Clinical proteomics and molecular pathology

Genomic and proteomic research is launching the next era of cancer molecular medicine. Molecular expression profiles can uncover clues to functionally important molecules in the development of human disease and generate information to subclassify human tumors and tailor a treatment to the individual patient. The next revolution is the synthesis of proteomic information into functional pathways and circuits in cells and tissues. Such synthesis must take into account the dynamic state of protein post-translational modifications; protein-protein or protein-DNA/RNA interactions; cross-talk between signal pathways; and feedback regulation within cells, between cells, and between tissues. This full set of information may be required before we can fully dissect the specific dysregulated pathways driving tumorigenesis. This higher level of functional understanding will be the basis for true rational therapeutic design that specifically targets the molecular lesions underlying human disease.