Distributed computing project targets avian influenza

A screen saver simulates the binding of drug molecules with proteins in the flu

By Jeremy Kirk

April 13, 2006 12:00 PM ET

IDG News Service - A research institute is harnessing the power of thousands of computers over the Internet to investigate potential drug treatments for deadly avian influenza.

The Rothberg Institute for Childhood Diseases in Guilford, Conn., said today that it had detailed the first mission for volunteers participating in the distributed computing project.

Volunteers download a screen-saver program that simulates the binding of drug molecules with proteins -- referred to as "targets" -- in avian flu, the institute said.

The screen saver, which is visible in a computer's program tray, kicks in when the computer is idle, the institute said. The institute likens the process to hunting through a batch of keys -- meaning the drugs -- to find the right one that fits a protein in the virus.

The results are sent back to the Rothberg Institute when the computer is connected to the Internet.

The institute said distributed computing allows for the deployment of new targets to tens of thousands of computers running the program, collectively called the Drug Design and Optimization Lab (D2OL), within minutes.

The institute said 80,000 volunteers in 93 countries are participating in the project so far.

The institute said the first avian flu target is the H5N1 neuraminidase, which aids in the spread of the disease. Avian Influenza A, also known as H5N1, is the most dangerous one that humans have contracted so far, the institute said.

Officials fear that H5N1 is the one most likely to mutate into a form that humans could contract more easily. So far, human-to-human infections have been rare, the institute said.

Governments have ordered widespread culls of chickens in Europe and Asia to halt the spread, but it's believed migrating birds have brought the disease to new areas.

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Additional Resources

Xerox

Win a color printer!

By using solid ink technology only from Xerox, you could save up to 65% by printing color for the cost of black and white. Enter for a chance to WIN a PhaserTM 8860 network color printer!

Microsoft

Upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 today.

Save time and mitigate security risk. Deploy it now.

Sybase

NEXT-GENERATION MOBILITY PLATFORMS

In this white paper, IDC analyzes the role of next-generation mobile enterprise platforms as organizations seek a more strategic deployment of mobile solutions.

Learn the important issues you must consider before starting your next mobility initiative. Get your mobility white paper from IDC now, compliments of Sybase.

White Papers & Webcasts

Sustaining SOX Compliance: Best Practices to Mitigate Risk, Automate Compliance, and Reduce Costs
Since the adoption of SOX, much has been learned about IT compliance. Discover how to make SOX efforts more effective in "Sustaining Sox...

Usability Is Everything
Learn what sets Workday's HR and Payroll solutions apart from the competition....

IDC White Paper: CCM for IT Compliance and Risk Management
Learn from industry analysts how IT organizations are using configuration management to meet compliance requirements and instill best practices. Find out how these...

The Value of Real SaaS at Workday
Cost savings, speed to value, and innovation brought to the enterprise by Workday's software-as-a-service solutions for HR and Payroll....

Keep it Clean: Maintaining the Integrity of your CMDB through Change Detection
Learn how configuration drift can challenge configuration management database (CMDB) integrity and how a configuration audit tool and an effective change management process...

SaaS at Flextronics, Inc.
Dave Smoley, CIO of Flextronics, discusses the real value of software-as-a-service and why he chose Workday for his HR solution....

The Tripwire HIPAA Solution: Meeting the Security Standards Set Forth in Section 164
HIPAA requires businesses that handle personal health information (PHI) to set up strong controls to ensure the security and integrity of that information....

Why Compliance Pays
This OnDemand webcast explores the relationship that firms with best compliance records have higher revenue, greater customer retention, lower financial losses from data...

Configuration Assessment: Choosing the Right Solution
Configuration assessment lets businesses proactively secure their IT infrastructure and achieve compliance with important industry standards and regulations. Learn why configuration assessment is...

Agile Enterprise Content Management (ECM) for Rapid ROI
Find out how combining ECM and BPM will help adress issues about content rich business processes....

All White Papers | All Webcasts