Praise for Proteomics

The method of the year for 2012 is targeted proteomics, says Methagora, Nature Methods' blog. "Targeted proteomics … offers a tantalizing opportunity to bring a sampling of the power of mass spectrometry to the wider community of biologists," writes Daniel Evanko there. "The assays are simpler, easier to run and well suited to the hypothesis-driven experiments that are the mainstay of biological research."

Evanko notes that proteomic techniques have been around in smaller-scale versions, like as Western blots or immunofluorescence, and targeted mass spectrometry "offers the possibility for thousands of labs to move away from, or supplement, Western blots; and improve the quality and quantity of their protein measurements."