The ultimate scientific goal of proteomics
is to characterize the information flow within the cell
and the organism. This information flow is mediated
through, and by, protein pathways and networks. As stimuli
fluctuate, and as feed back loops return information,
newly formed protein networks rapidly break apart. Consequently,
the population state of protein networks is constantly
changing from minute to minute within each living cell.
The cause of most human disease lies in the functional
disregulation of protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions.
Such interactions represent the drug targets of the
next decade. In the future, entire cellular networks,
not just one disregulated protein, will be the target
of therapeutics. The next technologic leap will be the
application of proteomic technologies at the bedside.
It will soon be possible to analyze the state of protein
signal pathways in the disease-altered cells, before,
during, and after treatment. This can herald the advent
of true patient-tailored therapy.
The speakers in this session will describe
powerful new technologies and experimental approaches
for elucidating pathogenic alterations in a) protein
3-D structure, b) protein post-translational modifications,
and c) global proteomic patterns.
