Quantum computing inches toward real-world biology applications

Since quantum mechanics rules the world of atoms and molecules, quantum computers are expected to excel in chemistry, which in turn would catalyze breakthroughs in materials science and biology. Such practical applications remain a promise for now, but two recent projects show that progress is being made. One demonstrated how quantum technology could improve the design of light-activated cancer drugs. The other used a hybrid quantum-classical supercomputing workflow to simulate protein systems containing more than 12,000 atoms – by far the largest biologically relevant quantum chemistry calculation to date.

Together, the projects illustrate how the field is slowly shifting from proof-of-principle demonstrations toward practical biomedical workloads, even if quantum machines still don’t outperform classical supercomputers.