Resource Facility for Population Kinetics

描述(由申请人提供)：本申请请求继续为人口动态资源(RFPK-也称为资源)提供06-10年度的资金。RFPK的主要目标是开发、应用和传播建模方法和软件工具，用于定义、理解和管理健康和疾病的生物医学用途。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。这是通过在模型开发和实验设计方面提供咨询，通过提供教育计划，并通过开发新的方法纳入最先进的软件工具来实现的。现代的科学计算方法，加上廉价而强大的硬件，正在推动最先进的科学、工程和商业研究方式的动态范式转变。RFPK在生物医学界的这一转变中走在了前列，因为它能够与不同的学科进行沟通和合作，以便进行研究。这个多学科小组由医学、数学、统计学、软件工程和制药行业的不同领域的教职员工、学生和合作者组成。该研究模型将概念开发、实验、仿真和实施统一起来。这种新方法发挥作用的例子包括人类基因组计划、波音777的设计以及金融衍生品的设计。推动这一方法的因素是需要了解和管理复杂的动力系统，需要准确地描述物理现象，以及需要高效地使用资金进行研究和开发。这种范式转变的全部影响还没有到达生物医学研究界。问题的根源在于缺乏针对这个社区的建模技能发展的软件工具和教育计划。必须设计一种将软件开发和教育相结合的计划来满足这一需求。RFPK的具体目标是：(1)为生物系统开发新的建模方法；(2)指定、设计、开发、测试、验证和维护结合了尖端数学、统计学和计算机科学的新软件工具；(3)通过合作和协商向研究界提供服务；(4)在系统建模应用方面为研究界提供教育计划；以及(5)通过以综合解决问题的方法整合医学、统计学、计算机科学和生物工程的不同教育计划，传播RFPK技术和专业知识。将这些新工具和方法提供给广大受众是一个复杂的问题，最好在大学校园里完成。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，所有这些大学都为个别项目提供了独特的专业知识。它的管理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.