Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Drug Discovery: Overview

Drug Discovery: Overview

Drug discovery is a multifaceted process involving extensive screening, testing, and optimization of lead compounds to identify potential new drugs for therapeutic use. It combines several approaches, including screening large numbers of natural products, chemical modification of known active molecules, identification of new drug targets, and rational design based on biological mechanisms and drug-receptor structure. These approaches are carried out in both academic research laboratories and...

Patch Clamp

Patch Clamp

Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...

Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design

Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design

Drug design is a dynamic field that involves discovering and developing new medications based on specific biological targets. This process heavily relies on structure-activity relationships (SAR) and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) to guide the design and optimization of efficient drugs.
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence its...

Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

Advances in genomics have profoundly influenced drug discovery by increasing both the speed and accuracy of pharmaceutical development. Pharmacogenomics, which examines how genetic variation influences drug response, facilitates the identification of novel therapeutic targets and enables patient stratification for personalized treatment. These strategies contribute to improved drug efficacy, minimized adverse effects, and more efficient clinical trial design.Mapping genetic differences...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A New Fetal Hemoglobin-Related Phenotype in Sickle Cell Anemia.

American journal of hematology·2026

Same author

Methaemoglobinaemia: From pathophysiology to contemporary clinical management.

British journal of haematology·2026

Same author

Hydroxyurea Delays the Onset of Hyposplenism in Young Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

American journal of hematology·2026

Same author

From KRAS<sup><i>G12D</i></sup> to Pan-KRAS Inhibitors─A Journey Enabled by Synthetic Innovation and Structure-Based Drug Design.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2026

Same author

High Mannose Glycans: A Marker of Early Red Cell Life and Death.

American journal of hematology·2026

Same author

Modeling lipid homeostasis using stable isotope tracing and flux analysis.

Cell metabolism·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Nano-Differential Scanning Fluorimetry for Screening in Fragment-based Lead Discovery

Nano-Differential Scanning Fluorimetry for Screening in Fragment-based Lead Discovery

Published on: May 16, 2021

Experiences in fragment-based drug discovery.

Christopher W Murray¹, Marcel L Verdonk, David C Rees

¹Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0QA, UK. chris.murray@astx.com

Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

|March 31, 2012

Summary

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) offers a viable alternative to high-throughput screening for identifying drug leads. This approach yields high-quality compounds with favorable properties, promising future drug development.

More Related Videos

NMR-Based Fragment Screening in a Minimum Sample but Maximum Automation Mode

NMR-Based Fragment Screening in a Minimum Sample but Maximum Automation Mode

Published on: June 4, 2021

Workflow and Tools for Crystallographic Fragment Screening at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Workflow and Tools for Crystallographic Fragment Screening at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Published on: March 3, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Nano-Differential Scanning Fluorimetry for Screening in Fragment-based Lead Discovery

Nano-Differential Scanning Fluorimetry for Screening in Fragment-based Lead Discovery

Published on: May 16, 2021

NMR-Based Fragment Screening in a Minimum Sample but Maximum Automation Mode

NMR-Based Fragment Screening in a Minimum Sample but Maximum Automation Mode

Published on: June 4, 2021

Workflow and Tools for Crystallographic Fragment Screening at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Workflow and Tools for Crystallographic Fragment Screening at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Published on: March 3, 2021

Area of Science:

Medicinal Chemistry
Structural Biology
Drug Discovery

Background:

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is an established method in pharmaceutical research.
It serves as an alternative to high-throughput screening for generating chemical leads.
FBDD utilizes specialized detection methods to identify small molecules binding to drug targets.

Purpose of the Study:

To present recent successful case histories in FBDD.
To re-examine key concepts and challenges in FBDD.
To evaluate the effectiveness of FBDD in generating drug leads.

Main Methods:

Identification of small chemical compounds (fragments) that bind to drug targets.
Utilizing specialized detection methods for fragment screening.
Employing structural biology to determine fragment binding modes and guide optimization.

Main Results:

Presented three recent and successful case histories in FBDD.
Re-examined FBDD concepts and challenges based on literature and practical experience.
Demonstrated that FBDD delivers high-quality leads with good physical properties.

Conclusions:

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a promising approach for developing new medicines.
Careful application of FBDD fulfills its potential in generating effective drug leads.
Future drug molecules are likely to be derived from fragment-based strategies.