Focus on actionable use cases, near-term opportunities, and India’s quantum roadmap
Hyderabad, 25 March 2026: IIIT Hyderabad convened an industry–academia roundtable and workshop on “Quantum Technologies for Life Sciences” at its campus in association with NITI Aayog. Bringing together researchers, industry leaders, startups, and policymakers to explore how quantum computing and sensing to understand the opportunities and use cases for Quantum Computing in life sciences can address complex challenges in healthcare, biology, and drug discovery.
The workshop featured brainstorming sessions, invited talks, and panel discussions among experts from academia, industry, and government, with the broader vision of understanding the potential impact of quantum technologies on various life science challenges.
It deliberated on key areas within life sciences where quantum technologies could fundamentally reshape research paradigms and enable next-generation innovations. Discussions were structured around four broad themes: quantum computing for drug discovery, quantum technologies for scientific modelling and simulation, quantum-enabled diagnostics, and quantum sensing applications in life sciences.
Ahead of the workshop, a closed-door think tank roundtable was held on March 23, bringing together select experts to identify high-impact, practical use cases. Discussions focused on areas such as molecular modelling, quantum chemistry, protein structure prediction, diagnostics, and genomic data analysis. Participants observed that while quantum computing is a longer-term proposition, quantum sensing presents immediate opportunities, particularly in precision imaging and healthcare applications.
“The convergence of quantum technologies and life sciences presents both immense opportunity and significant complexity. Our focus is on identifying realistic, high-value problems where quantum approaches can deliver tangible impact, while building a collaborative ecosystem to take these ideas forward,” said Prof Deva Priyakumar, IIIT-H Dean of R&D.
Prof Indranil Chakrabarty, Head of IIIT-H’s Centre for Quantum Science and Technology added, “We are honoured by the opportunity to engage with NITI Aayog and look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”
“The initiative with IIIT Hyderabad is a key step in translating India’s quantum ambition into tangible outcomes. By building a collaborative ecosystem across academia, industry, and government, we aim to translate high-impact use cases into deployable solutions—accelerating innovation in healthcare while strengthening India’s technological leadership and sovereignty.” said Rama Devi Lanka, Lead Architect, Frontier Tech Hub, NITI Aayog.
Insights from the session will be compiled into a white paper and roadmap, aimed at enabling industry-led research initiatives.