Drug Discovery


preparation is still a major challenge, especially for bioanalysis applications. Currently, many MS workflows rely on expert users to prepare samples, which can be the rate-limiting step in many drug discovery workflows. Although there are kits avail- able that can reduce preparation time for some samples from days to hours, introducing new ways of working that simplify or bypass these complex processes is still a key priority for many developers of MS products. “Analytical chemistry can often feel like a never-


ending game of moving the bottleneck,” says Dr Robert Plumb, Director of Omics Sciences, Scientific Operations at Waters. “Conventional MS still relies, in the most part, on the sample being prepared in or transferred to a liquid state for anal- ysis. Too often, this results in time-consuming and expensive sample preparation.” New MS innovations are helping to overcome


this issue. Acoustic sampling, for example, is enabling thousands of measurements to be made every hour with minimal to no sample preparation. As a result, this is allowing high-throughput


screens or activity assays to be developed. Moreover, the implementation of direct MS analy- sis based on ambient ionisation techniques such as direct analysis in real time (DART) and desorption electrospray ionisation (DESI) are further simplify- ing bioanalysis workflows. Because these tech- niques can operate in the open laboratory environ- ment, they do not require sample pre-treatment steps – streamlining workflows and enabling researchers to collect more data, faster. Additionally, as many new, powerful MS tech-


nologies can directly analyse substrates, without reagents, fewer artefacts are generated, which in turn increases confidence in results. Not only does better data quality aid researchers with their drug discovery efforts, but the costs saved on reagents can be reinvested to help expedite other parts of the pipeline. For instance, using the funds to per- form more large-scale compound screens could help to identify more chemical starting points and so potentially increase the potential of drug discov- ery success. “These technologies are beginning to remove


Join ELRIG for the largest drug discovery event in the UK


World-class scientific programme Sponsorship & speaker opportunities Over 1200 delegates expected FREE-to-attend !


Plenary Keynote Speakers


Professor Janet Thornton (European Bioinformatics Institute) Dr Jonathan Milner ( Meltwind & former CEO, abcam)


Drug Discovery 2018 will include


Over 100 exhibition booths Innovation zone Poster display


Networking & drinks reception


Early career professional education CRO village


Register now at: www.elrig.org 36 Drug Discovery World Summer 2018


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