Professor Jeong Jaeho's Team Selected for Korean ARPA-H Project
Utilizing a 127-Qubit Universal Quantum Computer
Yonsei University has been selected to lead a quantum computer-based new drug development project as part of the "2025 Second Korean ARPA-H Project" initiated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This research marks the nation's first major government-funded initiative to apply quantum computing to the development of treatments for intractable cancers.
According to Yonsei University on September 9, Professor Jeong Jaeho (Department of Surgery, College of Medicine; Head of Quantum Project Group) has been appointed as the principal investigator for the "Quantum-Based Parallel New Drug Development Platform" under the mission to "Secure Super-Gap Biohealth Technologies." The research period is set for four years and six months, with a maximum research funding of 17.5 billion won. Ligachem Bioscience, Baobab Ava Bio, and the Molecular Design Research Institute are participating as joint partners.
The project's goal is to establish a platform that leverages the computational power of quantum computers to efficiently design and discover new drug candidates for intractable cancers. By analyzing drug-protein interactions, toxicity prediction, and drug efficacy duration within complex biological systems with high accuracy and speed, the project aims to overcome the limitations of conventional drug development methods.
Yonsei University was the first in Korea to introduce IBM's 127-qubit universal quantum computer and has established a Quantum Convergence Research Center. Professor Jeong Jaeho stated, "The computational capabilities of quantum computers will drastically shorten the drug discovery process, which could otherwise take decades," adding, "We aim to open up new treatment possibilities for patients with intractable diseases and enhance the competitiveness of Korea's pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
