We believe the future of computing, precision measurement, and secure communication is born where two worlds meet – the quantum and the classical. QLAB, an independent research unit of the University of Warsaw, was created to combine scientific excellence with real-world applications at exactly that interface – so that discoveries never end their journey in the laboratory.
We operate with a startup mindset: we test ideas quickly, build prototypes, and develop solutions that answer the real needs of industry and society. We pair scientific ambition with agility and entrepreneurship, shortening the path from concept to deployment.
We work in four interdisciplinary research groups that together close the full cycle of innovation. We create secure communication and the foundations of the quantum internet, combining quantum and post-quantum cryptography. We design advanced photonic components and quantum light sources for information processing. We develop ultra-sensitive imaging and metrology for medicine and industry, including super-resolution microscopy. And we teach quantum computers to solve real-world problems, creating hybrid and neuromorphic algorithms for today’s quantum processors.
We do not do this alone. Together with our scientific and technology partners, we create interoperable technologies ready to run on existing ICT networks. This is how we build a cohesive research-and-deployment ecosystem and strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty. We invite you to work with us!
At QLAB, innovation is not a linear process but a continuous exchange between theory, experiment, and applications. Ideas developed by our theory teams are verified in the laboratory, translated into proprietary photonic solutions, and tested under real-world conditions. The results of these tests flow back to the scientists, becoming the starting point for further improvements. We call this closed path – from concept, through prototype, to deployment and renewed validation – the “innovation loop”.
More information about the teams involved in this process can be found on the Research Groups page.
Led by Prof. M. Stobińska-Moretto, we develop quantum communication and quantum networks with security guaranteed by the laws of physics. We construct mathematical security proofs, design device-independent and semi-device-independent protocols (DI and semi-DI QKD), and build hybrid systems that merge quantum and post-quantum cryptography – for wide-area networks and critical infrastructure.
Led by Dr. M. Karpiński, we engineer advanced photonic components and integrate them with both quantum and ICT systems. Our work involves developing highly efficient quantum light sources, advanced detection technologies, and programmable circuits, alongside testing protocols in real-world environments.
Led by Dr. R. Łapkiewicz, we advance multimode photonic platforms that surpass classical limits in imaging and metrology. We pioneer novel techniques, such as super-resolution microscopy. The outcome of our research will be quantum microscopy systems for biomedical and industrial applications.
The team explores how combining quantum computing with artificial intelligence can open the way to a new generation of algorithms – faster, more adaptive, and less energy-hungry. It develops hybrid quantum algorithms, neuromorphic systems, and generative models tailored to the capabilities of NISQ-era processors. The goal is to create solutions that not only harness the potential of today’s quantum technologies, but also chart the course for future computing architectures – including energy-efficient software and photonic processors. The group will be headed by a leader selected through an international competition conducted by the International Scientific Committee.
QLAB’s greatest strength is its people—an interdisciplinary team of experts combining scientific passion with business acumen. The center is led by Dr. hab. Magdalena Stobińska-Moretto, University Professor.
Dr. hab. Magdalena Stobińska-Moretto, University Professor, is the Director of the QLAB Center. She is a physicist who turns the mathematics of quantum states into technologies for secure communication and computing. An alumna of the UW Faculty of Physics and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, she carried out research at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, and in 2017 she was a visiting professor at Oxford’s Clarendon Laboratory. She coordinated the European training network MSCA ITN “AppQInfo” (EUR 4.1 million, 18 institutions), co-invented two international patent families, and co-authored the first ITU standards on quantum technologies. She has been recognized on Forbes Women Poland’s “100 Women of the Year 2023” and the Financial Times’ “100 Women in Tech in Europe 2025” lists.
Dr. Michał Karpiński is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, where he successfully leads the Quantum Photonics Laboratory. After completing his PhD at the University of Warsaw, he undertook a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford as a Marie Curie Fellow. He is an expert in experimental quantum optics, known for the first demonstration of deterministic time lenses. He coordinates key research projects, including TEAM (FNP) and the international QuICHE consortium.
Dr. Radosław Łapkiewicz is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, where he has directed the Quantum Imaging Laboratory since 2015. He earned his PhD studying entangled photons at the University of Vienna in the group of Prof. Anton Zeilinger. His research focuses on the use of quantum effects in advanced imaging, including super-resolution microscopy. He successfully leads research projects funded by the FNP and NCN, and is a recipient of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education scholarship.
Marcin Zimny, M.Sc., serves as the Administrative Director of the QLAB Center. He is an experienced manager who, for over a decade, has been leading scientific, R&D, investment, and commercial projects with a total value exceeding PLN 300 million—from concept to final settlement. He specializes in successfully securing domestic and international funding. He has co-authored numerous projects that have successfully secured funding—including from the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), the National Science Centre (NCN), and the European Commission. He served as the Project Coordination and Implementation Manager at ENSEMBLE3, where he was responsible for, among others, the TEAMING project. Previously, he headed the Project Management Department at the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), overseeing nearly 80 research and R&D projects, as well as the institute’s commercial agreements. He combines team management with direct involvement in day-to-day project operations.
Adam Buraczewski, Ph.D., is a collaborator at the QLAB Center, combining industrial experience with scientific expertise. For over 35 years, he worked on telecommunication systems in international technological and financial companies—including Intel, Nokia, and Deutsche Bank—focusing on product development and the industrial-scale implementation of complex systems. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology at the Warsaw University of Technology. In 2015, he defended his doctoral dissertation on numerical algorithms for modeling quantum states of light, and he has collaborated with Prof. Magdalena Stobińska-Moretto’s research group for many years. He brings a corporate perspective to the QLAB Center—an understanding of real market needs and the process of translating technology into market-ready products. As a result, he helps ensure that the quantum solutions being developed are designed from the very beginning with practical economic applications in mind.
To ensure the highest global standard of research and the optimal direction of development, substantive supervision of the project is provided by the 10-member International Scientific Committee. It comprises distinguished representatives of the global academic community and experts from leading technology centers, who support QLAB with their knowledge and strategic advisory.
Prof. Remigiusz Augusiak is a renowned physicist and mathematician, serving as the Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs and a professor at the Center for Theoretical Physics PAS in Warsaw. He graduated from the Gdańsk University of Technology and obtained his habilitation at the University of Gdańsk. From 2008 to 2015, he conducted advanced research at the prestigious ICFO institute in Barcelona. His scientific career combines years of international research experience with the active mentoring of young talent.
Prof. Eleni Diamanti is a CNRS Research Director at the LIP6 laboratory at Sorbonne University. She received her PhD from Stanford University. Her research focuses on experimental quantum cryptography and the development of photonic networks. She is the director of the Paris Center for Quantum Technologies and a recipient of the CNRS Silver Medal and Innovation Medal (2024). She serves on the advisory board of the European Quantum Technologies Flagship and is a co-founder of the deep-tech startup Welinq.
Dr. Krzysztof Kurowski is a recognized computer scientist and Deputy Director at the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) affiliated with the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS. For over two decades, he has been involved in key national and international research projects. His scientific interests include optimization and job management in advanced computing systems, including hybrid architectures combining supercomputers with quantum technology. He actively supports the development of Open Science and EOSC initiatives.
Prof. Julien Laurat is a professor at Sorbonne University and a researcher at the prestigious Laboratoire Kastler Brossel. His research focuses on quantum computing, the creation of light-matter interfaces, and the development of highly efficient quantum memories. He is a co-founder of the startup Welinq and actively supports the development of the European quantum internet (Quantum Internet Alliance). He is a Senior Member of the IUF, an ERC grant laureate, and a Fulbright scholar.
Prof. Tomasz Paterek is a recognized theoretical physicist from the University of Gdańsk, exploring the intersections of quantum mechanics with other scientific fields. He earned his PhD in quantum communication in Gdańsk and gained experience in Vienna and Singapore, where he led a research group at Nanyang Technological University for 7 years. He leads numerous international grants, is a laureate of the “Polish Returns” program, and a recipient of the unconventional Ig Nobel Prize in Biology.
Prof. Renato Renner is a prominent theoretical physicist at ETH Zürich, where he heads the Research Group for Quantum Information Theory. His research covers quantum cryptography, thermodynamics, and the application of artificial intelligence in physics. After completing his PhD at ETH, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge before returning as a full professor to his alma mater in 2015. He is the recipient of prestigious honors, including an ERC grant, the ETH Medal, and awards for outstanding teaching.
Prof. Wojciech Satuła combines his duties as Dean of the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw with intensive work at the Institute of Theoretical Physics. As an expert in low-energy nuclear physics, he studies the properties of exotic nuclei and isospin symmetry-breaking phenomena, creating advanced computational models for them. His extensive scientific output includes over 200 publications, and his expertise is highly valued across numerous international research networks.
Within Airbus Space Systems in Toulouse, Dr. Andrew Thain plays a key role as an expert in quantum communication and Space Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). His work focuses on designing high-throughput satellites that form the foundation of the secure European EuroQCI network. Before dedicating himself to quantum technologies, he developed engineering innovations and antenna systems. He regularly shares his expertise at international industry forums.
Prof. Giuseppe Vallone has dedicated his entire scientific career to quantum optics and satellite technologies. As a Full Professor at the University of Padua, he coordinates European projects (QUANGO, QUDICE) and serves on the security board for EuroQCI. He successfully translates his innovative research on quantum communication into business—serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the spin-off ThinkQuantum. His extensive portfolio includes numerous patents and over 130 scientific publications.
A pioneer of space quantum communication, Prof. Paolo Villoresi is a Full Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Padua. Collaborating with Nobel laureate Anton Zeilinger, he executed the first-ever single-photon exchange between Earth and a satellite. He is currently the director of the QTech research center. He coordinates strategic projects for ESA and the Italian Space Agency, including the design of a quantum terminal for the ISS.
QLAB is a project of international scope. We actively collaborate with industrial partners and leading academic institutions across Europe. As a result, our solutions are rapidly tested in real-world application environments. Our activities directly strengthen Poland’s position in key pan-European initiatives, such as EuroHPC JU, EuroQCI, and the Quantum Flagship, contributing to the construction of a technologically strong and independent Europe.
