Resource Facility for Population Kinetics

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请要求继续为人口动力学资源（RFPK-也称为资源）提供06-10年的资金。 RFPK的主要目标是开发、应用和传播用于生物医学的建模方法和软件工具，以定义、理解和管理健康和疾病。这一目标是通过促进集成系统建模在生物医学研究中的应用来实现的。这是通过提供模型开发和实验设计咨询、提供教育计划以及开发新方法以纳入最先进的软件工具来实现的。现代科学计算方法与廉价而强大的硬件相结合，正在推动最先进的科学，工程和商业研究的动态范式转变。RFPK处于生物医学界这一转变的最前沿，能够与不同学科进行沟通和合作，以进行研究。这个多学科小组由医学，数学，统计学，软件工程和制药行业各个领域的教职员工，学生和合作者组成。这种研究模式统一了概念开发，实验，模拟和实施。这种新方法的例子是人类基因组计划、波音777的设计和金融衍生品的设计。推动这一方法的因素是需要理解和管理复杂的动力系统，需要准确描述物理现象，以及需要有效使用研究和开发资金。这种范式转变的全部影响尚未达到生物医学研究界。问题的根源在于缺乏针对该社区建模技能发展的软件工具和教育计划。必须设计一个集成软件开发和教育的程序来满足这一需求。RFPK在其具体目标中直接满足了这一需求，这些目标是：（1）为生物系统开发新的建模方法;（2）指定，设计，开发，测试，验证和维护新的软件工具，包括尖端的数学，统计学和计算机科学;（3）通过合作和咨询为研究界提供服务;（4）为研究社区提供系统建模应用的教育计划;（5）通过各种教育计划传播RFPK技术和专业知识，这些教育计划将医学，统计学，计算机科学和生物工程结合在一起，以综合解决问题的方法。使这些新的工具和方法提供给广大受众是一个复杂的问题，最好是在大学校园完成。RFPK组建了一个多学科团队，由模型开发和测试方面的科学专家组成，他们与数学家，统计学家和软件工程师合作。RFPK涉及四所主要大学，所有这些大学都为各个项目提供独特的专业知识。其行政核心位于华盛顿大学。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application requests continuation of funds for years 06-10 for the Resource on Population Kinetics (RFPK-also referred to as the Resource). RFPK's major goal is the development, application and dissemination of modeling methodology and software tools for biomedical uses in defining, understanding and managing health and disease. This goal is achieved by promoting the application of integrated systems modeling in biomedical research. This is done by providing consultation in model development and experimental design, by offering educational programs, and by developing new methods for incorporation in state-of-the-art software tools. Modern methods of scientific computing, in conjunction with inexpensive and powerful hardware, are driving a dynamic paradigm shift in how state-of-the-art scientific, engineering and business research are performed. RFPK is at the forefront of this shift in the biomedical community in its ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse disciplines in order to conduct its research. This multidisciplinary group is comprised of faculty, staff, students and collaborators in various fields of medicine, mathematics, statistics, software engineering, and the pharmaceutical industry. This research model unifies concept development, experimentation, simulation and implementation. Examples of this new approach in action are the human genome project, the design of the Boeing 777, and the design of financial derivatives. Factors driving this approach are the need to understand and manage complex dynamical systems, the need for accurate descriptions of physical phenomena, and the need for efficiency in the use of funds for research and development. The full impact of this paradigm shift has not reached the biomedical research community. The problem is rooted in the absence of software tools and educational programs targeted at the development of modeling skills for this community. A program that integrates both software development and education must be designed to answer this need. RFPK addresses this need directly in its specific aims, which are to: (1) develop new modeling methodologies for biological systems; (2) specify, design, develop, test, validate and maintain new software tools incorporating cutting-edge mathematics, statistics and computer science; (3) provide service to the research community through collaboration and consultation; (4) provide educational programs for the research community in systems modeling applications; and (5) disseminate RFPK technology and expertise via diverse educational programs that integrate medicine, statistics, computer science and bioengineering in a comprehensive problem-solving approach. Making these new tools and methods available to a broad audience is a complex problem that is best accomplished on a university campus. RFPK has assembled a multidisciplinary team consisting of scientific experts in model development and testing who collaborate with mathematicians, statisticians, and software engineers. RFPK involves four major universities, all of which contribute unique expertise to the individual projects. Its Administrative Core is located at the University of Washington.