Quantum-Enhanced Computer-Aided Drug Design for Cancer Inhibitors
Official title: Enhancing Computer-Aided Drug Discovery Through Integration of Quantum Mechanics
Funded at Middle Tennessee State University · NIH-11422423 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project to use advanced quantum methods to improve computer-assisted drug design for cancer, aiming to develop better inhibitors for tubulin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Middle Tennessee State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Murfreesboro, United States) |
| Project start | July 24, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $125,700 |
| NIH project number | 1R16GM165409-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422423 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with cancers where tubulin inhibitors are relevant, or who might participate in future translational efforts stemming from improved drug design.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not connected to cancers treated by tubulin inhibitors or those not pursuing drug development opportunities related to this work may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This research plans to blend quantum mechanics with structure-based drug design to create a more accurate and efficient pipeline for discovering cancer drugs. It will show, in a systematic way, how quantum-enhanced methods can improve the quality and variety of potential inhibitors, with a focus on tubulin-related targets. The work builds on new quantum techniques that run much faster than traditional QM approaches, enabling more thorough exploration of chemical space. Researchers will benchmark the method and demonstrate its benefits for identifying promising compounds for cancer treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster and more accurate identification of cancer drugs with potentially better effectiveness and fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed where quantum methods can enhance parts of drug design, but this project aims for systematic, large-scale improvement.
Where this research is happening
-
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kong, Jing — Middle Tennessee State University
- Study coordinator: Kong, Jing
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.