Why Are We Playing a Game? Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes. What if we could harness this gamer power to solve real-world problems? Jane McGonigal says we can, and explains how in the TED Talk video above.

Press Releases

The Ultimate Experiment: Can Gaming Technology Resuscitate Medical Research? — Sep. 7, 2010 (PDF)

Learn More

Learn more about the factors that are influencing the slow pace of medical research before you play the game. We’ve separated out the factors into different themes that will be featured throughout the game.  Many of the areas do overlap. If you have ideas of more factors to add please email us at info [at] breakthroughstocures [dot] org.

Academic Research

• Collaboration and Information Sharing
• Open Access Journals
• Peer Review and Funding for Discovery Science
• Misaligned Incentives
• Rapid Iteration and Learning
• Following a Research Road Map
• The Role of Amateur/Citizen Science and DIY Bio
• The Role of Universities and Tech Transfer

Articles to Read:

• Center for Global Development Blog: “If Medical Science Is Biased, What Does It Mean for Development?” — October 26, 2010
• New York Times: “Sharing of Data Leads to Progress on Alzheimer’s” – August 12, 2010
• Newsweek: From Bench to Bedside: Academia slows the search for cures. — June 15, 2009. (NIH Funding, publish or perish, small markets for rare diseases, human studies undervalued)
• Science Translational Medicine: “Peer-to-Peer Sharing Spurs Scientific Innovation.” —December 2, 2009.
• The New York Times: Grant System Leads Cancer Researchers to Play It Safe. — June 27, 2009.
• BusinessWeek: Innovation on the Edge. — May 7, 2008. (Research road maps, academic research collaboration, patenting)
• FierceBiotech Research: “J&J research chief urges ‘open innovation’ approach” — January 30, 2009

The Valley of Death or Translational Research

This theme relates to creating a bridge between academia and biopharmaceutical companies.

• Reducing Risk – Target Validation, Patent Protection
• Legal/IP Issues and Patents
• The Role of Nonprofits

Articles to Read:

• Myelin Repair Foundation: Where are the Cures?  A Summary.
• Arabella Advisors:  Issue Brief on “Investing in Innovative Medical Research” – 2010.
• New York Times: “Sharing of Data Leads to Progress on Alzheimer’s” – August 12, 2010 (Biomarkers)
• Stanford University School of Medicine, SCOPE Blog: “Why drug development is time consuming and expensive (hint: it’s hard)” – July 2010.
• Margaret Anderson, Faster Cures:  “Institute View: R&D challenge.” Milken Institute Review. Q4 2010. pages 85-87.
• Scott Johnson at BIL:PIL: A Bottom Up Approach to Accelerating Medical Research. —October 2009.
• The New York Times: Taking Science Personally. — November 10, 2008. (The Valley of Death, role of nonprofits, research funding)
• FierceBiotech Research: “Biochemist calls for ‘open-source’ R&D revolution” — April 7, 2009
• Newsweek On Science: Where are the Cures? — November 1, 2008.
• Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal: Foundation’s research model in Saratoga aims to halve clinical trial time. — October 16, 2009.
• The Economist: “Back to the Lab” — December 10, 2009.
• FierceBiotech Research: “J&J research chief urges ‘open innovation’ approach” — January 30, 2009
• Tomorrow’s Cures Today?: How to Reform the Health Research System (2000) Donald R. Forsdyke. (Medical research funding)

Drug Development

• The Role of Biotech or Pharmaceutical Companies
• The Small Market for Rare Diseases

Articles to Read:

• Booz & Company: The Missing Link in Pharmaceutical R&D: Scientific Leaders Are Essential to Success — October 2010
• Atlantic Monthly: “No Refills” –July/August 2010
• Wall Street Journal: Big Pharma Faces Grim Prognosis. – December 6, 2007.
• Science Business: The Promise, the Reality and the Future of Biotech (2006) Gary Pisano.

Clinical Trials

• Safety regulations
• Efficacy regulations
• Cost of trials
• Patient recruitment, investigators

Articles to Read:

• Atlantic Monthly: “No Refills” –July/August 2010
• JAMA: “Central challenges facing the national clinical research enterprise.” — March 12, 2003.

Technology

• Computational Strategies
• Genomics
• Personalized Medicine

Articles to Read:

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: “Assessing Risk & Return: Personalized Medicine Development & New Innovation Paradigm”— October 2008.
• Newsweek: We Fought Cancer…And Cancer Won – September 6, 2008