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Quantum Computing Joins the Next Frontier in Genomics

The Sanger Institute, a world-leading research institute, has selected ԹϺ’s quantum computer to explore new solutions in complex genomics

August 28, 2025
  • The Sanger Institute illustrates the value of quantum computing to genomics research
  • ԹϺ supports developments in a field that promises to deliver a profound and positive societal impact

Twenty-five years ago, scientists accomplished a task likened to a biological : the sequencing of the entire human genome.

The Human Genome Project revealed a complete human blueprint comprising around 3 billion base pairs, the chemical building blocks of DNA. It led to breakthrough medical treatments, scientific discoveries, and a new understanding of the biological functions of our body.

Thanks to technological advances in the quarter-century since, what took 13 years and cost $2.7 billion then in under 12 minutes for a few hundred dollars. Improved instruments such as next-generation sequencers and a better understanding of the human genome – including the availability of a “reference genome” – have aided progress, alongside enormous advances in algorithms and computing power.

But even today, some genomic challenges remain so complex that they stretch beyond the capabilities of the most powerful classical computers operating in isolation. This has sparked a bold search for new computational paradigms, and in particular, quantum computing.

Quantum Challenge: Accepted

The is pioneering this new frontier. The program funds research to develop quantum algorithms that can overcome current computational bottlenecks. It aims to test the classical boundaries of computational genetics in the next 3-5 years.

One consortium – led by the University of Oxford and supported by prestigious partners including the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Universities of Cambridge, Melbourne, and Kyiv Academic University – is taking a leading role.

“The overall goal of the team’s project is to perform a range of genomic processing tasks for the most complex and variable genomes and sequences – a task that can go beyond the capabilities of current classical computers” – Wellcome Sanger Institute , July 2025
Selecting ԹϺ

Earlier this year, the Sanger Institute selected ԹϺ as a technology partner in their bid to succeed in the Q4Bio challenge.

Our flagship quantum computer, System H2, has for many years led the field of commercially available systems for qubit fidelity and consistently holds the global record for Quantum Volume, currently benchmarked at 8,388,608 (223).

In this collaboration, the scientific research team can take advantage of ԹϺ’s full stack approach to technology development, including hardware, software, and deep expertise in quantum algorithm development.

“We were honored to be selected by the Sanger Institute to partner in tackling some of the most complex challenges in genomics. By bringing the world’s highest performing quantum computers to this collaboration, we will help the team push the limits of genomics research with quantum algorithms and open new possibilities for health and medical science.” – Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of ԹϺ
Quantum for Biology

At the heart of this endeavor, the consortium has announced a bold central mission for the coming year: to encode and process an entire genome using a quantum computer. This achievement would be a potential world-first and provide evidence for quantum computing’s readiness for tackling real-world use cases.

Their chosen genome, the bacteriophage PhiX174, carries symbolic weight, as its sequencing his second Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1980. Successfully encoding this genome quantum mechanically would represent a significant milestone for both genomics and quantum computing.

Bacteriophage PhiX174, published under a Creative Commons License https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phi_X_174.png

Sooner than many expect, quantum computing may play an essential role in tackling genomic challenges at the very frontier of human health. The Sanger Institute and ԹϺ’s partnership reminds us that we may soon reach an important step forward in human health research – one that could change medicine and computational biology as dramatically as the original Human Genome Project did a quarter-century ago.

“Quantum computational biology has long inspired us at ԹϺ, as it has the potential to transform global health and empower people everywhere to lead longer, healthier, and more dignified lives.” – Ilyas Khan, Founder and Chief Product Officer of ԹϺ

Glossary of terms: Understanding how quantum computing supports complex genomic research


Term Definition
Algorithms
A set of rules or processes for performing calculations or solving computational problems.
Classical Computing Computing technology based on binary information storage (bits represented as 0 or 1).
DNA Sequence The exact order of nucleotides (A, T, C, G) within a DNA molecule.
Genome The complete set of genetic material (DNA) present in an organism.
Graph-based Genome (Sequence Graph) A non-linear network representation of genomic sequences capturing the diversity and relationships among multiple genomes.
High Performance Compute (HPC) Advanced classical computing systems designed for handling computationally intensive tasks, simulations, and data processing.
Pangenome A collection of multiple genome sequences representing genetic diversity within a population or species.
Precision Medicine Tailored medical treatments based on individual genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
ԹϺ The world’s largest quantum computing company, ԹϺ systems lead the world for the rigorous Quantum Volume benchmark and were the first to offer commercial access to highly reliable “Level 2 – resilient” quantum computing.
Quantum Bit (Qubit) Basic unit of quantum information, which unlike classical bits, can exist in multiple states simultaneously (superposition).
Quantum Computing Computing approach using quantum-mechanical phenomena (e.g., superposition, entanglement, interference) for enhanced problem-solving capabilities.
Quantum Pangenomics Interdisciplinary field combining quantum computing with genomics to address computational challenges in analyzing genetic data and pangenomes.
Quantum Volume A specific test of a quantum computer’s performance on complex circuits. The higher the quantum volume the more powerful the system. ԹϺ’s 56-qubit System Model H2 achieved a record quantum volume of 8,388,608 in May 2025.
Quantum Superposition A fundamental quantum phenomenon in which particles can simultaneously exist in multiple states, enabling complex computational tasks.
Sequence Mapping Determining how sequences align or correspond within a larger genomic reference or graph.
Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio (Q4Bio) Initiative funding research combining quantum computing and biological sciences to address computational challenges.
Wellcome Sanger Institute The Sanger Institute tackles some of the most difficult challenges in genomic research.
About ԹϺ

ԹϺ, the world’s largest integrated quantum company, pioneers powerful quantum computers and advanced software solutions. ԹϺ’s technology drives breakthroughs in materials discovery, cybersecurity, and next-gen quantum AI. With over 500 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, ԹϺ leads the quantum computing revolution across continents. 

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June 10, 2026
ԹϺ's Fault-Tolerance Advantage: Turning Quantum Reliability into Commercial Usefulness
  • ԹϺ continues its progress toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, with a series of peer-reviewed breakthroughs in fault-tolerant operations.
  • Our progress is not only scientific; it is commercial. By improving logical-qubit reliability and encoding efficiency, ԹϺ is reducing the resource overhead required to scale its quantum computers toward commercially useful workloads.
  • These results were achieved on commercial ԹϺ hardware, reinforcing that our architecture is not just setting new standards, but building a practical foundation for customers, partners, and researchers preparing for the fault-tolerant era.

Fault-tolerant quantum computing is the threshold the industry must cross before quantum computers can solve the hardest, highest-value problems with confidence. To be commercially useful at scale, the question is not simply who can build more qubits. It is who can build reliable, efficient, scalable systems that reduce technical risk and accelerate the path to commercial usefulness.

ԹϺ is progressing on that path.

Last year, in partnership with Microsoft, we published a breakthrough in logical computing, demonstrating logical qubits that outperformed their physical counterparts by a factor of 800. We are proud to announce that this work is now being published in Nature, one of the most highly regarded scientific journals in the world.  

This work highlights our leading fidelities, as shown in Table 1:

Since then, we’ve accelerated our efforts to reach large-scale fault tolerance and advanced what we believe to be the core building blocks of fault-tolerant quantum computing, from logical-qubit teleportation and multiple error-correction breakthroughs to one of the first meaningful computations using logical qubits. Importantly, these results were achieved on commercial ԹϺ hardware, demonstrating not just scientific progress, but a practical and efficient path toward scalable, customer-ready fault tolerance.

A Recap of Our Recent Technical Progress

Since the work with Microsoft, we achieved a milestone years ahead of schedule, demonstrating high-fidelity teleportation of a logical qubit, which was published in one of the world’s most prestigious journals. Later, we beat our own record in this crucial fault tolerance milestone, thanks to continued improvements to our System Model H2’s fidelity.

Then, a series of results demonstrating more error-correcting milestones (and codes):

  • Better than physical results in a ,
  • (which significantly reduces resource requirements) in 4 dimensions
  • with a concatenated code
  • Observed with concatenated codes
  • High fidelity magic states and a fully fault tolerant universal gate set in two

Recently, we topped ourselves yet again by performing one of the first meaningful computations with logical qubits – exploring key questions in materials and magnetism, using . This result also includes a leading “encoding rate” squeezing 48 logical qubits out of just 98 physical qubits, emphasizing how our architecture helps to support large scale fault tolerance without enormous resource costs.

It is worth noting that all these results were achieved on our commercial hardware, not on one-off laboratory test-stands – reflecting the performance that we are able to deliver to our customers.

We also did crucial theoretical work, exploring that can reduce resource requirements, time to solution, and shorten the timeline to large scale fault tolerance.

Commercial Implications and the Road Ahead

We believe the commercial implication is clear: ԹϺ is reducing the uncertainty around the path to fault-tolerant quantum computing. Our architecture, hardware fidelity, full-stack control, and error-correction progress are converging into a practical roadmap for systems that can support valuable scientific and commercial workloads.

For those evaluating when quantum computing will become strategically relevant, we believe the signal is also increasingly clear: the fault-tolerant era is no longer a distant concept. It is becoming an engineering reality, and ԹϺ is leading the way.

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May 7, 2026
Denmark Strengthens its Quantum Leadership with ԹϺ Helios
  • University of Southern Denmark (SDU) to use ԹϺ Helios, supported by the Danish e-Infrastructure Consortium (DeiC)
  • Access to Helios enables SDU to test and refine fault-tolerant algorithms and error-correction codes under realistic hardware conditions
  • The collaboration supports at a scale of 48 logical qubits, positioning Denmark at the forefront of scalable, practical quantum computing
  • Researchers exploring the scientific foundations for future development of applications in fields including pharmaceuticals, finance, and defense

Progress in quantum computing is measured by hardware advances plus the algorithms and quantum error-correction codes that turn quantum systems into useful computational tools.

Thanks to recent hardware advances, researchers are increasingly sharpening their tools to probe the performance of quantum algorithms and understand how they behave in realistic conditions – where stability, system architecture and algorithm design all shape performance.

A new Denmark-based collaboration between the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), ԹϺ, and the Danish e-Infrastructure Consortium (DeiC) will utilize ԹϺ Helios. Researchers at the SDU’s Centre for Quantum Mathematics, led by Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen, will use Helios to pursue research into topological quantum computing.

Their work could help explain how and why successful quantum algorithms perform as they do, informing the development of high-performance algorithms suited to emerging quantum systems. They’re exploring the scientific foundations that support future quantum applications across areas including pharmaceuticals, finance, and defense.

“We are thrilled to gain access to ԹϺ’s high-fidelity Helios system. This collaboration gives us a unique opportunity to test the limits of our algorithms and evaluate system performance, while advancing fundamental research and laying the foundation for future applications.”

— Professor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen, Director of the Centre for Quantum Mathematics at University of Southern Denmark
Why topological methods matter

Topological quantum computing is an area of research that connects quantum computation with deep mathematical structures. It includes the study of error correcting codes known as surface codes that encode quantum information in the global properties of systems of logical qubits.

The research team will explore how these codes behave, and how they may support the development of fault-tolerant quantum algorithms in practical implementations under realistic conditions.

This distinction between theory and practical implementation matters. In theory, topological approaches offer a rich framework for designing algorithms and error-correcting codes. In practice, researchers need to understand how those ideas perform when implemented on real systems, where questions of noise, stability, overhead, and scaling become central. The collaboration will allow the SDU team to investigate these questions directly.

New ways to benchmark quantum processors

Beyond individual algorithms and codes, the research will also develop tools for benchmarking quantum processors. The goal is to develop new ways to characterize fidelity and stability in regimes that can be difficult to access.

The team will also explore hybrid quantum–classical approaches, including machine-learning techniques assisted by quantum hardware, to study the mathematical structures at the heart of topological quantum computing. This work reflects a broader field of research in which quantum and classical methods are used together, each contributing to parts of a computational problem.

Strengthening Denmark’s quantum ecosystem

The collaboration reflects the growing role of national quantum infrastructure in supporting research and talent development. Denmark has a long tradition of scientific innovation, and this collaboration is intended to support the country’s continued development in quantum technology.

The initiative is supported by DeiC, which played a central role in securing funding and enabling access to ԹϺ’s systems. DeiC has been assigned a particular role in developing and coordinating quantum infrastructure initiatives for the benefit of universities and industry, operating without its own commercial, sectoral, or geographical interests. This includes securing dedicated access to quantum computers, producing advisory services and supporting the development of new talent in the Danish quantum sector.

“DeiC’s special effort to secure funding and access for this research initiative is rooted in our organization’s role in relation to the Danish Government’s strategy for quantum technology.”

— Henrik Navntoft Sønderskov, Head of Quantum at Danish e-Infrastructure Consortium

This collaboration promises to accelerate the development of practical algorithms. It is grounded in fundamental science – but its focus is practical: discovering and testing mathematical approaches to topological quantum computing that can be implemented, evaluated, and improved on real quantum hardware.

That work requires both theoretical insight and access to a system such as Helios capable of supporting meaningful scientific work.

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March 25, 2026
Celebrating Our First Annual Q-Net Connect!

This month, ԹϺ welcomed its global user community to the first-ever Q-Net Connect, an annual forum designed to spark collaboration, share insights, and accelerate innovation across our full-stack quantum computing platforms. Over two days, users came together not only to learn from one another, but to build the relationships and momentum that we believe will help define the next chapter of quantum computing.

Q-Net Connect 2026 drew over 170 attendees from around the world to Denver, Colorado, including representatives from commercial enterprises and startups, academia and research institutions, and the public sector and non-profits - all users of ԹϺ systems.  

The program was packed with inspiring keynotes, technical tracks, and customer presentations. Attendees heard from leaders at ԹϺ, as well as our partners at NVIDIA, JPMorganChase and BlueQubit; professors from the University of New Mexico, the University of Nottingham and Harvard University; national labs, including NIST, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory; and other distinguished guests from across the global quantum ecosystem.

Congratulations to Q-Net Connect 2026 Award Recipients! 

The mission of the ԹϺ Q-Net user community is to create a space for shared learning, collaboration and connection for those who adopt ԹϺ’s hardware, software and middleware platform. At this year’s Q-Net Connect, we awarded four organizations who made notable efforts to champion this effort. 

  • JPMorganChase received the ‘Guppy Adopter Award’ for their exemplary adoption of our quantum programming language, Guppy, in their research workflows. 
  • Phasecraft, a UK and US-based quantum algorithms startup, received the ‘Rising Star’ award for demonstrating exceptional early impact and advancing science using ԹϺ hardware, which they published in a December 2025 .
  • Qedma, a quantum software startup, received the ‘Startup Partner Engagement’ award for their sustained engagement with ԹϺ platforms dating back to our first commercially deployed quantum computer, H1.
  • Anna Dalmasso from the University of Nottingham received our ‘New Student Award’ for her impressive debut project on ԹϺ hardware and for delivering outstanding results as a new Q-Net student user. 

Congratulations, again, and thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the first Q-Net Connect!

Become a Q-Net Member

Q-Net offers year‑round support through user access, developer tools, documentation, trainings, webinars, and events. Members enjoy many exclusive benefits, including being the first to hear about exclusive content, publications and promotional offers.

By joining the community, you will be invited to exclusive gatherings to hear about the latest breakthroughs and connect with industry experts driving quantum innovation. Members also get access to Q‑Net Connect recordings and stay connected for future community updates.

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