Shi Zhong

Focus/responsibilities at the Center

My role is information management associated with high-throughput screening (HTS). Information management includes Oracle database maintenance, compound management, and HTS data management. When compound libraries are delivered from the MLSMR, the compounds are registered in our database and we create virtual plate formats. HTS data management includes data reformatting, data analysis, data output and retrieval, and data publication to PubChem. Raw data from assay screening carried out by HTS biologists are managed, analyzed, and exported using the CambridgeSoft Enterprise package that includes BioAssay HTS, BioSAR, and Inventory. HTS lead compounds are selected based on screening results and fed back to HTS biologists and informatics modelers for the further study. Frequent discussion with HTS biologists may lead to protocol modification, and I reanalyze data accordingly. To this end, I write macros using programs such as VBA and Perl as a complement to the CambridgeSoft tools. I am responsible for assuring that the system accurately tracks compounds, assay wells and data along the pathway from Emory’s screening robots to NIH’s PubChem website for both primary and secondary assays.

Educational/professional background

I have more than six years of medicinal chemistry experience in academic institutions and in the pharmaceutical industry. I have worked on several anti-cancer and anti-virus related projects.