Screensaver Lifesaver - Anyone With Access To a Computer Could Find a Cure For Cancer

National Foundation for Cancer Research
Tuesday, 3 April 2001

Anyone, anywhere with access to a personal computer, could help find a cure for cancer by giving 'screensaver time' from their computers to the world's largest ever computational project, which will screen 250 million molecules for cancer-fighting potential. The project is being carried out by Oxford University's Centre for Computational Drug Discovery - a unique 'virtual centre' funded by the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), which is based in the Department of Chemistry and linked with international research groups via the world-wide web - in collaboration with United Devices, a US-based distributed computing technology company, and Intel, who are sponsoring the project.

Computer-users who participate in the project will download a non-invasive device from United Devices' website (www.ud.com) which will channel the unused power of their computer towards screening molecules. Studies estimate that an average office worker may only use up to 20 per cent of the power available on their PC, leaving a vast reservoir of power, which can be harnessed by the device to process information on the molecules and send it back to a central server. Each subscribing computer will receive an initial package of 100 molecules over the internet, together with a drug-design software application called THINK and a model of a target protein known to be involved in causing cancer.

THINK was designed by Keith Davies, a research fellow at Oxford, and will evaluate the molecules for cancer-fighting potential by creating three-dimensional computer models of them and testing their interactions with the target protein. When a molecule successfully interacts with a protein, it will register as a 'hit', and be sent back to a central server for further investigation. The scientists are initially looking for molecules which could inhibit the enzymes which stimulate the blood flow to tumours, and work against proteins which are responsible for cell growth and cell damage, but it is envisaged that the project will continually expand as new drug targets are identified.

The sheer size of the project, and the energy and computing facilities required, would make it impossible without this method of distributed computing; even using a super-computer, a researcher could not otherwise hope to see a project like this completed during their lifetime.

Professor Graham Richards, Chairman of Chemistry at Oxford and Director of the Centre for Drug Discovery, said: "One in four people throughout the world contract some form of cancer, so nearly everyone will have a relative, friend or colleague who has suffered or is suffering from the disease. People now have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the disease by donating their unused computer power, which will enable us to accelerate our programme of research, and come up with many new molecular candidates that could be developed into cancer drugs."

Ed Hubbard, CEO of United Devices, said: "This project represents a great new way for people to volunteer their PC's idle resources to fuel groundbreaking ideas and discoveries in research. Internet distributed computing allows scientists and organizations to consider projects previously considered impossible due to resource constraints, including time and money. Essentially, the technology enables the first steps towards Star Trek medicine."

Patrick Gelsinger, vice president and chief technology officer, Intel `Architecture Group, said: 'Intel is excited to be working with Oxford University and others to create the world's largest "virtual supercomputer" using peer-to-peer technology which will change the way scientific research can be performed. With Intel's new Peer-to-peer Philanthropy Program (www.intel.com/cure), PC owners will have an easy way to help power this new revolution in scientific research. Together we can tackle some of the most devastating diseases with previously unheard of computing power."

For further information or to arrange an interview with Professor Richards, please telephone the Press Office on (01865) 280531.

For more information about the project or to download the software agent, log onto the website www.ud.com or www.intel.com/cure

For more information, or to contact National Foundation for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.researchforacure.com