OSHEAN eCurrent Fall 2019 | Page 44

to be researched further or is it a genetic anomaly? When the job is completed, the computer exchanges the results for a new job. Stanford’s computers compile all of the individual results to solve bigger problems. Below is a small, simplified example of what occurs behind the scenes on one type of processing. The data is random, and is purely for concept illustration purposes: A cancer patient has their genes tested. The following is a small strip of their DNA that is received by the computer: A normal patient has their genes tested. SCIENTIFIC DISCLAIMER : Every human has different genes. The program must take into consideration “good genes” such as those that give people blue eyes, or those that give people their characteristics and body. This is a simplified version of what actually occurs behind the scenes. The following is a small strip of their DNA that is received by the computer and considered as genetic data / base line: A T The computers that receive the files will take these strands of DNA (in this example, there are six individual codes, but in real life, there are over three billion in the average human) and compare them as follows: C C A NORMAL PATIENT A cancer patient has their genes tested. T The following is a small strip of their DNA that is received by the computer: A - A — Good T - T — Good C - G — Mutation Found! C - C — Good A - A — Good T - T — Good A T G C Now, this “mutation” found will go back into research where scientists can see if other computers around the world have found the same issue. A T CANCER PATIENT 44 | 2019 eCURRENT Stronger Together | 45