Kyiv Academic University participated in an international scientific breakthrough – for the first time in the world, a complete genome was encoded and loaded onto a quantum computer. This result was achieved in collaboration with scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Melbourne, and Kyiv Academic University.
As part of the study, the complete genome of the hepatitis D virus was encoded and loaded onto a 156-qubit IBM quantum computer using the latest Heron processor. The work was carried out within the framework of the international Q4Bio Challenge program, funded by Wellcome Leap and aimed at developing applications of quantum computing in biology and medicine.
Kyiv Academic University's participation in this project demonstrates its integration into advanced international research initiatives at the intersection of quantum technologies and life sciences.
Modern genetic research works with so-called pangenomes – large datasets reflecting the genetic diversity of entire populations. Processing such data is extremely complex for classical computing systems. Quantum computing opens fundamentally new possibilities for analyzing such datasets, in particular for:
- operational tracking of infectious diseases;
- deeper understanding of genetic disorders;
- more accurate identification of dangerous mutations.
"Encoding genetic information with quantum states is an important step towards utilizing the capabilities of quantum computing in tasks where classical computers become inadequate," said senior research fellow at Kyiv Academic University Danilo Yakymenko.
The researchers' further goal is to transform the obtained result into a practical tool for the scientific community. This involves creating an accessible platform that will allow researchers to upload genetic data and receive analysis results using the power of quantum computing.
According to Kyiv Academic University