Harnessing Google to Solve Parkinson's

In Wired, Thomas Goetz profiles Sergey Brin‘s search for a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Brin, who is married to genetics entrepreneur Anne Wojcicki, recently discovered he has the LRRK2 genetic mutation, which is associated with higher rates of Parkinson’s disease. What distinguishes Brin from other philanthropists, however, is his emphasis on a new model of research, known as the fourth paradigm of science: “Brin proposes a different approach, one driven by computational muscle and staggeringly large data sets. It’s a method that draws on his algorithmic sensibility-and Google’s storied faith in computing power-with the aim of accelerating the pace and increasing the potential of scientific research.”[%comments]