High Content Imaging System for Microscopy-Based High-Throughput Assays

项目概要/摘要 高含量的显微镜分析允许同时可视化和量化复杂的生物学系统中的许多特征。 生物系统。在过去的几年里，高含量的基于显微镜的筛选已经越来越多地被应用于临床。 被认为是识别和表征新的治疗靶点的整体方法， 细胞背景该技术也被制药公司广泛采用， 通过表型筛选进行探针和药物发现的学术筛选核心。在这里，耶鲁大学 分子发现（YCMD）要求资金购买最先进的ImageXpress Micro高 与机器人平台集成的内容筛选系统，以取代过时的系统， 制造商停止。所要求的系统将满足当前项目的需要， 主要的额外的采集和分析能力，目前无法访问，最终 扩大了许多生物医学研究项目的范围并提高了其产量。 YCMD（中心）是一个核心设施，特别适合托管和维护仪器， 提供高内容筛选服务。该中心专门从事高通量检测开发， 提供了一个多样化的小分子和基因库的集合，并保持了一个复杂的 基础设施，包括尖端仪器和分析数据库，以支持筛选。 该中心拥有一支经验丰富的团队，并得到了大学的支持，为多样化和 广泛的用户基础，每年支持来自40多个不同实验室的项目， 耶鲁大学和非耶鲁大学的所有部门。值得注意的是，核心支持至少十个主要的高- 通过显微镜为基础的项目，每年有一个良好的记录，成功地执行 基于图像的转化生物医学项目。 该应用程序由九名被确定为主要仪器用户的教员和两名未成年人支持。 用户，包括七个不同的耶鲁部门和外部机构。他们的创新 课程涵盖广泛的基础，转化和临床研究领域，并解决许多 治疗适应症，包括癌症、心脏病、发育和神经系统疾病，以及 皮肤病大多数用户都有NIH的资助，他们的转化研究也得到了支持 由国防部、私人和机构基金资助。高含量筛选系统至关重要 以支持用户的高通量研究，而ImageXpress Micro系统在此要求 应用程序将是一个重大的机会，实施和推进当前和未来的 变革性的生物医学项目，对人类健康有直接影响。

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT High content microscopy assays allow to simultaneously visualize and quantify many features in complex biological systems. Over the past years, high content microscopy-based screening has been increasingly recognized as an integral approach for identifying and characterizing novel therapeutic targets in the cellular context. The technology has also been widely adopted by pharmaceutical companies and academic screening cores for probe and drug discovery via phenotypic screening. Here, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery (YCMD) requests funds to purchase state-of-the-art ImageXpress Micro high content screening system integrated with a robotic platform to replace an outdated system which manufacturer discontinued. The requested system would meet the needs of current projects and offer major additional acquisition and analysis capabilities that are not currently accessible, ultimately expanding the scope and increasing the throughput of many biomedical research programs. YCMD (The Center) is a core facility uniquely suited for hosting and maintaining the instrument and for providing high content screening services. The Center specializes in high-throughput assay development, provides a diverse collection of small molecules and genetic libraries, and maintains a sophisticated infrastructure, including cutting-edge instrumentation and analysis databases, to support screening. Staffed with a highly experienced team and supported by the university, the Center serves a diverse and broad user base, annually supporting projects from over 40 different laboratories from various departments across Yale and non-Yale institutions. Notably, the core supports at least ten major high- throughput microscopy-based projects each year and has a strong track record of successfully executing image-based projects for translational biomedical programs. This application is supported by nine faculty members identified as major instrument users, and two minor users, encompassing seven different Yale departments and an external institution. Their innovative programs span a wide range of basic, translational, and clinical research areas and address many therapeutic indications including cancer, heart diseases, developmental and neurological disorders, and skin diseases. Majority of the users have NIH funding, and their translational research is also supported by the Department of Defense and private and institutional funds. High content screening system is critical to support high-throughput research of the users, and ImageXpress Micro system requested in this application would represent a major opportunity to implement and advance current and future transformative biomedical programs which have direct implications for human health.