Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities
Small molecule high throughput screen using AstraZeneca facilities supports academic researchers with assay development and compound screening to identify starting points for small molecule drugs.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: January 28, 2027, 4:00pm UK time (Closing date)
Funding Amounts: Up to £270,000 full economic cost (£250,000 MRC contribution) for 12–18 months
Summary: Supports academic drug discovery through assay development and high throughput screening using AstraZeneca’s compound library and Cambridge facilities.
Key Information: Your research organisation must accept AstraZeneca’s non-negotiable standard collaboration agreement.
Description
The Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supports academic researchers seeking potential starting points for small molecule medicinal drugs. This opportunity provides access to AstraZeneca’s library of over two million molecules, compound management infrastructure, screening robots and assay technologies at its Discovery Centre in Cambridge. It is open to all targets and supports assay optimisation, pilot screening and execution of high throughput screens.
Depending on optimisation results, between 100,000 and one million compounds will be screened. Funding also supports screening-cascade work that cannot be undertaken at AstraZeneca and must take place at the host organisation. Assays do not need to be fully developed at application, but applicants must demonstrate that a viable screen could be conducted. The goal is to identify tractable hits that can progress into chemistry development programmes.
