Predicting Disease Risk with Proteomics: A New Era for Preventive Medicine

Proteomics offers a way to forecast future health by reading the body’s protein fingerprints. In this episode, host Chris Smith speaks with kidney disease expert Andrew Frankel and Proteomics International’s Richard Lipscomb and Kirsten Peters about how measuring patterns of proteins in blood can predict which patients will develop kidney disease years before symptoms appear. The discussion covers protein marker panels, the limitations of current screening, and how three new tests—ProMarker D, ProMarker ESO, and ProMarker Endo—aim to transform prevention for diabetes-related kidney disease, esophageal cancer, and endometriosis. The program also weighs the economics of early intervention and the broader potential of proteomics to shift health care from reaction to prevention.

Overview of proteomics in medicine

The Naked Scientists episode focuses on how measuring a constellation of protein markers in blood can reveal patterns linked to future disease risk. Unlike single-gene tests, proteomics looks at the entire protein landscape, capturing how biology changes with age, infection, and disease progression. The conversation features Proteomics International’s Richard Lipscomb and Kirsten Peters, alongside clinician Andrew Frankel, who discuss the need for early detection to prevent end-stage kidney disease and related costs.

Marker discovery and validation

Proteomics uses mass spectrometry to map protein fragments in patient samples. By comparing spectra from those who do and do not have disease, researchers identify a panel of biomarkers whose combined profile predicts risk far in advance. The approach accounts for variation by sex, ethnicity, age, and disease stage, using complex statistical models and machine learning to extract meaningful patterns from large datasets.

ProMarker tests and clinical impact

The team describes three diagnostic tests already launched: ProMarker D for kidney disease in diabetes, ProMarker ESO for esophageal cancer risk, and ProMarker Endo for endometriosis. ProMarker D can predict kidney disease up to four years ahead in people with type 2 diabetes, addressing a silent killer that current tests often miss until damage has occurred. ProMarker ESO aims to reduce the need for invasive endoscopies by providing a blood-based rule-out. ProMarker Endo seeks to shorten the typical diagnostic delay for endometriosis from years to weeks, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Economic and health system implications

Prevention is framed as both better patient care and cost-savings for health systems like the NHS, where dialysis for kidney failure is expensive. The discussion explores the economics of early intervention, including the potential to reallocate resources toward risk-based screening and targeted therapies that slow or prevent disease progression.

Looking ahead

Beyond proteins, the conversation touches on integrating genetic and clinical data, enabling a multi-omics approach to forecast disease trajectories years in advance. The panel remains optimistic that future improvements will extend the lead time for prevention and broaden the range of conditions that can be anticipated and mitigated through personalized medicine.

"Protein fingerprint patterns across many markers reveal disease risk far better than single markers" - Richard Lipscomb, Managing Director, Proteomics International

"By mapping the entire proteome, we can identify panels of proteins that reliably predict future disease" - Kirsten Peters, Lead on clinical studies, Proteomics International

"Preventing end-stage kidney disease saves money and dialysis costs, so early detection is not just better for health but also cheaper" - Smeta Sinha, Consultant Nephrologist, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust