Computational methods of modeling protein folding and the development of computer algorithms that can examine a protein's fundamental chemical property help determine the number of possible protein shapes a amino acid will take before predicting the final form.
This is important because incorrectly folded proteins are the cause of diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, Huntington's, emphysema and cystic fibrosis. Developing better modeling techniques for protein folding is critical in creating more effective pharmaceutical treatments.