Dr. Alexey Galda serves as the Associate Scientific Director of Quantum Algorithms and Applications at Moderna, where he spearheads the development of quantum computing algorithms aimed at revolutionizing drug discovery and design. His expertise spans quantum optimization algorithms, pulse-level control of NISQ devices, experimental implementations of ternary quantum computation, and the development of tensor-network simulators for quantum circuits.
Dr. Galda obtained his PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Birmingham, UK, focusing on the physics of strongly correlated quantum systems. Following his PhD, he undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory and then joined the University of Chicago as a Research Assistant Professor for five years. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Galda secured substantial grant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Transitioning from academia after a decade, he held several key positions as a chief scientist in quantum computing and AI at various startups. In 2023, Dr. Galda joined Moderna to lead and expand their quantum computing initiatives, focusing particularly on quantum algorithms for mRNA drug design.