23rd ASMS Sanibel Conference on Mass Spectrometry
From Fragmentation Mechanisms to Sequencing:  Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Based Peptide and Protein Identification
January 21 - 24, 2011
Program Chairs: Bela Paizs, DKFZ, Heidelberg
and Matthias Mann, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry

The central information unit in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) based proteomics studies is the product ion spectrum of peptides or intact proteins. Most of the basic biological and clinical investigations in proteomics face the problem of peptide or protein sequencing from raw MS/MS data. Current data-processing strategies apply fragmentation models to describe how peptides and proteins fragment in mass spectrometers and then bioinformatics approaches that attempt to derive sequences based on these fragmentation models from the raw spectral data. It is now widely accepted in the proteomics community that robust peptide sequencing requires improved fragmentation models and bioinformatics strategies.
 
Historically peptide fragmentation chemistry and bioinformatics tools for sequencing were developed by two distinct communities and the interaction between the two was rather limited. On the other hand, both communities work with the same goal; the development and implementation of an accurate/error-free peptide and protein sequencing strategy. As a result recent mechanistic insights into peptide fragmentation hardly infiltrate the most popular sequencing softwares that are mainly based on peptide fragmentation models created in the mid 90s. The proposed conference program will bring the peptide fragmentation and bioinformatics communities closer to another by offering a forum to create a common language, exchange ideas, and establish joint research projects. Researchers pursuing studies in basic peptide fragmentation, MS-related bioinformatics, and practical proteomics are expected to attend.