What is SCLS doing?
We can understand life science using computers !
The biological phenomena that make up life start from events that take place at scales so small we cannot see them. We build models of biological phenomena using sciences such as physics, chemistry, and mathematics, and reproduce them as models inside the K computer. The K computer will allow us to do this more accurately than ever before.
Using the K computer, one of world’s fastest supercomputers, to its full potential, SCLS aims to explain a range of biological phenomena, from the molecular level to cells and even the entire human body. We perform simulations that are expected to lead to future discoveries the likes of which we could not have ever imagined before. These discoveries will help us to realize predictive medicine and contribute to the foundation of a healthy society.
How will this research change our future?
Computational life science can help us discover new drugs and treatments. This will not only help us to cure diseases, but will also make it easier to understand the health conditions of individual people, and to prevent diseases before people get sick.
Have you ever seen a working heart on a computer?
By expressing the movement of the minute proteins (myosin and actin) inside cells, the expansion and contraction of heart muscle, and the mechanism that pumps blood in physics equations, and by calculating these with extreme accuracy, it is possible to recreate the activities of the heart on a computer. In order to perform these calculations, the heart is divided into about 700,000 parts. In each grouping, a few dozen cardiomyocytes are implanted. In each cardiomyocyte there are several dozen pairs of myosin and actin. Their movements are calculated across the entire heart. Additionally, the movement of the heart, movement of the surrounding blood vessels and cardiomyocytes, movement of cardiomyocytes and protein all influence one another. Supercomputers such as the K computer are necessary to calculate the activities of the entire heart, including their influences, and a *heart simulator has been developed. If the heart can be replicated on a supercomputer, the mechanisms that cause disease can be investigated, which will aid in the prevention and treatment of disease.
- *Heart Simulator
- “Multi-scale, multi-physics heart simulator UT-Heart:”
(The University of Tokyo: Hisada / Sugiura / Washio / Okada Laboratory: Support: Fujitsu Co. Ltd.)
*Click to enlarge
We will use the K computer biological phenomena, all live healthier and to better understand complex with the goal to help us more prosperous lives.
