The Institute for Proteomics Technology and Applications
The broad objectives of the Institute for Proteomics Technology and
Applications are to engage in research in developing new proteomics
technology and in using that technology for proteomics research.
Of particular interest are nanomaterials-based sensors and
mass spectrometry, and their application to proteomics.
Background
In a short year, proteomics, the systemic study of proteins based
on the genome, has captured the attention of academia, government
and industry alike. This dramatic new focus was clearly discernable
from the presentations at a recent symposium organized by the
National Academies (Defining the Mandate of Proteomics in the
Post-Genomics Era) as well as from the January 2002 launching of
two new dedicated journals (Journal of Proteome Research by the
American Chemical Society and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics by
the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology).
According to current estimates, the 3 billion base pairs in
the human genome only code for approximately 30,000 genes. During the
life cycle of cells, the information in these genes is translated
into proteins, the real actors in cellular processes. The proteins
in turn perform the necessary tasks (signaling, regulation, catalysis,
etc.) that keep the cells alive. Throughout these processes, the
proteins undergo posttranslational modifications that significantly
alter their structure and function. The expression level of these
proteins also varies as a function of cell type, position within the
cell and phase of cell evolution (i.e., time). Although determining
the identity, structure and concentration of the significant proteins
is a daunting task, the potential return of this endeavor is hard
to resist. On the scholarly level, one can expect to gain a vastly
improved understanding of life as it is reflected in the cell cycle.
On a practical level, this understanding enables the design of smart
drugs that specifically target the cellular process related to a
particular disease. Current developments in analytical
instrumentation, more specifically mass spectrometry, have led to
the technology that enables the high throughput protein analysis
that is a prerequisite for answering the questions posed by proteomics.
Due to the high efficiency of biomolecules in performing their
tasks, some of them are present in the cells at very low concentrations.
(For example, only a few hundred molecules of some of the signaling
proteins are present in any given cell). Determining the identity,
primary structure and concentration of these species is a significant
challenge. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and
electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) are indispensable
tools in the quest for this information. This month, the 2002 Nobel
Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the discovery of these methods.
People
|
