NanoDoc Is Crowdsourcing Tumor-Specific Treatment Solutions
Given the massive success of Fold.It and it’s crowdsourced approach to tackling protein folding to fight AIDS, it’s not surprising that other researchers are adopting this model for other applications as well.
Enter NanoDoc, a scientific simulation/puzzle game that will allow bioengineers and the general public to design nanoparticle strategies to treat cancer.
If it sounds futuristic, it totally is.
Bioengineers are experimenting with the use of trillions of nanoparticles loaded with medicinal agents and reactants in order to attack and kill cancerous tumors in patients. However, given the immense quantity of nanoparticles and the random nature of tumors, it is difficult to predict how all of these things will react together.
Drawing inspiration from Fold.it, engineers from MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research made a solution to find new solutions for attacking specific tumors in a predictable manner.
NanoDoc has been designed for bioengineers to create tumor scenario puzzles that the general public can attempt to solve by creating the most effective nanoparticle configurations.
Players can adjust variable like particle size, number of particles, and the type of coating each one carries to produce different effects on the tumor.
Successful solutions will be taken and tested in computer solutions and nanobot swarms in labs to make sure solutions work as intended. If the solution passes the test, then researchers will be able to apply these solutions in biological settings.
To learn more about NanoDoc, check out their main site and watch the video below:
Muito interessante!
This one is a fantastic idea