Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM Model a 12,635-Atom Protein - the Largest Known to Be Simulated with Quantum Computers
The hybrid approach cut computational overhead and let researchers model protein complexes roughly 40 times larger than six months ago.
- On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, scientists at Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM simulated a protein complex spanning 12,635 atoms using quantum-centric supercomputing, marking a milestone in quantum hardware's maturity as a scientific tool.
- Quantum computers alone face size and error limitations, so researchers paired IBM Quantum Heron processors with Fugaku and Miyabi-G supercomputers to divide molecular simulation tasks between systems optimized for different computational problems.
- The novel EWF-TrimSQD algorithm dramatically reduced computational overhead, enabling researchers to accurately represent the chemistry of large molecular systems on quantum hardware and push the frontier for quantum-centric supercomputing.
- Kenneth Merz, lead author and staff scientist in the Computational Life Sciences Department, said the work "marks an important advance" for drug discovery, with protein simulations roughly 40 times larger than possible six months ago.
- Junyu Liu, a researcher at the University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said the experiment offers "practical steps towards useful quantum calculations," potentially helping researchers predict how medicines interact with protein targets.
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Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM Simulate 12,635-Atom Protein Complex
A collaborative team from Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM has successfully simulated a protein-ligand complex spanning 12,635 atoms, marking a significant milestone in quantum-centric supercomputing. This simulation, which modeled the proteins T4-Lysozyme and Trypsin in a liquid water solution, represents the largest biologically meaningful molecular simulation performed on quantum hardware to date. The achievement demonstrates [...] The post C…
Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM Model a 12,635-Atom Protein – the Largest Known to Be Simulated with Quantum Computers
Milestone simulation of biologically meaningful molecules expands quantum-centric supercomputing’s role as a scientific tool YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. and CLEVELAND, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Scientists at Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have used IBM quantum computers and two of the world’s most powerful supercomputers to simulate protein complexes spanning up to 12,635 atoms. These […] The post Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM Model…
IBM CEO Krishna touts quantum computing use cases, quantum-AI continuum
IBM CEO Krishna touts quantum computing use cases, quantum-AI continuum Larry Dignan Tue, 5 May 2026 - 08:33 Larry Dignan Editor in Chief of Constellation Insights Constellation Research Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of Constellation Insights at Constellation Research, where he leads editorial coverage focused on enterprise technology, digital transformation, and emerging trends shaping the future of business. He oversees research-driven news…
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