Lea Gassab

Lea Gassab has always been fascinated by the ways precision and discovery intersect. Now, as a member of the Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Scholars, she is exploring how the principles of quantum physics might shed new light on brain function and health.

Gassab began her career as a theoretical physicist, focusing on quantum metrology—designing systems that measure physical quantities with the highest possible precision. Over time, her curiosity led her beyond physics into biology, sparking a new line of inquiry: could quantum processes also play a role in living systems? That question has since defined her research path, culminating in her current focus on quantum neurobiology, an emerging field that investigates how quantum effects may influence the brain.

“My current work combines quantum physics, molecular biology, and biochemistry to explore how quantum effects contribute to brain function and health,” Gassab explains. “I focus on reactive oxygen species, which are highly reactive molecules produced in cells, and how they damage structural proteins in neurons, particularly microtubules. These proteins are essential for maintaining the shape of neurons and for enabling communication between different parts of the cell.”

To investigate these processes, Gassab uses computer simulations, molecular modeling, and experimental collaborations. By studying how energy from chemical reactions travels through proteins and leads to damage, she hopes not only to advance fundamental understanding but also to inspire new quantum technologies and inform strategies to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

Her research is a natural fit for the Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Scholars. “My research fits the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program because it connects three major fields that are not often brought together: quantum physics, biology, and chemistry,” she says. “The work tackles an important and unresolved problem: understanding how quantum mechanical processes may contribute to protein damage in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

During her postdoctoral appointment, Gassab is expanding her expertise by integrating experimental techniques into her work. “During my postdoctoral fellowship, I aim to build on my background in quantum metrology, quantum biology, and quantum optics by gaining direct experience with experimental techniques in molecular biology and biochemistry,” she notes. “This project is also an opportunity to strengthen research networks within the University of Waterloo and beyond, fostering collaborations that can advance both fundamental science and its applications.”

Gassab holds a PhD in Physics from Koç University in Türkiye, where her thesis explored quantum metrology for biological systems. She also earned both her MSc and BSc in Physics from École Normale Supérieure de Lyon in France.

When it came time to choose her postdoctoral home, the collaborative culture at Waterloo was a decisive factor. “The University of Waterloo offers a unique environment for cutting-edge interdisciplinary research, with world-class facilities in both quantum science and life sciences,” she says. “The collaboration between the Craddock and Meiering labs provides an unparalleled opportunity to combine quantum modeling with experimental biochemistry in a way that few institutions can support.”

By bridging theory and experiment, Gassab hopes to uncover new insights into how quantum processes shape the brain, while also opening pathways for technologies and strategies that benefit society at large.