One of the most impactful outputs of the proteomics field is the discovery and validation of novel Biomarker Identification—molecules that indicate a specific biological state, disease presence, or prognosis. Proteins are superior biomarkers because their levels and modifications reflect the actual pathology in real-time. Proteomics, particularly using body fluids like serum, plasma, or urine, allows for minimally invasive, large-scale profiling to compare protein expression patterns between healthy and diseased cohorts.

Proteomic workflows can uncover three types of crucial markers: diagnostic markers for early detection, prognostic markers to predict disease aggressiveness, and predictive markers to guide therapy selection. For example, proteomics has led to the discovery of highly specific protein panels for early-stage ovarian cancer detection, which is typically diagnosed late. The challenge now lies in the rigorous validation of these candidates across large, diverse patient populations to translate them into robust, reliable diagnostic tests for routine clinical use.

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