The Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) Proteomics Standards
Initiative
(PSI) has been successfully developing guidelines, data formats, and
controlled vocabularies (CVs) for the proteomics community and other
fields supported by mass spectrometry since its inception 20 years
ago. Here we describe the general operation of the PSI, including
its leadership, working groups, yearly workshops, and the document
process by which proposals are thoroughly and publicly reviewed in
order to be ratified as PSI standards. We briefly describe the current
state of the many existing PSI standards, some of which remain the
same as when originally developed, some of which have undergone subsequent
revisions, and some of which have become obsolete. Then the set of
proposals currently being developed are described, with an open call
to the community for participation in the forging of the next generation
of standards. Finally, we describe some synergies and collaborations
with other organizations and look to the future in how the PSI will
continue to promote the open sharing of data and thus accelerate the
progress of the field of proteomics.