MLPCN Archive

MLPCN Introduction

Small molecules, often with molecular weights of 500 or below, have proven to be extremely important to researchers to explore function at the molecular, cellular, and in vivo level. Such molecules have also been proven to be valuable for treating diseases, and most medicines marketed today are from this class. A key challenge is to identify small molecules effective at modulating a given biological process or disease state.

The Molecular Libraries Roadmap, through one of its components, the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network (MLPCN), offered biomedical researchers access to the large-scale screening capacity, along with medicinal chemistry and informatics necessary to identify chemical probes to study the functions of genes, cells, and biochemical pathways. 

NIH anticipated that these projects will facilitate the development of new drugs, by providing early stage chemical compounds that will enable researchers in the public and private sectors to validate new drug targets, which could then move into the drug-development pipeline. This is particularly true for rare diseases, which may not be attractive for development by the private sector.

UF Scripps Biomedical Research became part of the University of Florida’s academic health center in April of 2022. Previously, we were a branch of Scripps Research, also known as The Scripps Research Institute.

The Scripps Research Institute was awarded more than $80 million by the National Institutes of Health to greatly expand the work of The Scripps Research Institute Molecular Screening Center, further strengthening the collaborative efforts of teams of scientists at the La Jolla, California and Jupiter, Florida campuses. The six-year grant was the largest ever awarded to Scripps Research at the time.

The Scripps Research Institute Molecular Screening Center used Lead Identification’s high throughput robotics to screen discoveries made in laboratories in La Jolla and Jupiter, as well as other research institutions, against various biological targets. The goal was to uncover “proof-of-concept molecules” that could be useful in developing new treatments for a large number of human diseases.

The Scripps center was one of only four such large centers nationwide. Together with five smaller specialized centers, they comprised the Molecular Libraries Production Centers Network, a part of the NIH’s strategic funding plan, the Roadmap Initiative.

Please reference the table below to view all the public domain campaigns screened at UF Scripps. Filter drop down menus can be used to isolate areas of interest in the table. Use the “Clear Filters” button to regenerate all available campaigns. By clicking on the column name, lists can be sorted ascending/descending alphabetically. By clicking on the arrow on the right side of the column names, columns can be added/removed. Also, columns can be manually resized. To view available BioAssay Summaries on the PubChem website, please click on the relevant PubChem Summary AID number in the PubChem column.

The High-Throughput Molecular Screening Center screened over 150 assays as part of the MLPCN initiative, encompassing a broad and large variety of targets using numerous different detection technologies and assay formats during this time. A breakdown of public domain HTS campaign types by category can be found in the specific categories of: Target Class, Assay Type, HTS Class and Cell Line.

Probe Reports
To view all probe reports generated as part of Lead Identification’s MLPCN efforts, please click HERE.

MLPCN Pipeline
A table containing all the public domain campaigns screened at the High-Throughput Molecular Screening Center can be found below.