Data generated by the Human Genome Project and associated advances in biotechnology are fuelling interest in protein science, especially proteomics. However, studying the proteome or full protein complement of an organism is a much bigger challenge than its genome. CSIRO scientists are using proteomics, structural biology and related approaches to study a range of health problems in humans and livestock. Other CSIRO scientists are using bioinformatics to deal with the huge databases generated by proteomics and genomics.