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 Screenshot of the Foldit application showing a folding puzzle in progress | |
| Developer(s) | University of Washington, Center for Game Science,[1] Department of Biochemistry[2] |
|---|---|
| Initial release | May 8, 2008 |
| Preview release | |
| Operating system | Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Size | ≈434 MB |
| Available in | 13 languages |
List of languages Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Scientist | |
| Type | Puzzle video game, protein folding |
| License | Proprietary freeware for academic and non-profit use [1] |
| Website | fold |
Foldit is an online puzzle video game about protein folding. It is part of an experimental research project developed by the University of Washington, Center for Game Science, in collaboration with the UW Department of Biochemistry. The objective of Foldit is to fold the structures of selected proteins as perfectly as possible, using tools provided in the game. The highest scoring solutions are analyzed by researchers, who determine whether or not there is a native structural configuration (native state) that can be applied to relevant proteins in the real world. Scientists can then use these solutions to target and eradicate diseases and create biological innovations. A 2010 paper in the science journal Nature credited Foldit's 57,000 players with providing useful results that matched or outperformed algorithmically computed solutions.[3][4]
- ^ University of Washington, Center for Game Science
- ^ University of Washington, Department of Biochemistry
- ^ Markoff J (10 August 2010). "In a Video Game, Tackling the Complexities of Protein Folding". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ Cooper S, Khatib F, Treuille A, Barbero J, Lee J, Beenen M, et al. (August 2010). "Predicting protein structures with a multiplayer online game". Nature. 466 (7307): 756–60. Bibcode:2010Natur.466..756C. doi:10.1038/nature09304. PMC 2956414. PMID 20686574.