UCLA's Molecular Screening Shared Resource: enhancing small molecule discovery with functional genomics and new...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Toxicology
• Genomics

Background:

• The Molecular Screening Shared Resource (MSSR) provides essential high throughput screening (HTS) services.
• It supports diverse research areas including drug discovery, chemical and functional genomics, and environmental toxicology.
• The resource is accessible to global investigators, industry, and non-profit entities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To offer comprehensive HTS services for various scientific applications.
• To advance the field of nano and environmental toxicology through specialized high throughput toxicity testing.
• To drive innovation in HTS by developing new technologies and assays.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing state-of-the-art high throughput screening (HTS) platforms.
• Implementing novel methods for chemical genomics, functional genomics, and toxicology.
• Collaborating with the Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology for specialized testing.

Main Results:

• Established a unique capability for high throughput toxicity testing of nanomaterials.
• Developed new technologies to overcome bottlenecks in the HTS workflow.
• Enabled novel assays and readouts not previously available.

Conclusions:

• The MSSR is a vital open-access resource supporting global research in drug discovery and toxicology.
• Its specialized focus on nanomaterial toxicity and technology development advances scientific capabilities.
• The fee-for-service model ensures accessibility without intellectual property retention.