Today, the UK Government has announced the launch of five new research hubs to develop quantum technologies in areas ranging from healthcare and computing to national security and critical infrastructure. One of the hubs will be led by the University of Oxford, and aims to develop the technologies needed for the UK to play a key role in the development of quantum computers.
Oxford also has a strong involvement in the other four newly-launched quantum hubs. Professor Dame Molly Stevens (Kavli Insitute for Nanoscience Discovery, Department of Engineering Science and Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford) will be Deputy Director of the Q-BIOMED hub led by UCL and Cambridge which aims to use quantum technologies to transform early disease diagnosis. This could include quantum-enhanced blood tests to diagnose infectious diseases and cancer quickly and cheaply using portable instruments, saving time and reducing costs to the NHS.
Professor Dame Molly Stevens said: ‘We are excited to take our ultrasensitive biosensing work to the next stage by utilising quantum technologies in the UK's first Quantum Research Hub dedicated to health. Our multidisciplinary consortium will tackle important challenges in disease diagnosis to enable better patient outcomes across a range of diseases.’
Read more about Oxford’s involvement here