The most important chemical reaction in human biology happens on a cellular level to release energy so your body can move, repair and sustain itself. On average, this process happens 1,021 times every second. It’s called hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and, despite its common occurrence, scientists don’t fully understand how it works.
However, algorithms developed by Ryan LaRose, assistant professor in the Departments of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State, provide new ways to use quantum computing to better understand this reaction, as well as design drugs to address specific diseases.
It can be extremely expensive to use traditional methods like Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) to learn about the inner workings of biomolecules and how they behave in the presence of outside forces. Additionally, QM/MM doesn’t always capture what happens in long-range biomolecular reactions.
LaRose’s innovations in quantum algorithms allow researchers who model biomolecular reactions to work faster and with greater accuracy, while reducing the energy used by quantum computers.
He expects these new algorithms to significantly expand computational power and increase efficiency, effectively disrupting many current research approaches. In particular, drug discovery pipelines — of which over half currently use molecular screening for early stage screening and lead optimization — will benefit from quantum algorithms.
Additional potential future applications include exploring treatments for gene mutations that cause cancer and myotonic dystrophy, identifying new antibacterial drugs, providing personalized precision medicine and facilitating donor matching.
To learn more about LaRose’s work:
- The cost of quantum algorithms for biochemistry: A case study in metaphosphate hydrolysis(opens in new window) [Paper]
- Non-Clifford diagonalization for measurement shot reduction in quantum expectation value estimation(opens in new window) [Paper]
- MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science, and Engineering (MSU-Q)(opens in new window) [Website]
- Towards experimentally realizable quantum phase estimation Seminar(opens in new window) [Video]
- Ryan LaRose YouTube channel(opens in new window) [Website]
- Ryan LaRose Personal website(opens in new window) [Website]
- Ryan LaRose Google Scholar page(opens in new window) [Website]
This story is sourced from the College of Engineering.
Opportunities for Partnership
Ryan LaRose’s work brings quantum computing out of the theoretical and into one of the most expensive, time-intensive parts of the life sciences: understanding how molecules behave and how drugs interact with them. For pharmaceutical and biotech companies, these algorithms could shorten early-stage screening and lead optimization while lowering computational costs. Quantum hardware and software firms have an opportunity to test and refine their platforms on real biochemical problems, and healthcare organizations may find new paths toward precision medicine, antibacterial drug development, and treatments for genetic diseases. MSU welcomes partners interested in sponsored research, algorithm licensing, collaborative studies through the MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science, and Engineering, and joint applications for federal funding. Whether your organization is exploring how quantum computing fits into its R&D pipeline or already building quantum capabilities, MSU researchers can help translate breakthrough methods into practical tools that accelerate discovery.
About MSU Innovation Center
The MSU Innovation Center connects Michigan State University’s computational and life science research with industry partners ready to put it to work. By bringing together MSU Technologies, Business Connect, and Spartan Innovations, the Center guides emerging technologies like quantum algorithms from the lab to the marketplace through technology licensing, strategic corporate partnerships, startup creation, and translational funding. Our team helps companies find the right MSU expertise, structure collaborations that work for both sides, and turn research into solutions that strengthen Michigan’s economy and improve human health.