Dr. Edward Shipwash introduces
breakthrough technologies for proteomics

by Dr. Edward Shipwash

With the realization that life is a manifestation of protein action, the new field of proteomics, which aims to determine the function of every protein in the body, has emerged worldwide. Ideally, a proteomic technique will enable the analysis of thousands of samples simultaneously. Massively paralleled analyses using microarrays provide miniaturized platforms for the simultaneous analysis of thousands of samples. Array technologies have revolutionized genomics and are expected to do the same for protein science. But until now, no such array core technologies have been developed for proteomics.

Introducing a totally new approach, Dr. Edward Shipwash has invented microarrays for amino acid analysis and protein sequencing, two of the fundamental and classical analyses of protein science. He has founded a company (AminoArrays, Inc.) to develop and commercialize these technologies.

Our team at AminoArrays, Inc. is developing Dr. Shipwash's array systems for the quantitative identification of thousands of proteins per day. The Shipwash method is highly quantitative and can be used as a screening tool for identification of differentially expressed proteins as potential biomarkers for cancers and other diseases and to identify novel drug targets. Because there is a poor correlation between levels of mRNA and protein amounts, researchers must look directly at protein levels in order to detect changes. Protein expression profiles (protein amounts) vary between normal and diseased cells, for example. One purpose of the Shipwash arrays is to develop and apply new methods that will provide information about changes in protein levels resulting from different biological phenomena.

And because all of Aminoarray's technologies employ laser induced fluorescence or other high specific activity labels (e.g. enzyme amplification labels), the detection is ultra-sensitive. Microarrays typically achieve attomole detection levels. This represents at least a 1000-fold increase in the sensitivity over current amino acid analyzers and protein sequencers. This is especially important for protein chemistry because some very important regulatory proteins are expressed at very small amounts.

Furthermore, the Shipwash arrays for protein end group sequencing may allow sequencing of thousands of proteins and polypeptides at both ends (N- and C-terminal) simultaneously in a single instrument. This method would identify proteins and modifications. For example, it would identify limited proteolysis, a common and important regulatory mechanism involved in a multiplicity of diseases and biological processes. Protein end group sequencing is pivotal to biological research.

Hence, Dr Shipwash's breakthrough technologies being developed by AminoArrays, Inc. may be the first truly massively paralleled core technologies for proteomics and should lead to in increase in throughput of at least 1000-fold for amino acid analysis and protein sequencing. .