Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. The term was coined to make an analogy to genomics (the study of genes and the gene code), and together these technologies are often considered the "next step,” in clinical diagnostics. Proteomics, however, is much more complicated than genomics. There are far fewer genes that code for proteins in the human genome than there are proteins in the human proteome (~22,000 genes vs. ~300,000 proteins).

And while the genome is a relatively constant entity, the proteome is constantly changing through its biochemical interactions with the genome and with other proteins. Therefore, one organism will have radically different protein expression in different parts of its body and in different stages of its life cycle. In the realm of laboratory medicine, the ultimate goal for proteomics is to link a unique protein expression with human disease and develop a test to identify the relevant protein pattern.

To that end, AACC has identified numerous Internet links and materials as useful resources for learning about clinical proteomics, including basic information about what it is and how it is used; detailed, up-to-date information on recent developments important to laboratorians, clinicians, manufacturers, and other health care professionals; and links to some online protein-analysis software programs. Please check them out and let us know if you have suggestions for additional resources. We welcome your suggestions!! Use the "Add/Change A URL" link located on the navigation menu.

AACC Proteomics Division

Proteomics and the Clincial Laboratory - Abstracts from Clinical Chemistry

• Independent Validation of Candidate Breast Cancer Serum Biomarkers Identified by Mass Spectrometry -- Jinong Li, et al.
• Oral Cancer Plasma Tumor Marker Identified with Bead-Based Affinity-Fractionated Proteomic Technology -- Ann-Joy Cheng, et al.
• The "omics" Haystack: Defining Sources of Sample Bias in Expression Profiling -- O. John Semmes
• Diagnostic Proteomics: Back to Basics? -- Stephen R. Master
• Analytical and Preanalytical Biases in Serum Proteomic Pattern Analysis for Breast Cancer Diagnosis -- Aly Karsan, et al.
• Standardized Approach to Proteome Profiling of Human Serum Based on Magnetic Bead Separation and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry -- Sven Baumann, et al.
• Analysis of Mass Spectrometry Profiles of the Serum Proteome -- Kevin R. Coombes
• Can Mass Spectrometric Protein Profiling Meet Desired Standards of Clinical Laboratory Practice? -- Glen L. Hortin
• Clinical Chemistry, The Proteomics Issue, January 1 2005, Volume 51, Issue 1
• Other proteomics-focused articles in ClincialChemistry 

Leading Proteomics Publications

• Clinical Chemistry
• Clinical Proteomics
• Proteomics
• Electrophoresis
• Journal of Proteome Research
• Molecular & Cellular Proteomics
• Journal of the National Cancer Institute–Cancer Spectrum

Government and Non-Profit Proteomics Research

• ExPASy (Expert Protein Analysis System) Proteomics Server of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
• National Center for Biotechnology Information
• The Canadian Protein Engineering Network
• Institute for Systems Biology
• Proteomics Group at the Technical University of Munich
• National Institutes of Health Proteomics Special Interest Group
• HUPO - Human Proteome Organisation
• The Plasma Proteome Institute

University-Sponsored Proteomics Research

• Harvard Institute of Proteomics
• Medical College of Wisconsin Proteomics Center
• The University of Louisville Core Proteomics Laboratory

Private Sector Proteomics Sites

• Clinical Proteomics Research Map

AACC Proteomics Products

• Biomedical Applications of Proteomics
• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Genetics, Genomics, and Proteomics, 2nd Edition
• Handbook of Proteomic Methods
• Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: An Introduction
• Protein Arrays: Methods and Protocols

Missing Link

If you know of a link that should be included on this page, please E-MAIL your suggestion to AACC.