Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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20.5
Moving Forward: Future of Virtual Collaborative Research 331
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20.1
INTRODUCTION
Neglected diseases, also called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), are a group
of preventable illnesses largely affecting tropical countries that lead to severe
disability or even death. More than a billion people, referred to as the “bottom
billion”, suffer from one or more such diseases [1]. Particularly in the develop-
ing countries in Africa and Asia, infectious diseases, including lower respira-
tory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria, are
the major cause of death [2]. Furthermore, approximately 2.7 billion people
are at risk of contracting NTDs [1]. Hence, there is a clear need for research
into NTD to improve the lives of the affl icted individuals. However, NTDs are
overlooked in terms of research and funding given diffi cult targets and low
commercial incentives. Thus, more innovative and cost-effective ways need to
be developed for their treatment. The information technology (IT) industry
has been an early adopter of open-source models, for example, the Linux
operating system, which was created with community participation. Of late,
life scientists have also been able to harness the power of collaborative problem
solving, for example, the Human Genome Project and more recently an online
game to solve protein structures, Foldit [3]. These efforts indicate a movement
toward collaborative efforts in solving challenging scientifi c problems.
An open innovative approach has been espoused through the Open Source
Drug Discovery (OSDD) project, a team India initiative led by the Council of
Scientifi c and Industrial Research, India, with global participation to discover
affordable drugs for infectious diseases. The OSDD project is focusing on
tuberculosis as the fi rst target disease. Tuberculosis (TB) is next only to HIV
as the leading global cause of death from infection. Nine million people around
the world develop active TB every year. India has the largest incidence of TB
in the world with over a quarter million deaths in 2008. This disease has stalked
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