Biological Sciences Division
Research Highlights

September 2012

Mass Spec Makes the Clinical Grade

Protein assays matching sensitivity and accuracy of antibody-based clinical tests might speed drug discovery, basic biology research

Combining two well-established analytic techniques and adding a twist identifies proteins from blood with as much accuracy and sensitivity as the antibody-based tests used clinically, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers report this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition online. The technique should be able to speed up development of diagnostic tests and treatments based on proteins specific to certain diseases.

See the PNNL News Center for more information.

PNNL scientists developed a mass spectrometry-based technique called PRISM, illustrated here, to identify protein biomarkers associated with cancer and other diseases.