Training and Education

CBCS Umeå offers a web-based 2 ECTS course giving a basic introduction to high throughput screening.

Start date: Pending

Introduction to high throughput screening - 2 ECTS

The course gives a broad introduction to high throughput screening (HTS) that is a technique used to identify biologically active small organic molecules through screening of compound libraries with the help of robust test systems and advanced instrumentation.

Participants can start at any time and study at their own pace since the course is entirely web-based. The course material is in English, consisting of text and explanatory figures, video lectures, review articles, and movies.

Responsible department: Department of Chemistry

Level: Advanced

Content: The course includes a description of small organic molecules as research tools and starting points for drug development. In addition, different parameters to consider when designing a compound collection for HTS will be reviewed. Biological activity is in most cases that the organic molecule affects a protein or other biomolecule. The course describes development of robust and statistically validated test systems that allow biological activity to be measured by e.g. luminescence, absorbance, or fluorescence. The most common instruments for liquid handling and reading of the test system signal will be reviewed. The course also covers how HTS is performed and how molecules that are identified as potentially actives are followed up by analysis of analogs and additional test systems. HTS generates large amounts of data and the course briefly reviews the important role that an informatics system has. The course also covers a number of special topics and case studies to illustrate the application of HTS.

Prerequisites: Bachelor degree (120 ECTS) in chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology or equivalent. English knowledge corresponding to the Swedish upper secondary education English B.

Registration: Course start: pending.