Mithral and Stanford University Announce Release of Stanford Alzheimer and Amyloidogenic Disease Research Program

Mithral's Client-Server SDK Provides Networking Core for Research Program

SANTA CLARA, California, October 17, 2001 - Mithral Communications and Design, Inc. and Stanford University, with the support of the Alzheimer's Association and the Intel Corporation, today announced the released of the Stanford Alzheimer and Amyloidogenic Disease Research Program. The program, which was developed with the Mithral Client-Server SDK, allows computer users to download software that runs in the background when the computer is on, but not in use. By utilizing otherwise untapped computer power the software creates a virtual supercomputer which can then be used for scientific research.

The Stanford Alzheimer and Amyloidogenic Disease Research Program is designed to help researchers gain a better understanding of diseases that may be caused by misfolding proteins, also known as prions. These diseases include Alzheimer's, type II diabetes, Mad Cow, cystic fibrosis and even some forms of cancer. By simulating protein folding on a computer researchers will be able to obtain data that would be near impossible to gain in a laboratory setting. Once scientists understand protein folding they can begin to develop methods to prevent and correct protein misfolding and the related diseases.

"This computing power makes it possible to do simulations that were only dreamed of before," said Professor Vijay Pande of Stanford University's Pande Group and project director. "Peer-to-Peer computing is likely the next computational revolution in biomedical research."

In order to participate in the program computer users simply download a small piece of software from http://folding.stanford.edu/download.html. Once installed the software will run whenever the computer is not in use. When the user connects to the Internet, the client program will send the finished results back to the master servers at Stanford University and request more work to do.

Stanford University researchers from the Pande Group created the software that performs the scientific calculations, based on TINKER by Prof. Jay Ponder at Washington University, and will evaluate the program results. The program incorporates a comprehensive system of security and privacy technologies to protect user privacy. This program is based on the Folding@home program currently run by the Pande Group.

The Alzheimer's Association, a national network of chapters, is the largest national voluntary health organization committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer's and helping those affected by the disease. Having awarded more than $100 million in research grants, the Association ranks as the top private funder of research into the causes, treatments, prevention, and cure of Alzheimer's disease. The Association also provides education and support for people diagnosed with the condition, their families, and caregivers. For more information, call (800) 272-3900 or visit http://www.alz.org/.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, has provided funding for servers, testing, and user support for the project. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com/pressroom/.

Mithral Communications and Design is the world's leading developer of peer-to-peer and cross platform computing technology. The Mithral Client-Server SDK gives developers all the necessary tools to quickly and easily implement a peer-to-peer system across millions of client computers. More information on the Mithral Client-Server SDK and other Mithral products can be found at https://www.mithral.com/.


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