title: Proteomic analyser with applications to diagnostics and vaccines.
abstract: This paper describes a method for proteomic analysis with applications to diagnostics and vaccines. A panel of N (> or = 1) reagents called X(j), with j = 1 to N, is used. The binding strength of each of the X(j) reagents to each other is measured, for example by an ELISA assay, giving an N x N matrix K. The matrix K is used to define another set of N reagents called Y(j), with j = 1 to N, each of which is a linear combination of the X(j) reagents and each of which is tailored to be complementary to one of the X(j) reagents. Each of the N pairs of reagents X(j) and Y(j) defines an axis in an N-dimensional shape space. The definition of these axes facilitates proteomic analysis of diverse biological samples, for example, mixtures of proteins such as serum samples or T cell extracts. A method for defining and measuring similarity between pairs of biological samples and between sets of biological samples in the context of the set of N reagent pairs is described. This leads to methods for using the N reagent pairs in the diagnosis of diseases and in the formulation of preventive and therapeutic vaccines. The relationship of this work to previous research on shape space is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z1 Canada.
authors.forename: Geoffrey W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D020543:Proteome; D014612:Vaccines