Disruptive Proteomics Technologies

This interactive web-based dialogue provides an opportunity for you to provide comments and engage in an open discussion on how best to accelerate research in disruptive proteomics technologies. The discussion will assist the Disruptive Proteomics Technology (DPT) Working Group of the NIH Common Fund to identify gaps and opportunities in current technologies and methodologies related to proteome-wide measurements. For this discussion, “disruptive” is defined as very rapid, very significant gains, similar to the "disruptive" technology development that occurred in DNA sequencing technology. This site is referenced in the NIH Request for Information (RFI): Disruptive Proteomics Technologies – Challenges and Opportunities (NOT-RM-12-015).

What is the NIH Common Fund? The Common Fund supports goal-driven, research networks in which investigators work in a coordinated and synergistic way to generate data, solve technological problems, and/or otherwise create resources and tools that will be stimulatory to the broader research community. These programs typically involve a series of integrated funding initiatives that address scientific areas that are broadly relevant to human health and disease. Funding for each program is limited to 5-10 years, so goals for each program must be achievable within that timeframe. More information on the Common Fund can be found at http://commonfund.nih.gov/.

How Can I Participate? Our ability to identify and quantify proteins in complex (e.g., clinical) samples is progressing steadily, but it is clear that orders-of-magnitude improvements in the associated technologies would enable substantial advances in a large range of biomedical research areas. In other words, the current state-of-the-art is good, but limiting. A few of the specific limits are:

• Technology/instrumentation is expensive
• Because of expense, labs have limited access, but demand is high
• Current technology is not capable of proteome-wide measurements

In a long-term technology development effort, it is difficult to anticipate what basic methodology holds the best potential for dramatic improvements in proteomics capabilities. The current dominant methodology for high-throughput identification and quantification of proteins is mass spectrometry (MS). MS holds good potential for further incremental improvement, but opportunities for orders-of-magnitude improvement are unclear. In addition, there are other technologies that hold promise for significantly improving proteomics capabilities, though they are currently less developed than MS.

As part of the initial planning phase, the DPT Working Group requests input on the following topics related to needs/gaps/opportunities in both MS and non-MS-based disruptive proteomics technology development.

To weigh in on a specific topic, simply click on the topic to open a “dialogue box” where you can leave a comment, and also view and comment on others’ responses. You don’t have to respond to every topic, but you may.

 

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. MS-based comprehensive protein identification and quantification. Realistic goals and associated challenges for orders-of-magnitude improvements in dynamic range, sensitivity, throughput or cost. Specific areas of instrumentation (e.g., source design/analyzer geometry, coupling with other instrumentation, etc.) more likely to yield disruptive improvements.


2. Non-MS-based comprehensive protein identification and quantification. Opportunities and challenges for other technologies that could in the near or far term approach/exceed MS-based methods with respect to: accuracy, dynamic range, throughput, and cost in analyzing proteomes.


3. Potential benefits and challenges in incorporation of informatics approaches and/or integration of large protein datasets into the development of the proteomic technologies.


4. Potential important impacts of proteomics technology breakthroughs in basic, discovery and translational biomedical research.