Chemical Biology Core Facility

The facility is set up as a collaboration between EMBL and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) to provide the infrastructure and expertise to open up small molecule development to research groups at these institutions.

• Assay development and high-throughput screening
• Binding affinity studies for small molecules and antibodies using the Biacore surface plasmon resonance technology (SPR)
• Computational screening using ligand-based and structure-based design strategies
• Medicinal chemistry optimisation of hits to generate high quality tool compounds
• Optimisation of tool compounds towards therapeutic use
• Managing outsourced chemistry activities
• Managing compound acquisition through our chemistry partners

High Throughput Screening (HTS) allows a researcher to quickly conduct thousands of tests against a biological target through the use of automation (robotics, liquid handling devices, sensitive detectors), data processing and control software. 

• Headed by a Medicinal Chemist with 20 years of Big Pharma experience
• Staffed by experienced postdoctoral Chemists
• Expertise in small molecule synthesis as well as in peptide, bioconjugate and exotic molecule synthesis
• Consultation provided on all chemistry questions
• Training provided to visitors

Computational chemistry methods are integral to the process of active molecule identification and optimisation. These include:

• Chemoinformatics approaches
• Molecular modelling
• Computational screening using ligand-based and structure-based design strategies
• Managing compound acquisition through our chemistry partners
• Commercial software available: SYBYL-X including SurflexDock and SurflexSim, LeadIT including FlexX and FlexS, Muse, Spartan
• Access to the HPC compute cluster at EMBL which provides access to more than 5800 CPUs for scientific computing at EMBL