About Us
The goal of the High-Throughput Screening (HTS) facility is to provide screening-based services to aide research investigators in the identification and investigation of new compounds for basic research and pharmacological discovery. We have developed a highly dynamic environment that utilizes industry standard practices and novel technologies for biological screening.
The HTS facility is equipped to guide investigators through the drug discovery process from assay conception to lead compound identification. At the HTS facility, we serve the basic research needs of scientific investigators by providing walk-up or full-service access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, distribution of compound libraries, and informatics solutions.
OUR TEAM
Director
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Joshua A. Bauer, Ph.D. Director |
ASSAY DEVELOPMENT AND HIGH-THROUGHPUT SCREENING
The assay development and HTS team is a group of expert staff responsible for developing and automating biological assays as well as conducting biochemical and cell-based high-throughput screens to identify new lead compounds that benefit both mechanistic studies and drug discovery/development. Working closely with research investigators, the HTS team strives to provide rapid, cost-effective assay development and chemical library screening. The team aids in instrument training/assistance, assay optimization, pilot screening, automation, data capture and analysis, compound distribution, full library screening, and screen validation.
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Debbie Mi, Ph.D. Drug Discovery Scientist |
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Liangping Li, Ph.D. Staff Scientist |
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Tom Hasaka, Ph.D. Staff Scientist |
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Emily Days, Ph.D. Senior Research Analyst |
INFORMATICS
The HTS Informatics team is responsible for integrating automation and instrumentation with downstream data handling and reporting. This group maintains the laboratory technology infrastructure, including maintaining and troubleshooting instrumentation, robotic integration, network security, performing data backups, and managing data access. The team is also responsible for database management and information processing, including management of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). They perform systems analysis and programming as needed for instrument interfaces and integration, as well as extracting, reformatting, uploading, aggregating and/or analyzing data gathered in the course of HTS experiments. In addition, the group assists laboratory and scientific personnel with all their informatics needs, including overseeing data exchanges with research investigators.
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David Baughman, M.B.A. Research Program Manager |
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Chris Farmer, Ph.D. Software Architect |
COMPOUND MANAGEMENT
The HTS facility houses a state-of-the-art automated compound management system (Nexus Biosystems) that provides environmentally controlled storage and on-demand access to the library compounds. The chemical library collection consists of commercially purchased libraries as well as compounds synthesized by collaborating investigators to give a diverse array of chemical material for biological testing. Processes such as compound registration, storage, and handling all meet or exceed industry standards. Compounds can be dispensed into a variety of tube and plate formats (6-well to 384-well) to accommodate the research investigator’s needs.
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Corbin Whitwell Compound Management Specialist |
Lab Management
The HTS facility requires a dedicated person to maintain and manage inventory, supplies, and instruments.
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Sydnee Elmore Lab Manager |
INTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD
The Scientific Advisory Board for the Vanderbilt HTS Facility is an association of research investigators and leaders with proven track records in academic and industrial research programs. Together they oversee the intermediate and long-term goals of the facility; by advising on growth and diversification strategies, by assessing and prioritizing proposed projects that enter the facility, by critiquing success metrics, and by providing financial oversight and funding leadership. Members of the Internal Advisory Board are:
David K. Cortez, Ph.D.
Jerod Denton, Ph.D.
Margaret Read, Ph.D.
Selene Colon, Ph.D.
Gary Sulikowski, Ph.D.
Alex Waterson, Ph.D.
OTHER RESOURCES
The HTS facility is part of The Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology. The VICB has some of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art support core facilities in the nation. To learn more visit:
The Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
Molecular Design and Synthesis Center
VU/VUMC Core Facilities