A Translational Research Resource Centre and Image-Based Screening Platform for MRC-LMCB, UCL.

我们建议在MRC分子生物学实验室/细胞生物学单元（LMCB/CBU）建立一个转化研究资源中心，为MRC，UCL和周围的研究社区提供专业知识和技术平台，以促进和发展基础研究的转化。最初的平台将是一个自动化的基于图像的高通量筛选系统，再加上RNA干扰（RNAi）技术，该技术现已成为识别各种细胞途径和病理条件中涉及的基因/蛋白质的最强大的方法之一。相同的检测和设备可用于筛选小型化合物库，从而不仅可以识别药物开发的新靶点，还可以识别一系列遗传和感染性疾病以及癌症、神经变性和视力障碍等疾病的先导化合物。在欧洲和美国的其他地方，这类重大计划已经在进行中。我们的计划将把这些关键的新技术带到MRC和UCL社区-英国最大的生物医学研究集中地之一。

We propose to establish a Translational Research Resource Centre at the MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Biology/Cell Biology Unit (LMCB/CBU) that will provide know-how and technical platforms for the MRC, UCL and the surrounding research community to facilitate and develop the translation of basic research. The initial platform will be an automated image-based high through-put screening system, coupled with the technique of RNA interference (RNAi), which has now become one of the most powerful methods for identifying genes/proteins involved in a variety of cellular pathways and pathological conditions. The same assays and equipment can be used to screen small compound libraries, thus allowing not only the identification of novel targets for drug development but also lead compounds for a range of genetic and infectious diseases as well as conditions such as cancer, neuro-degeneration and visual failure. Major programmes of this sort are already underway elsewhere in Europe and the USA. Our program will bring these key new technologies to the MRC and the UCL communities - one of the largest concentrations of biomedical research in the UK.