Quantum@SUN Researcher Leads Africa/Middle East Team at first global Quantum Biology Hackathon
Quantum@SUN researcher Abbas (Omid) Hassasfar represented the Africa–Middle East region as a team leader at the world’s first Quantum Biology Hackathon, held at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin, Germany, from 31 October to 2 November 2025.
The event was co-hosted by HKW — with support from Dr Sara Morais dos Santos Bruss — and the Quantum Biology Institute (QBI). Organisation was led by Clarice Aiello and the QBI team, together with Pedro Alvarez from the University of Oldenburg.
This inaugural hackathon formed part of HKW’s broader Fertile Void 2025 programme, which brings together artistic, scientific, and cultural perspectives to explore emerging ideas at the intersection of biology, physics, chemistry and society. The gathering brought together six interdisciplinary teams from six global regions, each tackling frontier challenges in quantum biology through rapid collaboration and exploratory computation.
Programme Overview
The first two days were devoted to concept development and collaborative problem-solving. Teams spent intensive sessions refining hypotheses, shaping research questions, and developing preliminary models. These sessions created a dynamic environment for cross-disciplinary exchange and rapid idea generation.
The final day opened with a keynote by Clarice Aiello, who outlined how quantum effects may influence biological function and why collaborative, time-bounded formats such as hackathons can accelerate discovery. She emphasised the need to integrate theoretical, computational, and experimental perspectives, and highlighted the importance of building an international community in quantum biology.
Each team then delivered a presentation on their findings, followed by a panel discussion with organisers and team leaders. Topics ranged from unresolved theoretical challenges to emerging possibilities for applications in biomedical and sensing technologies.
Team Projects
Africa & Middle East
Team Leader: Abbas (Omid) Hassasfar, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Project: Investigating the possibility of vibrationally assisted electron tunnelling in drug efficacy.
Asia
Team Leader: Dr Vishvendra Singh Poonia, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Project: Quantum effects in DNA repair.
Oceania
Team Leader: Dr Gesa Grüning, University of New South Wales, Australia
Project: How thermal noise influences photosynthesis in cryptophytes.
Europe
Team Leader: Jonathan Hungerland, PhD Student, University of Oldenburg, Germany
Project: Magnetic field effects on optically active proteins.
North America
Team Leader: Shah Ishmam, North Carolina State University, USA
Project: Quantum simulation of the radical pair mechanism.
South America
Team Leader: Iara Patricia, PhD Student, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Project: Exploring whether delocalisation contributes to ion channel function.
Looking Ahead
The inaugural Quantum Biology Hackathon showcased the potential of collaborative scientific exploration to spark new ideas, forge international networks, and inspire early-career researchers to delve deeper into quantum biological questions. Organisers expressed strong support for continuing the initiative, with early discussions suggesting that future editions may be hosted in other regions — including South America or Africa.
