Proteomics is, by definition, comprehensive
and large-scale, seeking
to unravel ome-level protein features with phenotypic information
on an entire system, an organ, cells, or organisms. This scope consistently
involves and extends beyond single experiments. Multitudinous resources
now exist to assist in making the results of proteomics experiments
more findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR), yet
many tools are awaiting to be adopted by our community. Here we highlight
strategies for expanding the impact of proteomics data beyond single
studies. We show how linking specific terminologies, identifiers,
and text (words) can unify individual data points across a wide spectrum
of studies and, more importantly, how this approach may potentially
reveal novel relationships. In this effort, we explain how data sets
and methods can be rendered more linkable and how this maximizes their
value. We also include a discussion on how data linking strategies
benefit stakeholders across the proteomics community and beyond.