"The study of the proteome is complex. It is much larger than the human genome. The genome has about 20,000 genes, while these can generate about a million proteins. Only through a coordinated international effort will it be possible to decipher it."

This has been pointed out by Fernando Corrales, Full Professor of Biochemistry and director of the Proteomics and Bioinformatics Platform of the CIMA of the University of Navarra. The scientist, who is also coordinator general of the National Proteomics Platform ProteoRed -ISCIII, participates in the meeting world Human Proteome (HUPO) that closes this Wednesday, October 8 in Madrid.

The event will include scientists from the universities of Stanford, California or Johns Hopkins, among others, and research centers such as the German Max Planck, the Centre Sante`Clinical Proteomics in Luxembourg or the SIB in Switzerland. Proteomics is a recent discipline that analyzes biological systems (a set of similar organs and Structures that work to fulfill some physiological function) making it possible to finding biomarkers useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases as well as targets for the development of new drugs.

The human proteome or proteins," explains the expert, "are the tools of cells to perform functions, while genes are the instructions or the program to physically build a living being. In order to execute this program, proteins are necessary. Therefore, the study of proteins is useful to understand how the human body works and how diseases are produced".      

Among the topics discussed at congress were the latest technological advances and the various applications of proteomics in the study of diseases such as cancer, obesity, inflammatory and rheumatic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and infectious diseases.

The Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) is an international scientific association that represents and promotes proteomics through international cooperation and partnership , fostering the development of new technologies, techniques and the training for a better understanding of human disease.