The completion of the genome sequencing of a multitude of organisms,including human, mouse and rat, the emergence of new technologies inmass spectrometry, and the development of computational tools that linkmass spectrometry data with genome/protein sequence databases for theidentification and covalent structural analysis of proteins have togetherfostered unprecedented opportunities for studying proteins on a largescale. Proteomics is the large-scale study of the protein expressions,protein structure-functions and protein-protein interactions, and utilizinggenome databases in order to understand how proteins work in the livingcells. As sophisticated molecular biological techniques utilizingrecombinant DNA techniques have contributed greatly to theunderstanding of molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes,the emerging techniques of proteomics are expected to be driving forcesof the future biomedical sciences.Case Western Reserve University is already equipped with researchresources to carry out proteomic studies, including state-of-the-art massspectrometers, protein separation systems (both multi-dimensional HPLCand 2D-PAGE) and bioinformatics tools within the Center forProteomics, directed by Dr. Mark Chance. The Case VSRC in the pastyear has formed a partnership with the Center for Proteomics to utilizethe resources effectively for the vision scientists and proposes tostrengthen this relationship with the renewal of the P30 Core Grant. TheModule Director, Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski, Professor and Chair of theDepartment of Pharmacology, and its co-director, Dr. Masaru Miyagi,Assistant Professor in the Center for Proteomics, Ophthalmology, andPharmacology, both vision scientists will lead this effort. Together theywill be a bridge between the VSRC and the Center for Proteomics tofacilitate the use of proteomic approaches for the vision scientists at Case.As a result of Dr. Palczewski's recruitment last year, increasing demand for proteomics support including the recentrecruitment of Dr. Theodore Wensel, another nationally recognized vision scientist and former Director of the ProteomicsModule at Baylor), declining use of the majority of functions of the Bioinformatics Module, and the formation of theCenter for Proteomics by Case, a Proteomics Module was constituted in the fall of 2005 with the budget of this Modulesupported by the previous budget of the former Bioinformatics Module. The Proteomics Module laboratory will be withthe other Modules in the unified Institute of Pathology space for the VSRC on the 1st floor in the fall of 2006 (see adjacentdrawing).Along with the recruitment of Dr. Palczewski who already had a significant program in this area, the School hascreated the Center for Proteomics under the direction of Dr. Mark Chance. The facility (5,000 sq. ft) is located on the 9thfloor of the BRB Building. The equipment of this center is described in the Resource section below. The Center facilitiesare within 5 minutes walking distance from the current and future location of the Proteomics Module lab space byhallways and/or tunnel. The Proteomics Module facility is equipped with laboratory benches, cabinetry, central air, gasand vacuum hook-ups, cell culture room, dark room walk-in cold room and biochemistry laboratory.
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