The anthrax project comes on the heels of a successful similar effort in cancer research that began last April and still continues.1 Headed by professor Graham Richards, chairman of chemistry at Oxford and director of the NFCR Centre for Computational Drug Design there, the cancer project—as of Jan. 23—had enlisted the aid of almost 1.3 million computers around the world and generated almost 81.1 years of computing time screening small molecules against possible anti-cancer drug targets. United Devices posts regular statistical updates on its Web site (www.ud.com).
In that project, computer users around the world download a screensaver program that receives instructions when online, screens molecules in silico for binding sites on specific cancer-related proteins, then sends results back to a primary server—all while working in the background. Richards' team will research the "hits" that appear and investigate potential drugs.
Turning the researchers' attention toward anthrax seemed to be a ...
