BCC Drug Discovery and Characterization Cores and Facilities

A primary focus of the Brown Cancer Center’s Basic and Translational Research arm is cancer targeting drug discovery, characterization and pre-clinical optimization. Towards this, a significant contingent of BCC Cores and Facilities have been specifically designed to make each step in the drug discovery pipeline as simple and accessible as possible for cancer research investigators. The process begins with target discovery that can be accomplished with help from our Genomics Technology and Education Core. Using state-of-the-art software and with expert Bioinformatics and Biostatistics support, researchers can mine publicly available data and/or their own datasets (generated by the UofL’s Sequencing Technology Center) to identify unique targets for therapeutic intervention.

Once a target is identified, the Protein Expression Core can produce significant quantities of pure protein which can then be used for structural determinations by the NMR Facility. Next, the BCC’s Molecular Modeling Core can virtually screen millions of compounds against the target protein’s active site domain(s) to identify lead candidate compound inhibitors. Lead compound/target interaction and validation can subsequently be accomplished using several different biophysical assays that are routinely run by our Biophysical Core Laboratory. Once a lead compound has been identified, the BCC Molecular Modeling Core will continue to assist you in developing a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach to identifying and optimizing second generation compounds. Finally, the Medicinal Chemistry Core can help with identifying commercially available substituent analogs of first- and second-generation lead compounds as well as performing unique chemical syntheses to generate rationally designed compounds from the optimization and QSAR studies.

BCC Core Voucher Program

We recently instituted a BCC Core Voucher Program that can provide up to $3,000 in support towards any BCC Core service. To apply for a voucher, please send a one page (max) Core Voucher Application to robert.mitchell@louisville.edu describing what services will be utilized and how they will help in near future grant and/or manuscript submissions. Additionally, all voucher applicants must be a current BCC member. If you are not a BCC member but would like to become one, please email Diane Konzen (diane.konzen@louisville.edu).