NITheP Webinar – Chris Rourk: Quantum Electron Transport in Catecholaminergic Neuron Groups

Abstract: It has been demonstrated in tests and integrated circuit devices that ferritin is capable of supporting quantum electron transport by hopping and tunneling. Ferritin also accumulates in catecholaminergic neurons around neuromelanin organelles, with a structure that is similar to thatused in those integrated circuit devices. Neuromelanin is a pi-conjugated polymer, and the structure and organization of groups of these catecholaminergic neurons is similar to engineered photovoltaic devices that use quantum dots and pi-conjugated polymers to generate and conduct  excitons. Based on these similarities, it is hypothesized that these ferritin and neuromelanin structures in these catecholaminergic neuron groups provide an energy transfer function that is related to voluntary action selection. This presentation will review this hypothesis and conductive atomic force microscopy test results on neural tissue that are consistent with the hypothesis.

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Bio: Christopher (Chris) Rourk is a patent attorney in private practice in Dallas, Texas. He received a B.S.E.E. from the University of Florida cum laude, a Masters in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a juris doctorate cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. He has prosecuted over 500 patents to issuance in fields including nanoscale integrated circuits and computer processor architectures, and has extensive experience with patent litigation. He has a life-long interest in physics including quantum mechanics, is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, plays violoncello and bass guitar and sings baritone.