Folding@home project descriptions

Disease Type: Influenza

This project studies how viruses are able to enter and infect cells. We use influenza as a disease of interest (it kills 40,000 people each year in the US alone) and an important model system. By simulating how viral proteins interact with and refold in membranes, we are understanding the process of infection and hope to prevent it.

This project is managed by Prof. Peter Kasson at University of Virginia.

My research concentrates on applying new computational techniques and distributed-computing technology in three areas: membrane fusion, infection by influenza viruses, and rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases. In order to combat diseases such as pandemic influenza, I have helped to develop the Folding@Home distributed computing platform, a powerful system for worldwide distributed computing to better understand fundamental biological processes and combat diseases. I am also developing worldwide systems for infectious disease surveillance and analysis.