Advances in mouse proteomics

Proteomics—the study of proteins found in human cells and how they regulate their actions—is one of the most promising areas for developing new therapies for human diseases. Mouse models are the mainstay of most biomedical research, but researchers are limited by the small volumes of blood that can be sampled from live animals. Now, using $1.2 million in new funding from Genome BC and Genome Canada, the UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre and spinoff company MRM Proteomics Inc. will continue their work to develop new tools to help medical researchers measure the concentration of individual proteins in mouse plasma.The project will develop assay kits for researchers that will offer “unparalleled accuracy and specificity in mouse models,” says Christoph Borchers, director of the UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre. “These kits will be delivered to customers complete with all necessary protocols, instrument settings, reagents, standards and data analysis software.” The global market for mouse proteomics kits is estimated to be at least $90 million.