In a scientific paper written to support his doctoral thesis, Wilkins kept having to write the clumsy phrase "all proteins expressed by a genome." After trying a couple of other contenders that failed to roll off the tongue, he settled on "proteome." In September 1994, Wilkins used the new coinage at a scientific conference in Italy. His audience bought it.

And now others are buying. Since June 2000, venture capitalists and stock offerings have pumped more than $700 million into proteomics companies. Genomics companies and big pharmaceutical firms are starting their own proteomics divisions. More than 70 companies are now attacking some piece of the proteomics problem, each with a specific technology and angle of approach.