C-HPP

Read more

Appendix 5

Proposal for Restructuring C-HPP Teams to Stimulate Scientific Activity of Individual Teams and Cross-Chromosome Studies

1. Aims

• To stimulate activity of each team and work performance of chromosome-based proteomics research in a cooperative manner, resulting in more credible and reproducible results.
• To improve efficiency and make a closer working relationship between chromosome teams and their resource pillar towards completion of the scientific goals.
• To make a strong research focus of chromosome teams using the advanced proteomics platform technologies and resources, enabling secure research funding.

2. Why we need restructuring?

• As the technology in proteomics research and large scale competitive publications came out recently, it was necessary for us to closely re-examine the direction of ongoing projects and C-HPP teams’ operation to ensure we continually are at upfront in the studies of Chromosome-based proteomics.
• At the juncture of a half past in Phase I (2012.9-2018.9), the C-HPP leadership felt that some changes in our working structure and consortium operation are necessary as the strong demands on better corporation between teams are emerging, making necessary to develop a team approach to achieve our scientific goals.
• It is also noticed that at present there exist some differences among the consortium teams with respect to research productivity (e.g., publications to JPR special issues, 2013-2015), efficiency of collaborations, level of secured funding and team management. Thus, to improve the current situation, leadership of C-HPP and HPP had an informal meeting in Milano, Italy (June 25, 2015) and they came up with an idea on restructuring the current C-HPP teams.
• C-HPP leadership felt that the structural changes need to be done stepwise without disturbing overall organization. This new move will give us a golden opportunity to reshape the leadership (PI) of our individual chromosome teams, if necessary, and build new team networks to achieve our scientific goals.

3. Expected Outcomes

• Restructuring our C-HPP associated teams with a strong focus on the project will bring streamline in the leadership of each team and logistical strategy on completing the project. It will also be a good chance in getting more efficient research works for clustered teams.
• This new move will not only stimulate less active teams by giving them an opportunity to identify a new PI as well as additional working members but also make synergistic outputs by working together with other teams across chromosomes under the specific goals (e.g., missing protein validation, data integration, disease mechanism, biological studies using the same resources and technology platform).
• Regarding more efficient collaboration within HPP group, since C-HPP has a strong technological aspect to improve detection of proteoforms (including missing proteins), we can enhance our collaboration with B/D-HPP teams. For instace, if we identify a missing protein or a proteoforms, we can provide the analytical method to study their functionalities. This should define the collaboration with B/D-HPP teams with addition that they can be a source of precious sample collection for the studies of biological/pathological implications of missing proteins, important for both teams.
• With restructured team, more efforts will be put on metrics to unequivocally define those newly detected protein/proteoforms. Further to this, we can build a consensus on identification of cell types, tissues or biological conditions providing the highest probability of detecting a given protein/proteoform. This also brings improved methods and workflows allowing detection and quantification of missing proteins/proteoforms.

Proposed Action Items by Each Team

Step 1: Each PI of chromosome team may consult his/her team members first and discuss what type of changes would enhance their current operation as well as collaboration to achieve their goals. If this step goes well, then they proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Each team will identify potential new members (e.g., PI, co-PIs, supportive groups, associate members etc.) and partner(s) and start contacting them by email or phone calls before the Vancouver Sunday (Sept 27) workshop. If necessary, they can seek some advice from the C-HPP co-chairs.
Step 3: C-HPP will hold a Break-out session from 11:30 to 13:30 at Room 18, Sunday, Sept 27, in Vancouver Convention Center. In this meeting, they can freely exchange their view on this proposal for their own team development and the potential benefits from this restructuring effort, and each PI reports the outcomes from this discussion to whole group at the meeting. More specifically, 13:30“Interaction with SSAB and Reports from Breakout Sessions (led by Mike Snyder). We also would like to encourage all teams to establish team’s long-term plans (2015.9-2018.9, Phase I and 2018.9-2022.9, Phase II) including the research funding.
Step 4: All decisions made at this meeting will be reported to C-HPP EC and also be ratified by PIC members at PIC meeting on Tuesday, 13:15-14:15, at Room 12. Although this will conclude the debate on the restructuring plan, we will continue to put our all efforts to improve our organizational operation to accomplish our scientific goals throughout the project period (till Sept 10, 2022).

Click here to go the overview of C-HPP activities in HUPO 2015, Vancouver.