Revolutionizing Modern Drug Discovery - Health Talks

Concept:

Welcome to the next event from the Health Talks series - health, life sciences and entrepreneurship talks organised by Aalto University, Business Turku, Centria Health Hub, Health Design, HealthHub Finland EDIH, Healthtech Finland, HiLIFE, Kuopio Health, OuluHealth, Tampere Health, Terkko Health Hub.

What:

The event brings together leading experts and innovators to explore how cutting-edge technologies such as supercomputing and quantum computing are transforming the drug discovery landscape. During the talk, participants will dive deep into the technologies that are driving unprecedented breakthroughs in the pharmaceutical industry. Through presentations and collaborative discussions, attendees will gain insights into how computing can accelerate the identification of potential drug candidates, how supercomputing enables the simulation of complex biological processes, and how quantum computing is poised to solve previously intractable problems in drug discovery and design. Whether you're a researcher, data scientist, or industry professional, this event offers a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in drug discovery innovation.

Agenda

• 9:00 - 9:05 Opening words and introduction of HealthHub Finland EDIH/ HealthTurku, Henrik Honkanen
  
  High-Performance computing
  
  

• 9:05 - 9:20 Introduction to High-Performance Computing, Rasmus Kronberg, Application Specialist, IT Center for Science
• 9:20 - 9:45 Utilizing vHTS for drug discovery, Elmeri Jokinen, Project Manager, Aurlide
• 9:45 - 10:10 Engineering Precision Pharmacology with AI, Anna Cichońska, Director of Data Science and Head of European Operations, Harmonic Discovery
  
  
  Quantum computing
  
  
• 10:10 - 10:35 Intro to quantum computing, Konsta Rönkkö, CTO, IBM Finland
• 10:35 - 11:00 Bringing Value to Quantum, Boris Sokolov, Lead Researcher and Co-founder, Algorithmiq
• 11:00 Closing words

Speakers:

Rasmus Kronberg is an application specialist at CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd., the hosting organization of the fastest supercomputer in Europe, LUMI. Rasmus focuses on supporting scientists and R&D professionals to harness the potential of high-performance computing for research and innovation. Rasmus has a PhD in computational quantum chemistry from Aalto University and has co-authored several scientific articles within the areas of computational electrochemistry and catalysis.

Elmeri Jokinen is an experienced professional in the field of molecular biology and pharmacology. Currently serving as a Project Manager at Aurlide Ltd. in Turku, Finland, since 2020, he has a strong background in computer-aided drug discovery. Elmeri completed his PhD at the University of Turku, focusing on molecular dynamics and virtual screening approaches in drug discovery. He also has experience as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan, where he specialized in molecular dynamics simulations. With a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Jyväskylä, Elmeri has a solid academic foundation and extensive research experience, including multiple research assistant roles.

Anna Cichońska holds a PhD in Information and Computer Science from a joint program between Aalto University’s Department of Computer Science and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM). Her doctoral work focused on developing machine learning methods and tools for biomedical research within the 'multiple genes - multiple diseases - multiple drugs' paradigm. Anna co-organized the IDG-DREAM Drug-Kinase Binding Prediction Challenge, a global competition aimed at predicting drug-kinase interactions. Following her postdoctoral research at FIMM, she worked as a Senior Data Scientist at Nightingale Health, where she led scientific collaborations with some of the world’s largest biobanks. Currently, Anna heads Data Science at Harmonic Discovery, a biotechnology startup building advanced artificial intelligence to design novel kinase drugs.

Konsta Rönkkö is a seasoned technology executive currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at IBM for Finland. In this role, he leads digital transformation initiatives, drives the adoption of hybrid cloud technologies, and serves as a trusted advisor for key clients. Previously, Konsta was the Country Technical Manager for IBM’s Infrastructure unit, where he oversaw strategic technical projects and managed teams across the Infrastructure portfolio in Finland. His expertise spans hybrid cloud strategy, Data & AI adoption, technology leadership, and innovation management. With a proven track record in steering complex technical programs and managing high-performing teams, Konsta is recognized for his ability to bridge business and technology, ensuring impactful digital outcomes for clients.

Boris Sokolov has more than 8 years of research experience in quantum physics. He completed a PhD in open quantum systems at the University of Turku in 2020, and after that held a postdoctoral position at the University of Helsinki. His main technical expertise is in quantum computing, simulation, and tensor networks. He has also extensive experience in high-performance, scientific, and cloud computing. In 2020 he co-founded Algorithmiq, where he has since been in the role of a Lead Researcher, eventually focusing on tensor network-related research and development. He has been a board director since 2024.

How:

Webinar will be held via Zoom. Link will be sent after the registration.

Hosts:

Henrik Honkanen The Health Talk will be hosted by Henrik Honkanen, who is currently the Project Coordinator for HealthHub Finland EDIH at Business Turku. Henrik has a bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine from the University of Turku. Additionally, he has master’s degrees in health informatics (Karolinska Institutet) and in commercialization of healthcare innovations (Copenhagen Business School). During his career, he has among other things worked as a health technology consultant, coded clinical decision support systems and conducted preclinical research abroad.

Rashad Ismayilzada - Head of Partnerships at Terkko Health Hub

Notes:

The event will be recorded and later shared with the public on YouTube.

Recordings of previous events can be found here.

For more info check the Health Talks webpage.

Registration data is controlled by Terkko.