High-throughput screening (HTS) is used primarily in pharmaceutical research. In this type of test, biochemical, genetic or pharmacological tests are performed on up to millions of substances. High-throughput screening is used primarily to search for new, biologically active compounds. This then forms the basis for the development of new drugs.
In HTS, the rule is “You get what you screen for”. This means that extensive molecule libraries are searched, and high-throughput screening is correspondingly time-consuming. There are high requirements for automation here. This is why robots and automated machines are used for liquid handling. Microfluidics is also utilized.