The pilot phase of the Human Brain Proteome Project as a part of the Human Proteome Organisation has just been started. In two pilot studies, 18 different laboratories are analyzing mouse brains of three age stages and human brain autopsy versus biopsy material, respectively. The overall aim is to elucidate the portfolio of available techniques as well as to elaborate common standards. As a first step, it was decided to use the common bioinformatics platform ProteinScape that was introduced to the participating groups in a two day course in Bochum, Germany.