Frequently Asked Questions

Compute4Cure is a community-led initiative that organizes donated computing hardware to process Folding@home work units for open biomedical research.

Folding@home breaks large molecular simulations into work units that can run across many computers. Those simulations help researchers study protein motion, disease mechanisms, drug discovery, and related questions that require significant compute.

We maintain a dedicated list of Folding@home projects our donated compute has supported. The list includes work related to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, influenza, Parkinson’s disease, and other molecular research areas. See the supported projects page.

Yes. Folding@home uses points to publicly credit completed and validated computational work. Points are not the goal, but they are a useful way to track contribution over time.

Yes. You can install Folding@home on your own computer, enter Team ID 1067730, and choose when and how much the system contributes.

It depends on the system. Modern GPUs usually provide the highest research throughput, but some older or CPU-only systems can still be useful. We consider reliability, power draw, cooling, and condition before deciding how to use a machine.

Email info@compute4cure.org with your location, basic hardware specs, and any photos or pickup constraints. We coordinate local pickup in the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Northern Indiana areas.

You can remove or wipe storage before donating. If drives are included, we securely erase and reimage systems before reuse or redistribution.

If hardware is not a good fit for compute, we look for a responsible second use when possible, including refurbishment or donation through partners. Equipment that cannot be reused is handled responsibly.

Not currently. Compute4Cure is pursuing nonprofit status, but donations are not currently tax-deductible.

Compute4Cure is community-led and supported by people contributing time, hardware, technical work, and electricity to support open science.