Proteins are a major component of all living organisms and fulfill many different vital functions. The Proteomics Core Facility is equipped to provide information on proteins using the latest analytical methods.

Proteomics analyzes the full complement of proteins in an organism (the proteome), at a particular moment in time, by means of mass spectrometry. The Proteomics Core Facility makes the latest technology for comprehensive protein analysis available to all research groups.

The range of services we offer extends from technical advice on project design, sample preparation, the development of optimized analytical methods and the actual sample measurement, to the evaluation of the data obtained. Another focus is the development of new analytical methods and software programs to evaluate the increasing quantities of data generated as quickly and precisely as possible.

The growing importance of protein analysis

Proteins are a major component of all living organisms and fulfill many different vital functions. The relatively young research field of proteome analysis has rapidly become a key technology in biological research. This development can be attributed to various technical innovations and findings:

• New analytical methods and software programs for mass spectrometry allow a great deal of data about proteins to be collected and evaluated.
• Protein modifications and interactions determine the function of most proteins. Here, we can only draw firm conclusions after analyzing the proteome.
• Quantitative data is increasingly used to describe complex biological processes and is called on for mathematical modeling. Such data can ideally be generated with proteomics.

Proteomics is now an important part of basic biological research and will continue to be so in the future. Knowledge of the reaction and regulatory networks will simplify the search for drug development targets.