Understanding the hundreds of thousands of proteins human genes produce is another fundamental question that requires the data-crunching capacity of a massive computer. Proteins are the building blocks of life and when they are built incorrectly, they cause diseases such as Alzheimer's. The mechanics of walking. Clay Anderson, a Stanford research associate, showed how the computer is studying how humans walk. On a monitor next to the supercomputer in the basement of the Gates Computer Sciences building, a ghostly skeleton walked across a purple checkered floor.
Blood flows differently in different people.
Charles Taylor, an assistant professor of surgery and mechanical engineering, said he will use the supercomputer to simulate blood flow to predict how it would change during surgery. Eventually, surgery could be tailored to individuals to make it safer and more effective. As a result, research institutions are eager to get their hands on the biggest, fastest computers on the market, Reed said. Its memory and speed are measured in terms like terabytes and gigabytes. The Bio-X program brings together researchers working in biophysics, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical and mechanical engineering, computer science and surgery.