en.Wedoany.com Reported - The third annual Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum, co-hosted by Cleveland Clinic and IBM, was held today at Cleveland Clinic's main campus, focusing on the latest advances in quantum computing and artificial intelligence in healthcare and life sciences research.

This day-long event brought together more than 30 speakers from academia, industry, foundations, venture capital, and government to explore how quantum computing and artificial intelligence can address the most complex challenges in healthcare and life sciences.

"The Cleveland Discovery and Innovation Forum showcases how AI and quantum computing are advancing research across all stages of disease—from prevention and early detection to treatment," said Lara Jehi, M.D., Chief Research Information Officer at Cleveland Clinic. "Cleveland Clinic stands at the forefront of applying quantum computing to life sciences research. Through this forum and our broader research efforts, we are helping define how advanced computing can unlock new scientific insights and ultimately improve patient care worldwide."

The forum highlighted progress on the fifth anniversary of the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator collaboration. This partnership aims to accelerate the pace of biomedical research through high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Since its launch, it has supported over 50 projects, contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications, and developed an educational curriculum designed to cultivate talent with the skills needed for the future.

"As we mark the fifth anniversary of our collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, we see how quantum computing and artificial intelligence are together transforming biomedical research—simulating molecular interactions, optimizing machine learning for personalized medicine, and pushing the boundaries of healthcare and life sciences," said Alessandro Curioni, Ph.D., IBM Fellow and Vice President of Algorithms and Applications at IBM Research.

The agenda included keynote speeches, panel discussions, and fireside chats, with speakers including Eric Isaacs, Ph.D., from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement; Curtis Priem, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and co-founder of NVIDIA; Alex Shalek, Ph.D., from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Sergii Strelchuk from the University of Oxford; Serpil Erzurum, M.D., from Cleveland Clinic; Alessandro Curioni, Ph.D., from IBM; and Percy Carter from Pfizer.

Session topics included a panel on applied quantum computing and its role in building world-class research and healthcare ecosystems, a panel on how AI and quantum computing can unlock the potential of personalized treatment, and a fireside chat on visionary leadership in healthcare and advanced computing approaches.

The forum also showcased projects from Cleveland Clinic and IBM researchers, including recent work modeling proteins of over 12,000 atoms—the largest protein structure ever simulated on a quantum computer. These findings highlight the growing potential of quantum computers as scientific tools for solving fundamental problems in biology, chemistry, and life sciences.

Several research announcements and updates were made during the event, emphasizing Cleveland Clinic's steady progress in shaping the application of quantum computing in medicine and building the Ohio Discovery Corridor through its Cleveland Innovation District. These include:

2026 Global Quantum + AI Challenge: Details were shared about an international competition launched by The Quantum Insider and Cleveland Clinic. This year-long program aims to bridge the gap between quantum theory and real-world impact, uniting corporations, startups, and research teams to accelerate the adoption of advanced computing technologies in industries where innovation drives competitive advantage. Cleveland Clinic's challenge: Unlocking the Undruggable Target—Quantum Simulation of Allosteric Signal Propagation. The challenge will award $200,000 across five corporate challenges, with $40,000 allocated to each. Applications are now open.

Cleveland Clinic Quantum Catalyzer Program: An update was provided on this year's program, which grants startups access to quantum computing. The Kipu project will focus on a breakthrough quantum algorithm for simulating protein folding, helping researchers better understand diseases and develop new therapies. Earlier this year, the competitive program selected EntangleBio, Polaris Quantum Biotech, and Singularity Quantum. Selected companies will also receive up to $250,000 from the K5 Tokyo Black Fund, with an in-kind match from Cleveland Clinic.

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