Monitoring of HTS compound library quality via a high-resolution image acquisition and processing instrument

Abstract

This report presents the high-resolution image acquisition and processing instrument for compound management applications (HIAPI-CM). The HIAPI-CM combines imaging spectroscopy and machine-vision analysis to perform rapid assessment of high-throughput screening (HTS) compound library quality. It has been customized to detect and classify typical artifacts found in HTS compound library microtiter plates (MTPs). These artifacts include (1) insufficient volume of liquid compound sample, (2) compound precipitation, and (3) colored compounds that interfere with HTS assay detection format readout. The HIAPI-CM is also configured to automatically query and compare its analysis results to data stored in a LIMS or corporate database, aiding in the detection of compound registration errors. To demonstrate its capabilities, several compound plates (n=5760 wells total) containing different artifacts were measured via automated HIAPI-CM analysis, and results compared with those obtained by manual (visual) inspection. In all cases, the instrument demonstrated high fidelity (99.8% empty wells; 100.1% filled wells; 94.4% for partially filled wells; 94.0% for wells containing colored compounds), and in the case of precipitate detection, the HIAPI-CM results significantly exceeded the fidelity of visual observations (220.0%). As described, the HIAPI-CM allows for noninvasive, nondestructive MTP assessment with a diagnostic throughput of about 1min per plate, reducing analytical expenses and improving the quality and stewardship of HTS compound libraries.