High-Performance Computing helps in the fight against COVID-19
Science worldwide is looking for solutions against the pandemic, and computational power has a crucial role in this hunt for answers. As a member of Associazione Big Data, the CMCC Foundation is putting its supercomputer infrastructure at disposal of a European project aimed at identifying potentially new molecules that could be used for drugs against the coronavirus.
Research through supercomputers can collaborate with traditional research by shortening the time for drug development. The project E4C (EXSCALATE4CoV) is a public-private consortium supported by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 tender for projects to counter the Coronavirus pandemic and improve the management and care of patients. The primary objective of E4C is to exploit the supercomputing potential integrated with the best life-science scientific skills in Europe to better and quickly face pandemic situations of supranational interest. In brief, the project aims to identify the safest and most promising drugs for the immediate treatment of the already infected population, followed by the identification of molecules capable of inhibiting the pathogenesis of the coronavirus to counter future conditions.
Associazione Big Data, of which CMCC Foundation is member, is partner of the project. Launched in 2018, the association brings together 15 among the most prominent Italian public institutions dealing with high performing computing, big data analysis and artificial intelligence. Mobilizing 75% of computing potential of the country, it represents a point of convergence of skills and knowledge relating to big data, their applications, their impact on the daily lives of all citizens.
Through Associazione Big Data, the CMCC Foundation is collaborating in the fight against COVID-19 by putting its supercomputer infrastructure at disposal of research.
More information:
The news on the CMCC website “COVID-19: Fast access to HPC supercomputing facilities”
The EURONEWS episode Futuris “E4C Computer science against COVID-19”
The CINECA press release “Supercomputers versus Coronavirus”
The coverage on Italian TV