OpenSourceMalaria: Difference between revisions
(moved from story so far and also includes facebook link) |
(moved from story so far) |
||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
The way the project is run is one of the novelties, though as with everything in this project nothing is static and advice is always welcome on improvements. Raw experimental data are recorded in an online, openly-readable [http://malaria.ourexperiment.org/ electronic lab notebook]. [http://www.thesynapticleap.org/malaria/community The Synaptic Leap] is being used to discuss ideas and results, as well as plan future work. The project's [https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/114702323662314783325/114702323662314783325/posts Google+ page] is a light way to keep up with developments and discuss. The project's [https://twitter.com/#!/OSDDMalaria Twitter feed] is a broadcast mechanism for updates. LinkedIn as used in the past on another project as a way of connecting with relevant experts, but has not been used much so far in this project. A [http://openwetware.org/wiki/Open_Source_Drug_Discovery_-_Malaria wiki] (that includes this page) is used to host the current overall project status. Updates on the project's progress can also be found at our [http://www.facebook.com/OSDDforMalaria Facebook page], and this also a place for interaction. If you wish to participate in this project, you can sign up to all these sites, and you would then be sent the Twitter/G+ passwords so you can used the same accounts. | The way the project is run is one of the novelties, though as with everything in this project nothing is static and advice is always welcome on improvements. Raw experimental data are recorded in an online, openly-readable [http://malaria.ourexperiment.org/ electronic lab notebook]. [http://www.thesynapticleap.org/malaria/community The Synaptic Leap] is being used to discuss ideas and results, as well as plan future work. The project's [https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/114702323662314783325/114702323662314783325/posts Google+ page] is a light way to keep up with developments and discuss. The project's [https://twitter.com/#!/OSDDMalaria Twitter feed] is a broadcast mechanism for updates. LinkedIn as used in the past on another project as a way of connecting with relevant experts, but has not been used much so far in this project. A [http://openwetware.org/wiki/Open_Source_Drug_Discovery_-_Malaria wiki] (that includes this page) is used to host the current overall project status. Updates on the project's progress can also be found at our [http://www.facebook.com/OSDDforMalaria Facebook page], and this also a place for interaction. If you wish to participate in this project, you can sign up to all these sites, and you would then be sent the Twitter/G+ passwords so you can used the same accounts. | ||
==Why Take Part?== | |||
What of motivations? Why would people want to contribute to this project? Partly to solve a problem. Partly to be involved with quality science that is open, and hence subject to the most brutal form of ongoing peer-review. Partly for academic credentials since regular peer-reviewed papers will come from the project. Partly to demonstrate competence publicly - open science is meritocratic and status-blind. Perhaps a mixture of all these things. | |||
A competition is possible in the future, i.e. with a cash prize. Progress towards a very promising lead compound series has been rapid, but there is a long road to a compound that looks sufficiently promising that it moves towards clinical trials. There's a lot of tweaking needed, and perhaps even the move to another series. It is not obvious what will happen. It is certain the project will need a lot more input than it has received to date. A prize may increase traffic and input. The competition would be teamless, however, awarded based on performance of individuals within a group where everything is shared. Not sharing data or ideas leads to disqualification. Such a competition is difficult to judge, difficult to award, and hence almost certainly worth doing. More about this is [http://intermolecular.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/open-science-funding-government-grants-and-cash-incentives/ here]. | |||
== Discussion == | == Discussion == | ||
Revision as of 21:31, 31 October 2012
A hub for global efforts in open source drug discovery for malaria. If you are interested in open source drug discovery and would like to do something to combat malaria, then:
- Get an OpenWetWare account
- Edit this and other pages.
- Contribute to current projects (below) or even start new ones!
Current Projects
There are lots of things needed, but the main thing is experimental input. If you're a scientist with access to a lab, open source drug discovery needs you. If you want to know what open source drug discovery is, go here. For anyone new to the project here is a short guide to using the Electronic Lab Notebook.
Currently there are three active projects on-going:
- GSK arylpyrrole series - plus a human-readable summary of the current project status.
- GSK Triazolourea Singleton
- GSK Amino-thienopyrimidine Series
Project entries will be listed at link in above menu.
Current Participants
Medicinal Chemistry
- Todd Group at the University of Sydney
- Medicines for Malaria Venture
- Sanjay Batra at CDRI India
- OSDDm project at OSDD CDRI
Biology
- Avery Group at Discovery Biology, Griffith University
- Ralph Group, Bio21, Melbourne
- GSK Tres Cantos, Spain
- Charman Group, Monash University
Open Source Drug Discovery More Generally
A one-day meeting on open source drug discovery for malaria was held in February 2012. General issues surrounding the feasibility of open source drug discovery were discussed, followed by more specific malaria-related ideas. These talks are gradually going up on YouTube with annotations, and they frame many of the relevant issues, for example the landscape of drug discovery in neglected diseases, and whether patents are necessary in drug discovery. An important message is that open source drug discovery is where anyone may participate in driving the research, which is different from a more general use of the word "open" where data are made freely available, but perhaps after a delay which essentially prevents participation by others.
How We Run the Project
The way the project is run is one of the novelties, though as with everything in this project nothing is static and advice is always welcome on improvements. Raw experimental data are recorded in an online, openly-readable electronic lab notebook. The Synaptic Leap is being used to discuss ideas and results, as well as plan future work. The project's Google+ page is a light way to keep up with developments and discuss. The project's Twitter feed is a broadcast mechanism for updates. LinkedIn as used in the past on another project as a way of connecting with relevant experts, but has not been used much so far in this project. A wiki (that includes this page) is used to host the current overall project status. Updates on the project's progress can also be found at our Facebook page, and this also a place for interaction. If you wish to participate in this project, you can sign up to all these sites, and you would then be sent the Twitter/G+ passwords so you can used the same accounts.
Why Take Part?
What of motivations? Why would people want to contribute to this project? Partly to solve a problem. Partly to be involved with quality science that is open, and hence subject to the most brutal form of ongoing peer-review. Partly for academic credentials since regular peer-reviewed papers will come from the project. Partly to demonstrate competence publicly - open science is meritocratic and status-blind. Perhaps a mixture of all these things.
A competition is possible in the future, i.e. with a cash prize. Progress towards a very promising lead compound series has been rapid, but there is a long road to a compound that looks sufficiently promising that it moves towards clinical trials. There's a lot of tweaking needed, and perhaps even the move to another series. It is not obvious what will happen. It is certain the project will need a lot more input than it has received to date. A prize may increase traffic and input. The competition would be teamless, however, awarded based on performance of individuals within a group where everything is shared. Not sharing data or ideas leads to disqualification. Such a competition is difficult to judge, difficult to award, and hence almost certainly worth doing. More about this is here.
Discussion
This is a wiki, meaning it's meant as a site for how projects are going. For discussion try The Synaptic Leap, or the project's Google+ page, and for updates try the Twitter feed and Facebook Page. If you would like access to the Twitter or G+ accounts because you've become a member of the project please email OSDD.Malaria@gmail.com.
Relevant papers are available in the Mendeley group, to which anyone can add.
