What does innovation mean to you?
Innovation in drug discovery comes from the fusion of disciplines—where experimental biology meets AI, atomistic simulations, quantum computing, and open-source software. By breaking silos and blending these fields, we can design targeted medicines with unprecedented precision, accelerating discovery and delivering therapies that were once unimaginable.
What do you believe is the most important capability for companies to thrive in the economy of tomorrow?
The most important capability will be embracing interdisciplinarity with adaptability. Companies that can learn fast, adapt quickly, collaborate openly, and apply these tools to real-world problems will not only thrive, but shape the future economy.
How can we leverage our collective strength to create a more prosperous future?
We create a more prosperous future by pooling diverse strengths across disciplines, sectors, and cultures. In drug discovery, that means AI scientists, biologists, chemists, and engineers working together - and sharing knowledge openly - to accelerate breakthroughs.
Describe your project and work and what makes it so innovative?
I co-founded the biotech company ProteinQure and the Quantum Open Source Foundation. Over the past eight years, ProteinQure has built the world’s leading AI platform for computational peptide design. Peptides allow therapies to be delivered in a tissue-and cell-specific manner leading to new ways to cure diseases with less side effects. ProteinQure's lead program targeting triple-negative breast cancer - the most lethal type of breast cancer with no approved treatment options - has just entered Phase I trials in the US and Canada. This is the first time an AI-designed peptide drug has entered the clinic.
