Join Metaculus Friday, November 3rd, 12:00-1:00pm PT for a series of technical talks addressing life science challenges via Focused Research Organizations (FROs).
Register for free tickets to this online event here.
FROs are standalone nonprofits organized like startups that are designed to accelerate scientific research for the public good. This is an opportunity to learn from and pose questions to research teams behind ambitious FRO proposals featured in Metaculus’s ‘FRO-Casting’ Tournament.
Teams will present on the following proposals:
Characterizing Antibodies Through Open Science
"Many antibodies that scientists purchase from commercial manufacturers to conduct their research do not work as advertised, because most have never been validated properly. This project brings together the public and private sectors to conduct independent, third-party testing of commercial antibody manufacturers’ catalogs and publish the results in the public domain, such that no scientist ever uses an ineffective antibody again."
- Chetan Raina, YCharOS
- Dr. Aled Edwards, Structural Genomics Consortium
- Dr. Peter McPherson, McGill University
- Dr. Carl Laflamme, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital
Reducing Antibiotic Resistance In Aquaculture
"Research and engineering to reverse antibiotic resistance in aquatic bacteria, through the application of a well-validated CRISPR-based genetic system, can help catalyze safer, more sustainable land-based aquaculture as a nutritious and affordable food source."
- Dr. Ethan Bier, UCSD
Measuring Complete Neuronal Input-Output Functions
"Measuring how neurons integrate their inputs and respond to them is key to understanding the impressive and complex behavior of humans and animals. However, a complete measurement of neuronal Input-Output Functions (IOFs) has not been achieved in any animal. Undertaking the complete measurement of IOFs in the model system C. elegans could refine critical methods and discover principles that will generalize across neuroscience."
- Dr.Konrad Kording, University of Pennsylvania
The FRO-Casting Tournament is a joint pilot project by Metaculus and the Federation of American Scientists that harnesses forecasting to identify promising research directions and deliver feedback.