What the facility does
Research new drug targets and delivery system
Areas of expertise
The Robert Young Lab designs and synthesizes small molecule probes to aid in understanding disease processes and to discover novel targets and therapies for treatment.
The team characterizes gene family expression in disease states, to discover and validate novel biological targets and to develop proof of concept (POC) molecules to test the benefits/liabilities of intervention at a target.
They also optimize POC molecules and leads from design or screening, through parallel synthesis, to discover potential drug candidate molecules.
Research services
- Drug discovery and development
- Molecular probe development
Sectors of application
- Education
- Healthcare and social services
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized labs and equipment
- Purity analysis: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems with diode array detectors (DAD) and fluorescence detectors (FLD)
- Purification: Preparative HPLC system with DAD and evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD), and flash chromatography systems with UV detector
- Identification and characterization: tandem liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectroscopy (LC-HRMS/MS)
- Sample concentration and drying: Freeze dryer with a refrigerated vapor trap and a vacuum concentrator
- Microwave-assisted chemical synthesis: Microwave reactor
- Bioassays: Microplate reader and automated liquid handling workstation
- Storage of biological samples: Cryogenic freezer
- Radiochemical synthesis and characterization: Intermediate-level laboratory for radio-labeled compounds
- Radioactive compounds analysis: Microplate scintillation and luminescence counter, and an HPLC system with flow scintillation analyzer
Private and public sector research partners
- Merck-Frosst Canada Ltd.
- Vancouver Prostate Centre
- BC Cancer Agency
- University of British Columbia
- University of Toronto
- Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute/ Mount Sinai Hospital/Toronto
- BC Genomics Sciences Centre
- McGill University