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A co-founder of the global Human Proteome Project, Humphery-Smith is an expert in proteomics — the analysis of the missing links between the genetic code and the disease process.
Glaucus Proteomics, the Dutch company he runs, aims to use advanced technologies, including robotics and supercomputing, to produce a protein chip that can screen hundreds of thousands of antibodies against billions of antigens — numbers never previously envisaged in the biological sciences.
Once this is accomplished it will be possible to create synthetic drugs that can work on a particular protein without affecting others, minimizing the risk of toxic side effects. Longer term, the company will focus on proprietary databases, information essential to the use of antibody arrays for proteomic screening of human cells and tissues.
At a biochip meeting in Philadelphia last November, Glaucus was recognized as the leader in the array-based proteomics field.
The Vision Thing: "Drugs have always been discovered by chance. Our goal is to use computing science to look deeper at what makes people sick, to turn this drug discovery process, disease prevention or curing process into something that is mathematically driven."
Forward Spin: It will be at least two-and-a-half to three years before a protein chip can emulate all of the different human protein compositions. Glaucus Proteomics just might be first with a such a highly accurate proteomics chip.
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