The program of qLIFE is designed to encourage meaningful interactions and in-depth discussions, with a single stream of sessions structured to allow substantial time for discussion and informal networking. qLIFE emphasizes cutting-edge science, innovation, and a culture of openness where unpublished data can be shared with confidence.
Priority themes of the conference include advances in quantum technology for the life sciences, bioengineered quantum technologies, and applications across:
- pharma & drug discovery
- energy & sustainability
- medical imaging & biomedical assays, and
- basic biological science & neuroscience.
The conference program is available below and features:
- Public Lectures providing accessible introductions on the applications of quantum technology in the life sciences, and their potential to transform society.
- Future Perspectives keynote presentations from esteemed leaders in research and industry. These will look forward into the future of quantum technology for the life science, discussing emerging directions, major opportunities, and disruptive developments.
- Discussion Leaders with deep experience in the applications of quantum technology in the life sciences.
- Invited Presentations from international experts in each of the priority themes.
- Poster sessions to present your work and explore the spectrum of research in the field.
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
PUBLIC LECTURES & FIRESIDE CHAT
Tuesday 18 November 2025
UOW Science Space, Innovation Campus, Wollongong
| Time | Activity | Speaker & Topic |
| 5.30pm – 6.30pm | Arrival and welcome drinks | UOW Science Space, Innovation Campus, Wollongong |
| 6.30pm – 8pm | Public Lecture & Fireside Chat Registration essential. Register here: Quantum Technologies for Life & Health: Public Lecture | Prof Jennifer Dionne (Stanford University) Illuminating the Building Blocks of Life with Quantum Science Prof Sir Peter Knight (Imperial College London) The First 100 Years of Quantum Science: From Inspiration to Societal Value |
Wednesday 19 November 2025
Novotel Hotel, Wollongong
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
| 8.00 – 8.30 | Registration and coffee cart | |
| 8:30 – 8:45 | Welcome to Country | |
| 8.45 – 9.00 | Conference Welcome and Discussion Leader | Prof. Warwick Bowen, The University of Queensland |
| 9.00 – 9.40 | Future Perspective Keynote The impact of quantum computing on life sciences – and current challenges that must be overcome | Prof Lene Oddershede, Novo Nordisk Foundation |
| 9.40-10.10 | Hot topic presentations | Chair: Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop Dr Felix Donaldson, University College London Dr Sarah Mann, University of Glasgow Dr Alex Terrasson, The University of Queensland |
| 10.10 – 10.40 | Morning tea | |
| 10.40 – 10.50 | Invited presentations: quantum biomedical imaging I | Discussion Leader: Prof Miles Padgett, University of Glasgow |
| 10.50 – 11.20 | High-speed magnetic field imaging with a diamond sensor | Prof Ulrik Andersen, The Technical University of Denmark |
| 11.20-11.50 | What can quantum sense about psychosis? | Prof Marta Garrido, University of Melbourne |
| 11.50 – 12.20 | Hybrid diamond quantum biosensing platforms | Prof Brant Gibson, RMIT University |
| 12.20 – 13.50 | Lunch | |
| Invited presentations: quantum biomedical imaging II | Discussion Leader: Prof Lezanne Ooi, University of Wollongong | |
| 13.50 – 14.20 | Microscale magnetic resonance spectroscopy with an optimal sensitivity spin sensor in diamond | Prof Fazhan Shi, University of Science and Technology of China |
| 14.20 – 14.50 | Tuning Atomic Antennas to Bioelectric Signals | Dr Guillaume Gauthier, The University of Queensland |
| 14.50 – 15.20 | Diamond quantum sensors for precision diagnostics and drug discovery | A/Prof David Simpson, The University of Melbourne |
| 15.20 – 15.50 | Afternoon tea | |
| 15.50 – 16.00 | Invited presentations: quantum sensing and imaging in biology I | Discussion Leader: Prof Martin Plenio, University of Ulm |
| 16.00 – 16.30 | Quantum technologies for enhanced fluorescence lifetime imaging | Prof Daniele Faccio, University of Glasgow |
| 16.30 – 17.00 | From diamond defects to protein-based qubit sensors | Prof Peter Maurer, University of Chicago |
| 18.00 – 21.00 | Poster session (roving canapes & drinks) |
Thursday 20 November 2025
Novotel Hotel, Wollongong
| Time | Activity | Speakers |
| 8.30 – 9.00 | Coffee cart | |
| 9.00 | Discussion leader | A/Prof David Simpson, The University of Melbourne |
| 9.00-9.40 | Future Perspective Keynote Quantum Computing for Health Care and Life Science Applications | Dr Gavin Jones, IBM |
| 9.40 – 10.20 | Future Perspective Keynote Quantum sensing for health – moving things forward | Prof Ronald Walsworth, University of Maryland |
| 10.20 – 10.50 | Morning tea | |
| Invited presentations: quantum sensing and imaging in biology II | Discussion Leader: Prof Irina Kabakova, University of Technology Sydney | |
| 10.50 – 11.20 | Super-Resolution Quantum Imaging using Entanglement | Prof Lihong Wang, California Institute of Technology |
| 11:20 – 11:50 | A quantum advantage in conventional fluorescence microscopy using photon statistics | Prof Dan Oron, Weizmann Institute |
| 11.50 – 12.20 | Magnetic field control of protein function | Dr Rebecca Frank Hayward, Nonfiction Labs |
| 12.20 – 13.50 | Lunch | |
| Invited presentations: quantum sensing and imaging in biology III | Discussion Leader: Prof Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, The University of Queensland | |
| 13.50 – 14.20 | Quantum biosensing enabled by diamond spin qubits | Prof Fedor Jelezko, University of Ulm |
| 14.20 – 14.50 | Nanodiamonds with NV-centers – a multi-modal intracellular probe | Prof Kirstine Berg-Sørensen, Technical University of Denmark |
| 14.50 – 15.20 | The optomechanics way to probe a single live cell | Prof Ivan Favero, CNRS, Université Paris Cité |
| 15.20 – 15.50 | Molecular Quantum Nanosensors Functioning in Living Cells and Beyond | Prof Hitoshi Ishiwata, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan |
| 15.50 – 16.20 | Afternoon tea | |
| 16.20 – 16.30 | Invited presentations: quantum biomedical diagnostics I | Discussion Leader: Dr Liam Hall, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) |
| 16.30 – 17.00 | Diamond based quantum sensing in diagnostics | Prof Romana Schirhagl, QT Sense & Groningen University |
| 17.00 – 17.30 | Advancing NV-based quantum sensing techniques for investigating membrane mechanics and dynamics | Prof Quan Li, Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| 17.30 – 18.00 | Detecting and controlling single protein motion in an optical nanocavity | Dr Jesse Slim, The University of Queensland |
| 18.15 – 19.00 | Networking drinks | |
| 19.00 – 21.30 | Conference Dinner |
Friday 21 November
Novotel Hotel, Wollongong
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
| 8.30 – 9.00 | Coffee cart | |
| 9.00 | Discussion Leader | Prof Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, The University of Queensland |
| 9:00 – 9:40 | Future Perspective Keynote Functional brain imaging with quantum magnetometers | Prof Svenja Knappe, FieldLine & University of Colorado |
| 9:40 – 10:20 | Single-fibre endoscopy based on holographic beam projection and photon-counting detection | Prof Miles Padgett, University of Glasgow |
| 10:20 – 10:50 | Morning Tea | |
| 10:50 – 11:00 | Invited presentations: quantum computing for the life sciences I | Discussion Leader: Prof Ivan Kassal, University of Sydney |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | A Molecular‑Property‑Driven Roadmap for Quantum Use Cases in Drug Binding | Prof Yudong Cao, Head of Quantum at BCG X |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | From Algorithm to Human Clinical Trials: Accelerating Drug Discovery and Development With Generative AI and Laboratory Automation | Dr Alex Aliper, Insilico Medicine |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | A Transferable Hybrid Quantum/AI Pipeline for Photodynamic Therapy and the Life Sciences | Prof Sabrina Maniscalco, Algorithmiq & University of Helsinki |
| 12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch | |
| Invited presentations: quantum computing for the life sciences II | Discussion Leader: Prof Alan Mark, University of Queensland | |
| 14:00 – 14:30 | Hunting for a quantum advantage in Hamiltonian learning | Dr Tom O’Brien, Google |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Compiling quantum chemistry algorithms on fault-tolerant quantum computers | Dr Will Pol, PsiQuantum |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Engineering quantum effects in light harvesting: Lessons from quantum biology | Prof Ivan Kassal, University of Sydney |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Afternoon tea | |
| Invited presentations: quantum biomedical diagnostics II | Discussion Leader: Prof Makoto Negoro, Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology, University of Osaka | |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | Exploring light and life: Quantum photonics for molecular sensing and sequencing | Prof Jennifer Dionne, Stanford University, Q-NEXT & Pumpkinseed |
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Widefield coherent sensing with nanodiamonds | Dr Ben Miller, University College London |
| 17:00 – 17:20 | Closing Remarks & Awards Ceremony | Prof Warwick Bowen, The University of Queensland |
*Program is subject to change.