| The Smallpox Protection Project | |
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Introduction
There is a possible molecular target whose blockade would prevent the ravages of an infection, and we intend to use desktop grid computing to screen millions of potential anti-smallpox drugs against this target. This will involve the use of the United Devices Global Metaprocessor, which we have successfully used to target twelve proteins implicated in cancer and against an anthrax protein. The project can muster almost two million personal computers belonging to people in over two hundred countries, all of whom would benefit from protection against smallpox. News First big success for smallpox research project - Sept 2003 Join in by downloading the screensaver software. Image, Smallpox Virus - negatively-stained
electron microscopy |
Intellectual Property Statement � |
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Smallpox
was eliminated from the world in 1977 by a World Health Organization campaign.
Despite this, stocks of the variola virus are known to exist and its use
as a weapon of bioterrorism remains a frightening possibility. With vaccination
having ended in 1972 the population is highly susceptible. The availability
of drugs to counter the virus would be a major defence.