# Cluster B: 7 High Throughput Screening

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2020 · $68,978

## Abstract

The UI High Throughput Screening Core (HTS) is a new Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center (HCCC) 
shared research resource that provides a high-throughput platform integrating robotics, detection systems, 
chemical /biologics libraries, data management, and expertise. HTS provides HCCC members with scalable 
early, pre-clinical development of therapeutics, including small molecule therapeutics, antibodies, siRNAs, 
antisense oligonucleotides and other biologics including patient-derived cell therapeutics. It also supports high 
throughput screening for studies exploring the biology of cancer. 
The automatic, miniaturized and parallel high-throughput approaches foster hit and lead generation for drug 
discovery and development through screening of systematic, unbiased large chemical/biologics libraries. 
These strategies also facilitate molecular probe discovery for mechanism-of-action (MOA) studies of chemical 
biology through screening of focused intellectually designed compound collections. In addition, these high- 
throughput approaches aid the interrogation of cells, especially those derived from patients. 
The HTS was established in 2012 by university sponsors including the HCCC and an NIH S10 Shared 
Instrumentation grant funding. HTS is equipped to perform high-throughput screening in 96-, 384- and 1536- 
well formats, with plate reader detection (Perkin-Elmer EnVision) using absorbance, fluorescence and 
luminescence, including advanced FRET and BRET techniques. HTS can also perform high content screening 
(HCS, Perkin-Elmer Operetta Confocal Imaging System) to detect and quantify phenotypic changes, i.e. cell 
differentiation, cell migration, neurite outgrowth, and target trafficking; or by fluorescence intensities for target 
protein expression, transcription factor or signaling pathway analysis. Systems available in the HTS are 
integrated with robotics for plate handling and assay execution, suitable for small- or large-scale compound 
library screens with “walk-away” levels of automation. HTS currently holds five “small molecule” libraries 
containing approximately 140,000 compounds. In addition, HTS is in the process of determining the need and 
feasibility of obtaining a biologics library, i.e. genome-wide siRNA, antibodies, and diverse cell lines. 
Overall, HTS is a shared research resource focused on scalable screening approaches for drug discovery and 
development, and molecular probe discovery for mechanism-of-action studies for cancer investigators across 
campus and beyond.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9914246
- **Project number:** 5P30CA086862-20
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** Meng Wu
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $68,978
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9914246

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9914246, Cluster B: 7 High Throughput Screening (5P30CA086862-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-10 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9914246. Licensed CC0.

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