In recent times researchers have been trying to simulate biology within computers. Michigan State University researcher Michael Feig has been able to understand how protiens are affected by real enviroments through computer models. To do this Michael used one of the world's most powerful computers, located in Japan. According to Micahel his team has, "'revealed unprecedented details about what exactly takes place inside biological cells, and how proteins in particular behave in their natural environment.'" The research began with the question of whether the crowding of biolgical cells has affects on a biological cell's ability to carry out functions. By using the K computer, located in Kobe Japan, Michael and his team ran simulations of the interior of bacterium. These models revealed that proteins may not be as stable in dense enviorments. This is because they lose the structures necessary to carry out their biological function. On the other hand the density brings all of the biological processes closer together causing a more efficeincy in creating energy. Fieg says this is just the beginning of a complete cell simulation.
I found this article intersting as I think that it is really cool that it is possible to model biology on a computer. Typically in biology to study processes or cells one would have to look into a microscope or perform experiemnts and wait for the results. By using a model on a computer one can simply zoom in and out of any situation one wants at any time. Also to think that eventualy we will be to be able to model whole cells, and maybe oneday even be able to model a whole organism would be really cool. Instead of testing vaccines on animals we could simply use the models to test new medicines and vaccines.
Michigan State University. "Supercomputers capture the crush in biological cells." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 November 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161102143803.htm>.
I thought your post was really interest and was wondering to what level they model these systems. Do they simulate the amino acids in the protein, or just simulate the proteins themselves as large bodies? I'm guessing the more realistic the model the more accurate the results, but every level down in complexity (Ex. proteins -> amino acids -> molecules) probably puts much more strain on the computer, and we may not have equations that perfectly model their behavior.
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