Yeuko Manganyi
Biography
I am a postgraduate student at the University of Cape Town currently pursuing an MSc in Computational Biology. I developed a passion for science and technology at an early age, with biology forming the foundation of this interest. This led me to study Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, where I built a strong academic background.
My interest in quantum computing began after encountering introductory material on the Majorana chip, after which I expanded my knowledge through structured learning programmes offered by organisations such as IBM and PennyLane. Beyond academia, I am passionate about technological advancement in Africa and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Research
My research focuses on bridging quantum computing and computational biology. My project, “Quantum Optimisation Approach for Phylogenetic Tree Construction,” investigates the application of quantum optimisation algorithms to phylogenetic inference, a fundamental yet computationally intensive problem in bioinformatics.
As phylogenetic reconstruction (determining evolutionary relationships among species from molecular sequence data) becomes exponentially complex with increasing numbers of taxa, classical approaches often become impractical. This work aims to inform both quantum algorithm development and computational biology, with potential applications in biodiversity studies, disease evolution, and molecular adaptation.
Awards & presentations
Poster presentation, African International Conference on Quantum Computing and Simulation, Kwame Nkruma University of Science and Technology, Ghana, 2026.