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Folding - For Science

Folding@Home is a project started by a group of Stanford scientists which uses are unused computer processor cycles to fold proteins. BoN now has an open group that participates in this project.



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What is Folding?



Folding is the process of folding proteins to see why, and how they fold in order to cure diseases. When these proteins fold, they sometimes do not fold correctly, causing diseases such as Alzheimer's. One of the outcomes of this project is to hopefully create synthetic polymers to carry out the same processes as the proteins, but do them with nano-technology instead of using the diseased protein.

Basically, proteins are folded, then observed, and then artificially recreated.

Why should I fold?



The first reason you should fold is because it helps with the advancement of medical research. You may have a family member or friend with a disease that can be cured by folding. You can also help the population in general by stopping these diseases from existing in future generations.

The second reason you should fold is because it doesn't interfere with your regular procesing. When you use your computer, you don't necssarily use up all of the processor. Folding@Home uses the unused cycles of your processor and doesn't interfere with your daily work. It just leeches on your unused processing power. This is a very good idea if your computer is left on over night without anything to do.
 
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