Proteomics data representation and management

Proteomics is rapidly evolving into a high-throughput technology, in which substantial studies are conducted on samples from a wide range of physiological, developmental, or pathological conditions. This gives rise to a need for techniques and technologies that enable the systematic description and capture of experimental data and metadata, which will allow for the archiving, sharing, and analysis of proteomic data sets. This chapter identifies the different aspects of an experiment that must be captured, and the derived information that underpins the interpretation of such data. Keywords: data standards; XML; 2Dgel; mass spectrometry