BIOE 500 Fall 2025 - Dr. Michael Insana

Quantum Computing for Bioengineers

Abstract: Quantum computers apply the principles of quantum mechanics in devices that solve complex problems much faster than classical computers. Instead of using classical bits that are limited two-level states 0 or 1, quantum computers are based on qubits that simultaneously exist in a superposition of states between 0 and 1. In this way, N qubits encode 2N bits of information. When the superposition states of many qubits are entangled, quantum computers process that exponentially greater amount of information exponentially faster. This amazing capability offers promising advantages in applications ranging from the molecular dynamics used in drug discovery to advanced machine learning algorithms. My presentation is intended to introduce the basic concepts of quantum computing, show that it is a fundamentally different approach to problem solving, describe the excitement that many feel about working with this new technology, and finally provide examples of computational problems of interest to bioengineers. 

Biography: Michael Insana received his PhD in medical physics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1983. He is currently Willett Professor Emeritus in Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, recently retired from the Departments Bioengineering, ECE, and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. His research involves a broad range of topics in medical image science. He is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, Institute of Physics, and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.