SINGAPORE scientists have come up with a three-dimensional computer model that can track the mutations of the flu bug currently traversing the globe.

The model of a particular part of the H1N1 virus is available free on the Internet and is updated daily with the genetic information of new patient samples.

The developers of the model - five scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Bioinformatics Institute (BII) - hope this will allow scientists, health authorities and drug developers to more easily track the mutations of the virus and to decide if a new treatment is needed.

Said the lead scientist on the project, Dr Sebastian Maurer-Stroh: 'We can use the model to make drugs better. Scientists can very quickly monitor the changes in the virus and can see when it is time to make new drugs.'

In the past two months, the global outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) has infected more than 25,000 people in at least 70 countries, including about 140 deaths, and sparking fears of an imminent pandemic.

For the project, Dr Maurer-Stroh's team focused on a particular structure on the surface of the virus that is targeted by flu drugs.

Called neuraminidase, this is what gives H1N1 the 'N' part of its name. Neuraminidase is responsible for releasing the virus from the cell it has just infected, so that it can go on to infect surrounding cells.

The BII scientists get the genetic information from patient samples available for free on the United States National Centre for Biotechnology Information online database, and map this onto the 3-D computer model.

So far, the model has confirmed what scientists already know about the virus - that mutations in the virus have rendered previous flu vaccinations less effective, but current anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza still work.

Scientists found the work 'interesting'.

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.