Nordic Life Science 1
PHYSICS // QUANTUM COMPUTING “When we calculate p
roteinfolding energies or optimize drug-target interactions, we are using their fundamental discovery that quantum superposition can exist in circuits that are large enough to fabricate and control.” Magnus Boman, Professor in AI within Health, Karolinska Institutet MEG (magnetoencephalography) systems] directly builds on this. Our high-Tc SQUIDs that operate at 77K are essentially sophisticated descendants of their original experiments. The laureates proved that quantum mechanics governs macroscopic superconducting circuits.” This foundational understanding enables Boman and his colleagues to design SQUIDs in the knowledge that quantum coherence will be maintained, understand noise limits in superconducting sensors, and optimize SQUID parameters using quantum mechanical models. Magnus Boman is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Swedish Quantum Life Science Centre (QLSC), a collaborative effort involving the Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology, Swelife, representatives from four universities and two hospitals, as well as industry partners and startups. The goal of QLSC, which is based at Karolinska Institutet, is to support interdisciplinary research, development, and implementation of quantum life science applications. At QLSC, their on-scalp MEG allows flexible sensor arrays that conform to individual head shapes. “This is particularly transformative for pediatric neurology, epilepsy for example, and movement disorder studies where traditional MEG could fail,” explains Boman. “Keeping patient data safe in a post-crypto world is also a priority at QLSC,” he adds. When it comes to future life science applications Boman mentions quantum machine learning on superconducting chips that analyze multi-omic data (genomics, proteomics, A quantum mechanical system behind a barrier can have varying amounts of energy, but it can only absorb or emit specific amounts of this energy. The system is quantised. Tunneling occurs more easily at a higher energy level than at a lower one so, statistically, a system with more energy is held captive for less time than other with less energy. metabolomics, spatial transcriptomics) to optimize treatment protocols individually for precision medicine. “Next-generation MEG could also imagine continuous monitoring of neural states for brain-computer interfaces or early detection of seizures/strokes,” he adds. NLS * A Josephson junction is a quantum device consisting of two superconductors separated by a thin insulating barrier, which allows for the tunneling of Cooper pairs and can be utilized in applications such as superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG | 57 ILLUSTRATION ©JOHAN JARNESTAD/THE ROYAL SWEDISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES PHOTO RICKARD KILSTRÖM