My research focuses on three main areas within the discipline of quantum computing and communication, namely: quanum cryptography, quantum learning theory and machine learning, and quantum information and foundations. I also try to mix them!
You can learn more about each of these areas and in general, my research interests here.
My research in the field of quantum cryptography consists of two main elements: making schemes and breaking them! On one hand , I work on designing practical and secure protocols and subroutines for quantum computing and quantum communication. On the other hand, I delve into the study of quantum and classical cryptosystems, exploring how they can be broken using quantum algorithms and techniques. Studying quantum systems both as a resource for making secure schemes and as a 'hacking tool' will help us better understand these systems and come up with more enhanced and secure cryptographic methods. I also co-founded the field of 'quantum hardware security', which incorporates physical and hardware assumptions in the quantum realm as substitutes for computational assumptions in cryptography.
I am interested in exploring various concepts of 'learning' within the quantum realm, as well as the mathematical foundations of machine learning, i.e. learning theory. Specifically, I am fascinated by diverse quantum and classical methods and algorithms that can help us to 'learn' quantum objects, with a focus on quantum processes. The paradigm of what I consider 'learning' is extensive, ranging from well-established areas such as state and process tomography to the latest advancements in quantum machine learning. I would like to understand how well we can learn a particular quantum process (unitary/channel) and what does that mean? What are the intuitive implications and applications of different learning notions (PAC-learning, SQ-model, etc.)? I also find the intersection of this field with cryptography quite fun and intriguing, where these learning methods become potential attacks against cryptosystems. Quantum differential privacy is another example of my research topic in this space.
The fundamental properties of quantum information, such as unclonability, non-locality, randomness, and pseudorandomness, are to me, some of the most fascinating subjects within this field. Studying the foundations of quantum theory and quantum information, including the limitations imposed by quantum mechanics (known as no-go theorems in quantum), has been one of my primary interests. My research has largely focused on 'unclonability' in quantum information, the extension of this concept and its relationship to randomness and computational and statistical pseudorandomness. Grasping a deep understanding of these foundational aspects of quantum information also enables us to exploit them for designing unique functionalities and protocols for quantum communication and computing. This is where quantum information and foundations collide with my other area of research on quantum cryptography (my research on quantum physical unclonable functions is a good example).
You can find my publications (journal/conference proceeding) and pre-prints here, ordered chronologically. The full list can be found on my Google Scholar.
Unclonability and quantum cryptanalysis: from foundations to applications Mina Doosti (2022)
[on Edinburgh Research Archive], [on arXiv]
I am one of the main contributors and co-creators of Quantum Protocol Zoo.
The Quantum Protocol Zoo is an open repository of protocols for quantum networks. It provides a compact and canonical way to explore such protocols. One of the main goals of the zoo is to be a unified and accessible platform to the diverse community of quantum scientists including computer scientists, engineers, and physicists. It presents a wiki of protocols that everyone can contribute to. However, the zoo is much more than a wiki! It's a way to describe a quantum protocol at different levels, depending on how much in-depth you want to know about it. You can also find graphical representations, knowledge graphs and pseudocode for the protocols in the zoo.
If what I do sounds interesting to you and you are interested in one (or more) of these research topics for collaborations or you like to join my team as a research intern or PhD student, contact me via my email.
More recently, I have delved into error mitigation and noise within the scope of my research in quantum learning and cryptanalysis. If you share an interest in these subjects and my research resonates with you, I would love to chat. Finally, quantum foundations and their relation to philosophy are what constantly spark excitement within me, both in my research and during my spare time.