The use of automation in drug discovery provides more consistent data that allows labs to make better decisions, faster. It also facilitates the testing of hundreds of thousands of compounds and samples.
Automation in this sector ranges from very partial automation, such as the use of an automated liquid handler, all the way to high-throughput screening, where automation is employed across entire assays.
Typically, access to greater, end-to-end automation has been restricted to only the largest drug discovery players. However, as automation technology has progressed, it has become more flexible, cost effective and accessible – opening up the benefits of automation for labs of all sizes.
We sat down with John Vincent, Senior Scientist at Medicines Discovery Catapult, and an expert with experience running high-throughput screening, to learn about how more investment in automation can result in more consistent data, flexible work and greater capacity.