Recent drug discovery efforts have been overwhelmed with numerous new potential drug targets and compounds. Although no single technology will solve this challenge, cell-based analysis will clearly be critical. Existing cell-based assay platforms allow either high-throughput screening (HTS) or high-content screening (HCS), but not both. Oncosis has developed a novel clinical laser-based cell processing system, called PhotosisTM, for high-speed scanning and cell purification via the use of lethal laser effects on unwanted cells. The current Photosis system can scan cells at >105 per second, and can laser-irradiate specific cells leading to various outcomes including death, optoinjection, photobleaching, and molecular uncaging. This system is the foundation for the development of a new research-oriented cell analysis and processing instrument, called LEAPTM, which has the capability to implement HCS assays in a very high-throughput manner (HC/HTS). Feasibility studies are proposed to develop software and run cell-based assays to evaluate the speed of the LEAP platform in HC/HTS. The resulting platform, which also incorporates a targeted treatment laser, will enable new types of drug discovery approaches. Phase II will go on to optimize and implement various cell-based assays in biologically relevant experimental systems, resulting in data supporting this powerful new tool for drug discovery.
