![Carlos Meriles [left], Andrea Alu [center] and Qiushi Guo](/sites/default/files/styles/600px_wide/public/2026-11/Carlos%20Meriles_Andrea%20Alu%20and%20_Qiushu%20Guo.jpg?itok=B5qlezuW)
CCNY physicist Carlos Meriles [left] and his collaborators on the quantum sensing and imaging technologies research, Andrea Alù and Qiushi Guo.
Supported by a $3.2 million grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a multidisciplinary team of researchers from The City College of New York (CCNY) and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) is developing new approaches to sensing and imaging that combine quantum technologies, integrated photonics, and advanced electromagnetic methods.
Led by Carlos A. Meriles, Martin and Michele Cohen Professor of Physics in CCNY's Division of Science, the project explores how the exceptional sensitivity of quantum sensors can be harnessed in practical imaging platforms. A central goal is to advance quantum magnetic induction tomography (qMIT), a contactless, non-ionizing technique that uses sensitive magnetic measurements to reconstruct the electrical conductivity of materials, including biological tissue.
"Quantum sensing has advanced enormously in recent years, but translating these advances into practical technologies remains a major challenge," said Meriles. "What makes this project particularly exciting is the opportunity to combine different areas of expertise to explore capabilities that would be difficult to achieve with any one technology alone."
The research brings together three investigators with complementary expertise: Meriles, whose work focuses on quantum sensing and diamond-based quantum technologies; Andrea Alù, Distinguished Professor at the CUNY ASRC and CCNY, whose research spans electromagnetic wave control, imaging, and photonic systems; and Qiushi Guo of the CUNY ASRC, whose work centers on integrated photonics and nonlinear optical technologies.
The project builds on recent progress in quantum magnetometry, particularly the use of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as highly sensitive magnetic sensors. These atomic-scale defects can detect weak magnetic fields through optical measurements while operating at room temperature, making them attractive building blocks for compact sensing devices.
One promising application is magnetic induction tomography, in which weak magnetic fields generated by induced electrical currents provide information about an object's conductivity. Reconstructing spatial conductivity distributions from these measurements requires both high magnetic sensitivity and sophisticated electromagnetic modeling and image reconstruction methods.
The complementary capabilities of the team are central to addressing these challenges. Meriles' group will investigate quantum sensing strategies for detecting weak magnetic signals, while Guo's expertise in integrated photonics will contribute to compact optical architectures and their integration with the sensing platform. Alù's work on electromagnetic wave manipulation and imaging will be critical to developing the measurement and reconstruction approaches needed to extract spatial information from the magnetic signals.
Biomedical imaging provides one possible direction for these developments. For example, the ability to map tissue conductivity without physical contact or ionizing radiation could eventually enable new approaches to bedside monitoring or portable diagnostics. The immediate emphasis, however, is on developing and demonstrating the underlying sensing and imaging technologies.
"Quantum sensors provide remarkable sensitivity, but sensitivity alone is not enough," Meriles added. "By bringing together quantum physics, integrated photonics, and electromagnetic imaging, we hope to create new opportunities for applications that are currently difficult to realize."
About ARPA-H
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) supports the development of high-impact solutions to society's most challenging health problems, delivering health breakthroughs in years, not decades. ARPA-H advances high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research that cannot be readily accomplished through traditional research or commercial activity. ARPA-H awardees are developing entirely new ways to tackle the hardest challenges in health.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 2.2% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Lightcast puts at $3.7 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers, and society. At City College, more than 16,500 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity, and scholarship. In 2023, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together,” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College's mission. By May 2026, more than $500 million had been raised. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic, and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Jay Mwamba
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jmwamba@ccny.cuny.edu