“Quantum computing is clearly one of the major digital revolutions of our lifetime, and one that we expect to play a powerful role in the future for applications like ours. Given the proximity of WACQT to AstraZeneca, its prominence, and the expected future potential of quantum computing, we were excited to take the opportunity to find out more about the current state of the art,” says Adrian Clark, Strategy & Operations Director, Oral Product Development at AstraZeneca, as he visited WACQT along with a group of colleagues.
A group of senior researchers and drug developers from AstraZeneca's oral product development department visited WACQT mid-October to hear more about quantum technology's benefits in the field of drug development - and of course to look at the quantum computer. The understanding of how different substances interact with each other and how different formulations behave in the body is crucial when turning molecules into orally dosed medicines. And on these points, one sees great potential in the future possibilities of quantum technology.
“Increasingly, we are seeking to model and predict properties of these types and more, to increase our speed in bringing new medicines to the patients that need them, and to dramatically reduce our burden on the environment by simulating experiments rather than performing them physically. Quantum computing is clearly one of the major digital revolutions of our lifetime, and one that we expect to play a powerful role in the future for applications like ours. Given the proximity of WACQT to AstraZeneca, its prominence, and the expected future potential of quantum computing, we were excited to take the opportunity to find out more about the current state of the art,” says Adrian Clark, Strategy & Operations Director, Oral Product Development at AstraZeneca.
The visit started off with a presentation of quantum technology and the work within WACQT, which was then followed by a tour of the quantum computer lab. And, among other things, it was the willingness to cooperate that characterizes the centre, along with the societal benefits of the testbed that is under development, that impressed the most.
“We were rather staggered by the advanced state of development at the WACQT, the expertise on display and the spirit of collaboration evident in what has already been achieved. The plans for opening up a test-bed installation were highly interesting and a testament to the centre’s strong drive for societal benefit. We also recognize that, while the rate of progress is hugely impressive, the technology is in an early stage of development and not yet likely to provide an advantage over conventional computation capabilities for the problems we work with,” says Adrian.
And to get a look at the play's protagonist, the quantum computer itself, seems to have left an impact on the group.
“The introductory lecture was a series of insights for most of us, but the actual physical computers were of course unlike any we’d ever seen. The architecture of the qubits, the nature of the algorithms, and the way they work together were all new concepts,” says Adrian.
- Full Professor, Quantum Technology, Microtechnology and Nanoscience