Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, IBM Advance to Gordon Bell Prize 2026 Finals
A joint research team modeled a 12,635-atom protein, the largest known simulated using quantum computers. The breakthrough combined quantum and classical computing methods.
Cleveland Clinic, Japan's RIKEN, and IBM have advanced to the finals for the 2026 ACM Gordon Bell Prize for their significant simulation work. The research team successfully modeled a protein consisting of 12,635 atoms, marking the largest known protein simulation performed using quantum computers.
The achievement utilized a combination of quantum and classical computing methods, expanding the potential of quantum-centric supercomputing in life sciences research. This integrated approach enabled precise modeling of a complex molecule, potentially accelerating the development of new drugs and therapies.
The Gordon Bell Prize is a prestigious award recognizing advancements in high-performance computing. Reaching the finals highlights the significance of the collaboration between Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM in pushing scientific boundaries.
These advancements at the intersection of quantum computing and life sciences could pave new avenues for understanding protein function and unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind diseases in the future.