Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Video Gamers Helping Scientists Unlock HIV’s Secrets

Researchers at the University of Washington needed help understanding the structure of M-PMV the protease retrovirus protein that helps HIV multiply. So they challenged gamers to build an accurate three-dimensional model of the protein using Foldit, a multi-player game the university developed where players work together to construct the complex folding structures of proteins. In three weeks, the gamers created an accurate model of M-PMV—something that had stumped researchers for years—helping pave the way towards future breakthroughs in HIV research and medication.

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