Abstract

Cell-Based Assays and Screening Techniques: A User's Guide

Stephen Brown, RNAi Facility Screening Manager, Sheffield University

The power of high throughput cellular assays has enabled us to ask bigger questions using RNAi and small molecules. Much emphasis surrounds the disease or cell model and the result that this yields. Unfortunately, less thought goes into assay development, whether the assay models the phenomenon and more importantly, the quality of the screen. I will present the facilities at the SRSF and why we use certain equipment. The talk will discuss the merits and pitfalls of the automation we use. I will present data from a number of screens and consider the metrics we use to show what is of importance. A few recent unpublished screens will also be covered.