Curious about this issue our researchers Helena Maki, MSc student, and André Souto (IR), integrated member, and Margarida Carvalho (BioISI) are seeking to answer at the QUICK-DNA project, a project that was awarded funding through the competitive LASIGE Seed Projects Call 2025.

The QUICK-DNA (Quantum Innovation for Computational Knowledge in DNA) project has officially started at LASIGE, exploring novel quantum computing approaches to accelerate genomic sequence alignment. The project investigates hybrid quantum–classical methods designed to address one of the major challenges in DNA alignment: efficiently handling gaps and out-of-phase regions in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data.

As the volume of genomic data continues to grow at a pace that outstrips the evolution of classical computing hardware, QUICK-DNA aims to develop quantum-inspired algorithms capable of reducing the computational and energy costs associated with genome alignment. The project combines Grover’s algorithm with established classical bioinformatics techniques, exploring recursive partitioning and local alignment strategies to improve efficiency, scalability, and alignment accuracy.

Preliminary results from the project have already been presented at the LASIGE Workshop, where the work attracted interest for its interdisciplinary combination of quantum computing, computational efficiency, and genomics. The project will also be presented at the 5th GenomePT Symposium, further strengthening LASIGE’s visibility in research at the intersection of theory of computing, data intelligence, and biomedical informatics.