On the International Stage

HUPO: Human Proteome Organization

ProFI is actively implicated in the C-HPP initiative (Chromosome-centric Human Proteome Project) managed by HUPO. This very ambitious project aims to systematically identify all the protein forms present in all tissues, cell type and fluids of the human body through the massive use of proteomics. It combines the efforts of over 25 national networks worldwide. The work of cataloguing the proteins expressed was organized by chromosome, and France was allocated responsibility for chromosome 14. This work was carried out in the context of a close collaboration with Swiss teams (coordinator Lydie Lane; chromosome 2). After a first publication (Carapito et al., 2015), our activity within C-HPP was followed by a new large study analysing proteins expressed in the human testis and sperm (coll C. Pineau; Vandenbrouck et al., 2016  ; Carapito et al., 2017). ProFI contacts: Yves Vandenbrouck, Christine Carapito

HUPO Bioinformatics Hub. Members of ProFI were at the initiative of the Bioinformatic Hub which is now a recurrent event at HUPO since 2015 and participate to the management of this gathering. The Bioinformatics Hub is a place where bioinformaticians gather together with three aims:

  1. to provide their advice, knowledge, and support to anyone with a relevant question;
  2. to discuss current issues and challenges in proteomics informatics with the entire community;
  3. to work on interesting, synergistic projects and to freely exchange tools, algorithms and know-how with each other, across all labs, seniorities and levels of experience. ProFI contacts: Yves Vandenbrouck, David Bouyssié

EUPA Initiatives: European Proteomics Association

ProFI is also largely involved in the EuPA Bioinformatics Community (EuBIC). ProFI participated to the EuBIC kickoff meeting (Dortmund, December 2015) and was an actor of both the “Bioinformatics Bazar” (the equivalent of the HUPO “Bioinformatics hub”) during the EuPA 2016 congress and the 2017 EuBIC workshop. ProFI contact: David Bouyssié

ProFI is actively involved in the initiative launched by EuPA for the assessment of standards in proteomics (“EuPA standardisation” initiative). Fernando Corrales, coordinator of this initiative, actively sought out ProFI after having heard of our work and seen our publications related to the development of robust quantitative methods in label free proteomics (Ramus et al., 2016). We were involved in an inter-laboratory study of a complex protein sample which is used as a standard for the quantitative analysis of phosphoproteins. The results of this study was presented during the EuPA 2016 conference in a session dedicated to this initiative. ProFI contact: Odile Schiltz

ELIXIR: Life Science Resources Accros Europe

ELIXIR unites Europe’s leading life science organisations in managing and safeguarding the increasing volume of data being generated by publicly funded research. In that context, together with IFB (Institut Français de Bioinformatique) ProFI has been involved in brainstormings about the future of proteomics in ELIXIR (Vizcaino et al., 2017). ProFI contact: Myriam Ferro