Quantum Neurobiology to Crack the Brain’s Code

Physics meets memory, consciousness, and maybe even cures.

University of Waterloo researcher Dr. Travis Craddock is exploring how quantum mechanics could explain the brain’s mysteries — from neural activity to cognition — and pave the way for new treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

As Canada Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology, Craddock blends physics, biology, and chemistry to map out the brain at the molecular level. His lab investigates how unique quantum properties, like superposition and entanglement, may give living matter an evolutionary edge — and reveal how memory, cognition, and even consciousness emerge.

“By gaining insight into the basic science behind how the brain and its neurons work, it provides us with an understanding of what’s unique about living matter compared to non-living matter.”

— Dr. Travis Craddock, University of Waterloo

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