Arrayed Functional Genomics Screens for Identification and Validation of Drug Targets

Identification of novel drug targets is a key part of the drug discovery process required to address clinical unmet need in many disease areas. The functional genomics group at AstraZeneca have developed a platform capable of screening the entire genome in an arrayed format. This high-throughput multi-parametric confocal imaging platform, enables complex phenotypic assays and Cas9 genome editing at whole genome scale, for the identification of novel drug targets. This imaging platform has enabled identification of novel targets across several disease areas. This talk will focus on the application of arrayed CRISPR screening for the identification of novel targets for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. We will describe the complex assay development required for arrayed CRISPR screening in primary human lung fibroblasts and how this multiparametric imaging platform has enabled us to identify and validate hits with high confidence from primary screening to bespoke target validation.