Functional Protein Microarrays in Drug Discovery Posted by R Santhosh Kalash on 9/07/2013 01:21:00 pm No comments

Since their introduction in the 1990s, microarray-based technologies have had a tremendous impact on the biological sciences. One of the most exciting recent developments in this field is functional protein microarrays: microarrays with large numbers of correctly folded and functional proteins. Initially considered an impractical if not impossible goal, high-content functional protein microarrays have now proven their utility in a multitude of applications. While the ‘‘field’s” early successes have set the stage for the rapid growth now being witnessed, it is not without its challenges. Indeed, challenges are to be expected in a fast-moving interdisciplinary endeavor such as this, where molecular biology, protein chemistry, bioinformatics, engineering, and physical sciences all intersect.

Currently no book has addressed all aspects of functional protein microarrays in a coherent and integrated fashion. This book is intended to provide the first comprehensive reference for the field, addressing basic principles, methods, and applications. While intended primarily as a reference for industrial, academic, and government scientists, it is also suitable as a graduate-level supplementary text. The book is divided into five main sections, each addressing critical aspects of the field. The first focuses on the generation of functional protein content, which is the first and perhaps most challenging aspect of protein microarrays. The second section describes both “standard” and state-of-the-art fabrication methods, focusing on issues of particular significance to functional protein microarrays. Similarly, the third section reviews current and next-generation approaches to assay detection, which hold one key to the future of the field. The fourth and largest section is dedicated to applications. This section spans the breadth of published applications, from biomolecular interaction discovery and characterization (proteins, antibodies, DNA, small molecules) to humoral response biomarker profiling, enzyme substrate identification, and drug discovery. The final section addresses fundamental computational issues including image and data analysis as well as data visualization. The intent of this book is to provide the first integrated reference for functional protein microarrays.

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