When Dr. Peter Tieleman sits down to work on his biomedical research, he is rarely gazing through a traditional microscope in a traditional lab setting. A chemist by training, with expertise in physical and biophysical chemistry, Tieleman’s research operates in a digital realm where he is focused on the fundamental building blocks of the universe: atoms and molecules. As a professor of biological sciences and a Canada Research Chair in Molecular Simulation at the University of Calgary, his daily work takes place in front of computer workstations. Driven by a passion for science, a love for computer programming, and an appetite for outdoor adventures like trail running, skiing, and road biking, Tieleman brings both analytical rigor and a spirit of exploration to high-performance scientific computing.
To grasp what Tieleman and his research team do, it helps to understand why computer modeling has become so important to modern science. Biomolecular processes or molecular processes in biology — such as molecules moving across a cell membrane — happen on scales of space and time that traditional laboratory equipment simply cannot capture. While a human eye sees life changing over the span of years, individual biomolecules can move and change in timescales of picoseconds (the equivalent of one trillionth of a second). Advanced computer simulations allow researchers to zoom in with extraordinary resolution on these moments in time, creating dynamic, realistic digital models of complex biological systems.
Over the past three decades, computing performance (and data output) has surged by tens of millions of times. These modern advancements have transformed basic theoretical biomedical models into highly accurate, complex simulations that can tackle pressing biomedical challenges.
“Rather than playing with model systems and figuring out the basics of how atoms and molecules interact, we can now make computer models of very complex biological or material systems,” says Tieleman. “You can investigate the properties of materials or of cells, drugs, and biochemical processes on a computer at increasingly realistic levels.”
The tangible impacts of this research are profound. The computational methods created in Tieleman’s lab increase the accuracy and efficiency of molecular models, and then these techniques are applied to real-world health problems. His team’s work has contributed to understanding the mechanisms of antibiotics, designing targeted treatments for pain and addiction, and unraveling complex biological processes in kidney disease and cancer. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, major drug companies used techniques created by Tieleman’s group to build and test their vaccine designs. For cardiac research, his group models key proteins controlling heart rhythms to help screen prospective drugs for dangerous side effects, and explores how synthetic molecules and dietary components, like omega-3 fatty acids, can impact cardiac arrhythmias.
And behind every computational breakthrough, complex molecular model, and remote collaboration lies an invisible research highway quietly making it all possible: the Cybera network. As Alberta’s National Research and Education Network (NREN) partner, Cybera operates the essential digital hub that connects research institutions and scientific collaborators across Alberta and beyond. Cybera’s member organizations, like the University of Calgary, rely on this dedicated infrastructure to move massive amounts of research data smoothly, securely, and seamlessly in the background. Unlike general commercial internet, Cybera’s network provides high-capacity, low-latency connectivity tailor-made for the heavy lifting of modern data-intensive science.
For Tieleman’s biocomputing group, Cybera’s network is an essential digital pipeline that helps support its daily workflow. Because massive supercomputing clusters are distributed across the country rather than housed locally on a single campus, Tieleman’s team relies on remote high-performance computers, maintained by organizations like the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC), to run intensive calculations. In 2025, this team was allocated 21,014 CPU (central processing units) — one of the largest allocations handed out that year by DRAC — to run their high-level simulations. Once these calculations finish running on supercomputers in other cities, the resulting datasets must be transferred back to Calgary so the researchers can analyze and interpret the scientific findings. Cybera’s robust network makes this data transfer possible. This modern technology has drastically changed the research landscape in Alberta and globally.
“When I moved from Oxford to Calgary in 2000, I brought a couple of DAT tapes [a type of hard disk] with me because I could not move enough data over the network at that time,” says Tieleman. “It would have taken six months, with interruptions, and there was no secure way of transferring it at that time.”
The network also serves as a vital bridge for international interdisciplinary partnerships. Tieleman’s lab engages in virtual collaborations across the globe. From co-developing computational models with research teams in Sweden and the United States, to sharing critical data and hosting virtual video sessions with international peers, the digital connectivity powered by the network keeps researchers in touch regardless of physical distance. Furthermore, the computational infrastructure and high-speed network access doesn’t just benefit Tieleman’s research team; it adds to shared digital resources that empower a multitude of scientists and researchers from a variety of fields of study across the higher education community.
Operating quietly behind the scenes, the Cybera network acts as an enabler of modern scientific discovery. By handling the massive data transfers and multi-institutional traffic, the network allows these researchers to focus on what matters most: unraveling the fundamental mysteries of biology, advancing human health, and inspiring the next generation of scientists. This collaboration between research teams and reliable network infrastructure is a key component in maintaining Alberta’s position within the global research community. And whether he’s navigating a rugged mountain trail on his bike or charting uncharted territory in molecular biology, it’s this digital highway running in the background that keeps Tieleman, and his passion for discovery, moving fast and pushing boundaries.
Read more about Cybera’s network performance here.