High Throughput Screening Services

High throughput molecular screening (HTS) is the automated, simultaneous testing of thousands of distinct chemical compounds in models of biological mechanisms or disease. Active compounds identified through HTS can provide powerful research tools to elucidate biological processes, or can form the basis of therapeutics development programs. The immense potential of HTS to impact the understanding of biology and disease is largely untapped because access to automated screening facilities and large compound libraries is limited in academic, government and non-profit research sectors. The Keck-UWCCC Small Molecule Screening Facility (SMSF) is uniquely equipped to facilitate this research at the University of Wisconsin

I. Starting a screen of Chemical Libraries at SMSF
II. Performing a Preliminary Screen
III. Scheduling a preliminary screen or full screen
IV. Analyzing your preliminary screen data
V. Performing a full screen
VI. Screen follow-up

I. Starting a screen of chemical libraries at SMSF (back to the top)
Please read and fill out the following forms and return to the SMSF. When the SMSF receives your application you will be contacted to set up a preliminary meeting.
Application for Screening
Keck-UWCCC Screening Agreement

II. Performing a Preliminary Screen (back to the top)

The purpose of the preliminary screen is to optimize the liquid handling and detection equipment, determine the best concentration of compound to use and to determine the hit rate. During the course of the preliminary screen we will optimize the volume of assay, concentration of compound stock to use, liquid handling steps and optimize the sensitivity of the read-out on the plate reader.

III. Scheduling a preliminary screen or full screen (back to the top)
View The Schedule (UW users only):
(Non-university users can contact us to schedule screening time)

Typically the SMSF schedule is open for the next week. If you would like to view the SMSF calendar:

1. Log onto my.wisc.edu
2. Sign into my WiscCal
3. Click on View Agendas in the calendar toolbar
4. Search for "Noel Peters" under name search
5. Highlight "Noel Peters" and click view agenda
6. To request time on the schedule contact us.

IV. Analyzing your preliminary screen data (back to the top)
After completion of your preliminary screen we ask that you analyze your data and determine either a %CV or Z-Factor. If your hit rate is greater than 0.3% or there is high variability observed we will repeat the preliminary screen to determine the optimal conditions before performing the full screen. For more information about analyzing screening data please read this paper:
A Simple Statistical Parameter For Use in Evaluation and Validation of High Throughput Assays.

V. Performing a Full Screen (back to the top)
Once your assay meets the criteria established in the preliminary screen, you are ready to proceed with a full screen. Staff will help you determine the amount of time required for your screen, prepare compounds and implement your screen.

Contact Us

© 2003 The University of Wisconsin
This file was updated 7/7/2006