Since more than a decade proteomics is the method of choice for the life science sector as genetics could not cure all human diseases. Unfortunately, the world of proteins is far more complex than the genome; and a proper analysis can be extremely expensive and time consuming. In addition, the need of standards, standard operation procedures (SOPs) and common rules is obvious. Therefore, the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO, www.hupo.org) was founded in 2001 aiming at the optimisation, the spreading of proteomics techniques and demonstrating its potentials. In order to focus the expertises of the participating scientists, tissue-related initiatives got together under the roof of HUPO that voluntarily analysed one distinct human organ with proteomics means. The very first initiatives were the HUPO Plasma Proteome Project (HUPO PPP or HPPP), the HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP/HBPP) as well as the HUPO Liver Proteome Project (HUPO LPP/HLPP). During the last seven years, several initiatives were added (as to end of 2007), namely the Human Antibody Initiative (HAI), the Mouse Models of human Disease (MMHD), the Human Disease Glycomics/Proteome Initiative (HGPI), the HUPO Cardiovascular Initiative (HUPO CVI), the Proteome Biology of Stem Cells Initiative and the Proteomics Standards Initiative (HUPO PSI, www.psidev.info), defining proteomics controlled vocabularies as well as common standards. HUPO has developed criteria for new initiatives to be found at HUPO´s homepage.