24 replies to this topic

[manofsan]

Read this article:

http://www.techrevie...ffman020105.asp


One of the reasons that so many starry-eyed genome-related startups failed was due to the fact that that genomic discoveries are still significantly removed from actual metabolic chemistry, which is mainly under the regime of proteins. Could the advent of proteomic deconstruction then be what's necessary to bring private industry within striking distance of a goldrush and renewed mass commercial involvement in the molecular biology frontier?

Hmm, with server-farmers like Google branching into all sorts of new arenas, I wonder if even they might somehow move into the protein grid?

Woo, note that nifty phrase Systems Biology again here. I like this whole approach of justifying/rectifying medicine thru physics, through complex informational modeling. If it can be done for the stock market, then it can and should be done for the human body.

From what I can see, we really need to see the lab-on-a-chip devices take off, to bridge the critical gap between information systems and the real world of wet biology. Once that gap can be bridged and the 2 worlds mated, then it will be possible to rapidly accelerate investigation and decompilation of our wonderful and mysterious metabolism.

Comments?

[Mind]

My comment is this: For members who have asked in the past "I am not a biologist/gerontologist/scientist/college student/professor/genetic scientist, what can I do to help defeat aging?"

Here is your answer. Go to Grid.org protein project and download the screen saver.

Also, I think this is a great avenue to open up further research into anti-aging therapies. I know some people here have called protein folding and function the holy grail of molecular biology.

[123456]

Which one is better? Grid. org or World community Grid? Both are the same people doing the same thing Right? I am currently using World Community grid. Both have separate webpages.

Edited by 123456, 02 February 2005 - 01:17 AM.

[manofsan]

Go here and read the news about what Sun Microsystems has just announced:

http://news.google.c...i...y?id=460348

This will at least help to make grid more popular as a platform, and perhaps it may lead to it one day becoming generic and ubiquitous.

A massive global brain capable of focusing its power to decipher the micro-sized yet awesomely complex human genome/proteome/metabolome. Just like a gigantic lens concentrating and focusing energy onto one tiny spot.

[manofsan]

And behold - the Cell Grid!

http://www.theregist...lysis_part_one/

This could really help make grid computing take off. Oh well, let's see how the game shapes up.

[alex83]

My comment is this: For members who have asked in the past "I am not a biologist/gerontologist/scientist/college student/professor/genetic scientist, what can I do to help defeat aging?"

Here is your answer. Go to Grid.org protein project and download the screen saver.

Also, I think this is a great avenue to open up further research into anti-aging therapies. I know some people here have called protein folding and function the holy grail of molecular biology.

I think that there should be an announcement about that on the front page of imminst and the longevity meme, at least for a couple of weeks.

[alex83]

I have created the ImmInst team . You are all welcome to join:
http://www.worldcomm...amId=4ZH9QK9MN1

If you have not yet joined World Community Grid, then you will first need to download the agent and register with the World Community Grid, by going to http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org. Once you have completed the download and registration process, you can click on the above web address and join the team

Edited by alex83, 05 February 2005 - 11:10 PM.

[Matt]

Cool. I just joined up

I have 2 Computers running the program right now. I'll try get 2 more running by the end of the month

[olaf.larsson]

About a this lab on a chip thing: Acctually you dont have to have the chip yourself. It would be sufficent to send info about the experiment to perform to some lab chip central and then get the results back next morning. The explosion in biology will be when the biology have moved in to computers so that no real life experiments are needed anymore, more than to verify that the models work and for final real life application.

Edited by wolfram, 07 February 2005 - 01:14 AM.

[manofsan]

wolfram, I don't believe that will ever be possible in any area of science.

Scientific progress has always been an interplay of theory and experimentation. Experiments have always revealed information not revealed by theory.

[John Schloendorn]

My comment is this: For members who have asked in the past "I am not a biologist/gerontologist/scientist/college student/professor/genetic scientist, what can I do to help defeat aging?"

Here is your answer. Go to Grid.org protein project and download the screen saver.

Also, I think this is a great avenue to open up further research into anti-aging therapies. I know some people here have called protein folding and function the holy grail of molecular biology.

I think that there should be an announcement about that on the front page of imminst and the longevity meme, at least for a couple of weeks.

And they'll download it, maybe even install, have a clean conscious and sit back - great... I think one should at least recommend a visit to Aubrey's SENS pages and mprize.org in addition. There is just SO MUCH a non-scientist can do!!

[manofsan]

Wow, I'm still reading about the upcoming Cell microprocessor by IBM,Sony,Toshiba

http://www.economist...tory_id=3644254

I like the biological analogies made, but the potential application for distributed supercomputing systems to solve massive problems like those in genomics could be the ultimate impact of this new product. Imagine, every teenager's Playstation3 might one day work to uncover mysteries in molecular biology!

[manofsan]

To be frank, keyboard activity is not necessarily a sign of processor load. Screensavers are triggered by keyboard inactivity. I'd say that a person should be able to set a threshold under the hardware configuration in the control panel, to allow the processor to outsource to other tasks if its load falls below a certain level.

[Matt]

Mabey Microsoft could have some sort of Wizard in longhorn when they log on for the first time.

As you setup and customize windows it could mabey ask you if you would like participate in these sort of projects and then set that Screen Saver to work when comp is idle.

[manofsan]

But anyway, if you had a configuration setting built into the OS, then it could become a marketing/selling point. Operating System creators like Microsoft, Sun, etc could market their software by saying that you can use it to help cure cancer, etc. Just like with some credit cards -- you can get a credit card that provides a small fraction of transaction proceeds to a charity of your choice. Imagine being able to do the same with an operating system or screensaver or whatever. So different manufacturers could compete on how much benefit to society their product offers.

Look at how businesses already involve themselves in charity collection, by organizing donations at the workplace, etc. Businesses could similarly show their charitable participation by allowing their business machines to supply processing power on the side towards curing medical ailments. An OS that facilitated this might be welcomed by them.

Comments?

[Matt]

I think its the best way MS could get involved in something good for very little cost at all and with high results.

If it is possible there needs to be some communication now with the people that make this grid computing possible with their software. THey need to try and contact MS to get them onboard to incorporate grid computing as a optional screen saver..

could even be a Defualt screen saver

[Matt]

I also see many colleges and schools using screen savers that are just a waste of time.

Mabey I could speak to my college about grid computing and get them to use it, they must have over a thousand of pc's networked between the 2 colleges in my area [:o]



Im really suprised that little effort has been made to make people aware of how they can help with their PC

Edited by whoa182, 12 February 2005 - 10:05 AM.

[manofsan]

Whoa182 -- good one -- that's a very clever idea, trying to get Universities/Colleges to go for this first. Academic institutions tend to be on the cutting edge, when it comes to developing these novel and exotic uses. This could allow this application to become sufficiently visible and get on peoples' radar screens, and be the springboard to then later have businesses join the bandwagon.

[Matt]

There are only 6 people that have joined the team for imminst.org could more people join up please???

Im sure we have more than 6 active people on this forum !

Heres the team http://www.worldcomm...amId=4ZH9QK9MN1

[manofsan]

GridIron's collaborating with Microsoft for grid power on Windows apps:

http://www.globetech...ory/Technology/

Nifty, huh?