Barcelona is becoming a key node in European quantum research with the installation of the first POLARIS system at IBEC. This equipment, one of the first two deployed in Europe alongside one at the University of Antwerp, marks the institute's entry into the Q-AID project. This initiative, with a budget of €8.3 million, aims to create a shared infrastructure for advanced metabolic imaging.
Quantum-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging technology allows visualization of metabolic processes undetectable by conventional MRI. This opens new avenues for understanding diseases and evaluating treatment responses. The Q-AID project seeks to overcome the challenges of scaling this technology, ensuring consistent production of imaging agents and data comparability across centers.
The new POLARIS system at IBEC complements the institute's existing expertise in hyperpolarized imaging, enhancing its capability to investigate real-time metabolism. Research within Q-AID will focus on applications such as glioblastoma and ovarian cancer, as well as the development of cancer-on-chip models.
“"Hyperpolarized MRI gives us a very early window into how disease metabolism changes and how it responds to treatment, sometimes before these changes are visible with more conventional biomarkers. POLARIS will make this generation of hyperpolarized substrates faster and more accessible, while also making it easier for new researchers to become familiar with this technique."
Coordinated by the German quantum technology company NVision Quantum Technologies, the project brings together partners from seven countries to establish a European platform encompassing quantum systems, standardized workflows, Artificial Intelligence-supported data analysis, and a supply chain for critical materials. This effort aligns with the EU's European Quantum Strategy.
The installations in Barcelona and Antwerp are the first of four planned under Q-AID, initiating a preclinical research network that will allow research teams to utilize the same platform across different institutions and disease areas.
“"Q-AID is building the technical, scientific, and operational foundation for a new generation of quantum-enhanced MRI, connecting research centers, shared infrastructure, and expertise to enable large-scale multicenter studies in cancer and neurological diseases."
Oscar Diez, deputy head of the Quantum Technologies Unit at the European Commission, highlights that Q-AID exemplifies how Europe translates its quantum research strength into deployable technologies in real-world settings, connecting infrastructure and expertise across borders.
These deployments represent the first physical step towards Q-AID's broader goal: a European platform for the development, comparison, and validation of quantum-enhanced metabolic imaging.
