Clinical Proteogenomics

The Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) is at the forefront of clinical proteogenomics cancer research. This innovative field integrates proteomics, genomics, and transcriptomics to provide a comprehensive understanding of cancer biology. By proteogenomics, leading scientists are gaining new insights due to a more complete and unified understanding of complex biological processes. This approach enhances our ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer through precision medicine, offering a unified view of complex biological processes. 

DCTD is enhancing cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention through proteogenomics research. Explore our cancer research networks below.

One of the core missions of DCTD is to share and re-use proteogenomic data, imaging data, and other resources such as computational tools, targeted proteomics assays, and antibody regents with the biomedical research community to accelerate scientific discovery and its clinical translation to patient care.

Definitions

Proteome

A proteome is the complete set of proteins produced by an organism, cell, or biological system at a given time. This includes not only the proteins themselves but also any modifications made to them. The proteome is highly dynamic—it changes in response to various factors such as time, environmental conditions, growth stages, and stress. The scientific study of the proteome is called proteomics.

Proteomics

Proteomics is the large-scale study of all proteins in a cell, tissue, or organism. It looks at how many proteins are present, how they change, and how they interact to understand how cells function. Cancer proteomics focuses on proteins linked to cancer, using samples from sources such as humans, lab models, etc.

Two main types of proteomics:

• Discovery proteomics: Identifies as many proteins as possible (broad and untargeted).
• Targeted proteomics: Focuses on specific proteins of interest (narrow and specific).

Proteogenomics

Proteogenomics combines proteomics with genomics and transcriptomics to better understand how cells work, especially in cancer. While DNA provides the blueprint, proteins do the actual work in cells—and they are also the main targets for cancer drugs. Genomic data alone often misses key changes seen at the protein level. By studying both together, especially protein modifications, scientists gain a more complete view of disease. This approach is proving valuable in cancer research and is expected to benefit other areas of medicine as well.