[COSM-NEWS] Mithral and Stanford University Announce Release of Stanford Alzheimer's
Adam L. Beberg (beberg@mithral.com)
Sun, 21 Oct 2001 20:40:05 -0700 (PDT)
Mithral's Client-Server SDK Provides Networking Core for Research Program
SANTA CLARA, California, Oct. 17, 2001 - Mithral Communications and Design,
Inc. and Stanford University, with the support of the Alzheimer's
Association and the Intel Corporation, today announced the released of the
Stanford Alzheimer and Amyloidogenic Disease Research Program. The program,
which was developed with the Mithral Client-Server SDK, allows computer
users to download software that runs in the background when the computer is
on, but not in use. By utilizing otherwise untapped computer power the
software creates a virtual supercomputer which can then be used for
scientific research.
The Stanford Alzheimer and Amyloidogenic Disease Research Program is
designed to help researchers gain a better understanding of diseases that
may be caused by misfolding proteins, also known as prions. These diseases
include Alzheimer's, type II diabetes, Mad Cow, cystic fibrosis and even
some forms of cancer. By simulating protein folding on a computer
researchers will be able to obtain data that would be near impossible to
gain in a laboratory setting. Once scientists understand protein folding
they can begin to develop methods to prevent and correct protein misfolding
and the related diseases.
"This computing power makes it possible to do simulations that were only
dreamed of before," said Professor Vijay Pande of Stanford University's
Pande Group and project director. "Peer-to-Peer computing is likely the
next computational revolution in biomedical research."
In order to participate in the program computer users simply download a
small piece of software from http://folding.stanford.edu/download.html. Once
installed the software will run whenever the computer is not in use. When
the user connects to the Internet, the client program will send the finished
results back to the master servers at Stanford University and request more
work to do.
Stanford University researchers from the Pande Group created the software
that performs the scientific calculations, based on TINKER by Prof. Jay
Ponder at Washington University, and will evaluate the program results. The
program incorporates a comprehensive system of security and privacy
technologies to protect user privacy. This program is based on the
Folding@home program currently run by the Pande Group.
The Alzheimer's Association, a national network of chapters, is the largest
national voluntary health organization committed to finding a cure for
Alzheimer's and helping those affected by the disease. Having awarded more
than $100 million in research grants, the Association ranks as the top
private funder of research into the causes, treatments, prevention, and cure
of Alzheimer's disease. The Association also provides education and support
for people diagnosed with the condition, their families, and caregivers. For
more information, call (800) 272-3900 or visit http://www.alz.org/.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, has provided funding for servers,
testing, and user support for the project. Additional information about
Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom/.
Mithral Communications and Design is the world's leading developer of
peer-to-peer and cross platform computing technology. The Mithral
Client-Server SDK gives developers all the necessary tools to quickly and
easily implement a peer-to-peer system across millions of client computers.
More information on the Mithral Client-Server SDK and other Mithral products
can be found at http://www.mithral.com/.
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