Sustainable Quantum Innovation Workshop 2026
ºÚÁÏÉç, UK, 18 - 19 June 2026.
Join us for an exciting interdisciplinary workshop that bridges quantum physics, quantum biology, and sustainability — forging bold collaborations and shaping ambitious research agendas that go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.
This event is supported by the Enhancing Research Culture Funding from the ºÚÁÏÉç and is free of charge!
On this page: Overview | Key details | Programme | Invited speakers | Organising committee
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Overview
Quantum mechanics - the theory governing the microscopic world of atoms and molecules - has long underpinned our understanding of modern physics. Quantum biology is an emerging transdisciplinary field that explores the tantalising intersections of quantum mechanics and the biology of living systems, aiming to create a new synthesis of quantum mechanics with the inherent, highly structured order and organised complexity of living systems. Explicitly incorporating quantum principles into biological systems has the potential to offer a pathway to unlocking new biological insights into nature’s eco-friendly and energy-efficient mechanisms.
A central focus of this workshop is the exploration of how quantum-scale insights from both physical and biological phenomena might help drive the next generation of sustainable solutions. Moving beyond the mere consolidation of current knowledge, the workshop is designed to:
- Pinpoint previously under-recognised physical mechanisms that drive efficiency in nature
- Stimulate the design of novel experimental strategies to empirically validate these quantum effects
- Emphasise the translation of abstract theoretical principles into testable hypotheses.
By bridging these gaps, this workshop aims to forge complementary collaborations and develop ambitious research agendas that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. At its heart, this exchange seeks to demonstrate that biological, bio-inspired, and biomimetic quantum pathways provide the primary blueprint for ensuring that the future of quantum science and technology is as sustainable as it is transformative.
Key details
Dates
18 -19 June, 2026
Location
This is an in-person event only: .
Contact
If you have any questions, please reach out to Youngchan at youngchan.kim@surrey.ac.uk.
Programme
Day one: Thursday 18 June 2026
| Time | Details |
|---|---|
| 8:00am - 9:30am | Registration and refreshments |
| 9:30am - 9:35am | Opening remarks | Andrea Rocco, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| Session 1: Photonics and Quantum Computing | Chair: Eran Ginossar, ºÚÁÏÉç | |
| 9:35am - 10am | Quantum Computing and Simulation for What? | Jaewoo Joo, University of Portsmouth |
| 10:00am - 10:35am | [Keynote] Designer Quantum Systems as Testbeds for Quantum Biology and Sustainable Innovation | Ben Murdin, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 10:35am - 11:10am | [Keynote] Designing Bio-Inspired and Bio-Derived Quantum Energy Technologies | Erik Gauger, Heriot-Watt University |
| 11:10am - 11:30am | Coffee break |
| Session 2: Synthetic Biology, Quantum Biology, and Neurobiology | Chair: Russell Thomas, NPL | |
| 11:30am - 11:55am | Engineering Quantum Proteins for Bio-Imaging, Sensing and Control | Gabriel Abrahams, University of Oxford |
| 11:55am - 12:20pm | Biology for Quantum: Quantum Effects in Evolutionarily Divergent Fluorescent Proteins | Youngchan Kim, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 12:20pm - 12:45pm | Neuronal Magnetosensitivity in Drosophila | Adam Bradlaugh, University of Manchester |
| 12:45pm - 2pm | Lunch |
| Session 3: Theory and Modelling | Jaewoo Joo, University of Portsmouth | |
| 2:10pm - 2:35pm | Controlling Decoherence: The Role of Memory Effects in Open Quantum Systems | Andrea Rocco, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 2:35pm - 3pm | Achieving Accuracy Advantages with Quantum Reservoir Computing | Eran Ginossar, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 3pm - 3:25pm | Quantum Effects in DNA Mutations | Marco Sacchi, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 3:30pm - 4pm | Coffee Break and Group Photo |
| Session 4: Roundtable Discussion 1 | |
| 4pm - 5:30pm | Roundtable Discussion 1 I Moderator: Andrea Rocco, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 6pm: End of day 1 | |
| 7pm - 10pm | Speaker Dinner (invited speaker only) |
Day two: Friday 19 June 2026
| Time | Details |
|---|---|
| 8am - 9am | Refreshments |
| Session 5: Sustainability and Broad Impact | Melanie Hardman, NPL | |
| 9am - 9:30am | [Keynote] Innovating for Sustainability – From lab to impact | Zoe Harris, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 9:30am - 10am | [Keynote] Doing More with Less: Boosting Weak Signals in Biological Measurement by Exploiting Non-Equilibrium Quantum States | Alex Jones, National Physical Laboratory (NPL) |
| 10am - 10:20am | Zebrafish Behaviour and Brain Imaging: Experimental Windows into Multiscale Biological Dynamics | Matthew Parker, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 10:20am - 10:40am | Sustainability and Quantum Technologies - An EPSRC Perspective | Tracy Keys, EPSRC |
| 10:40am - 11:10am | Coffee break |
| Session 6: Roundtable Discussion 2 | |
| 11:10am - 12:30pm | Roundtable Discussion 2 | Moderator: Zoe Harris, ºÚÁÏÉç |
| 12:30pm - 2pm | Lunch and Networking |
| 2pm: End | |
Invited speakers
University of Oxford
Research Associate, University of Manchester
Heriot-Watt University
Dr Eran Ginossar
ºÚÁÏÉç
Professor Zoe Harris
ºÚÁÏÉç
National Physical Laboratory
University of Portsmouth
EPSRC (Joint Head of Quantum Technologies)
Dr Youngchan Kim
ºÚÁÏÉç
Professor Benedict Murdin
ºÚÁÏÉç
Dr Matthew Parker
ºÚÁÏÉç
Dr Andrea Rocco
ºÚÁÏÉç
Dr Marco Sacchi
ºÚÁÏÉç
Organising committee
Dr Youngchan Kim
Lecturer in Quantum Biology, Director of the Quantum Biology Doctoral Training Centre (QB-DTC)
Professor Zoe Harris
Director of the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainability
Dr Andrea Rocco
Associate Professor in Theoretical Physics