ANZFSS NSW – 2023 Annual General Meeting – Proteomics in Forensic Science: From Basic to Applications

Proteins in their most basic form are a linear chain of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. They are the workhorse macromolecules of the cell with a diverse array of structures and functions. Proteomics refers to the large-scale study of proteomes (the entire set of proteins that are or can be produced by a cell, tissue or organism) with the aim of identifying and quantifying proteoform abundance changes between samples (or over time) or investigating the involvement of specific proteoforms in metabolic pathways. It is important to note that the proteome, similar to the metabolome, is extremely dynamic and differs from cell to cell and varies over time, which poses challenges in the experimental design. Analytical advances in mass spectrometric techniques in recent years have led to the development of a multitude of proteomics workflows, which have also been incorporated into forensic science research. Most commonly, so called “bottom-up” experiments are conducted, where during sample preparation the proteoforms are broken down into smaller peptides by means of an enzyme (e.g. trypsin)

The resulting peptide fragments can then be readily analysed using targeted or untargeted liquidchromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Current examples of forensic applications utilising proteomics workflows include (but are not limited to) body fluid and tissue identification, proteomic genotyping, sex and age estimation, estimation of the postmortem interval as well as estimation of the age of a deposited blood sample. While proteomic analytical approaches have the potential to support and improve forensic casework practices in the future, most studies are still in the discovery phase and require thorough validation before implementation.

All are welcome to join, please see below for details!

This event will also host a short Annual General Meeting for the NSW Branch, please come along to influence the ongoing prosperity of the branch. Refreshments will be provided.

Doors Open: 6:00 PM

AGM starts: 6:45 PM (Zoom video broadcast will commence at this time for online attendees).

Presentation Starts: After AGM ~7:00-7:15 PM

Location: Henry Carmichael Theatre, Sydney Mechanics School of Arts 280 Pitt St Sydney

Ticket Costs:
Current ANZFSS Members: Free
Non-Members: $20
Zoom Video Link Only: Free