Christian Dangel, manager, quantum devices in the Integrated Photonics team at Photonic Inc. and a co-author of the manuscript says, “This project was a great opportunity to leverage Photonic’s advanced fabrication capabilities and test their performance in next-generation devices in a research environment.”

Researchers at the Silicon Quantum Technology Lab were among the first in the world to explore using silicon colour centres for quantum technology.

Developing quantum technology using silicon provides opportunities to rapidly scale quantum computing. The global semiconductor industry is already able to inexpensively manufacture silicon computer chips at scale, with a staggering degree of precision. This technology forms the backbone of modern computing and networking, from smartphones to the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

“Our colleagues Stephanie Simmons and Mike Thewalt first proposed silicon colour centres as a platform for quantum computing at a time when very few people were thinking about them at all,” says Higginbottom.

Now, national governments, including Canada through its National Quantum Strategy, major universities and corporations like IBM, Google and Microsoft are spending billions of dollars in a scramble to be first out of the gate with a scalable quantum computer.

Higginbottom says being at the forefront of the field has been a thrilling experience.

“It fits into this trajectory that we've been on. In 2020, SFU first introduced silicon T centers for quantum applications. In 2022, we integrated Single T centers with patterned nanophotonic devices,” he says. “But those devices didn't have any interfaces or controls. Now we're controlling them optically and electronically. We're unlocking some of the capabilities that you need to build a useful computer out of these things.”

Available SFU Experts

DANIEL HIGGINBOTTOM, assistant professor, physics daniel_higginbottom@sfu.ca

MICHAEL DOBINSON, PhD candidate, physics michael_dobinson@sfu.ca

Contact

MATT KIELTYKA, SFU Communication & Marketing 236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory 778.782.3210

About Simon Fraser University

Who We Are SFU is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, SFU has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, SFU fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—SFU has ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.

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Journal

Nature Photonics

DOI

10.1038/s41566-025-01752-8 

Article Title

Electrically triggered spin–photon devices in silicon

 

$4.5M NIDA grant will fund research to improve methadone treatment quality

New clinical trial aims to reduce work-related trauma and traumatic stress symptoms among methadone treatment staff to improve treatment quality and patient retention.

University of Arizona Health Sciences

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Beth Meyerson is the Beverly Benson McCord endowed chair at the U of A College of Nursing and policy director for the Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction.

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Credit: Photo courtesy of Beth Meyerson

TUCSON, Ariz. — Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing are testing an intervention to reduce staff stress and improve methadone patient treatment retention for opioid use disorder thanks to a $4.5 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

More than 2,100 clinics in the United States offer methadone treatment for opioid addiction. Approximately 4.6 million people in the U.S. need treatment for opioid use disorder, but only 3 in 10 remain in methadone treatment, partially due to the varying quality of methadone treatment across the U.S. 

“If we can improve the quality of methadone treatment in the U.S., it would be a game changer,” said Beth Meyerson, the Beverly Benson McCord endowed chair at the U of A College of Nursing and policy director for the Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction. “Access to this treatment can reduce opioid overdose deaths by 60%.”

Meyerson and her team have found that nurses, physicians and counselors in methadone clinics often experience high levels of stress that may reduce the quality of care. 

Meyerson’s national clinical trial will examine whether a multi-modal intervention reduces work-related trauma and traumatic stress symptoms among methadone treatment staff, and whether that change improves treatment quality and patient retention.

The intervention was developed collaboratively with methadone treatment providers and patients. It includes psychoeducation about trauma-informed and evidence-based methadone treatment; anonymous screening for trauma symptoms and treatment referral; clinical reflective training for counselors, case managers and peer support staff; and a trauma-informed clinic assessment.

This work extends Meyerson’s prior research into improving methadone treatment, quality and access.

“Methadone’s history is fraught with stigma, and we have found that training to manage patients on methadone for opioid use disorder is woefully inadequate in schools of medicine and nursing,” Meyerson said. “Together, we can improve nursing and medical care for people with opioid use disorder by ensuring they receive the life-saving treatments they so desperately need.” The four-year study will also provide research training for undergraduate students, graduate students in nursing and medicine and postdoctoral fellows.

University of Arizona researchers joining Meyerson in this study include Zhanette Coffee, postdoctoral researcher and certified addiction registered nurse – advanced practice at the College of Nursing, and Patrick Rivers, biostatistician with the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. Co-investigators include researchers from the Arizona State University School of Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work, Indiana University School of Nursing, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, New York University School of Global Health, Western Michigan University School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs, and the Southwest Recovery Alliance.

The grant reported in this press release was awarded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health, under award number R33DA059889. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

 

Overcoming the barriers of hydrogen storage with a low-temperature hydrogen battery

Scientists develop a solid electrolyte, utilizing which the battery stores and releases hydrogen at temperatures below 100 °C

Institute of Science Tokyo

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Researchers at Science Tokyo developed a hydrogen battery that stores and releases hydrogen at just 90 °C by moving hydride ions through a solid electrolyte, offering a safe, efficient, and reversible alternative to traditional high-temperature methods.

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Credit: Institute of Science Tokyo

A hydrogen battery that operates at just 90 °C has been developed by researchers from Japan, overcoming the high-temperature and low-capacity limits of earlier methods. The device works by moving hydride ions through a solid electrolyte, allowing magnesium hydride, which acts as the anode, to repeatedly store and release hydrogen at full capacity. This battery offers a practical way to store hydrogen fuel, paving the way for hydrogen-powered vehicles and clean energy systems.

One of the most pressing challenges facing the use of hydrogen is its storage, which typically requires extremely low temperatures (−252.8 °C) and high pressures (350 to 700 bar). Instead of storing hydrogen as a gas or liquid, a more effective approach is to store it in solid materials such as magnesium hydride (MgH2), which has high theoretical storage capacity. This material can be integrated into a battery-like system where, instead of only moving electrons, hydrogen itself is stored and released during charging and discharging.

Until recently, this approach was limited by the need for high operating temperatures above 300 °C, poor reversibility of hydrogen absorption and desorption, and unwanted side reactions that reduced performance. In a significant development that may open the door to practical applications, researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo), Japan, have developed a hydrogen battery that can operate at much lower temperatures, around 90 °C. The study published in the journal Science on September 18, 2025, was conducted by a research team led by Research Scientist Dr. Takashi Hirose, Assistant Professor Naoki Matsui, and Institute Professor Ryoji Kanno at the Research Center for All-Solid-State Battery in Science Tokyo.

“We demonstrated the operation of an Mg–H2 battery as a safe and efficient hydrogen energy storage device, achieving high capacity, low temperature, and reversible hydrogen gas absorption and release,” says Matsui.

The novelty of this battery lies in its solid electrolyte, Ba0.5Ca0.35Na0.15H1.85, which can transport hydrogen ions, specifically hydride ions (H–), efficiently. This material has an anti-α-AgI-type crystal structure, well known for its superionic conductivity. In this structure, barium, calcium, and sodium occupy body-centered positions, while H– move through face-sharing tetrahedral and octahedral sites, allowing them to migrate freely. Tests showed that the material has high ionic conductivity at room temperature (2.1 × 10-5 S cm-1) and electrochemical stability, making the system effective for long-term hydrogen storage and release.

The battery design uses MgH2 as the anode and hydrogen (H2) gas as the cathode. During charging, MgH2 releases H–, which migrate through the Ba0.5Ca0.35Na0.15H1.85 electrolyte to the H2 electrode, where they are oxidized to release H2 gas. During discharging, the reverse occurs: H2 gas at the cathode is reduced to H–, which move through the electrolyte to the anode and react with Mg to form MgH2.

This process allows the cell to both store and release H2 when needed, all at manageable temperatures below 100 °C. Using this cell, the researchers were able to reach the full theoretical storage capacity of MgH2, about 2,030 mAh g-1, equivalent to 7.6 wt.% H2, over repeated cycles.

Traditional solid-state hydrogen storage methods have faced major limitations. Heat-driven absorption and desorption required very high operating temperatures between 300 and 400 °C to release or capture hydrogen, which made the process energy-intensive and impractical for everyday use. An alternative approach using electrochemical storage with liquid electrolytes at lower temperatures suffered from poor hydrogen-ion transport, which meant that the materials could not achieve anywhere near their theoretical storage capacities. As a result, both approaches fell short of providing an efficient, reversible, and low-temperature solution for hydrogen storage.

“These properties of our hydrogen storage battery were previously unattainable through conventional thermal methods or liquid electrolytes, offering a foundation for efficient hydrogen storage systems suitable for use as energy carriers,” explains Hirose.

Such a battery could be key to a hydrogen-powered future, enabling hydrogen-powered vehicles and carbon-free industries.

 

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About Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo)
Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) was established on October 1, 2024, following the merger between Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) and Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), with the mission of “Advancing science and human wellbeing to create value for and with society.”

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adw1996 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

High-Capacity, Reversible Hydrogen Storage Using H–-Conducting Solid Electrolytes

Article Publication Date

18-Sep-2025

COI Statement

T.H., N.M., T.I., and R.K. hold patents related to this work (Japanese unexamined patent application publication 2023-035854). T.H., N.M., and R.K. hold patents related to this work (Japanese unexamined patent application 2023-035875).

 

Decoding the selfish gene, from evolutionary cheaters to disease control

University of Sheffield

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Malaysian stalk-eyed fly (Teleopsis dalmanni). Credit: Paul Richards

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Credit: Paul Richards

Decoding the selfish gene, from evolutionary cheaters to disease control

 

• Scientists from the University of Sheffield have uncovered how to potentially control harmful insect populations by studying a "selfish gene" that manipulates inheritance

• The new research focuses on meiotic drive, a process where a selfish gene gives itself a better chance of being passed on to the next generation, disrupting the normal 50/50 inheritance pattern

• By studying the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly, researchers discovered that a selfish gene can damage rival sperm carrying a Y chromosome, leading to a population with far more females than males

• Understanding this genetic mechanism could provide a new way to control insects that spread disease and cause food shortages by causing their populations to become unsustainably female-biased
   

New research is shining a light on one of genetics’ enduring puzzles - how the workings of the so-called “selfish gene” could be harnessed to control harmful insect populations.

 

By understanding the molecular basis of a selfish gene and the way it operates, scientists believe they could identify novel methods to control certain insects that are globally significant pests and disease carriers. 

 

The research - involving an international team of scientists led by the University of Sheffield - is focusing on what is known as “meiotic drive”, where a selfish gene is able to disrupt the normal pattern of inheritance. 

 

Meiosis is a type of cell division that creates gametes - sperm and egg cells that carry half the genetic material of each parent. When they fuse during fertilisation, they form new offspring. 

 

According to classical genetics, the maternal and paternal versions of each gene in the gametes have an equal chance of being passed onto the offspring. But that process is subverted by meiotic drive, where selfish genes dramatically increase the odds that they will successfully pass on their genetic code. 

 

Dr Alison Wright, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences and principal investigator in the research, said: “All genes are selfish, but some are more selfish than others. Meiotic drive is a powerful mechanism and, in the insect world, some selfish genes can have a major effect on the numbers of male and female offspring that are produced. 

 

“Ultimately, this can cause insect populations carrying these selfish genes to go extinct. By studying how that happens at a fundamental level, scientists will be able to exploit that knowledge and put it to good use to control insect populations that are responsible for major disease outbreaks and food shortages.”

 

The Sheffield-led research has investigated a selfish gene carried by the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly (Teleopsis dalmanni). Using single-cell RNA sequencing, the scientists profiled gene expression in individual sperm cells during their formation, a new technique for investigating the molecular mechanism of meiotic drive. 

 

Dr Peter Price, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences and the lead author of the study, said: “This novel approach allowed us to find several genes essential for normal sperm development whose activity are altered in the presence of the selfish gene. 

 

“The selfish gene is able to damage the mobility of rival sperm that carry a Y chromosome, which results in fewer male offspring. Over time, this meiotic drive results in an extremely female-biased sex ratio where very few males are present, with severe consequences for the existence and fertility of the population.”

 

The Malaysian stalk-eyed fly is not a pest itself, but it offers a valuable insight into how meiotic drive and a selfish gene operate. Next, the scientists will apply their new approach to test the origins of this selfish gene and its long-term consequences for the fate of insect populations.

 

END

 

Note to editors

 

For further information - or if you wish to have a preview copy of the paper, please contact:mediateam@sheffield.ac.uk

 

The study - Single-cell consequences of X-linked meiotic drive in stalk-eyed flies - is published in PLoS Genetics. When the embargo lifts, the paper will be downloadable from the following link: https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1011816

 

Image

A high res image of a Malaysian stalk-eyed fly (Teleopsis dalmanni) can be used with this story. Please credit the image: Paul Richards

The image can be accessed by following the link to Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RmOx84wUDCEZAoib_GA4S7dEl8_uybxz/view?usp=sharing

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Journal

PLOS Genetics

DOI

10.1371/journal.pgen.1011816 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Single-cell consequences of X-linked meiotic drive in stalk-eyed flies

Article Publication Date

18-Sep-2025

 

Guangdong faces largest chikungunya outbreak on record

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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A new editorial in Biocontaminant reports that Guangdong Province is experiencing the largest outbreak of chikungunya fever ever recorded in China, with more than 4,000 confirmed cases since late July. Shunde District of Foshan alone has reported over 3,600 infections, and cases have also spread to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao.

Chikungunya fever is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, the same vectors responsible for dengue and Zika. The disease, marked by fever and severe joint pain, does not spread directly between people, making mosquito control the key to prevention.

“The outbreak reflects both the global spread of chikungunya and the favorable conditions for mosquito-borne diseases in southern China,” said lead author Guang-Guo Ying of South China Normal University.

Authorities have launched a province-wide campaign urging residents to remove stagnant water and reduce mosquito breeding sites. The editorial also stresses that climate change, urbanization, and global travel are expanding the reach of arboviruses worldwide, posing growing public health challenges.

The World Health Organization has recently introduced updated clinical guidelines and reinforced its Global Arbovirus Initiative to strengthen monitoring, prevention, and coordinated response. The authors call for investment in genomic surveillance, community engagement, and international cooperation to mitigate future outbreaks.

 

 

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Journal reference: Ying GG, Luo Y. 2025. Outbreak of chikungunya fever in Guangdong: transmission and control of arboviruses. Biocontaminant 1: e002 https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/biocontam-0025-0002 

 

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About Biocontaminant:
Biocontaminant is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to advancing fundamental and applied research on biological contaminants across diverse environments and systems. The journal serves as an innovative, efficient, and professional forum for global researchers to disseminate findings in this rapidly evolving field.

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DOI

10.48130/biocontam-0025-0002 

Method of Research

News article

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Outbreak of chikungunya fever in Guangdong: transmission and control of arboviruses