Online gamers crack AIDS enzyme puzzle

[next2u]

http://news.yahoo.com/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle-175427367.html

Online gamers have achieved a feat beyond the realm of Second Life or Dungeons and Dragons: they have deciphered the structure of an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had thwarted scientists for a decade.
The exploit is published on Sunday in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, where -- exceptionally in scientific publishing -- both gamers and researchers are honoured as co-authors.
Their target was a monomeric protease enzyme, a cutting agent in the complex molecular tailoring of retroviruses, a family that includes HIV.
Figuring out the structure of proteins is vital for understanding the causes of many diseases and developing drugs to block them.
But a microscope gives only a flat image of what to the outsider looks like a plate of one-dimensional scrunched-up spaghetti. Pharmacologists, though, need a 3-D picture that "unfolds" the molecule and rotates it in order to reveal potential targets for drugs.
This is where Foldit comes in.
Developed in 2008 by the University of Washington, it is a fun-for-purpose video game in which gamers, divided into competing groups, compete to unfold chains of amino acids -- the building blocks of proteins -- using a set of online tools.
To the astonishment of the scientists, the gamers produced an accurate model of the enzyme in just three weeks.
Cracking the enzyme "provides new insights for the design of antiretroviral drugs," says the study, referring to the lifeline medication against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
It is believed to be the first time that gamers have resolved a long-standing scientific problem.
"We wanted to see if human intuition could succeed where automated methods had failed," Firas Khatib of the university's biochemistry lab said in a press release.
"The ingenuity of game players is a formidable force that, if properly directed, can be used to solve a wide range of scientific problems."
One of Foldit's creators, Seth Cooper, explained why gamers had succeeded where computers had failed.
"People have spatial reasoning skills, something computers are not yet good at," he said.
"Games provide a framework for bringing together the strengths of computers and humans. The results in this week's paper show that gaming, science and computation can be combined to make advances that were not possible before."

[mecch]

Well decide with thread it goes into already.

I think this is brilliant and would nominate the professor who came up with the idea of using gamers, for a Nobel Prize.

[Raf]

As a gamer and an HIV+ person, I'm very happy for these news. I went to the foldit site, maybe in the weekend I'll download the game and try the beginner puzzles.

[mecch]

It makes me think of Temple Grandin.
Maybe you could get another unexpected group of creative people to come up with new ideas for universal affordable health care. 

[Since2005]

new ideas for universal affordable health care.  

Dream on, I hate to say that.. but if Obama could not do that then I could see the looonnng way coming..

*** I gotta say...Its brilliant to see see AIDS and the online game going hand in hand!

Edited to add: I am not a real gamer but thought I would say it anyways

[LM]

As a gamer as well, it's great to see that. I couldn't do it though, I hate puzzles, they give me headaches. 

[leatherman]

I went to the foldit site, maybe in the weekend I'll download the game and try the beginner puzzles.

http://fold.it/portal/info/science
no problem downloading the proggie; but registering is tough with their servers overloading due to all the press and media going on right now

[Ann]

Dream on, I hate to say that.. but if Obama could not do that then I could see the looonnng way coming..

Don't blame Obama, blame that very large segment of the American population who doesn't think that health care is a basic human right.

[leatherman]

blame that very large segment of the American population who doesn't think that health care is a basic human right.

blame the very vocal, small segment of Americans that doesn't think health care is a right and the very large segment of apathetic Americans who don't vote, voice their opinions, or speak to their legislators. Polls have shown that 70-75% of Americans are for some sort of universal health care. However our society, which tries not to squash the the voice of a minority, is currently being held hostage by a vocal minority who are opposed to what a majority of Americans want.

[Since2005]

I would not and never in million years blame Obama. Because of him (he wanted the universal healthcare damn it!!!), US got the next best thing (some even may urge on that since single payer system would have been way better).YES ANN, universal healthcare is a human right. I would not blame the American population (large or small), I don't blame Republicans either (well, I do , but at least to their support they do have a stand). I do blame THOSE MODERATE DEMOCRATES, pick your fricking boat!! What a chance on Universal Healthcare System has been missed because of them!! Sometimes, I wonder why do they even call themselves Right/Moderate democrats, they should just identify themselves as Lefty republicans. For those types of democrats frustrate me ( not sure why may be because I have been living here in US for sooo loonng). Well, whatever, I got few words for them - make up your damn freaking mind!!

There should have a online game for Universal Health Care and it's affects on AIDS victims in USA!

[leatherman]

Hey Since,
I saw our moderator Ann earlier "admonishing" (advise or urge earnestly) someone about implying that having an HIV/AIDS diagnosis somehow was the dark ending of our lives.

people like us who are just moving in dark towards an end

Good lord, speak for yourself. It's attitudes like yours that perpetuate the stigma we have to deal with.

In that vein, I feel I should politely warn you about the tone of the words you posted:

it affects on AIDS victims in USA!

We are not victims, we are simply people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
I know that it's semantics; but it's an important difference in words and meaning. Living WITH hiv, one must cultivate a positive attitude and attack the unfounded stigma that is heaped on this illness by friends and enemies alike. While HIV can definitely complicate one's life, you should never feel like you're a "victim" of AIDS because then you have given it power over your life that it does not deserve.

THE DENVER PRINCIPLES
We condemn attempts to label us as "victims," a term which implies defeat, and we are only occasionally "patients," a term which implies passivity, helplessness, and dependence upon the care of others. We are "People With AIDS."

http://www.denverprinciplesproject.com/

when the Denver Principles were written many people were still dying from AIDS. I have taken the liberty of telling you to call us "PLWHA" because here in 2011 we are no longer at the mercy of HIV, we are not just "PWA"; because of HAART, we are people LIVING with our HIV diagnosis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_With_AIDS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV-positive_people

[Since2005]

I would not and never in million years blame Obama. Because of him (he wanted the universal healthcare damn it!!!), US got the next best thing (some even may urge on that since single payer system would have been way better).YES ANN, universal healthcare is a human right. I would not blame the American population (large or small), I don't blame Republicans either (well, I do , but at least to their support they do have a stand). I do blame THOSE MODERATE DEMOCRATES, pick your fricking boat!! What a chance on Universal Healthcare System has been missed because of them!! Sometimes, I wonder why do they even call themselves Right/Moderate democrats, they should just identify themselves as Lefty republicans. For those types of democrats frustrate me ( not sure why may be because I have been living here in US for sooo loonng). Well, whatever, I got few words for them - make up your damn freaking mind!!

There should have a online game for Universal Health Care and it's affects on AIDS victims people living with HIV/AIDS in USA!

[Ann]

I agree that the words we choose to use really do have a psychological effect on both yourself and others, whether we consciously realise it or not. It's more than "just" semantics. It's a well-known concept and one utilised in CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy).

cue much whistling

[leatherman]

There should have a online game for Universal Health Care and it's affects on AIDS victims people living with HIV/AIDS in USA!

thanks for the edit, and the understanding

[Since2005]

Why thanking leatherman? Its well said and I wasn't thinking it that way but as Ann also implied 'look at the bright side'

Even though I am not a gamer but I think by doing HIV/AIDS related games people could learn a lot be educated that way.

[LM]

But all this makes you think, no? I mean, scientists can't crack an enzyme puzzle in years, while gamers took 3 weeks. What the hell are scientists doing?? I support them and stuff, but it's kinda embarrassing that they get their ass kicked by lazy, pot-smoking gamers (I'm joking, just joking!).

That's why we need fresh, young scientists with bold, new ideas, new approaches, because if we rely on grey-haired scientists who keep saying "this is impossible", we won't get anywhere.

[buginme2]

But all this makes you think, no? I mean, scientists can't crack an enzyme puzzle in years, while gamers took 3 weeks. What the hell are scientists doing?? I support them and stuff, but it's kinda embarrassing that they get their ass kicked by lazy, pot-smoking gamers (I'm joking, just joking!).

That's why we need fresh, young scientists with bold, new ideas, new approaches, because if we rely on grey-haired scientists who keep saying "this is impossible", we won't get anywhere.

Um, it was a "young scientist" who developed the foldit program at the University of Washington.  Who's relying on "old scientists?". That doesn't even make sense, and is quite naive and insulting.

Besides I prefer "mad scientists" myself. 

[LM]

Um, it was a "young scientist" who developed the foldit program at the University of Washington.  Who's relying on "old scientists?". That doesn't even make sense, and is quite naive and insulting.

Besides I prefer "mad scientists" myself. 

Don't be so bitter, it's not healthy for you.

[Basquo]

If online gamers can lead the way to a cure, then the geek shall truly inherit the earth.

[mecch]

well with Gates and Jobs the geeks are halfway there

[Since2005]

well with Gates and Jobs the geeks are halfway there

Surprisingly that's almost true!

Online gamers crack AIDS Enzyme Puzzle is still amazing

[joemutt]

If online gamers can lead the way to a cure, then the geek shall truly inherit the earth.

love it.

[Hellraiser]

But all this makes you think, no? I mean, scientists can't crack an enzyme puzzle in years, while gamers took 3 weeks. What the hell are scientists doing?? I support them and stuff, but it's kinda embarrassing that they get their ass kicked by lazy, pot-smoking gamers (I'm joking, just joking!).

That's why we need fresh, young scientists with bold, new ideas, new approaches, because if we rely on grey-haired scientists who keep saying "this is impossible", we won't get anywhere.

What this took was a serious amount of manpower.  The designer of the game just basically laid out the rules in a gaming format that anyone would use to solve these problems.  The gamers then learned those rules due to constraints of the game and applied them in most likely some sort of strategic team effort so that they were doing large quantities of problem solving in their off time as a leisure activity.