NBIA Colloquium: Jim Al-Khalili

Speaker: Jim Al-Khalili (University of Surrey, UK)

Title: Did life evolve to make use of quantum mechanics?

Abstract: In this talk, I will first briefly trace the history of quantum biology back to its origins almost a century ago and the influence of Niels Bohr (as seems appropriate at this meeting’s venue) and highlight some of the key landmarks along its sometimes controversial past, up to it emergence in the 21st century as one of the most exciting areas of interdisciplinary research. I will then focus on recent work at Surrey with a focus on my own interests in the quantum tunnelling of H-bond protons between DNA nucleotide bases and their role in point mutations. The work is a synthesis of computational chemistry via density functional theory and an open quantum systems approach to model molecular processes in the cell. I will end with a challenge to the community to answer the fundamental question, first laid out by Schrödinger in his book What Is Life? of whether life not only knows about quantum mechanics, but has evolved the ability to utilise its tricks in order to have, or prevent it from having, a functional role in biology that is distinct from the role of quantum mechanics in inanimate matter of equivalent complexity.

Author bio: Jim Al-Khalili is professor of physics and chair of public engagement in science at the University of Surrey, UK. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and has numerous prizes, particularly in the field of scientific communication. He is a regular broadcaster and presenter of science programmes on BBC radio and television and a frequent commentator about science in other British media.