Discovering Dengue Drugs

Discovering Dengue Drugs – Together (DDDT) is a World Community Grid project sponsored by scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the University of Chicago. Its goal is to identify new antiviral drugs effective against viruses from the family flaviviridae. The specific targets are:^[1]

• Dengue virus
• Hepatitis C virus
• West Nile virus
• Yellow fever virus

Discovering Dengue Drugs – Together is divided into two phases.^[2] Phase 1, launched August 21, 2007,^[3] used AutoDock 2007 (the same software used for FightAIDS@Home) to test how well antiviral drug candidates are predicted to bind to the target virus's proteases. Compounds predicted to bind strongly (protease inhibitors) are potential antiviral drug candidates.^[1] This phase ended in August 2009.^[4]

Phase 2 "will use a more computationally intensive program to screen the candidates that make it through Phase 1."^[5] The drug candidates that make it through Phase 2 will then be lab-tested.^[5]

Like all World Community Grid projects, Discovering Dengue Drugs – Together uses a computational grid made up of thousands of client (computing) computers belonging to independent volunteers, in conjunction with servers that distribute portions of the work to the clients.^[6][7]

In 2008, the project was temporarily suspended because of Hurricane Ike.^[8] Processing resumed in January 2009,^[9] with the server function transferred from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston to the Texas Advanced Computing Center in Austin.^[10]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Discovering Dengue Drugs – Together: About the Project". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/projects_showcase/dddt/viewDddtAbout.do. Retrieved 2007-08-24. 
2. ^ Didactylos (2007-06-21). "Re: Project about dengue ever". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/viewthread?thread=14561#109721. Retrieved 2007-08-07. 
3. ^ "Active Research". Research. World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/projects_showcase/viewResearch.do. Retrieved 2007-07-28. 
4. ^ "World Community Grid - Research - Discovering Dengue Drugs – Together". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/projects_showcase/dddt/viewDddtMain.do. 
5. ^ ^{a b} lawrencehardin (2007-07-10). "Re: Results...". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/viewthread?thread=15192#114871. Retrieved 2007-08-07. 
6. ^ See "World Community Grid - About Us". http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/about_us/viewAboutUs.do. Retrieved 2009-01-27. 
7. ^ See also "How Grid Computing Works". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/about_us/viewGridComputingBasics.do. Retrieved 2009-01-27. 
8. ^ "Discovering Dengue Drugs Together project slowed down because of hurricane". World Community Grid ("Known Issues" forum posting). http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/viewthread?thread=21894. 
9. ^ "Work is being distributed for Discovering Dengue Drugs - Together". World Community Grid ("Member News" forum posting). http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/viewthread?thread=24133. 
10. ^ Stan Watowich (forum posting, 01-19-2009). "Update on Re-start". World Community Grid. http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/printpost?post=211771. 

External links

• Discovering Dengue Drug-Together : Project Summary
• World Community Grid - Research - Discovering Dengue Drugs - Together
• World Community Grid launches global computing effort to find cures for dengue, West Nile, and hepatitis C diseases
• UTMB and IBM enlist aid of global computer grid to find cures for dengue, West Nile and hepatitis C diseases
• Launch of Discovering Dengue Drugs - Together Project