INTERACTION PROTEOME started out as the largest EU-funded project in the field of proteomics with the mission to develop novel technologies for proteomics research.

It was awarded a total of 12 Million Euros within the Research Framework Programme 6 of the European Commission and initiated in January 2004.

After four years of activity, INTERACTION PROTEOME has currently reached a “harvesting stage”.

New generation instrumentation, including the first prototypes of

• the LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer by partner Thermo Electron (now ThermoFischer), Bremen, and
• the Titan Krios electron microscope (EM) equipped with an innovative sample autoloader system and a dual-axis tomography stage, developed by partner FEI Company, Eindhoven,

were delivered in 2005 and 2007, respectively. The instruments have been fully integrated into the work flow. These innovations drastically facilitate large-scale data gathering. Consequently, experimental throughput has increased significantly during project lifetime.

Towards completion of the INTERACTION PROTEOME project in June 2009, the development of tools for the storage, dissemination and comprehensive analysis of large amounts of data has become the focal area of activity.