Target Validation: Determining that a molecular target is critically involved in a disease process and a potentially valuable point of intervention for new drugs. Target validation is a multidisciplinary activity requiring a balanced approach in terms of technology and biology. Both invalidation and validation of a target early in drug discovery is important.

Target Validation Technologies: A number of technologies including downregulation of gene expression, protein inhibition, cellular assays, chemical genetics, and combinatorial biology are used for target validation. In most cases, a combination of tools, including gene/ protein modification and model system approaches, along with expression and proteomic data, are utilized to validate and prioritize targets of interest

It is becoming clear that microarray analysis will be one of the first steps in target validation. Comparative analysis of the human and mouse genomes leads to more accurate predictions of the existence of genes as well as their structure. These are critical for any functional analysis since most experimental strategies have relied upon a priori knowledge of genes. The current challenge is the validation of the potential targets and linking them with the initiation or progression of human disease, and the subsequent identification of lead molecules that inhibit the activity of the chosen targets.

Target Validation Research Services that can be outsourced on CanBiotech include:

Basic Research
  Cell Biology
  Custom Expression Systems
  Molecular Biology
  Molecular Immunology
  Virology

Analytical
  Assay Development
  Chromatography
  ELISA Assay
  Electron Microscopy
  Electrophoresis
  FACS Analysis
  FISH Analysis
  Immunoassay
  IsoElectric Focus (IEF)
  Microarray
  Spectrometry
  Spectrophotometer Analysis
  X-Ray Crystallography

Genomics
  Chromosome Mapping
  Cloning/Subcloning
  Functional Studies
  Gene Construction
  Gene Expression Studies
  Gene Sequencing

Proteomics
  Expression Proteomics
  Functional Proteomics
  Protein Analysis

Purification
  DNA
  Protein
  RNA