In a newly announced collaboration, more than 100 scientists from IBM Research and the Hartree Centre at the UK Research and Innovation's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will work together over the next five years. They will apply artificial intelligence and quantum computing to produce innovations in materials, life sciences, climate, agriculture, and manufacturing. The partnership should lead to new opportunities for local businesses and enhance economic competitiveness.
Discovery is the driving force behind technological and societal progress. It’s at the heart of finding new drugs to treat diseases, new materials for clean and sustainable manufacturing and energy production, and myriad other innovations.
Take penicillin. Microbiologist Alexander Fleming discovered it in 1928. That find has so far saved some 200 million lives. And it's just one of many material discoveries that have transformed society for the better.
But to deal with many challenges our world is facing, we have to boost the pace of discovery. This is where the Discovery Accelerator comes in.
An exciting new type of partnership, its mission is to deploy the next frontier of technologies from across IBM Research in high performance computing, AI, quantum computing, and hybrid cloud to What’s next in science is accelerated discovery: The need for science has never been more urgent. As the problems the world faces become more complex and far-reaching, we will need to rely more and more on technical rigor and science to help us find solutions.accelerate discovery to solve some of the most ambitious problems in science, business and society.
The Discovery Accelerator is now coming to the United Kingdom through a partnership between IBM and the UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Based at the Hartree Centre, the new Hartree National Center for Digital Innovation (HNCDI) will become a hub of engagement with collaborators across the UK's industrial and research ecosystem seeking to drive innovations in life sciences, new materials development, environmental sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.
Accelerating the pace of discovery is not just convenient—it’s essential. Although Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, it wasn’t until the 1940s that it got administered to a human, and took another 16 years to develop reliable, efficient chemical synthesis methods. Just imagine how many more lives could have been saved if it was put to use faster.
Today, finding a new drug or a new material for manufacturing can still take a decade or more. But the rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 shows us it is possible to speed up the discovery process. Our thesis is that a convergence of rapidly developing capabilities in AI, quantum computing, and high-performance hybrid cloud computing provides a unique opportunity for a technology-supercharged application of the scientific method to promote discovery at a much more rapid pace.
The five-year partnership between IBM and STFC will seek to do just that with a close collaboration between scientists from IBM Research and STFC.
IBM will bring a portfolio of technologies to the partnership from our high performance computing, AI, quantum, and hybrid cloud research teams. These include access to a broad set of emerging AI tools for discovery, such as RXN, a cloud-based platform that combines AI and the ability to directly control robotic labs to enable end-to-end design and synthesis of new chemical compounds; Deep Search, a next generation AI tool for generating insight from large amounts of structured and unstructured technical literature; and generative modeling with the Molecule Generation Experience, a type of AI that can be used to infer knowledge gaps and generate hypotheses to augment human reasoning and drive the scientific method.
The technologies also include the Bayesian Optimization Accelerator (BOA), a state-of-the-art general optimization tool that finds the most optimal answer for complex, real-world design problems. BOA was developed as part of the previous collaboration between IBM and STFC and highlights the potential for the Discovery Accelerator to produce broad reaching innovations in the coming years.
IBM’s commitment to STFC as part of the Discovery Accelerator also includes access to IBM’s fleet of quantum computing systems in the cloud and a program of collaboration to advance application of quantum computing to advance discovery in scientific and business domains. This will include access to IBM’s next premium quantum system with the 127-qubit Eagle processor , and beyond over the next few years.
With this technology foundation, IBM and STFC researchers will collaborate deeply with each other and with industry and academic partners in the UK. Collaborating on hard problems isn’t new for the STFC Hartree Centre and IBM. In February 2013, scientists from both companies started using high performance computing and data analytics for research in collaboration with dozens of firms ranging from large enterprises, including Unilever and AstraZeneca, to smaller ones like Gexcon and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute. One pioneering project with the Rothamsted Research Institute investigated how to predict moth migrations to protect crops. More recently, they collaborated to understand how soil microbiomes can shape soil health.
The necessity to accelerate discovery–and the opportunity to do so with advanced technology through the scientific method–has never been greater. The Discovery Accelerator at the STFC Hartree Centre promises to be one of the key catalysts of discovery with far reaching benefits to the UK and beyond in the coming years.
If you are a UK business or university interested in collaborating with us, contact us.
- Note 1: What’s next in science is accelerated discovery: The need for science has never been more urgent. As the problems the world faces become more complex and far-reaching, we will need to rely more and more on technical rigor and science to help us find solutions. ↩︎
Katika ushirikiano huo, wanasayansi zaidi ya 100 kutoka IBM Research na Kituo cha Hartree katika Baraza la Kituo cha Sayansi na Teknolojia cha Utafiti na Ubunifu wa Uingereza (STFC) watafanya kazi pamoja kwa miaka mitano ijayo. Watatumia akili bandia na kompyuta ya quantum kutengeneza uvumbuzi katika vifaa, sayansi ya maisha, hali ya hewa, kilimo, na utengenezaji. Ushirikiano huo unapaswa kusababisha fursa mpya kwa biashara za mitaa na kuongeza ushindani wa kiuchumi. Ugunduzi ni nguvu ya kuendesha nyuma ya maendeleo ya kiteknolojia na kijamii. Ni katika moyo wa kupata dawa mpya kutibu magonjwa, vifaa vipya kwa ajili ya safi na endelevu utengenezaji na uzalishaji wa nishati, na uvumbuzi mwingine wengi. Chukua penisilini. Mtaalamu wa vimelea Alexander Fleming aliigundua mwaka 1928. Utafiti huo umesaidia kuokoa maisha ya watu milioni 200. Na ni moja tu ya uvumbuzi mwingi wa vifaa ambao umebadilisha jamii kuwa bora. Lakini ili kukabiliana na changamoto nyingi ambazo ulimwengu wetu unakabiliwa nazo, ni lazima tuongeze mwendo wa uvumbuzi. Hapa ndipo kiharakishi cha Ugunduzi kinapoingia. "Ujumbe wake ni kupeleka mipaka ya teknolojia kutoka IBM Research katika ""high performance computing,"" ""AI,"" ""quantum computing,"" na ""hybrid cloud"" kwa ""What's next in science is accelerated discovery: The need for science has never been more urgent.""" """Kwa kuwa matatizo ambayo dunia inakabiliwa nayo yanakuwa magumu zaidi na ya mbali zaidi, itabidi tutegemee zaidi na zaidi juu ya ukali wa kiufundi na sayansi ili kutusaidia kupata suluhisho, kuharakisha ugunduzi ili kutatua baadhi ya matatizo makubwa zaidi katika sayansi, biashara na jamii." "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Discovery Accelerator"" ni mpango wa ushirikiano kati ya IBM na Serikali ya Uingereza, Baraza la Vifaa vya Sayansi na Teknolojia (STFC)." Kituo kipya cha kitaifa cha Hartree cha Ubunifu wa Dijiti (HNCDI) kitakuwa kitovu cha ushirikiano na washirika katika mazingira ya viwanda na utafiti wa Uingereza, wakitafuta kuendesha ubunifu katika sayansi ya maisha, maendeleo ya vifaa vipya, uendelevu wa mazingira na utengenezaji wa hali ya juu. Kuongeza kasi ya ugunduzi si rahisi tu - ni muhimu. Ingawa Fleming aligundua penicillin mnamo 1928, haikuwa hadi miaka ya 1940 kwamba ilitolewa kwa binadamu, na ilichukua miaka mingine 16 kuendeleza mbinu za kuaminika, za ufanisi za kemikali. Hebu wazia ni maisha mangapi zaidi yangeweza kuokolewa ikiwa yangetumiwa upesi zaidi. Leo, kupata dawa mpya au nyenzo mpya ya kutengeneza bado inaweza kuchukua miaka kumi au zaidi. Lakini maendeleo ya haraka ya chanjo za COVID-19 yanatuonyesha inawezekana kuharakisha mchakato wa ugunduzi. "Tesi yetu ni kwamba ""kuungana kwa uwezo unaoendelea haraka katika AI, kompyuta ya quantum, na kompyuta ya wingu ya high-performance hybrid hutoa fursa ya kipekee kwa matumizi ya teknolojia ya mbinu ya kisayansi ili kukuza ugunduzi kwa kasi zaidi.""" Ushirikiano wa miaka mitano kati ya IBM na STFC utajaribu kufanya hivyo tu kwa ushirikiano wa karibu kati ya wanasayansi kutoka Utafiti wa IBM na STFC. IBM italeta kwingineko ya teknolojia kwa ushirikiano kutoka kwa timu zetu za utafiti wa kompyuta ya utendaji wa juu, AI, quantum, na wingu la mseto. "Hizi ni pamoja na upatikanaji wa seti pana ya zana za AI zinazojitokeza kwa ugunduzi, kama vile RXN, jukwaa la wingu linalounganisha AI na uwezo wa kudhibiti moja kwa moja maabara ya roboti ili kuwezesha muundo wa mwisho-kwa-mwisho na utengenezaji wa misombo mpya ya kemikali; Utafutaji wa kina, chombo cha kizazi kijacho cha AI cha kuzalisha ufahamu kutoka kwa idadi kubwa ya fasihi ya kiufundi na isiyo na muundo; na ""Molecule Experience Generation.""" Bayesian Optimization Accelerator (BOA) ni zana ya hali ya juu ya uboreshaji wa jumla ambayo hupata jibu bora kwa matatizo magumu ya kubuni. BOA ilitengenezwa kama sehemu ya ushirikiano wa awali kati ya IBM na STFC na inaonyesha uwezo wa Discovery Accelerator kutengeneza ubunifu wa kufikia katika miaka ijayo. "Kama sehemu ya ""Discovery Accelerator,"" IBM pia inashiriki katika mradi wa IBM wa kuendeleza teknolojia ya kompyuta ya quantum katika wingu na programu ya ushirikiano ili kuendeleza matumizi ya kompyuta ya quantum katika maendeleo ya utafiti katika nyanja za kisayansi na biashara." IBM imeweka mfumo wa kwanza wa quantum na 127-qubit Eagle Processor katika soko la teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia ya teknolojia. Kwa msingi huu wa teknolojia, watafiti wa IBM na STFC watafanya kazi kwa undani na kila mmoja na washirika wa viwanda na wa kitaaluma nchini Uingereza. Kushirikiana juu ya matatizo magumu si mpya kwa STFC Hartree Kituo na IBM. Katika Februari 2013, wanasayansi kutoka makampuni yote mawili walianza kutumia kompyuta ya utendaji wa juu na uchambuzi wa data kwa ajili ya utafiti kwa kushirikiana na makampuni kadhaa kuanzia makampuni makubwa, ikiwa ni pamoja na Unilever na AstraZeneca, kwa wale wadogo kama vile Gexcon na Scotch Whisky Research Institute. Mradi mmoja wa upainia pamoja na Taasisi ya Utafiti ya Rothamsted ulichunguza jinsi ya kutabiri uhamiaji wa nondo ili kulinda mazao. Hivi karibuni, walishirikiana kuelewa jinsi microbiomes za udongo zinavyoweza kuunda afya ya udongo. Uhitaji wa kuharakisha ugunduzi - na fursa ya kufanya hivyo kwa teknolojia ya hali ya juu kupitia njia ya kisayansi - haijawahi kuwa kubwa zaidi. The Discovery Accelerator katika Kituo cha STFC Hartree inatoa ahadi ya kuwa moja ya catalysts muhimu ya ugunduzi na faida za mbali kwa Uingereza na zaidi katika miaka ijayo. Kama wewe ni kampuni au chuo kikuu cha Uingereza nia ya kushirikiana na sisi, wasiliana nasi. - Kumbuka 1: Nini ni ijayo katika sayansi ni kuharakisha ugunduzi: Uhitaji wa sayansi haijawahi kuwa muhimu zaidi. """Kwa kuwa matatizo ambayo dunia inakabiliwa nayo yanakuwa magumu zaidi na ya mbali zaidi, itabidi tutegemee zaidi na zaidi ukali wa kiufundi na sayansi kutusaidia kupata suluhisho." 