Ask the Expert is a forum for scientists at all stages of their careers to ask questions of leading researchers in the field of chemical biology about the techniques their labs use and the types of research they are now doing. Updates will be posted weekly to this website, so check back frequently for new answers.
James Inglese, Deputy Director National Institutes of Health, Chemical Genomics Center
As deputy director of the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC), James Inglese and his colleagues use high throughput screening (HTS) to help other investigators identify small molecules that make novel and effective tools for studying proteins, cellular functions, and biological processes involved in physiology or disease. By taking HTS in this direction, Inglese is tapping the genome’s potential, one 1536-well plate at a time. To learn more about James Inglese and his research, please see his Profile in Volume 3, Issue 7, and his Perspective in Issue 8.
Are there currently any drugs on the market or in the late clinical phase developed using HT platforms?
HT platforms have aided in the progression of countless compounds to the chemist’s bench for optimization, and then on to early clinical trials, with an expected smaller numb....more
Is HTS being used for the discovery of novel proteins, for example antibodies?
Yes, HTS is being used to identify various types of biologics (e.g. cytokines, immunoglobulins, nucleic acids) with specific properties, and publications reviewing this application of HTS have recentl....more
What advice do you have to those who want to include HTS into a grant but want to still appear to be “hypothesis-driven”?
The investigator should propose HTS as a means to a project goal, a component of a grant that might be focused on generating tool compounds, identifying new targets, etc. HTS is an approach like....more
