Michael Swift's research on Posner molecules featured on the cover of PCCP
Posner molecules are involved in biomineralization processes such as bone growth
October 19, 2018
Cover of PCCP featuring the Posner molecule research
Aggregation of Posner molecules has been proposed as an intermediate step in biomineralization of amorphous calcium phosphate, a precursor to hydroxyapatite, the constituent material of bone and teeth. Posner molecules may also play a role in other biological processes such as the modulation of calcium and phosphate ion concentrations within the mitochondrial matrix. The phosphorous spins in the molecule have also been suggested as "neural qubits" in a proposed mechanism for quantum processing in the brain. Michael's research shed light on the structural, vibrational, and spin properties of this intriguing molecule.
