Fluorescence Assays in Drug Discovery

John C. Owicki, Consultant

Prior to becoming a consultant in 1999, Dr Owicki held both senior corporate (e.g. V.P. of Research at LJL BioSystems, Inc.) and academic positions (Assoc. Prof. of Biophysics, U.C. Berkeley). He is the author of 70 patents and technical papers and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Fluorescence.

1997-1999

LJL BioSystems, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA

(Fluorometric High-Throughput Screening for Drug Discovery)

V.P. Research

Started LJL's reagent R&D and manufacturing effort, directing development and manufacturing of LJL's first reagent product (TKX™ fluorescence-polarization assay for tyrosine-kinase activity).

Directed research program to design new long-lifetime fluorescent labels for energy-transfer and polarization applications (supervised synthetic organic chemists).

Co-directed FLARe™ program to produce first fluorometric detection system based on frequency-domain fluorescence-lifetime assays in microplates (goal: increased robustness of assays for high-throughput screening).

Contributed significantly to design of Analyst™ and Acquest™ microplate detection systems (internal consulting with engineers on performance requirements and detection methods).

Principal technical spokesperson for LJL, speaking at six conferences and many customer sites.

1987-1997

Molecular Devices Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA

(Cellular Assays in Drug Discovery; Bioanalytical Application of Silicon Chips)

Associate Technical Director

Directed applications development for FLIPR™ (Fluorometric Imaging Plate Reader) system for fluorometric functional kinetic assays on living cells.

Performed and directed much of the initial research defining microphysiometry, the connection between cell physiology and extracellular acidification rate using proprietary silicon-based biosensor.

Co-inventor on the fundamental patent on microphysiometry and co-author of two papers in Science (one a cover article).

Principal role in establishing microphysiometry as a pharmacological tool for detecting receptor activation.

Instituted and managed central cell-culture facility.

Directed recombinant expression of receptors and signal-transduction proteins.

Directed biological component of development of high-performance microfabricated/microfluidic microphysiometer, suitable for drug screening.

Directed one third of $12.4M, 4-year DARPA contract; administered entire contract in its final phases.

1979-1987

University of California, Berkeley

Dept. of Biophysics and Medical Physics

Assistant, then Associate Professor (tenured 1985);
Associate Faculty, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

Quantitative analysis of interactions between monoclonal antibodies and target liposomes; methods included fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy.

First fundamental determination of forces between laterally diffusing proteins in cell membranes (Nature paper).

Statistical mechanics of dynamics of interacting membrane proteins.

Created graduate-level membrane biophysics course; chair of Biophysics Graduate Admissions Committee.

Industrial consulting on data reduction and analysis in clinical breath-gas analyzer and modelling of reaction/flow immunoassay.

Education

Post-Doc in Biophysical Chemistry (1977-1979), Stanford University, Prof. H. M. McConnell. Studied membrane biophysics and immunochemistry.

Ph.D. in Biophysical Chemistry (1977), Cornell University, Prof. H. A. Scheraga. Thesis ("Monte-Carlo calculations on Liquids") was a computer simulation molecular fluids such as water and aqueous solutions, investigating intermolecular interactions and thermodynamics.

B.S. and M.S. in Biochem