FSU Professor Wins International Fellowship to Advance Quantum Materials Research
A professor at Florida State University has received an international fellowship to study new quantum materials that are used in quantum technology. These materials could one day improve health care, cybersecurity, computing, and other advanced industries. This is exciting news for the field of quantum research.
Michael Shatruk, a professor in FSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been selected for the 2025 Novo Nordisk Fellowship. The award provides 752,000 Danish kroner, about $117,000, to support his research. With this funding, he will conduct studies at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen through early May.
Shatruk’s work will focus on developing and studying quantum materials that contain “quantum bits,” or qubits. Qubits are the core units of quantum technology. Unlike regular computer bits, which can only store one value at a time, qubits can store multiple values at once. Because of this ability, computers built with quantum materials can solve complex and large-scale problems much faster than traditional computers.
According to Shatruk, quantum technology is expected to reshape many industries, including computing, drug development, and medical sensing. He said the fellowship will help him expand his research in quantum
materials using a specialized and advanced technique known as electron-diffraction crystallography. This method allows scientists to identify the atomic structure of extremely small particles that are less than one-thousandth of a millimeter in size.The fellowship is funded by Novo Nordisk, a Denmark-based global pharmaceutical company that focuses on treating serious chronic diseases. The company produces about half of the world’s insulin and is a major leader in diabetes care. It developed insulin pens and GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. In addition, Novo Nordisk is Denmark’s largest private supporter of basic scientific research and funds projects across many fields, including quantum materials research.
Wei Yang, chair of FSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, praised Shatruk’s achievement. He said the fellowship shows the department’s strong commitment to supporting innovative research and advancing both quantum materials and quantum technology.
Shatruk’s project will focus on building two-dimensional arrays of qubits, which are used to create quantum chips. He plans to study molecular spin qubits placed inside structures called metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs. MOFs are tiny crystalline materials made from metal ions connected by organic molecules. They are porous and can be customized for different uses, including the slow release of drugs in the body.
The discovery of MOFs was recognized with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Shatruk said it is exciting to work in this field right after it received such recognition.
Most MOFs are extremely small; smaller than one micron. For comparison, a human hair is about 70 microns wide. Because they are so small, they are difficult to study using traditional X-ray methods. The advanced equipment in Denmark will allow Shatruk to study their atomic structures even when large crystals cannot be grown.
In 2023, Shatruk became the founding director of the FSU Initiative in Quantum Science and Engineering. With more than $20 million invested over three years, the initiative aims to speed up discoveries that will improve the future of quantum systems and quantum materials.
Additionally, students and researchers can explore programs such as the Molecular Biology Tools & Techniques Self-Learning Training Program to build practical skills and engage in cutting-edge research.
