High Throughput Screening Facility

We empower researchers with cutting-edge tools and expertise to accelerate drug discovery and biomedical breakthroughs.

MED Basic Sciences - 2025 Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
Section Contents

Types of Services

The Vanderbilt HTS Facility provides various services to the research community. Consultations are available for assay design, optimization, development, and validation, as well as for integrating automated HTS and data analysis. To contact HTS staff to discuss specific needs, please log in with your institution’s iLab account and complete a Project Request Form. Staff will evaluate requests and provide information describing the suggested resources required.

Assay Design and Validation

  • Overview

    Through the advanced, HTS-compatible instruments, the HTS facility supports a wide variety of detection modalities for assay measurements, including absorbance, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), time-resolved FRET, luminescence, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and scintillation proximity assays (SPA). Cell-based and cell-free assays in experimental systems that have been used in prior models have included but are not limited to recombinant proteins, membrane fractions, cellular isolates, cell lysates, cell lines, and whole model organisms (e.g., zebrafish, C. elegans, and yeast).

    The HTS facility is proficient at helping research investigators develop HTS-compatible assays, obtain preliminary data for grants and funding opportunities, and to screen for the identification and investigation of new compounds for basic research and pharmacological discovery. Discoveries include novel modulators of G-protein coupled receptors, ion channels, transporters, proteases, oxidoreductases, cellular adhesion proteins, lipases, growth factor receptors, proto-oncogenes, protein-protein interactions, DNA-protein interactions, and other molecular targets and pathways that are important in numerous diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, malaria, bacterial and viral diseases/illnesses, diabetes, cancer, and HIV.

  • Assay Targets
    • GPCR Modulators
    • Ion Channel Modulators
    • Cardiovascular Zebrafish Models
    • Diabetes Targets
    • Anti-Malarial Targets
    • Foodborne Illness Targets
    • Coagulation Inhibitors
    • Transcriptional Modulators
    • COX Inhibitors
    • Choline Transporters
    • Obesity and Cachexia Regulation Target
    • Colon Cancer Targets
    • Pancreatic Cancer Targets
    • Lung Cancer Targets
    • Breast Cancer Targets
  • Process

    A project begins with a Project Request Form in iLab. Once received, an HTS staff will schedule a consultation to discuss the adaptation and implementation of the assay to the HTS facility. Typically, assays are validated manually by individual laboratories and evaluated to determine the level of automation and instrumentation needed for HTS services. Once the assay is validated with positive and negative controls and the robustness of the assay (Z-factor/Z’) is determined the assay is ready to be automated. During validation of the automation, manual steps are replaced systematically with instruments to ensure accuracy and precision/fidelity of the assay as observed in the manual process. For example, manual pipetting into a 384-well plate can be replaced with the use of a Thermo Multidrop, which dispenses liquid into an entire plate evenly and accurately in seconds. Another example is the Velocity11 Bravo liquid handler; this device can aspirate liquid from an entire plate, wash it, and add a solution to a plate precisely in a few minutes. After determining the sequence of events and instrumentation for the assay, a robotic sequence called a schedule is created to integrate these assay procedures into an automated fashion.

    The software determines the amount of time each sample will take during individual movements of the robot and the composite time for all samples to be assayed. Testing of the schedule begins with running the schedules for individual instruments, followed by testing of all instruments without reagents, and finally, testing of all instruments with water. Next, an experiment is run using all instruments and robotics integrated by the schedule with experimental controls. The assay is ready for compound screening after the biological procedure and the instrumentation are validated. The growing library available for screening includes over 160,000 compounds.

    HTS can generate a large number of data, and our specialized HTS informatics staff can assist with custom-made software to help assimilate, analyze, and reduce data to appropriate specifications for hit picking, follow-up analyses, and hit validation.

Compound Screening

  • Process

Compound Distribution

  • Overview

    The Vanderbilt HTS Facility offers researchers access to over 300,000 compounds curated from commercial vendors, NIH and NCI initiatives, and internal academic collaborations. Collections include:

    • FDA-approved drugs and clinical candidates
    • Kinase inhibitors, CNS-penetrant molecules, epigenetic modulators, and lipid bioactives
    • Mechanistically annotated sets and structurally diverse chemical libraries
    • Fragment and siRNA libraries for target validation and hit expansion

    Depending on the research investigator’s interest subsets or the entire collection can be requested for testing using an online compound distribution request which allows plate type, volume, and concentration to be tailored to the investigator’s needs. HTS strives to continually enrich the library with novel scaffolds and actively encourages investigators to deposit compounds into the library for distribution and screening. Synthetic and natural product chemists are also encouraged to contact the facility about deposition opportunities.

  • Collections

    Library (Plate Type)Composition# of Compounds
    Anti-Cancer Compound Library (PP)Unique collection of anti-cancer compounds under clinical trials412
    BioActive Lipid Library 2023 (PP)Includes many compound classes and several complex polyunsaturated fatty acids; ideal for prostanoid or other G protein-coupled receptor screening, target validation, secondary screening, validating new assays, and for routine pharmacological applications.1,037
    BBB-Permeable CNS Library (PP)Structurally diverse compounds with properties favorable for BBB-penetration aimed for drug development of CNS-active pharmaceuticals.7,100
    Cayman Lipid LibraryBroad variety of bioactive lipids.847
    ChemDiv Steroid-like Library (PP)Steroid-based molecules that regulate biological function 498
    Diversity Set V (LDV)Selected from the 140K total NCI Developmental Therapeutics Program based on diversity1593
    Enzo Kinase Inhibitors (LDV)Known kinase inhibitors of well-defined activity including: Insulin/IFG Receptors, PI 3-Kinase, CaM Kinase II, JAK, PKA,CDK, JNK, PKC, CKI II, MAPK, RAF, EGFR, MEK, SAPK, GSK, MLCK, Src-family, IKK, PDGFR, VEGFR, and more80
    Epigenetics Library & Epigenetics Library 2019 (PP/LDV)Variety of structurally and mechanistically different small molecule modulators (inhibitors and activators) with biological activity used for epigenetics research and associated assays. 171
    FDA-Approved Drug CollectionA collection of 978 FDA approved drugs supplied as pre-dissolved DMSO solutions; purchased from SelleckChem.1184
    Fesik Fragment Library**This library requires approval from Fesik Lab prior to distribution. 15,473
    GSK Published Kinase Inhibitor Set (LDV)Small molecule kinase inhibitors spanning over 30 chemotypes that have been previously published by GSK in peer-reviewed scientific journals.349
    Ion Channel Library (PP)A collection from Life Chemicals targeted to ion channels compiled using 2D fingerprint similarity methodology.6240
    Kinase Inhibitor Library (PP)A unique collection of 429 kinase inhibitors for high-throughput screening and high content screening. 423
    Marnett Library I & II (PP)NSAID derivatives that contain cyclooxygenase inhibitors, PPARgamma activators, and apoptosis inducers.310
    Mechanistic Set III (LDV)Derived from the 37,836 open compounds that have been tested in the NCI human tumor 60 cell line screen. 813
    MLPCN (PP)MLPCN Screens; requires screening results deposition into PubChem16,707
    Molecular Libraries Small Molecule Repository (MLSMR)*Recent acquisition for MLPCN screens; requires screening results deposition into Pubchem.76,575
    NCI Approved Oncology Drugs Set VIContains most current FDA-approved anticancer drugs. The current set (AOD VI) consists of 119 agents and is intended to enable cancer research, drug discovery, and combination drug studies.248
    NCI Focused Natural Product CollectionPure compounds acquired by the NCI from Analytical and MerLion.936
    NIH Clinical Collection I and II (PP)Small molecules that have history of use in human clinical trials.640
    Roche (LDV)Roche (LDV)235
    SelleckChem FDA (PP)Unique collection of FDA-approved drugs prior to 2016.960
    Spectrum Collection 2400 (PP)Components of the Spectrum Collection selected by medicinal chemists and biologists to provide a wide range of biological activities and structural diversity.3,118
    Schuppe Collection (PP)Compounds synthesized by Alex Schuppe and donated to MDSC for screening. 42
    Stork Collection (PP)Compounds synthesized by Gilbert Stork and donated to MDSC for screening. 249
    Vanderbilt Custom Collection (PP)Collection of unique chemistry to a range of targets synthesized by Vanderbilt chemists for Vanderbilt investigators. 2,000
    Vanderbilt Discovery Collection (PP)Selected from Life Chemicals collection for HTS. The compounds in this collection were chosen by Vanderbilt medicinal and computational chemists to provide lead-like motifs, minimum pan-assay interference, and maximum diversity.98,880
    VICB Collection, Year 4 (LDV)Diverse set of Drug-like small molecules from Chembridge and ChemDiv.148,030
    Weaver Library (PP)Compounds including activators, inhibitors, and dead were made for the GIRK ion channel modulator program. 294

    * Requires data deposit into PubChem
    ** Requires approval from Dr. Fesik
    *** Requires collaborative agreement with supplier

Data Analysis and Storage

  • Overview

    The informatics and statistical capabilities of the HTS facility include data storage, archival, and analysis of data, as well as custom databases and applications tailored for HTS applications. The integrity of the large volumes of data generated in the HTS facility is maintained by an infrastructure centered on redundant data storage, both at the laboratory and at a central Vanderbilt data repository, with virus scans and backup performed daily. Secured facility access and video monitoring provide for the physical security of the facility, whereas the data network itself is protected by a dual-layer firewall. Transfer rates are preserved by the compartmentalization of robots and controllers into a sub-network. To exceed the required capacity of the system, upgrades are liberal with the entire network retrofitted on a two-year cycle.

  • Process

    Data processing, storage, and custom informatics solutions are all offered on a fee-for-service basis and can be requested by submitting the Intake Form.

Grant Assistance

Instrument Use and Training

  • Instrument Use

    Most of the HTS instruments are available for walk-up use. Instruments can be reserved online for as little as 15 minutes at a time, and instruments can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Instrument Training

    A short training for every HTS instrument and automation is required for use and for reserving instrument time. Training includes understanding the capabilities of the instrument, the limitations, instrument functions and safety, data capture, analysis, access, and storage, as well as HTS facility policies and procedures for instrument access and use. Training time will be charged to the investigator’s account and generally lasts between 30-60 minutes, depending on the equipment being used. Following training access to the HTS facility and instrument reservation and usage will be granted.

Liquid Handling

  • Overview

    Liquid handling capabilities allow for volume transfers ranging from 2.5 nanoliters to liters in various combinations of fixed and random plate arrays. Readers and liquid handlers are available for walk-up use, as well as automated screening. Furthermore, the facility staffs a full-time engineer to ensure the instrumentation meets or exceeds industry specifications for operation.

  • Available Instruments

    InstrumentEcho 555 & 555 OmicsBravoVPrepMultidrop CombiELx405
    ManufacturerLabcyteVelocity 11/AgilentVelocity 11/AgilentThermoBioTek
    TypeAutomated Acoustic Liquid TransferAutomated Pipette Liquid TransferAutomated Pipette Liquid TransferLiquid DispenserLiquid Aspirator/ Dispenser
    OptionsDMSO or aqueous solvents
    Plate stamping, cherry-picking, dose-response titrations Volumes: 2.5 – 1000 nL
    Any liquid viscosity
    Plate stamping and serial dilutions (row or column), tip washing Volumes: 0.1 – 300 uL
    Any liquid viscosity
    Plate stamping Volumes: 1 – 300 uL
    Variable liquid viscosities
    High-speed 8-channel liquid dispenser using a peristaltic pump
    Volumes: 0.5 – 2500 uL
    Variable liquid viscosities Plate washer- 96 well manifold
    Volumes: 50 – 3000 uL
    Other Info96, 384, 1536-well plates96, 384, 1536-well plates96, 384, 1536-well plates96, 384, 1536-well plates96 or 384-well plates

Microplate Readers and Imagers

  • Overview

    The HTS facility houses state-of-the-art multi-mode plate readers that can be integrated into screening systems for automated HTS applications. The suite of plate readers contains instruments with varying sensitivities for all common modalities, including absorbance, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, and luminescence. Additionally, we offer label-free, alpha screen, scintillation proximity, and high-content screening technologies.

  • Available Instruments

    InstrumentPanopticSynergy NEOImageXpress Micro XLSeahorse xF Pro
    ManufacturerWaveFront BiosciencesBiotek InstrumentsMolecular DevicesSeahorse Bioscience
    TypeWhole plate kinetic imagingMultimode iterative well scanningAutomated microscope imagerExtracellular flux analyzer
    OptionsFluorescence
    Luminescence
    Fluorescence intensity, fluorescence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence, UV-Vis absorbance, luminescenceFluorescence
    and transmitted light, time-lapse imaging
    OCR/ECAR, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation
    Other Info384-well plates
    96-well plates
    supports multiple wavelengths in a single experiment; flexible liquid handling using the Agilent Bravo platform
    96, 384, 1536-well plates6,12,24,48,96, 384-well plates, microscope slidesRequires manufacturer’s cell culture plate and assay kit

    Thermo CRS robotics, Cytomat incubators, and barcode printers with automation are available. Plate sealers, centrifuges, and shakers are available as peripheral equipment.

The HTS facility manages projects and billing through iLab.