IBM deploys first-of-its-kind quantum system for healthcare

Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), Dario Gil, IBM SVP and Director, Research, Gary Cohn, IBM Vice Chairman, Lt. Governor of Ohio Jon Husted, Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., Cleveland Clinic CEO and President, Mayor of Cleveland Justin M. Bibb, and Susan Monarez, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) in front of IBM Quantum System One at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus | IBM Quantum System One

Key Takeaways

IBM has deployed the world's first onsite private sector quantum computer at the Cleveland Clinic, marking a significant milestone in their ten-year Discovery Accelerator partnership focused on advancing biomedical research.

The collaboration aims to leverage advanced technologies, including quantum computing, AI, and high-performance computing, to expedite drug discovery and enhance research capabilities in healthcare.

Researchers are working on innovative projects such as quantum computing pipelines for drug optimization and AI applications for genome sequencing to find effective treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.

IBM have unveiled the first deployment of an onsite private sector IBM-managed quantum computer in the US. Installed at the Cleveland Clinic, the IBM Quantum System One will be the first quantum computer in the world dedicated to healthcare research with an aim of helping the Clinic accelerate biomedical discoveries.

The unveiling comes as a huge milestone in Cleveland Clinic’s and IBM’s ten-year Discovery Accelerator partnership, announced in 2021, which focuses on advancing the pace of biomedical research through the use of high-performance computing, AI and quantum computing.

Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator draws upon a variety of IBM’s latest advancements in computing technologies which include, high performance computing via the hybrid cloud and AI. Teams of researchers from both companies are leveraging the technologies in their close collaboration to create a robust portfolio of projects that will generate and analyze vast amounts of data to enhance research.

The Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator has generated multiple projects leveraging the latest quantum computing, AI and hybrid cloud to help expedite discoveries in biomedical research.

These research projects include the development of quantum computing pipelines to screen and optimize drugs targeted to specific proteins and the improvement of a quantum-enhanced prediction model for cardiovascular risk following non-cardiac surgery. Additonally, the tethe application of AI to search genome sequencing findings and large drug-target databases to find effective, existing drugs that could help patients with Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

Arvind Krishna, IBM chairman and CEO, said: “With the unveiling of IBM Quantum System One at Cleveland Clinic, their team of world-class researchers can now explore and uncover new scientific advancements in biomedical research.

“By combining the power of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and other next-generation technologies with Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned leadership in healthcare and life sciences, we hope to ignite a new era of accelerated discovery.”

Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., Cleveland Clinic CEO and president and Morton L. Mandel CEO chair, said: “This is a pivotal milestone in our innovative partnership with IBM, as we explore new ways to apply the power of quantum computing to healthcare.

“This technology holds tremendous promise in revolutionizing healthcare and expediting progress toward new cares, cures and solutions for patients. Quantum and other advanced computing technologies will help researchers tackle historic scientific bottlenecks and potentially find new treatments for patients with diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.”