supercomputer

Billionaire puts brains, bucks behind supercomputer

John Carroll — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:41:55 -0400

Billionaire computer scientist David E. Shaw is leading a project to develop a powerful new supercomputer that could undertake work on protein folding and other advanced biomedical simulation projects. Dubbed Anton, the supercomputer is equipped with 512 specialized processors that all work simultaneously. And as the New York Times notes in its article, that computing power could be put to work folding proteins into 3-D structures, examining the interplay of proteins or the way proteins and new drugs interact.

This kind of computer simulation could play a key role in identifying new therapeutics with a very high likelihood of success--one of the Holy Grails in biomedical research, where so many projects end up in failure.

- read the article in the New York Times

Artificial DNA molecule offers powerful new biotech tool

John Carroll — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:48:34 -0400

A group of Japanese chemists have created a DNA molecule using almost all artificial parts--a breakthrough that may soon offer medical researchers a powerful new tool to work with. DNA holds the body's blueprint, and scientists have long marveled at its ability to store large quantities of vital information. By stitching together an artificial DNA molecule, the chemists are blazing a new path in gene therapy. The work may also apply to a new generation of computers.

"The unique chemistry of these structures and their high stability offer unprecedented possibilities for developing new biotech materials and applications," the researchers said in a statement. "The artificial DNA might be applied to a future extracellular genetic system with information storage and amplifiable abilities."

- read the story from Xinhua

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Professor creates virtual in vivo cancer environment

John Carroll — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:31:48 -0400

A professor at the University of Texas in Austin has created a virtual supercomputer to study metastasis. Muhammad Zaman, who directs the Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Dynamics, is tapping the idle time of more than 1,000 computers through the Internet to study cell migration in a virtual reality. And he's using the low-cost computer grid to advance research into a new generation of cancer drugs.

"We have launched a global effort to recreate the in vivo (live) environment of cancer cells in a computer model. This allows us to perform virtual experiments and study processes that are too costly or technically very difficult to study," says Zaman. "By recreating this whole 'system of processes inside a cancer cell we will be in a position to fully comprehend the problem and hopefully identify targets that will one day translate into anti-cancer drugs."

- check out the report