High Throughput Analysis Laboratory Shared Resource

Northwestern University At Chicago, Evanston IL

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT ? HIGH THROUGHPUT ANALYSIS LABORATORY The High Throughput Analysis laboratory (HTA) enables LCC researchers to develop, perform, and analyze large scale experiments that elucidate the fundamental biology of cancer and launch the discovery of novel therapeutic agents. Such projects can involve parallel manipulation of tens of thousands of samples as well as data collection and analysis at a similar scale. To support this work the facility provides advanced technology, technical expertise, and resources like compound and gene disruptor libraries for diverse high throughput screens (HTS) on biochemical targets and cell processes. HTA staff partner with LCC researchers to adapt bench-scale studies into assays that are tractable for such large-scale experiments, and to use these assays to run screens. HTA capabilities also support non-HTS projects requiring the use of robotic liquid handling and plate readers. LCC members use a wide range of experimental systems and technical approaches in their research. HTA is therefore configured to develop and run assays ranging from fundamental biochemistry to cell-based studies involving high throughput confocal microscopy (known as high content screening or ?HCS?). The facility maintains a suite of instruments for large-scale experiments that include advanced liquid handling platforms for nanoliter to microliter volumes, a diverse set of high-end photometric systems, and two different platforms for high-content screening (one of which is a new confocal instrument). The facility?s staff acquires and analyzes data from all instruments as a service, assists with experimental design, and trains researchers to use its analytical and acquisition software independently. Importantly, HTA is a fully-equipped conventional laboratory for cell and molecular biology with significant bench space and a newly renovated in-house tissue culture facility. Users can run complex experiments entirely in the facility. The number of LCC research groups supported by HTA instruments and services during the most recent one-year reporting period is more than double that reported in the previous CCSG renewal application. The increased usage of the facility corresponds to a significant expansion of its instrumentation, services and screening resources. This has included significant compound library acquisitions and newly developed capabilities for multiplexed and parallelized CRISRP/Cas9 screening for large scale functional analysis. HTA actively maintains a productive collaboration with ChemCore, speeding the cycle of lead optimization and ensuring that compound library selection maximizes the potential for medicinal chemistry with screening hits. Moreover, HTA works with the Developmental Therapeutics Core to develop new assays that use advanced tissue culture approaches.