Abstract

PT-OPENSCREEN is a nationwide network of chemistry and biology research institutes bridging chemistry-based research areas (organic and medicinal chemistry) and molecular and structural biology. It operates a state-of-the-art infrastructure for basic and applied research in the fields of drug discovery, chemical biology and genetics. Across its partners provides Open Access synthesis of chemical tools and probes, cellular and biochemical assays for screening, as well as hit to lead, lead optimization and follow-up studies. A goal to achieve is to build a library of Portuguese chemical compounds. In addition, it coordinates the participation of Portugal in the Pan‐European infrastructure EU‐OPENSCREEN, accessing the European Chemical Biology Library. The main mission of PT-OPENSCREEN is to identify new molecular probes/tools for discovering new chemical and biological entities with potential therapeutic applications. The technology used, based on sample miniaturization and automation, allows the fast and systematic screening of tens of thousands of samples in the most diverse assays, with reduced costs per sample.