Proteomics in drug discovery

Drug discovery is a prolonged process that uses a variety of tools from diverse fields. To accelerate the process, a number of biotechnologies, including genomics, proteomics and a number of cellular and organismic methodologies, have been developed. Proteomics development faces interdisciplinary challenges, including both the traditional (biology and chemistry) and the emerging (high-throughput automation and bioinformatics). Emergent technologies include two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, protein arrays, isotope-encoding, two-hybrid systems, information technology and activity-based assays. These technologies, as part of the arsenal of proteomics techniques, are advancing the utility of proteomics in the drug-discovery process.