Center for Physiological Proteomics

Overview

The Center for Physiological Proteomics (CPP) is a high-end mass spectrometry (MS) center located on TSRI's La Jolla Campus. Established in 2008, the CPP is dedicated to engaging in sophisticated proteomics collaborations with biological researchers both within and outside of TSRI, offering a valuable resource for research groups interested in proteomics, but lacking the in-house equipment or expertise to perform these experiments independently.

Research Mission

The annotation of enzymatic pathways and signaling networks underlying all patho/physiological processes represents an enormous challenge for researchers in the post-genomic era and an essential step for identification of therapeutic targets for treatment of human disease.

The CPP was established to create a unique enterprise for high-end proteomics collaborations with investigators both within TSRI and at other research institutes and universities around the world. These interactions can extend beyond performing proteomics experiments for external collaborators to include the training of interested researchers in state-of-the-art MS-based proteomic methods.

Center Organization

The CPP is directed by Dr. John Yates and co-directed by Dr. Benjamin Cravatt. Dr. Yates is a world-renowned leader in the field of proteomics, where his group has pioneered numerous transforming technologies, including Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT) for shotgun proteomics, the SEQUEST and DTASelect search and data analysis algorithms, and the Stable Isotope Labeling of Amino Acids in Mammals (SILAM) method for quantitative proteomics in mammals. Dr. Cravatt is a leader in the field of functional proteomics, with research aimed at elucidating the roles that mammalian enzymes play in critical physiological and pathological processes, including cancer progression, neurotransmission, and drug abuse/addiction. His research group has developed multiple cutting-edge proteomics technologies including activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), competitive ABPP for inhibitor discovery and development, and the Protein Topography and Migration Analysis Platform (PROTOMAP) for identification of proteolytic cleavage events.

The CPP is staffed by multiple Ph.D.-level scientists and technicians with extensive experience in all aspects of MS-based proteomics, including experimental design, sample preparation, and data analysis and interpretation.

Facilities

The 2000 square-foot facility houses multiple state-of-the art mass spectrometers (LTQs, an LTQ-Orbitrap ETD, and Triple Quadrupole instruments) and complete lab facilities for cell culture, synthetic chemistry, and sample preparation. The CPP also has computational infrastructure available for MS data analysis.