After a successful beta test earlier this month, Smash Childhood Cancer has resumed work on World Community Grid.
Background
In the past 20 years, only a small number of new drugs designed to treat childhood cancer have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Half of all the chemotherapy treatments used for children with cancer have been in existence for 25 years or longer.
The Smash Childhood Cancer research team has identified proteins and other molecules that play key roles in certain childhood cancers. The challenge is now to find chemical drug candidates that specifically target these key molecules and therefore control the cancer cells.
Beta testing completed
The World Community Grid team launched a beta test of new work units earlier this month. The testing went smoothly, and we're grateful for all the volunteers who signed up to donate computing time to this important process.
Project resumed!
After the successful beta test, Smash Childhood Cancer resumed sending and receiving work with World Community Grid on September 22.
For this round of work, the research team is focusing on a gene called EWSR1. This gene is significant in the development of Ewing sarcoma, a rare childhood cancer that usually begins in a bone, or in the soft tissue around a bone, and can spread to the lungs or to other bones.
Current status of work units
Project resumed on September 22 with 143 batches of work units
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