The HUPO Proteomics Standards Initiative Meeting: Towards Common Standards for Exchanging Proteomics Data

The Proteomics Standards Initiative (PSI) aims to define community standards for data representation in proteomics and to facilitate data comparison, exchange and verification. Initially the fields of protein-protein interactions (PPI) and mass spectroscopy have been targeted and the inaugural meeting of the PSI addressed the questions of data storage and exchange in both of these areas. The PPI group rapidly reached consensus as to the minimum requirements for a data exchange model; an XML draft is now being produced. The mass spectroscopy group have achieved major advances in the definition of a required data model and working groups are currently taking these discussions further. A further meeting is planned in January 2003 to advance both these projects.     

Progress in Establishing Common Standards for Exchanging Proteomics Data: The Second Meeting of the HUPO Proteomics Standards Initiative

The Proteomics Standards Initiative (PSI) aims to define community standards for data representation in proteomics and to facilitate data comparison, exchange and verification. Rapid progress has been made in the development of common standards for data exchange in the fields of both mass spectrometry and protein-protein interactions since the first PSI meeting [1]. Both hardware and software manufacturers have agreed to work to ensure that a proteomics-specific extension is created for the emerging ASTM mass spectrometry standard and the data model for a proteomics experiment has advanced significantly. The Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI) group expects to publish the Level 1 PSI data exchange format for protein-protein interactions by early summer this year, and discussion as to the additional content of Level 2 has been initiated.     

Recent Workshops of the HUPO Human Plasma Proteome Project (HPPP): a bridge with the HUPO CardioVascular Initiative and the emergence of SRM targeted proteomics

We hereby provide a two-year update on the HUPO Human Plasma Proteome Project (HPPP) informed by advances presented at the HPPP sessions at the HUPO World Congresses in Toronto in September 2009 and in Sydney in September 2010.     

Human Disease Glycomics/Proteome Initiative Workshop and the 4th HUPO Annual Congress

At the Human Disease Glycomics/Proteome Initiative workshop held on August 27 on the occasion of the fourth HUPO Congress in Munich, Germany, the working groups reported on pilot studies, performed by 21 laboratories world-wide, to analyze glycan using MS. During the steering committee on July 31 in Osaka, Japan, it was reported that these groups have developed a system using MS to assess the world-wide network on the screening of congenital disorders of glycosylation. The concept of glycobioinformatics was also explained at this meeting. The session on PTMs laid particular emphasis on the importance of functional glycomics using glycosyltransferase genes as well as on the importance of identifying the target protein(s) carrying the sugar chains.     

The Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP) workshop during the 4th HUPO World Congress

The Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP) is the first initiative of the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO) to target a human organ/tissue and aims at the establishment of a biological atlas of the liver to advance our understanding of liver functions and to provide the tools to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics for liver diseases. The major achievements of HLPP during its pilot phase (2003-2005) were presented during a one-day workshop held on August 27, 2005, immediately prior to the 4th HUPO World Congress in Munich, Germany. These include (i) the participation of a large number of laboratories worldwide and the initiation of international research collaborations; (ii) the establishment of a management infrastructure and (iii) the development of standard operating procedures and the generation and collection of a first set of expression profile data. A summary of the workshop was subsequently presented by Professor Fuchu He, the Chair of this initiative, during the HUPO 4th Annual World Congress.     

8th HUPO World Congress: The Human Disease Glycomics/Proteomics Initiative (HGPI) Session 26 September 2009, Toronto,Canada

The Human Disease Glycomics/Proteomics Initiative (HGPI) Session at the HUPO World Congress was held in Toronto on 26 September 2009. In this report, we summarize the presentation of the HGPI workshop as follows: (i) The results of the past HGPI pilot studies (first and second) in which we analyzed N‐ and O‐linked glycans using standard glycoproteins (i.e. first: N‐linked glycan analysis of transferrin and IgG; second: O‐linked glycan analysis of IgA). (ii) The recent progresses of the current HGPI third pilot study. The third analytical pilot study is in progress to perform the two tasks, which are glycan structural analysis and identification of proteins which carry specific carbohydrate antigen (Lewis X antigen) using cancer cells (i.e. L428, U937, and SK‐N‐SH), under the theme of “Glyco‐Biomarker Discovery”. Finally, recently advanced glycomic and glycoproteomic analyses were also reported.     

HUPO Brain Proteome Project Pilot Studies: bioinformatics at work

The data acquisition phase of initial pilot studies (human and mouse brain samples) of the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO) Brain Proteome Project (BPP) is now complete and the data generated by the participating laboratories has been submitted to the central Data Collection Center. The BPP Bioinformatics Group met on 8th April 2005 at the European Bioinformatics Institute (Hinxton, UK) to discuss strategies for the reanalysis of the pooled data from all the participating laboratories. A summary of the results of the data reprocessing will be presented at the 4th HUPO World Congress that will be held in August/September 2005.     

Towards data management of the HUPO Human Brain Proteome Project pilot phase

The pilot phase of the Human Brain Proteome Project as a part of the Human Proteome Organisation has just been started. In two pilot studies, 18 different laboratories are analyzing mouse brains of three age stages and human brain autopsy versus biopsy material, respectively. The overall aim is to elucidate the portfolio of available techniques as well as to elaborate common standards. As a first step, it was decided to use the common bioinformatics platform ProteinScape that was introduced to the participating groups in a two day course in Bochum, Germany.     

Bridging Proteomics and Medical Science - the 5th HUPO Brain Proteome Workshop in Dublin, Ireland

More than 70 interested colleagues attended the 5th Workshop of the HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) at the UCD Conway Institute, Dublin, Ireland. An overview of the outcome of the pilot study was presented and the new subprojects Clinical Neuroproteomics of Human Body Fluids as well as Cerebellum 2D-mapping were announced. In addition the election of the HUPO BPP committees and the future directions of this project were discussed and decided. The meeting was enhanced by several talks highlighting the application of proteomics in biomedical research.     

Great mood in proteomics: Beijing and the HUPO Human Brain Proteome Project

More than 1200 attendees came together at the 3(rd) HUPO World Congess in Beijing, October 25-27, 2004. In numerous different sessions the wide range of proteomic areas became visible. The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) organized an evening session on October 23, presenting the first results of two pilot studies as well as the newest, very positive international development in this field. The rising importance became even more apparent in the plenary presentation of all HUPO initiatives and the following congress activities.     

4(th) HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop in Munich, Germany

More than 70 interested colleagues attended the 4(th) Workshop of HUPO's Brain Proteome Project. The project was presented within nine talks mainly focusing on two running pilot studies as well as on data re-processing. A bioinformatics jamboree in Hinxton, UK, and the 5th Workshop taking place in Dublin next February were announced.     

The HUPO Plasma Proteome Project: a report from the Munich congress

The Human Proteome Organization has several major collaborative research initiatives, including the Plasma Proteome Project. A major feature of the HUPO World Congress in Munich in August 2005 was the release of the special issue of PROTEOMICS with 28 articles from the pilot phase of the Plasma Proteome Project. An open Workshop and a presentation in the closing plenary session of the congress focused on next phases for the Plasma Proteome Project.     

Further steps towards data standardisation: the Proteomic Standards Initiative HUPO 3(rd) annual congress, Beijing 25-27(th) October, 2004

The increasing volume of proteomics data currently being generated by increasingly high-throughput methodologies has led to an increasing need for methods by which such data can be accurately described, stored and exchanged between experimental researchers and data repositories. Work by the Proteomics Standards Initiative of the Human Proteome Organisation has laid the foundation for the development of standards by which experimental design can be described and data exchange facilitated. The progress of these efforts, and the direct benefits already accruing from them, were described at a plenary session of the 3(rd) Annual HUPO congress. Parallel sessions allowed the three work groups to present their progress to interested parties and to collect feedback from groups already implementing the available formats.     

The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and Interdiction at Sea: A Chinese Perspective

The Proliferation Security Initiative has been surrounded by questions and criticisms pertaining to its legality since its inception. However, after nearly a decade of existence and development, it appears now that the actions conducted pursuant to the PSI have, by and large, been consistent with the principles of flag state jurisdiction, the nonuse of force, and sovereign equality and have not substantially impeded states’ maritime rights in the territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, or on the high seas.