High-Throughput Screening A key component of a successful drug discovery program is a versatile screening facility with well-designed experimental set-ups and a primary focus on quality control. Our clients receive the added advantage of deCODE's screening facility which is capable of carrying out low, medium and high-throughput screening (HTS) campaigns.
The screening facility was developed to reach the highest standards in experimental design, data acquisition, data processing and interpretation of results.
Assay Development and Support deCODE's high-throughput screening staff has experience with a wide variety of biological targets, and is therefore highly versatile when it comes to developing and supporting different types of biochemical or cell-based assays. Assay formats include 96- and 384-well systems. Our researchers have worked with membrane-bound receptors and with soluble enzymes. Our staff has also performed cell-based assays using different types of reporter genes and other enzymatic or colorimetric read-outs. These assays have employed the following approaches:
Filter binding assays
In vitro enzyme assays
Cell-based functional assays
Whole blood ex vivo assays
Assay methodologies used in our client programs span a broad range and are carefully selected based on the target of interest. Our research team is experienced and astute at employing various techniques to pursue optimal results when assaying different targets. Our assay design strategies and detection methods include:
ELISA (commercial and proprietary)
Colorimetric, fluorescence, fluorescence polarization (FP) and time resolved fluorescence (TRF)
Specialized Equipment deCODE utilizes state-of-the-art equipment in its facilities. Through extensive in-house technical and engineering support, our researchers are capable of tremendous flexibility when it comes to design and execution of specialized assays. Our integrated robotic technology as well as other equipment can also be set up for more manual control, specifically for use in low- to medium-throughput screening. Our available equipment includes the following:
LC/MS/MS and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry
Analyst (SpectraMax) HTS using fluorescence/FP/TRF
Data Quality and Tracking Through the use of integrated chemo-informatics software, deCODE provides complete data tracking, editing and quality control. Various quality control systems are used to maximize data quality and exclude reporting of erroneous data. Controls include strict guidelines for plate parameters such as Z-factors and B-scores. Data can be provided in formats convenient for client analysis or for archiving in your own chemo-informatics system.
