Scripps Research Institute and IBM
The Scripps Research Institute and IBM have launched a collaborative initiative, Project Checkmate, to conduct advanced research on pandemic viruses leveraging the industry leading talent and technology from both organizations.
Situation
Pandemic Influenza is a global disease outbreak that occurs when a new influenza virus for which people have little to no immunity and to which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily from person to person and can sweep across the world in a very short timeframe. Since pandemic vaccines can not be developed, tested, and produced until at least 6 months after the new pandemic influenza virus emerges, innovative means to anticipate, manage, and contain the emerging infectious disease are critical to the safety, health, and well being of global populations.
Solution
The Scripps Research Institute and IBM have launched a collaborative initiative,
Project Checkmate, to conduct advanced research on pandemic viruses leveraging the industry leading talent and technology from both organizations. Project Checkmate will capitalize on Scripps expertise in the areas of biochemical modeling and drug discovery and IBM’s expertise in computational biology, biopatterning, and supercomputing. The IBM Blue Gene Supercomputer will be used to anticipate, manage, and contain infectious diseases by understanding how the body defends itself against the biological agent.
Better Health & Lower Costs
Project Checkmate applies bioinformatics, structural biology, life sciences research, functional genomics, systems biology, and medical informatics to focus and accelerate the pace of discovery for advanced research of infectious diseases. The project will run models and simulations of viruses with the ultimate goal of containment. Understanding and proactively anticipating the behavior of complex viruses though advanced information technology accelerates the speed in which decision makers can make informed decisions regarding vaccine development and containment strategies.
