Curing cancer with a video game

[MikeSun5]

Since there are plenty of other science nerds here on the JREF, I figured I'd share a link to a game I've been playing (http://fold.it/portal/info/science) that apparently contributes to scientific research.

The game has you constructing proteins that can be used to cure actual diseases! Supposedly the top ranked players will have their names published in a scientific journal. :eek: And my mom used to get pissed at me for playing Atari all night...


Anyway, so I think this is a great teaching idea -- there's another video game out there in which you can perform virtual knee surgery -- but I don't know if I'm sold on having a doctor inject me with stuff invented by some shirtless dude eating Cheetos in his bedroom.

[technoextreme]

but I don't know if I'm sold on having a doctor inject me with stuff invented by some shirtless dude eating Cheetos in his bedroom.
Well good thing that game has absolutely nothing to do with this and you completely missed the point.

[TubbaBlubba]

Oh, Foldit. I played the introductionary levels but I couldn't really "keep my focus" so to say.

But I thought the point of it was to predict the structure of proteins, not building them?

[MikeSun5]

Well good thing that game has absolutely nothing to do with this and you completely missed the point.

Good thing, indeed.

[CmacMacmA]

Wow, they put a lot of effort into creating this game. I can't say that I'm going to try it out though. You'll probably learn something, but you're also spending hours just to get your name published (which no one will bother to read anyway). :rolleyes: