Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN and IBM Team Advances Quantum Computing for Life Sciences Research

A team of researchers from Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN and IBM has been named as a finalist for the 2026 ACM Gordon Bell Prize for simulating the largest biologically meaningful molecules ever modeled with quantum computers. The team achieved this breakthrough by combining quantum and classical methods in a framework known as quantum-centric supercomputing.

The research focused on improving computation in drug discovery, which relies on accurately modeling the movement of atoms during biological processes. Quantum computers are well-suited for this task due to their ability to operate according to the laws of quantum mechanics.

To accomplish this feat, the team used IBM's Quantum Heron processors running within the IBM quantum computers at Cleveland Clinic and RIKEN in Japan. They executed over 6,000 quantum operations using up to 94 qubits, which was essential for the computation's accuracy.

The results demonstrate the potential of quantum-centric supercomputing in life sciences research, particularly in drug discovery. The team's innovative approach has paved the way for further advancements in this field, enabling researchers to better predict how medicines interact with protein targets.