Applications of High Content Screening in Life Science Research

Joseph   M.   Zock

Abstract

Over the last decade, imaging as a detection mode for cell based assays has opened a new world of opportunities to measure “phenotypic endpoints” in both current and developing biological models. These “high content” methods combine multiple measurements of cell physiology, whether it comes from sub-cellular compartments, multicellular structures, or model organisms. The resulting multifaceted data can be used to derive new insights into complex phenomena from cell differentiation to compound pharmacology and toxicity. Exploring the major application areas through review of the growing compendium of literature provides evidence that this technology is having a tangible impact on drug discovery and the life sciences.

Keywords: High content screening, cell signaling, oncology, neurobiology, in vitro toxicology, target identification, target validation, RNAi, stem cells