From Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s first glimpse of single cells to today’s atomic-resolution microscopes that can identify properties at the subnanometer scale, each new wave of imaging innovation has reshaped biology. Quantum technologies, from diamond-based sensors to entangled light microscopy, offer the potential for the next big leap in biological imaging. At the molecular scale, we can image individual biomolecules with remarkable spatial precision — but not at the nanosecond or picosecond timescales that govern their function. These limitations mean that much of biology remains invisible to us, with profound consequences for our ability to understand, diagnose, and treat conditions such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease. Quantum technologies uniquely harness quantum effects — such as quantum entangled light that reduces measurement noise below classical limits, or the spin of a single electron trapped in diamond — to sense magnetic, electric, or optical signals with unprecedented precision. In microscopy, these tools can improve contrast, resolution, and speed, or enable nanoscale readouts of cellular activity. However, many quantum devices are notoriously sensitive to environmental noise. Hot, wet, and chemically complex biological samples pose a major challenge. Encouragingly, researchers are finding clever ways to isolate quantum systems from their surroundings. Quantum sensors based on spins in diamond use the pristine diamond lattice as a protective host, making them remarkably robust in biological environments. Similarly, quantum light sources are being developed within on-chip photonic waveguides to shield them from external interference. The technical hurdles, however, are only part of the story. Bridging the gap between quantum physics and biology requires deep interdisciplinary collaboration. These are communities with different languages, training, and timelines. Equally important is the translational challenge: How do we move quantum technologies out of physics labs and into clinics, hospitals, and industry? Bridging these gaps will require new models of partnership across academia, government, and the private sector. Finally, regulatory frameworks must evolve. Quantum biophotonic tools raise new questions: How can we ensure that results produced by these systems are trustworthy, interpretable, and transparent to users? The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Biotechnology (QUBIC), which I direct, is bringing together quantum engineers, biologists, clinicians, and ethicists to accelerate translation. We are exploring applications ranging from high-resolution brain imaging and point-of-care diagnostics to the development of new therapeutics informed by quantum-enhanced insight into cellular dynamics. We are also working to ensure that quantum technologies are developed responsibly. As these technologies mature, they offer a new kind of light — literally and figuratively — to explore life. To realize this potential, we must now build the bridges needed to bring quantum biophotonics from promise to practice. Meet the author Warwick Bowen is a professor in the School of Mathematics and Physics and director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology at the University of Queensland. He leads the Quantum Optics Laboratory at the university. He is also a founder of the startup Elemental Instruments; email: w.bowen@uq.edu.au. The views expressed in ‘BioOpinion’ are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Photonics Media. To submit a BioOpinion, send a few sentences outlining the proposed topic to doug.farmer@photonics.com. Accepted submissions will be reviewed and edited for clarity, accuracy, length, and conformity to Photonics Media style.