Project Proposed: This project, acquiring a parallel cluster for scientist to conduct modeling on biological systems, aims to - Deploy the cluster and integrate it with an existing high-capacity storage facility for projects, - Leverage the equipment through the group of investigators towards interdisciplinary projects, and - Advance collective computing expertise. The cluster will be managed to provide a minimal set of resources on demand to investigators participating on the proposal with additional resources allocated to the community for promoting computational growth for new users and educational programs. The resource enables qualitative advancements in critical areas in the computational biosciences. Species niche modeling and context-dependent evolution of DNA is fundamental to downstream management of environmental resources through broadening understanding of organism response to environmental factors at macroscopic and microscopic levels. Other work aims to engineer microbial delivery agents for use in combating the AIDS epidemic. Molecular studies advance methodologies for accurately modeling phenomenological and microscopic properties of molecular interactions of protein and DNS, with other work including development of high throughput predictive models for small molecule reactivity.
Broader Impacts: This project increases opportunities for students to gain experience in parallel computing as part of course work, enhances research opportunities for graduate students, supports the career development of junior faculty, and establishes a potential for a broader high performance parallel computing base within the university and surrounding area. A faculty coordinator is specifically assigned to assist in recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups.
