A boost to European research infrastructure
Modern chemical biology tools include robotics and other automated systems for discovering new chemical compounds with useful biological activities. The quantity of molecules screened in the process is beyond the means of most research labs, which lack the necessary infrastructure, resources and expertise. To overcome this, the EU-funded EU-OPENSCREEN (European infrastructure of open screening platforms for chemical biology) project provided the groundwork for establishing an international network of high-tech facilities and resources open to research scientists. The vision of this preparatory phase initiative is to provide researchers with the infrastructure, finances, web-based tools and training necessary to develop new bioactive compounds. EU-OPENSCREEN brought together the biological, chemical and technological expertise of academic groups from 16 countries. Project members concentrated on the logistics of setting up such an ambitious enterprise. This included establishing a legal and governance framework for future research infrastructure, collating experimental protocols, and investigating financial requirements and funding sources. By adopting an open access policy, EU-OPENSCREEN ensured that all data generated from future projects is available to all, including researchers from academia and industry. Since managing and operating highly technical facilities requires well-trained staff, EU-OPENSCREEN also offered introductory training courses for scientists, engineers and technicians. Once operational, EU-OPENSCREEN's infrastructure and resources will allow European researchers to develop medically useful products. These range from compounds that inhibit tumour growth to those that boost antibiotic or antiviral activity. New discoveries to come out of EU-OPENSCREEN may also benefit agriculture, the food industry and the environment.
Keywords
Research infrastructure, chemical compounds, screening platforms, bioactive
