Bengaluru Startup Explores Quantum Biosensor for Early Cancer Detection

The platform is built to identify unique “magnetic fingerprints” of oxidative stress and detect damage before clinical symptoms appear. Bengaluru-based Quantum Biosciences Private Limited is developing a quantum biosensor to detect oxidative stress in cells, which could enable earlier detection of tissue damage, especially in oncology.

The company showcased the technology at the Quantum India Bengaluru Summit.

The platform is built to identify unique “magnetic fingerprints” of oxidative stress and detect damage before clinical symptoms appear.

Managing Director Ravi Puvvala led the initiative, transitioning from automotive sensor development to healthcare applications after a personal experience with radiation-induced side effects.

“Radiation therapy is essential for treating cancer. However, it kills not only the cancerous cells, but also the good ones. This leads to long-term complications such as fatigue, cognitive decline, organ dysfunction, and secondary cancers. It also potentially induces heart disease or fibrosis,” Puvvala told PTI.

He noted that existing tools like MRI, PET scans, and biomarkers detect damage only after it has occurred.

Focus on Research Partnerships and Clinical Validation

To further the technology, Quantum Biosciences partnered with Netherlands-based QT Sense, which built the Quantum Nuova platform based on over 15 years of academic work at the University of Groningen.

“For the last two years, we have been researching various potential technologies for early-stage diagnostics. We looked at classical and quantum sensors, and we started quantum biosensors to leverage the potential of quantum sensors,” said Puvvala.

He added that the next step involves linking cellular stress signals with specific biomarkers for reliable prognosis.

“Further research is needed on how to map the cellular stress to a potential biomarker; only then can we say, okay, we made the prognosis,” he said.

Quantum Biosciences is incubating its work at C-CAMP and CeNSE, IISc. Over the next two years, the company plans to partner with hospitals to collect data and validate the diagnostic potential.

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