International leaders in science and technology shared insights on computational biotechnology and the future of healthcare
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Panelists discuss computational biotechnology as part of the Cleveland Discovery & Innovation Forum. From left: moderator, Dr. John Smith, IBM Research; Dr. Kenneth Merz, Cleveland Clinic; Mikkel Skovborg, Novo Nordisk Foundation; Dr. Elias Towe, Carnegie Mellon University; Dr. Sian Ratcliffe Smethurst, Biogen.
Cleveland Clinic’s second annual Cleveland Discovery & Innovation Forum brought together international leaders to discuss advancements enabled by quantum computing, artificial intelligence and digital health. The forum highlighted how these new technologies are transforming the future of medicine and patient care.
This year’s event, designed in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, hosted more than 20 speakers from academia, industry, foundations, venture capital and government to explore the current landscape and potential future of healthcare and life sciences research. Additionally, several new research announcements were made at the event that was held on April 7 at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.
“We need the best minds in medicine and technology to work together to solve healthcare's toughest challenges,” says Lara Jehi, M.D., Chief Research Information Officer at Cleveland Clinic. “We created the Cleveland Discovery & Innovation Forum to bring together global leaders in research and innovation to explore how advanced computing can drive new discoveries and help improve healthcare for all patients.”
Cleveland Clinic leaders moderated panels and fireside chats. Highlighted sessions included:
Fireside Chat: Alessandro Curioni, Ph.D, IBM, Serpil Erzurum, M.D., Cleveland Clinic
Panel: Funding Advanced Computation in Biomedical Science - featuring U.S. Representatives Shontel Brown and Max Miller
Panel: Prioritizing Computational Biotechnologies for Real-World Impact
Fireside Chat: Innovations Taking Discoveries to the Next Level – David Cox, Ph.D., IBM, Rohit Chandra, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic
This year, the forum was officially recognized as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, led by UNESCO. Cleveland Clinic announced plans, in collaboration with UNESCO, to provide researchers in Africa with remote access to IBM Quantum System One located at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. This initiative will allow researchers to use advanced computing technologies that were not accessible before. “Through this collaboration, we will work together to advance the development of basic sciences, engineering and STEM education,” says Amal Kasry, Ph.D., Chief of Basic Sciences, Research Innovation, and Engineering Section at UNESCO. “This agreement not only emphasizes the need to drive innovation in quantum technologies, but also highlights the importance of ensuring access to these technologies for all.”
Other new partnerships and updates were shared during the event and highlighted Cleveland Clinic’s steadfast progress in building the Ohio Discovery Corridor through its Cleveland Innovation District. These included:
The Cleveland Discovery & Innovation Forum also highlighted cutting-edge research supported by Cleveland Clinic’s 10-year Discovery Accelerator partnership with IBM, which is focused on advancing the pace of biomedical research through the use of high-performance computing, AI and quantum computing.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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