about PSI
With the completion of the sequencing of the genomes of human and other organisms, attention has focused on the characterization and function of proteins, the products of genes. The availability of sequence data and the growing impact of structural biology on biomedical research have prompted scientific groups from several countries to undertake projects in the emerging field of structural genomics. The objective is to make these structures widely available for clinical and basic studies that will expand the knowledge of the role of proteins both in normal biological processes and in disease. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) played a major role in the early planning for structural genomics and in 1999 organized a national program, the Protein Structure Initiative.
PSI Mission
The long-range goal of the Protein Structure Initiative (PSI) is to make the three-dimensional atomic-level structures of most proteins easily obtainable from knowledge of their corresponding DNA sequences. Specific goals include:
- Developing methodology and technology to increase success rates and lower costs of structure determination,
- Constructing and automating the protein production and structure determination pipeline, and
- Determining unique protein structures (less than 30% identical in sequence to proteins for which structures had already been determined).
PSI Funding Opportunities
Listed here are active funding opportunities sponsored by the NIGMS/NIH, so that you can become part of the PSI effort.
Request for Applications
none at this time
Program Announcements
- Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins (PA-07-253, expiration: March 6, 2009)
Notices and Policies
Sponsored
- Administrative Supplements for Functional Studies Based on Results Obtained in the Protein Structure Initiative (NOT-GM-08-123, released March 13, 2008)
Participating
none at this time
PSI People
The Protein Structure Initiative - Nature Structural Genomics Knowledgebase (PSI-Nature SGKB) is a Resource Center within the PSI-2 Program. The goal of the Structural Genomics Knowledgebase is to turn the products of the Protein Structure Initiative effort into knowledge that is important for understanding living systems and disease.
PSI SGKB staff:
Helen M. Berman (Director, Rutgers University)
James Chun
Margaret J. Gabanyi
Raship Shah
Wendy Tao
John Westbrook
PSI Resource Leaders:
Models: Torsten Schwede, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics/Biozentrum University of Basel
Experimental Data Tracking: Andrei Kouranov, Rutgers University
Technology: Paul Adams, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Publications: Wladek Minor, University of Virginia
Materials Repository: Josh La Baer, Harvard Institute of Proteomics
PSI SGKB Steering Committee:
Eaton Lattman, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute (Chair)
Carol Bult, Jackson Labs
Stephen Burley, SGX Pharmaceuticals
Andrzej Joachimiak, Argonne National Laboratory
Wayne Hendrickson, Columbia University
Gaetano Montelione, Rutgers University
Rich Morimoto, Northwestern University
Ward Smith, NIGMS, NIH
Paul Sternberg, California Institute of Technology
Susan Wente, Vanderbilt University
Ian Wilson, The Scripps Research Institute
PSI Organization
The following links to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the NIH component that supports the PSI, provide the organizational details of the PSI-funded centers, steering committee, program staff, and advisory committee.
PSI-2 Steering Committee and Subcommittees
PSI Policies
PSI Policies on "Data Release and Sharing of Results and Materials"
PSI Policies on Community-Nominated Targets