Visualize: a free and open source multifunction tool for proteomics data analysis

A major challenge in the field of high-throughput proteomics is the conversion of the large volume of experimental data that is generated into biological knowledge. Typically, proteomics experiments involve the combination and comparison of multiple data sets and the analysis and annotation of these combined results. Although there are some commercial applications that provide some of these functions, there is a need for a free, open source, multifunction tool for advanced proteomics data analysis. We have developed the Visualize program that provides users with the abilities to visualize, analyze, and annotate proteomics data; combine data from multiple runs, and quantitate differences between individual runs and combined data sets. Visualize is licensed under GNU GPL and can be downloaded from http://proteomics.mcw.edu/visualize. It is available as compiled client-based executable files for both Windows and Mac OS X platforms as well as PERL source code.