THE CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL INTERFACE - DEVELOPMENTS IN AUTOMATED AND MINIATURIZED SCREENING TECHNOLOGY

The rapidly changing developments in genomics and combinatorial chemis try, generating new drug targets and large numbers of compounds, have caused a revolution in high-throughput screening technologies. Key to this revolution has been the introduction of robotics and automation, together with new biological assay technologies (e.g., homogeneous tim e resolved fluorescence), With ever increasing workloads, together wit h economic and logistical constraints, miniaturisation is rapidly beco ming essential for the future of high-throughput screening and combina torial chemistry. This is evident from the introduction of high-densit y microtitre plates, small volume liquid handling robots and associate d detection technology. (C) Current Biology Ltd ISSN 0958-1669.