Community-Driven Proteomics Analysis Environment

Seattle Children'S Hospital, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Seattle Children's Research Institute is awarded a grant to build a community-driven, high-throughput proteomics analysis environment called SPIRE (Systematic Protein Investigative Research Environment). SPIRE is designed to be modular, and will integrate the best publicly available methods and open community standards. The broad applicability of proteomics analyses in biology is hindered by low knowledge penetration throughout the community regarding how and why tools are used and which tools should be used when to produce statistically-sound results. The proliferation of piecemeal, single-use tools and the absence of comprehensive approaches places a high integration and management burden on researchers. A solution is to create an environment that emphasizes integration, modularity, flexibility, ease of use, and community involvement. The SPIRE modules will encompass each stage of mass spectrometry proteomics analyses, such as raw data uploads, experimental design, peptide and protein identification, protein expression measures, and analysis. SPIRE development will be tailored to, and driven by, the needs of the research community. SPIRE is a community science project for proteomics and, as a result, will drastically accelerate proteomics-based biological and environmental research and empower the community as a whole. In conjunction with SPIRE, the team will create InSPIRE, a web-based proteomics resource for middle-school education. InSPIRE will provide resources, reviews, and reference materials related to protein science to "inspire" the next generation of researchers. Additional information about SPIRE and InSPIRE will be available at www.proteinspire.org