About Us

The High-Throughput Screening (HTS) facility aims to provide screening-based services to aid research investigators in identifying and investigating 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. 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

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.

	Debbie Mi, Ph.D. Drug Discovery Scientist
	Liangping Li, Ph.D. Staff Scientist
	Tom Hasaka, Ph.D. Staff Scientist
	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 the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) management.  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.

	David Baughman, MBA Research Program Manager
	Chris Farmer, Ph.D. Software Architect
	Claire Hanson, Ph.D. Software Engineer

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 materials 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.

Corbin Whitwell Compound Management Specialist

Lab Management

The HTS facility requires a dedicated person to maintain and manage inventory, supplies, and instruments.

	Sydnee Elmore Lab Manager
	K.J. Cox Undergraduate Research Assistant

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, assessing and prioritizing proposed projects that enter the facility, critiquing success metrics, and providing financial oversight and funding leadership. Members of the Internal Advisory Board are:

• Alex Waterson, Ph.D., (Chair)
• Jerod Denton, Ph.D. (Professor, School of Medicine, Anesthesiology, Professor, Department of Pharmacology)
• Colleen Niswender, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology)
• Allison Walker, Ph.D. (VICB Associate Director Cheminformatics, Chemistry)
• Scott Hiebert, Ph.D. (CCSG-SROG representatives)
• Margaret Read, Ph.D. (CTTC, Ancora Project Manager)
• Mary Heath, MBA (Assist. Dean of Administration)
• Selene Colon, Ph.D. (Assist. Dean for Research)
• Gary Sulikowski, Ph.D. (VICB Deputy Director)
• Doug Mitchell, Ph.D.(VICB Incoming Director)

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