Overview

1 : High Content Screening: Instrumentation, Assay Development, Screening, Image and Data :
High-content screening is a powerful technology platform for implementing functional cell-based assays that allow truly multi-parametric analysis in the physiological context of intact cells. This course provides a state-of-the-art overview of the components of HCS (instrumentation, reagents, HC assay development, automated image analysis and multi-parametric data analysis, and data standards) together with some showcases of small molecule and RNAi high-content screens in industry and academia.
A demonstration will be given using the open source software CellProfiler how to analyze early endosomes in HeLa cells. Nuclei, cytosol and endosomes will be segmented and quantified. The resulting data will then be analyzed using the open source software KNIME. Parameters will be tested for normality, normalized and assembled into multiparametric profiles. The profiles will be quantified to estimate phenotypic strength and clustered to determine phenotypes. Both the slides describing the analysis and the pipelines will be made available to course participants to allow them to recreate the workflow in their own laboratories.

2 : Establishing Cell-Based Assays and Implementing 3D Culture Models for screening and drug testing :
This course will describe developing standard procedures for handling cultured cells to set up cell-based assays, describe techniques for measuring cell health and the mechanisms leading to cytotoxicity, and provide an overview of recent technological advances in 3D culture technologies that enable automation-compatible drug testing with more predictive and biologically relevant assays. Case studies will be presented which provide examples of using 3D model systems for screening and drug testing.

3 : Introduction to Laboratory Automation :
This introduction to automation course will provide a basic overview of when and how to successfully deploy automation within a laboratory environment. The course is tailored for managers who want to understand the strategic and tactical options for automation deployment. There will be an overview of the principles of automation architecture, infrastructure and laboratory informatics. There is no requirement for a working knowledge of, or experience with, automation.


Venue: Manchester Central Convention Centre
Location: Exchange Rooms
Country: United Kingdom

Organiser Contact Details:
Dermot Boylan
T: 08450170517
dermot.boylan@elrig.org