EPFL BSF

Introduction

The BSF provides access to EPFL, NCCR-Chemical Biology and SystemsX.ch researchers to the infrastructure, expertise and collections of molecules required for performing medium to high throughput molecular screening assays. In the frame of the National project, NCCR-Chemical Biology, the BSF leads the project ACCESS with the main mission to become the platform for Academic Chemical Screens in Switzerland. In addition, the BSF is pursuing an innovative and focused research program, mainly with industrial partners in screening methodologies or drug discovery-linked areas.
Most of the incoming projects are related to Chemical Biology, Systems Biology or disease-oriented research in particular in the areas of Cancer, Infectious Diseases and Neurobiology. Our multidisciplinary laboratory provides scientists with adequate screening instrumentation, state-of-the-art technologies and compounds collections for applications ranging from the probing of cellular pathways to the broad area of bioactive compounds research.
We perform our automated screens in 96 and 384 well plates for the following two main categories of assays:

Screening of chemicals for a variety of biochemical target-based and cellular assays using large, chemically diverse collections
RNA interference (RNAi) cellular screens for probing gene function using collections of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting the human genome.

Most frequently used read-outs are available in our platform for biochemical-target and cell-based assays:

Fluorescence, Absorbance, Fluorescence Polarization and HTRF for end-point assays
Automated fluorescence microscopes and the label free technique of Digital Holographic Microscopy for end point and time-lapsed phenotypic screens using living cells

List of services and technologies

Access to instrumentation dedicated to microplates and cell culture facilities
Assay development and validation for HTS
Assay automation and statistical validations
Pilot screening
Primary screening campaigns
Hits confirmation
Dose response assays
Secondary screens
Compound storage and management of collections
Image processing for high content screening read-outs
Data management using in house developed Laboratory Implementation Management System (LIMS).
Cheminformatics

Research

BSF funded research in drug discovery-related areas through industry-academia. Collaboration between the BSF/EPFL and Lyncée Tec S.A.

2011-2012: «Bridge to Industry» project (BIP) grant, SystemsX.ch: ‘High content screening by digital holographic imaging’.
2012-2014: «CTI grant», Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. Commission for Technology and Innovation, CTI: ‘A digital holographic microscope for label-free High Content Screening’.

Contact information

MER Gerardo Turcatti, PhD
Station 15 EPFL
CH-1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
Tel: +41-(0) 21 693 9666
gerardo.turcatti@epfl.ch
http://bsf.epfl.ch

Selected publications

Kühn, J., Shaffer, E., Mena, J., Breton, B., Parent, J., Rappaz, B., Chambon, M., Emery, Y., Magistretti, P., Depeursinge, C., and Turcatti, G. (2013) Label-Free Cytotoxicity Screening Assay by Digital Holographic Microscopy, ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies, 11(2): 101-7.
Makhlouf Brahmi, M., Portmann, C., D’Ambrosio, Danilo., Woods,T. M., Banfi, D., Reichenbach, P., Da Silva, L., Baudat, E., Turcatti, G., Lingner J., and Gademann, K. (2013).Telomerase Inhibitors from Cyanobacteria: Isolation and Synthesis of Sulfoquinovosyl Diacylglycerols from Microcystis aeruguinosa PCC 7806, Chemistry - A European Journal 19(14):4596-601.
Takahashi-Umebayashi, M., Pineau, L., Hannich, T., Zumbuehl, A., Doval, D. A., Matile, S., Heinis, C., Turcatti, G., Loewith, R., Roux, A., lien, Reymond, L., Johnsson, K., and Riezman, H. (2011). Chemical Biology Approaches to Membrane Homeostasis and Function, CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry 65:849-52.
Magnet, S., Hartkoorn, R.C., Székely,R., Pató, J., Triccas, J., Schneider, P., Szántai-Kis, C., Őrfi, L., Chambon, M., Banfi, D., Bueno, M., Turcatti, G., Kéri, and Cole, S.T. (2010). Leads for antitubercular compounds from kinase inhibitor library screens, Tuberculosis 90(6): 354-60.

Team members