Mediaboss Marketing

Boston, US, 22 November 2021: The Pistoia Alliance, a global, not-for-profit alliance that advocates for greater collaboration in life sciences R&D, has today outlined predictions for the life sciences industry in 2022. The predictions come from three experts recently appointed by the Alliance to drive collaboration efforts across its three key themes. Their insights span the urgent fights against antimicrobial resistance, the potential of quantum computing and commercial space travel, and autonomous laboratories. Throughout 2021, digital transformation has continued to accelerate and the pharmaceutical industry has further embraced collaboration, both of which will underpin success in emerging areas in the next 12 months.

Linda Kasim, Empowering the Patient theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: In 2022, the renewed focus on the fight against super bugs and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will be prioritized. This will be primarily driven by public-private partnerships, funding from philanthropic organizations, governments and international bodies to incentivize research. The public sector must quickly increase investment into AMR research, or the cost to national economies and public health could be devastating. mRNA technologies will represent a rapid and valuable platform to be further exploited for vaccines against AMR infections.

Digital health platforms will also be more integrated seeking efficiency through harmonized data generation. The use of Self-Sovereign Identities within healthcare solutions will expand. For these breakthroughs to happen, regulatory authorities must catch-up with the pace of research and innovation in health systems in 2022 by updating legal frameworks.

Imran Haq, Emerging Science and Technology theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: Driven by macro geopolitical trends and Big Tech, emerging technologies are being developed increasingly rapidly. Reflecting this, deal making in the quantum space will continue to grow a pace in 2022. As the buzz around the sector increases, will this be the year we finally start to see translation of this buzz into early versions of applications and use cases in the pharma industry? A likely quantum use case could be to improve supply chain efficiency. Big promises have been made during COP26, and large organizations, including pharma companies, must have net zero strategies. This is also an area we would like to explore with the Pistoia Alliances Quantum Computing Community of Interest.

Pharma is also going to play an increasingly critical role in space exploration. As plans to launch a commercial space stationfrom companies like Blue Origin accelerate, pharma should be engaged to ensure humans are healthy and can survive in the long term in extreme environments. 2022 is the time to think how we could be molding and driving forward health in space.

Anca Ciobanu, Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of R&D theme lead, Pistoia Alliance: Efficiency in R&D is on an exponential growth path as more pharma and biotech organizationspartner with AI and robotics companies, enabling a more automated drug discovery process. In 2022, the major tech players will increase their focus on the life sciences and will play an important role in developing new products and initiatives. The application of new technologies will not only empower scientists to conduct experiments more efficiently, but it will also help them make more breakthrough discoveries. As companies continue to invest resources in launching or improving their autonomous labs, researchers will need upskilling in data science, to be able to program and interact with themachines.

The Pistoia Alliance has more than 150 member companies including major life science companies, technology and service providers, academic groups, publishers, and patient research groups. Members collaborate as equals on projects that generate value for the worldwide life sciences and healthcare ecosystem. To find out more about the Alliance and its portfolio of projects, click here: https://www.pistoiaalliance.org/category/projects/.

--ENDS

About The Pistoia Alliance:

The Pistoia Alliance is a global, not-for-profit members organization made up of life science companies, technology and service providers, publishers, and academic groups working to lower barriers to innovation in life science and healthcare R&D. It was conceived in 2007 and incorporated in 2009 by representatives of AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis and Pfizer who met at a conference in Pistoia, Italy. Its projects transform R&D through pre-competitive collaboration. It overcomes common R&D obstacles by identifying the root causes, developing standards and best practices, sharing pre-competitive data and knowledge, and implementing technology pilots. There are currently over 150 member companies; members collaborate on projects that generate significant value for the worldwide life sciences R&D community, using The Pistoia Alliances proven framework for open innovation.

Media Contacts:

Spark Communications

+44 207 436 0420

pistoiaalliance@sparkcomms.co.uk

Tanya Randall

The Pistoia Alliance

+44 7887 811332

tanya.randall@pistoiaalliance.org

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Pistoia Alliance predicts a focus on the fight against antimicrobial resistance and a surge in quantum computing research for 2022 - Bio-IT World

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lockchain has rapidly become one of the most disruptive technologies of the 21st century, but with the continuous improvements in quantum computing, the foundations of the technology are starting to falter.

Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, NFTs and decentralised finance have become common terms, with blockchain now hailed as an extremely secure and much faster method of recording transactions due to the computational intensity of attempting to break it. Both companies and people have poured endless amounts of capital into the technology by buying cryptocurrencies or by developing their own currency or asset chains.

But in a dynamic cyber environment, is this $2.7 trillion dollar market really future-proof and secure?

With every innovation in quantum computing, the threat to blockchain increases.

There are two main issues that face the technology, the first being its reliance on a form of encryption known as public key cryptography; and second, its reliance on a type of algorithm called a hash function.

Public key cryptography is a method of encryption that publishes a key for the world to use so that they can encrypt information that only the holder of the private key can see.

A hash is generated by running a widely known and well-established algorithm on a piece of information to create a near unique digital representation of it. It is computationally impossible to construct the original information from a hashed representation, and they are said to be resistant to finding another piece of data that has the exact same digital representation. In both proof-of-work and proof-of-stake blockchains, digitally signed hashes are used in combination with random numbers to sign off a block.

The threat from quantum computing to public key encryption is a known issue and has been discussed at length by many experienced professionals. It is an issue that both governments and commercial entities have recognised. NIST, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, is currently in the process of defining what the next phase of encryption (also known as post-quantum encryption) will be. Many experts will highlight that the types of quantum computers that are capable of cracking this are still far away, which is true, but various competing technologies alongside quantum are bringing this to the forefront of the cybersecurity threat vector.

Therefore, one can see that the main near-term issue facing the chain comes from the threat to the hashing algorithm from quantum computing or quantum accelerated hardware. There are a few issues with the hash-method, however, the main issue facing these chains is that a quantum computer will be able to solve for these hashes at a much faster rate than any computational-based approach, thereby taking ownership of a network. Significant progress has been made in the past two years on a type of quantum algorithm called Grovers algorithm, which poses the greatest risk to the network as a fully well error-corrected quantum computer is not needed.

Evaluating and understanding the risk only gets us part way, says David Worrall, co-founder of Secqai. It is now time to implement the solutions available to prepare us for the future.

This risk is further accentuated due to the decentralised nature of blockchain, where the latest cyber technology hasnt been built to integrate easily with, for example, new hardware based cryptography such as secure entropy sources or quantum random number generators.

Indeed, research has shown that the deployment of post quantum safe algorithms in todays blockchain architectures is not possible without a huge increase in transaction costs sometimes outweighing the value of the transaction.

Conversely, traditional banking infrastructure is relatively easy to update as the back-end software and hardware is managed centrally by each bank and each integrated party, i.e. the list of parties that need to be secure is well known.

Blockchain developers understand the challenge today, and as has been shown need to start the work of preparing their systems by integrating post-quantum methods into their infrastructure and adopt best practice techniques to ensure that they are prepared for a quantum world.

Rahul Tyagi is an ex-management consultant, inventor and co-founder of cyber security start-up Secqai

Original post:
Why Blockchain isnt as secure as you think - Evening Standard

IBM has made a 127-qubit quantum computer. This is over double the size of comparable machines made by Google and the University of Science and Technology of China

By Matthew Sparkes

IBM claims it has created the worlds largest superconducting quantum computer, surpassing the size of state-of-the-art machines from Google and from researchers at a Chinese university. Previous devices have demonstrated up to 60 superconducting qubits, or quantum bits, working together to solve problems, but IBMs new Eagle processor more than doubles that by stringing together 127.

Several approaches are being pursued by teams around the world to create a practical quantum computer, including superconductors and entangled photons, and it remains unclear which will become the equivalent of the transistor which powered the classical computing revolution.

In 2019, Google announced that its Sycamore processor, which uses the same superconducting architecture that IBM is working with, had achieved quantum supremacy the name given to the point at which quantum computers can solve a problem that a classical computer would find impossible. That processor used 54 qubits, but has since been surpassed by a 56 and then 60-qubit demonstration with the Zuchongzhi superconducting processor from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei.

IBMs 127-qubit Eagle processor now takes the top spot as the largest, and therefore theoretically most powerful, superconducting quantum computer to be demonstrated. Each additional qubit represents a significant step forward in ability: unlike classical computers, which rise in power in a linear fashion as they grow, one additional qubit effectively doubles a quantum processors potential power.

Canadian company D-Wave Systems has sold machines for some years that consist of thousands of qubits, but they are widely considered to be very specific machines tailored towards a certain algorithm called quantum annealing rather than fully programmable quantum computers. In recent years, much progress in quantum computing has focused on superconducting qubits, which is one of the main technologies that Google, USTC and IBM are backing.

Bob Sutor at IBM says that breaking the 100-qubit barrier is more psychological than physical, but that it shows the technology can grow. With Eagle, were demonstrating that we can scale, that we can start to generate enough qubits to get on a path to have enough computation capacity to do the interesting problems. Its a stepping stone to bigger machines, he says.

However, it is difficult to compare the power of the IBM chip with previous processors. Both Google and USTC used a common test to assess such chips, which was to simulate a quantum circuit and sample random numbers from its output. IBM claims to have created a more programmable and adaptable processor, but has yet to publish an academic paper setting out its performance or abilities.

Peter Leek at the University of Oxford says it is tempting to assess performance entirely on the qubit count, but that there are other metrics that need to be looked at none of which has yet been released for Eagle. Its definitely positive, its good that theyre making something with more qubits, but ultimately it only becomes useful when the processor performs really well, he says.

Scott Aaronson at the University of Texas at Austin has similar reservations about judging the importance of the new processor at this stage, saying that more detail is needed. I hope that information will be forthcoming, he says.

IBM has said that it hopes to demonstrate a 400-qubit processor next year and to break the 1000-qubit barrier the following year with a chip called Condor. At that point, it is expected that a limit on expansion will be reached that requires quantum computers to be created from networks of these processors strung together by fibre-optic links.

More on these topics:

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IBM creates largest ever superconducting quantum computer - New Scientist

Quantum computing is poised to fundamentally transform the digital world as we know it.

Quantum information science (QIS) is an emerging field that combines the properties of quantum mechanics with computing, sensing and networking technologies. As such, its poised to drive revolutionary advances across a vast array of essential areas from national security to energy research to the development of new materials and personalized medicines. At its core, quantum computing exploits the phenomena of quantum mechanics to analyze, interpret, and employ enormous amounts of data to solve complex problems.

Quantum computing will likely be key to the technological future of businesses everywhere. This promise of quantum technologies has spawned many evangelists, even as large-scale adoption of quantum systems remains stubbornly distant on the horizon. If you hope to turn this promise into reality and become a quantum leader, it is essential that your organization aligns its resources, priorities, talent, energy and vision.

In the Chicagoland region, this process is well underway. A partnership of quantum innovators has emerged led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange drawing on the expertise and vision of world-class universities, exceptional government laboratories and visionary industry leaders to advance research and development of quantum technologies.

The time to prepare for the coming quantum revolution is now. Heres everything you need to know about QIS from which industries are likely to be disrupted to the known challenges facing the technology.

Quantum technology takes advantage of atomic particles and how they relate to one another to process information at computational rates that are faster in theory exponentially faster than conventional, transistor-based computers.Rather than simply adding computational resources, quantum systems and quantum algorithms approach complex problems and large, diverse data sets by operating in multidimensional spaces. By exploiting the effects of superposition, entanglement and interference, quantum computing can identify patterns linking disparate data points.

With a suitable class of quantum machines you could imitate any quantum system, including the physical world.

Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning American theoretical physicist and pioneer in the QIS field

The pioneers of computing technologies could only imagine what modern computing technology could achieve. But even as the computational capabilities of classical (e.g. binary or digital) computing continues to progress, a variety of problems remain beyond its reach. As Dr. Feynman alluded, a classical computer lacks the capacity to imitate quantum systems.

Just as the scientific world was turned on its head when the classical understanding of physical systems was upended by early quantum theorists, the constraints of classical computing are being challenged by the promise of quantum computing.

As with any scientific breakthrough and quantum computing promises nothing short of a revolution the technology supporting and explaining quantum computing is neither easy to describe nor grasp. However, its applications and significance are hard to ignore. The quantum revolution will provide better, faster and more meaningful results in comparison to the best current (and even future) conventional computers.

Quantum technology exploits characteristics of atomic particles and how they relate to one another to process information at computational rates that are in theory exponentially faster than conventional, transistor-based computers. For a variety of related reasons, quantum communications are also more secure than conventional cryptographic methods.

The power and promise of quantum computers stems from the logical operator, the quantum bit, or qubit. Although a qubit can represent digital states (e.g. a 0 or a 1, similar to a bit of a conventional computer), a qubit can also represent both states simultaneously in a state called superposition, which is a unique phenomenon fundamental to quantum mechanics.

Exploiting the effects of superposition could yield processing power that has the potential to solve problems that are today intractable, impractical or unthinkable. The quantum revolution may usher in a new era of discovery beyond the strictures of todays thinking.

There are any number and variety of technical and business areas that stand to benefit from quantum computing advancement. On the road to wider adoption, early innovators are laboring over quantum systems that would be familiar to their classical computing forebears:

In some instances, major innovations are needed to make quantum computing a reality (e.g. hardware to mimic quantum mechanics and algorithms designed for application on quantum hardware). Some provide proof of concept like internet connections employing quantum-based communications while others employ principles of quantum mechanics to improve upon existing technologies such as timing, imaging and sensing devices.

That doesnt mean the path ahead is clear. Harnessing the power of quantum mechanics is a complex and delicate task, and challenges remain.

The long and costly journey from theory to practice for quantum technologies begs the question: What are the risks and benefits of quantum computing that justify the substantial resources required?

One answer is that cracking classical data and communications encryption may become boringly easy for a quantum computer. If all data communications were readable by anyone with a quantum computer, no sensitive information would be secure. Similarly, the simulation of complex systems including material science and drug discovery are tasks that theoretically would realize gains from the power of quantum computing.

Thus, early adoption of quantum computing is expected in a number of industries, including:

Realizing the potential of quantum computing requires new hardware and software specifically designed for this purpose.

For example, early and widely adopted quantum machines employ superconducting materials, which are proven to facilitate the physical effects, such as superposition and entanglement, that provide the benefits of quantum computing. However, superconducting circuits require extremely cold temperatures to operate, which often means large, expensive and immobile cooling systems.

Here are three other roadblocks that remain barriers to wider adoption:

Increasing the number of qubits in a quantum machine

Qubit stability (the ability to maintain a controlled quantum state)

Decoherence (the loss of alignment between two or more qubits)

A number of efforts are underway to make superconducting qubits more robust. Algorithms designed for quantum computers are enjoying a comparatively faster pace of evolution. Arguably, quantum-based algorithms require the hardware on which to perform before their full potential is realized. These specific hardware platforms may impact which algorithms are viable, but coding protocols and tools are being developed to ensure quantum computers are equipped for solving problems when the hardware is ready to support them.

With technological advancements often come business and legal challenges. Some areas that could benefit the most from quantum computing are subject to significant regulatory scrutiny, such as the financial sector and drug discovery.

The debate regarding the use of artificial intelligence in finance and security shows there are some potential hurdles to widespread quantum adoption.

It is also possible that, as the competition for talent, capital and renown intensifies, people may be less willing to share information. This may lead to fewer publications sharing relevant information and increased legal barriers that may slow the rate of innovation in the quantum space. Moreover, there may be national security concerns regarding the research into cryptography and communications, which may encourage further governmental regulation.

Undoubtedly, however, the outcomes of this great effort will be of substantial value for businesses, governments and individuals. The value of much of quantum computing may take years to realize, and it may not fit neatly into current legal protection schemes. For example, is a quantum algorithm patentable? If so, how do you detect infringement? Due to the pace of innovation, might some advancement be best kept as a trade secret? The rules are being decided in real time.

There are many companies, research centers and government initiatives focused on quantum technologies.

For example, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency a research and development agency inside the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military is currently developing a series of benchmarks for metrics and standards for quantum computing. Developers are also creating platform-agnostic software tools to quickly create and modify quantum algorithms.

Long-term, there is a possibility that quantum computers will operate in tandem with classical, digital machines. If this remains the prevailing expectation, there may not be a desktop quantum computer in the making, but rather an industry of quantum-enabled hybrid computers that are accessible via cloud computing or at specific quantum-computing centers.

This may enable quantum innovators to more quickly develop a core quantum machine, which could delegate less complex tasks to a complementary digital system.

The capabilities of this incredible, weird technology have so captivated scientists, business and government leaders that a kind of quantum arms race is underway. And Chicagoland has positioned itself as a quantum center of excellence.

Anchored by the U.S. Department of Energys Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the greater Chicago area has attracted talent and resources to support quantum research. The University of Chicago, which manages both Argonne and Fermilab, is home to the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), which is committed to commercialization of basic and advanced quantum research. Its members include the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northwestern University among other scientific and community partners. This network provides an unparalleled brain trust and provides the region with a significant critical mass of expertise, influence and potential.

The depth of the regions quantum expertise is bolstered by a strong commitment from both state and national governments. In recent years, the U.S. federal government has passed several significant initiatives to advance quantum research and development. In 2018 the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) was signed into law to provide for a coordinated federal program to accelerate quantum research and development for the economic and national security of America. In 2021, the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) became law, providing billions of dollars in support for a number of research initiatives, including quantum computing.

With access to world-class research institutions and two of the DoEs most celebrated national laboratories, Chicago is uniquely situated to take advantage of this support. As an example, the NQI established five research centers, two of which are located in the Chicagoland region. The Argonne National Laboratory maintains a 52-mile quantum loop internet connection, and it also operates Q-NEXT, a next-generation science and engineering center. And Fermilab is home to the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center, which is tackling some of the thorniest problems in quantum computing.

The resources and talent flooding into the Chicagoland region may result in more than advancing quantum adoption. Attracting talent, capital and developments in material science will lead to the creation of an entire new industry focused on using quantum technology to solve some of the greatest challenges of our time.

Quantum supremacy where a quantum computer is able to solve a devilishly hard problem thats out of reach of classical systems has been ceremoniously heralded more than once, only to result in muted expectations.

But it is crucial to continue to support quantum advancement despite these setbacks. While these efforts wont bear fruit overnight, it is clear that when quantum becomes accessible and reliable, many areas of technology and business will reap the rewards

Beyond the technological challenges, the legal and regulatory landscape will have to quickly adapt to fully address these new and exciting technologies. The rewards may be great for those who take early steps to seize upon the promise of quantum computing.

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Are You Prepared for the Quantum Revolution? - Built In

The French ambition to become a world leader in deeptech is one of Europes worst-kept secrets.

Not only does the country have one of the biggest deeptech funds in Europe, Bpifrance,but more importantly it has the people and the pipeline of talent through a best-in-breed university system, which is helping the country become a hotbed for innovation.

Quantum is one segment of deeptech where the French are leaving the rest of Europe, and in fact most other nations, far behind. The ambition to set up a quantum hub in the Paris region, linking large corporations and startups, is truly impressive and far-reaching.

Not only is the region focusing on nurturing homegrown talents, but they are also actively scouting for overseas companies to set up European headquarters in the cluster. How would we know? Well, we were one of the very few UK companies targeted.

France has always been at the forefront of cryptography and has one of the richest ecosystems for quantum pioneers. That history includes individuals ranging from the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Albert Fert and Serge Haroche, to French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) Gold Medallist Alain Aspects pioneering research on quantum entanglement and quantum simulators.

To build on this, earlier this year the French government announced a 1.8bn strategy to boost research in quantum technologies over five years. This will see public investment in the field increase from 60m to 200m a year.

Not only is investment increasing, but the often overlooked part is that funding is being funnelled into various fields of quantum computing.France recognises that quantum computing is not a homogenous industry and that various aspects require attention outside the development of actual quantum computers.

France is building a frameworkto make the country a key player across the entire quantum ecosystem

For example, one such area is security. Once a functioning quantum computer emerges, the cryptography that is used to secure all data and communications will become obsolete overnight.

Compounding this risk is the harvest now, decrypt later threat. Nefarious hackers might intercept data today and then hold onto it until quantum computers are advanced enough to decrypt it. To tackle this, new encryption methods are being developed that can stand against these new powerful computers, also known as post-quantum cryptography (PQC).

Its clear France recognises this threat, with plans to put 150 million directly to R&D in the field of PQC. This is in addition to the 780 million that is being devoted to developing computing alone, and the 870 million that is being set aside for sensor research, quantum communications and other related technologies.

Taken together, France is building a framework for industrial and research forces to make the country a key player across the entire quantum ecosystem, from computing development to post-quantum security.

So how does the rest of Europe compare? The short answer is that its lagging far behind.

Frances closest competitor is Germany, with its government recently pledging to invest 2bn in quantum computing and related technologies over five years. Thats a larger number than Frances commitment but it appears the scope is to only build a competitive quantum computer in five years while growing a network of companies to develop applications.

France is well on its way to protecting itself against the very real security threats quantum computers will pose

Investments by other individual governments across the rest of Europe are minimal, with many relying on the EUs Quantum Technologies Flagship programme to lead the way. However, with $1.1bn earmarked to cover 27 countries, little attention is being placed beyond computing R&D into adjacent fields like quantum security and communications.

Even if we focus on the security side of the coin, France is well on its way to protecting itself against the very real security threats quantum computers will pose, with the rest of Europe leaving themselves vulnerable.

It is also the case that France, in my opinion, is keeping pace with the traditional leaders the US, China and Canada and even pushing ahead in some areas.

While the US, Canadian and Chinese governments have committed impressive amounts to quantum, much of the focus in these countries is on developing a functioning computer, without recognising that a successful quantum strategy needs to be much broader. For example, although it has now developed a broad security roadmap, the US Department of Homeland Securitys budget for next year makes scant reference to quantum computing and the technology that is going to underpin post-quantum security.

If we measure success in quantum by not only how quickly we can develop such computers, but also how effectively they can be applied and how robust our protection is against the darker side of the technology, then Id argue that France has the worlds most balanced and systemic approach.

France is firmly Europes trailblazing nation; the rest of the continent ought to take note.

Andersen Cheng is CEO of Post-Quantum and Nomidio

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What Europe can learn from France when it comes to quantum computing - Sifted