Cleveland Clinic and IBM showcase five years of quantum computing and AI collaboration, highlighting breakthroughs in biomedical research including simulation of a protein with over 12,000 atoms on a quantum computer.

What happened: Cleveland Clinic and IBM held their third annual Discovery and Innovation Forum, bringing together over 30 speakers from academia, industry, and government to discuss quantum computing and AI applications in healthcare research. The event marked five years of their Discovery Accelerator partnership, which has supported more than 50 projects and contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications. A key achievement shown was modeling a protein of more than 12,000 atoms, described as the largest protein structure known to be simulated on a quantum computer.

Why it matters: The forum demonstrates that quantum computers and AI are moving from theoretical promise into practical tools for solving real biomedical challenges — from disease prevention and early detection through treatment. Cleveland Clinic positioned itself as at the forefront of applying these advanced computing methods to life sciences research, suggesting the institution is establishing leadership in an area that could reshape how medical discoveries are made.

What to watch: The 2026 Global Quantum + AI Challenge, launched by Quantum Insider and Cleveland Clinic, will award $200,000 across five enterprise challenges, with $40,000 allocated per challenge. The competition focuses on quantum simulation of allosteric signal propagation to unlock new drug targets. Applications are now open at https://quantumaiportal.thequantuminsider.com/. Additionally, Cleveland Clinic's Quantum Catalyzer Program selected three companies (EntangleBio, Polaris Quantum Biotech, and Singularity Quantum) to receive quantum access and up to $250,000 from K5 Tokyo Black Fund.