“…Among these, 2-gel electrophoresis (2DE) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), as well as two-dimension liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry, were considered as state-of-the-art for almost a decade in discovery proteomics. However, the application of affinity-based, high multiplex methods such as the here-used aptamer-based SOMAscan, or the proximity extension assay (PEA, Olink), technologies are being applied increasingly with great success to an ever increasing number of clinically relevant studies [ 17 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 26 , 33 ]. So far, the SOMAscan technology has been linked to the biomarker discovery of various chronic and acute diseases [ 22 , 24 , 25 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”