Unlocking the Power of Proteins

Chemistry of Life Processes Institute (CLP) at Northwestern University is pioneering the greatest wave of biomedical innovation since the Human Genome Project opened the door for individualized medicine two decades ago. Known as proteomics, this fast-growing field identifies and measures the various forms of proteins (proteoforms) that link genes and disease in order to diagnose and treat threats to human health.

CLP houses the premier center for proteomics under the leadership of Neil Kelleher, a leading advocate for the Human Proteoform Project, a global initiative to map all proteins in the human body. Leveraging an unsurpassed capability to analyze proteins, the Institute is ready to launch the next era of precision medicine by discovering the changes in proteoforms that cause disease, creating sensitive diagnostics to catch disease early and prevent organ damage, and identifying new, proteoform-enabled targets for drug development and delivery.

Through its Convergence Research Initiatives, CLP assembles world-class teams of Northwestern chemists, clinicians, life scientists and engineers to transform how we diagnose, treat and, someday, cure devasting diseases that have eluded effective treatments, including liver and pancreatic cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Training the Next Generation of Scientists

CLP’s world-class research and training programs prepare Northwestern undergraduates and graduate students to tackle tomorrow’s biggest biomedical challenges. Students and trainees are required to work with two mentors from different disciplines to learn multiple languages of scientific inquiry. Our curricula emphasize skills development, rigor, reproducibility and hands-on training across a broad spectrum of instruments and methods.

Together with our partners across the University, Northwestern Medicine, and Lurie Cancer Center, we pioneer new science and hasten the delivery of life-changing innovations to society.