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O'REILLY Bioinformatics Technology Conference , SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) and the Blueprint Initiative research program at Mount Sinai Hospital's (MSH) Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto today announced that the standard setting Biomolecular Interaction Network Database (bind.ca) is powered by Sun(TM) technology. The Blueprint Initiative has acquired more than $5 million in Sun hardware, software and storage to support BIND and related bionformatics tools. The Blueprint Initiative builds its web services infrastructure with Sun technology because of its scalability, Sun's customer-focused response, expertise in life sciences and large global community of computational biology customers. A cluster of Sun Fire(TM) servers including six Sun Fire V880 servers, four Sun Fire 280R servers, and two Sun Fire V480 servers are powered by UltraSPARC(R) III processors running the Solaris(TM) Operating Environment. In addition, the Blueprint Initiative will leverage several open integratable products from the Sun(TM) Open Network Environment (Sun ONE) software portfolio to design, implement and manage its web services and provide its user community with access to web-based resources. From smart-card enabled Sun Ray(TM) 100 thin clients, trainees will have access to bioinformatics software applications and resources like the SeqHound bioinformatics database platform. To manage database submissions, the Blueprint Initiative is using JAXB (Java(TM) Architecture for XML Binding). JAXB will allow Java technology developers to deliver and maintain high-performance XML-enabled applications with a minimum of development effort. The Blueprint Initiative also uses Foundry Networks' JetCore(TM) based BIGIRON systems with 10 Gigabit links to inter-connect the Sun Fire servers and Sun StorEdge(TM) disk arrays campuses to its existing high-performance computing cluster at MSH. This processing power is supported by 24 terabytes of Sun StorEdge disk arrays managed by Sun StorEdge Performance Suite and Sun Management Center 3.0 software. "Sun's vision and strategy of network computing echoes our vision for computational biology by providing access to resources, anytime, anywhere and from any device. While most people think that DNA is the blueprint of life, our Blueprint Initiative is trying to collect information from scientists around the world about how proteins and other molecules interact and assemble into living cells. Building databases of molecular assembly information has become the focal point of proteomic research around the world. BIND enables researchers to leverage each other's experience to advance research in human health and medicine," says Dr. Christopher Hogue, the scientific leader of the Blueprint Initiative. "With its open standards, we knew Sun would be the right partner to assist us to quickly bring the database to life. Sun Java technology resources have already brought us significantly ahead of schedule in releasing the new BIND data submission system, and we look forward to working closely with Sun software engineers." Sun technology provides the necessary infrastructure to power the Blueprint Initiative's Biomolecular Interaction Network Database (BIND), which is a database designed to store full descriptions of the interactions, molecular complexes and pathways of the proteins that make up all life. The database is publicly accessible at www.bind.ca. BIND is a growing repository of data on how proteins interact and control cellular life, and will benefit researchers in proteomics - the study of protein interactions. The Blueprint Initiative takes contributions from scientists worldwide to create a comprehensive repository of rich, online resources for scientific innovation that is designed to assist in the development of better treatments for disease. Data is submitted to the repository online by researchers globally and then validated by the Blueprint Initiative before being posted live to provide increased research collaboration. "With extensive experience in computational biology dating back to the early 1990s, Sun has a clear understanding of the processing power required by researchers. Our Life Sciences vision resonates with innovators like the founders of the Blueprint Initiative," says Kim Jones, vice president, Global Education and Research for Sun Microsystems. "Sun develops best-in-class solutions upon which our customers, including thought-leaders like Dr. Hogue, innovate." "Research and development are the catalysts for the future of the Canadian economy. The work of Dr. Hogue and his team are poised to further enhance Canada's reputation for research excellence," says Stéphane Boisvert, President, Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "Sun is proud to leverage its Life Sciences expertise and leading-edge technology to help launch this important scientific endeavour." For information about Sun's computational biology programs, please visit http://www.sun.com/edu/commofinterest/compbio. More information about Sun in Life Sciences is available at http://www.sun.com/lifesciences. About The Blueprint Initiative and Mount Sinai Hospital The Blueprint Initiatve at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital is operating and curating the Biomolecular Interaction Network Database (BIND). The database is growing to become the world's repository of data and research into the comprehensive source of molecular interactions and reactions in the human organism and other organisms studied by scientists. This information will help scientists worldwide understand how the molecular complexity inside cells assembles into life - the true "blueprint" of life. Integrating information from the human genome project and many other projects, the Blueprint Initiative will take DNA sequence to the next level - proteomics and onward to systems biology with the ultimate goal of providing systems capable of modeling cells, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the causes of diseases and helping to identify multiple targets for treatment. The Blueprint Initiative provides open source bioinformatics solutions like the SeqHound high-performance bioinformatics database platform, BINDBlast and PreBIND, as well as other tools that help scientists use the database in their research. http://www.blueprint.org Established in 1985, The Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute (SLRI) at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto is one of the world's leading centres for biomedical research. The Institute is part of Mount Sinai Hospital, an internationally recognized 440-bed acute care academic health centre affiliated with the University of Toronto. SLRI has 513 research, administrative and support staff, 100,000 square feet of laboratory space and a 25,000 square foot pre-clinical research lab. For more information about SLRI research visit http://www.mshri.on.ca Mount Sinai Hospital is recognized nationally and internationally for its excellence in the provision of compassionate patient care, teaching and research. Its key priority programs are Women's and Infants' Health, Surgical Subspecialties and Oncology, Internal Medicine and Subspecialties, and the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute. It is a University of Toronto-affiliated patient care, teaching and research centre. Visit http://www.mtsinai.on.ca for more information about Mount Sinai Hospital.