This book fulfils the need to keep up with the high number of innovations in proteomics, and at the same time to warn the readers about the danger of manufacturers and scientists claims around new technologies. Mass spectrometry stands as the core technology in proteomics. The emerging field of targeted proteomics and its potential applications in the cardiovascular arena are also reviewed and discussed. A concluding section highilghts the promise of proteomics in the light of these recent developments.​ As this technique and its applications have undergone remarkable advances in the past years, recent updates on proteomic applications are covered. Another key concept revealed by proteomic technologies is that the extent of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) as well as their impact on the phenotype has been underestimated by pre-proteomics science. As such, part of the manual focuses on the emerging role of PTMs in basic cardiovascular sciences and in the clinics. In fact, there is an emerging consensus that the detailed annotation of protein PTMs could lead to a more in-depth representation of biological systems, translating into more specific targets for therapy as well as biomarkers. Moreover, a recent trend is so-called “targeted proteomics”. The approach was awarded the title of “Method of the Year” by Nature in 2013 (see the editorial by Vivien Marx in 1st issue of Nature in Jan 2013). According to a few proteomic scientists the emphasis should not be placed on generating long lists of proteins but lists of proteins with a true biological meaning.

This cutting-edge book presents protocols and strategies for proteomic evaluation of cardiovascular disease written by pioneering researchers in the field. Topics explored in this comprehensive volume include obtaining specific heart proteins, techniques for identifying risk biomarkers of atherome plaque rupture, analyzing the secretome of explanted endarterectomies cultured in vitro, and phage display techniques for deciphering the molecular diversity of blood vessels.

This is the very first book to focus on this new approach that will eventually aid in developing new diagnostic markers and therapies for controlling and treating heart disease - the number-one killer in the industrialized world. Divided into two parts, the book describes not only the potentials, but also the limitations of these technologies. The editors, both well known within the scientific community, provide new insights into the biochemical and cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, as well as covering the transition into clinical applications. In so doing, they highlight the various strategies and technical aspects so as to assist the growing number of researchers intending to utilize these approaches. The result is an excellent way of educating and informing graduate students, post-doctoral fellows as well as researchers in academia and industry about the latest developments in this area.

Textbook of Pulmonary Vascular Diseases combines basic scientific knowledge on the pulmonary circulatory system at levels of the molecule, cell, tissue, and organ with clinical diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases. State-of-the-art techniques and their potential applications in research, diagnosis, and treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases are also covered.

Fibroproliferative diseases are a broad spectrum of entities from organ-specific involvement (e.g., pulmonary, heart, liver, and kidney fibrosis) to multi-system diseases such as systemic sclerosis and sclerodermatous graft vs. host disease. These diseases also encompass pathophysiologies not readily recognizably related, such as macular degeneration and cancer metastasis. Fibroproliferative diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and can affect all tissues and organ systems. Remarkable progress in elucidating the pathogenesis of these common diseases with fibrotic components, including the critical roles of myofibroblasts and the molecular mechanisms driving the transcriptional activation involved in the induction of fibrosis. As the importance of these processes is realized in the long-term recovery and treatment of diseases, effective anti-fibrotic therapies targeting the underlying ongoing disease processes are lacking. The complexity of discovering and applying therapies to fibroproliferative disease may be due to the diversity of the systems the pathogenesis of disease itself involves. By nature, fibroproliferative diseases are interdisciplinary, involving multiple cell types (organ-specific epithelial cells), immune cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Bone marrow, cytokines, and organ-specific pathologies further speckle both the clinical and scientific disciplines in such a way that communication is often limited to the clinical or scientific tribes we live in, despite the greatest access to information known to man available today. Therefore, the primary focus of this text is to bring together authors from a diversity of both clinical, scientific, and therapeutic backgrounds for readers to more fully appreciate that fantastic platform that is available to build upon to lessen the isolation of the clinical and scientific disciplines. With advances in the discovery of pre-clinical therapeutic targets (at least 20+ to date) involving TGF-beta (and other cytokines), transcription factors, and downstream kinases, it’s important to both recognize the broader impact and potential opportunities that exist even today. This book will serve as a state-of-the-art resource for physicians and translational medical researchers alike who are interested in the rapidly evolving field of fibroproliferative diseases. The book will provide new insight into the fundamental mechanisms of classic fibrotic pathophysiologic processes like myocardial infarction, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, wound healing, and systemic sclerosis. It will also highlight the many new areas of therapeutic investigation currently underway. Lastly, we will touch upon newly emerging fields investigating the role of fibrosis in macular degeneration and cancer metastasis. The chapters will be written by established experts in their fields, including clinicians (cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, pathologists, and general practitioners) and translational biomedical researchers in a wide range of disciplines. However, the material will certainly have a broader audience including medical residents, fellows, and general practitioners as well as M.D. or Ph.D. post-doctoral research fellows. While comprehensive, we'll attempt to present the material in a manner that simplifies the complex pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie common fibroproliferative diseases while making it appealing to a broad audience.

In this first book to provide an overview of applications of proteomics in the discovery of new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets, a team of international specialists from research institutions, hospitals and companies contribute with their specific expertise. They cover a wide range of example applications for the most important diseases, such as heart and cardiovascular disorders, cancer, pharmatoxicology, infectious diseases and diseases of the nervous system. Denis Hochstrasser is an eminent scientist in the field of bioinformatics and proteomics and one of the founders of the Swiss Prot Databank as well as of the Swiss biotech company Genebio.