A Core Laboratory for Biological High-Performance Computation, Communication, and Visualization

计算和网络技术的最新进展开辟了生物研究的新领域。贝勒医学院（Baylor College of Medicine）已经认识到这一机会及其对理解基本生物过程和开发生物技术应用的潜在影响。计算和结构生物学领域被指定为发展和扩展的最高优先领域之一，在该学院的战略规划委员会1994年的报告。 该提案将创建一个新的核心实验室，用于专门应用于生物研究的高性能计算，通信和可视化。拟议的设施将包括一个并行阵列的12个处理器与先进的可视化能力，和一个高带宽的网络，整个学院的四个研究和教学集群。核心实验室将由一名执行董事和一个由七名教师和一名学生代表组成的执行委员会管理。该股将配备一名计算机应用专家和一名系统管理员。 25名教员在ESTA提案，其中包括四个研究领域的主要参与者。这些包括大分子组装的电子图像重建，X射线晶体学，分子生物学信息学和计算神经生物学。所有的研究人员都是各自科学学科的领导者，并在他们的研究工作中使用计算密集型方法。建立这一拟议的核心实验室将提供高速网络访问的高性能计算和可视化资源，不能合理地获得任何个人研究者。这个拟议中的生物计算核心实验室将产生巨大的影响。该设施将： 提高我们解决细胞中重大问题的能力 生物学，生物化学，病毒学， 分子遗传学和神经生物学， 计算密集型方法; x促进分析和模拟的新方法的发展 使用并行和分布式 计算;提高我们的能力，可视化的大型和 复杂的生物数据; x能够在建议的高 性能计算机和 从事计算密集型研究的团体， 地点在整个学院; x丰富学生的培训，在使用计算机的理解 复杂的生物物理和结构 概念; x吸引新的教师和博士后，博士前培训生 和本科生水平加入 我们最近获得的博士学位结构与 计算生物学与分子生物学 生物物理学（SCBMB）。 建立拟议核心实验室的总费用为230万美元，包括设备采购、高速网络连接、房间翻新、软件安装、设备维护和人员薪金支助，为期三年。联合国将提供34%的配套资金，总额为78万美元。NSF被要求资助的项目总成本为150万美元。

Recent advances in computing and networking technology have opened a new frontier in biological research. Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) has recognized this opportunity and its potential impact on understanding fundamental biological processes and developing biotechnological applications. The field of computational and structural biology was designated as one of the highest priority areas for development and expansion at BCM in the 1994 report of the College's Strategic Planning Committee. This proposal will create a new core laboratory for high performance computation, communication and visualization applied specifically to biological research. The proposed facility will include a parallel array of 12 processors with advanced visualization capability, and a high bandwidth network to four research and teaching clusters throughout the College. The core laboratory will be administered by an executive director and an executive committee of seven faculty and a student representative. It will be staffed with a computing application specialist and a system administrator. Twenty-five faculty members at BCM are key participants in this proposal, which covers four research areas. These include electron image reconstruction of macromolecular assemblies, x-ray crystallography, molecular biology informatics and computational neurobiology. All of the investigators are leaders in their respective scientific disciplines and use computationally intensive methods in their research efforts. Establishment of this proposed core laboratory will provide highspeed network access to a high performance computing and visualization resource that cannot be reasonably acquired by any individual investigator. The impact of this proposed bio-computing core laboratory at BCM will be enormous. This facility will: x improve our ability to tackle problems of great importance in cell biology, biochemistry, virology, molecular genetics and neurobiology which rely heavily on computa tionally intensive methods; x facilitate the development of novel methods of analysis and simulation using parallel and distributed computation; enhance our capability for visualization of large and complex biological data; x enable direct high-speed network linkage between the proposed high performance computers and the groups engaged in computationally intensive research at different locations throughout the College; x enrich student training in the use of computers for understanding complex biophysical and structural concepts; x attract new faculty members and trainees at postdoctoral, predoctoral and undergraduate levels to join our recently established Ph.D. Program of Structural and Computational Biology and Molecular Biophysics (SCBMB). The total cost of establishing the proposed core laboratory is $2.3 million, including equipment purchase, high-speed network connection, room renovation, software installation, equipment maintenance and personnel salary support for a period of three years. BCM will provide 34 % matching funds totaling $0.78 million. The total project cost that NSF is asked to fund is $1.5 million.