The present invention provides methods and systems for identifying and classifying epitopes and use of that information to analyze proteins and peptides within proteins, especially potential epitopes, and to use the information to design synthetic peptides and proteins, analyze biopharmaceutical proteins, and diagnose autoimmune conditions. Peptides which are bound in MHC grooves comprise two sets of amino acids: those that face inwards into the groove and determine the binding affinity to the MHC molecule (the groove exposed motifs or GEM) and those which do not interact with the groove but rather are on the obverse side exposed outwardly to the T-cells (the T-cell exposed Motifs or TCEM). The present invention utilizes information related to the identity and physiochemical characteristics of the GEM and TCEM.