Folding Forum

Hi im interested in using the F@H software but would like to know something first:

Is the folding@home project involved with animal testing in any way?

Thanks.

Well, my patience is some times tested by folding, and I'm a human animal.

PETC(people for the ethical treatment of computers) disclaimer:

No silicon based life forms were harmed in the shocking simulations you are about to see.

I sacrifice chickens to my voodoo god in an attempt to get more PpD out of my machines.

ChopSticks wrote:Hi im interested in using the F@H software but would like to know something first:

Is the folding@home project involved with animal testing in any way?

Thanks.

Not for now, but the cures that might be developed using our results will probably be tested on animals?

Not for now? Try not ever! F@H only does the research. Some other company would be doing the validation.

But the more accurate of a simulation F@H can produce, the less trial and error needs to be done on the lab rats down the road. So you might say F@H helps to reduce animal testing.

7im wrote:Not for now? Try not ever! F@H only does the research. Some other company would be doing the validation.

But the more accurate of a simulation F@H can produce, the less trial and error needs to be done on the lab rats down the road. So you might say F@H helps to reduce animal testing.

well this is what i was hoping. it'd be nice to think that contributing to the project was reducing animal testing rather than creating more experiments. I cant actually find a way of contacting anyone about this. Does anyone know where i can find contact details for the folding@home team? Thanks.

...Does anyone know where i can find contact details for the folding@home team? Thanks.

You might try tickling the "Home" link, located at the top of this page.
Alternately, you might try your google button and "Vijay Pande".
Either will surely reward you with an email address.

ChopSticks wrote:Hi im interested in using the F@H software but would like to know something first:

Is the folding@home project involved with animal testing in any way?

Thanks.

Folding@home uses computer simulations of protein folding or misfolding, and it does not use any animals or humans for testings.

You can contact the head of Folding@home Project, Dr Pande by PM at ucp.php?i=pm&mode=compose&u=11, for more information about your question.

This is one of the great, unappreciated things about F@H. Everything is done via computer (aka in-silico) using accurate simulations of protein behavior. No need to randomly inject a lab animals with a needle full of compound XYZ. One of the more common ways F@H presents its usefulness is the reduction in physical lab testing, thanks to the research being done on computers. I only stopped to respond to this old post in a very busy month (starting a consulting job with a cloud company as a Linux support analyst ). This is something I've started highlighting to people when explaining the benefits of FAH participation, and the reasons they should fold - "save the cute little critters"!