The High Throughput Screening (HTS) facility at the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology is a highly dynamic environment that utilizes industry standard practices and novel technologies for biological screening and drug discovery- from assay development to lead compound identification. The HTS facility serves the basic research needs of scientific investigators by providing walk-up or full-service access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, including the XLS High-Content Imaging System (ImageXpress Micro XLS System) imaging system, as well as distribution of compound and siRNA libraries, HTS and automation, and data analysis/informatics solutions.
High-content imaging (HCI) has been used for both basic biology research and drug discovery within the HTS facility. The ImageXpress Micro XLS System is included on an integrated robotic screening platform with full liquid handling, plate washing/dispensing, automated incubator, and more. This platform is used for imagebased HTS campaigns that are scheduled through automation software and operated remotely for streamlined data acquisition and storage. This HCI system has been widely used at Vanderbilt to screen a variety of biological models including: virus, bacteria, cells (live and fixed), tissue, tissue microarrays (TMAs), 3D culture models, and whole organisms (e.g. zebrafish).
The ImageXpress Micro XLS System is also well suited for HTS in conjunction with the large compound library collection, or to assess mechanism of action or execute target validation studies in conjunction with the siRNA libraries for functional genomic screening. Some examples that the system has screened for include: mechanisms of viral infectivity, biomarker analysis, multinucleated cells and micronuclei, cell cycle analysis, cell health, apoptosis, protein translocation, protein-protein interactions (PLA), protein expression, GPCR activation, iPS cardiomyocyte beat rates, zebrafish morphologies/phenotypes, neurite outgrowth and toxicity, antibody validation, whole-genome siRNA screening, cell-derived giant plasma membrane vesicles, RNA transcripts (RNAscope®), tumor biopsy markers and FISH, 3D tumor spheroids, drug response and synthetic lethality screens, mechanisms of action and drug combination studies.
The system.
ImageXpress Micro XLS
High-Content Analysis System