University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) uses Atos supercomputer to accelerate research against COVID-19

Paris, June seventeen, 2020

Atos, a international chief in digital transformation, now announces that the College of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)’s supercomputer, named ROMEO, is now being utilized to search for new molecules able of neutralizing the virus that brings about COVID-19. The supercomputer is dependent on Atos’ BullSequana architecture.

ROMEO is being utilized as element of the HT-Covid application, initiated by Reims Molecular Chemistry Institute (ICMR), joint research device URCA/CNRS, and chosen by the French Countrywide Investigation Agency (ANR) to participate in the struggle versus Covid-19. Set up in just a single week, this significant-scale multi-disciplinary digital screening project aims to discover, more than the following eighteen months, molecules that could inhibit the SARS CoV-2 virus.

ROMEO’s computing electric power allows researchers doing the job on this project to exam countless numbers of molecules for each day. Based mostly on the 3D framework of the molecule and the target protein, ROMEO is equipped to simulate at substantial-velocity the motion that the molecule could have on the protein, and thereby discover which molecules would be equipped to bind to the target protein. These probable ‘candidates’ will then be synthesized, purified and analyzed less than ‘real conditions’.

With ROMEO, GENCI’s supercomputer set up at CINES (Countrywide Computer Center for Bigger Instruction) and that of the IN2P3 Computing Centre of the CNRS (French Countrywide Centre for Scientific Investigation), researchers have now succeeded in screening virtually extra than one.5 billion molecules.

Guillaume Gellé President of URCA, explained: “We’re very pleased to be element of this research project to support assistance the international struggle versus COVID-19.  With ROMEO’s broad computing electric power researchers have now been equipped to exam involving two hundred,000 and 300,000 molecules. We hope that these results coupled with the virus understanding of biologists and doctors will guide to the development of a treatment method that will slow the unfold of the epidemic.”

 Helene Bringer, Director Large Facts & HPC at Atos in France, additional: “These supercomputers combined have tens of countless numbers of processors that get the job done jointly to conduct complicated calculations and procedure and review significant quantities of facts working with AI algorithms. We’re very pleased that our BullSequana supercomputer, ROMEO, can contribute to the discovery of a overcome for this pandemic by preserving precious time for researchers and scientists.”

 The HT-Covid project is funded by the (CNRS) and the Grand Est (departmental region in the east of France).

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About Atos

Atos is a international chief in digital transformation with 110,000 workers in 73 countries and annual earnings of € 12 billion. European range a single in Cloud, Cybersecurity and High-Efficiency Computing, the Group provides end-to-end Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud, Large Facts, Business Programs and Digital Office answers. The Group is the Worldwide Facts Know-how Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Online games and operates less than the models Atos, Atos|Syntel, and Unify. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), detailed on the CAC40 Paris inventory index.

The intent of Atos is to support style the long run of the details space. Its knowledge and expert services assistance the development of understanding, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the earth, the Group allows its shoppers and workers, and users of societies at significant to dwell, get the job done and acquire sustainably, in a safe and sound and secure details space.

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About URCA

The College of Reims Champagne-Ardenne is producing a scientific project all-around 4 significant centres with sturdy scientific knowledge. A multidisciplinary centre with an intercontinental dimension in agro-sciences, surroundings, biotechnologies and bio-economic system, taking into account, in a region with a sturdy agricultural and wine-producing economic system, the agriculture of the long run a Wellbeing centre, presenting scientific niches of excellence and a prosperous and various assortment of healthcare and paramedical teaching a digital and engineering sciences centre concentrating on substantial-general performance computing and market 4. market, products and technological transformations and a Human and Social Sciences cluster with, in particular, the development of a new focus on the undertaking arts federated by the generation of a Maison des Sciences Humaines. It offers an desirable multidisciplinary teaching offer that meets current and long run socio-economic desires and aims to convey students to the optimum level of education.

The College of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in figures: 27,five hundred students, 2,five hundred staff members, fifth largest employer in Champagne-Ardenne, 30 research laboratories, 14 factors, extra than one hundred twenty diplomas.

www.univ-reims.fr – @universitereims

 

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