The QCL’s “Open Access” library is a resource where members can deposit their compounds and extracts, and access members can request these compounds and extracts for screening on a range of biological targets. The QCL can now supply researchers in the life sciences with unique small molecules at prices well below that of commercial vendors. At present there are almost 20,000 pure compounds that can be accessed for screening, with plans to increase the “open” collection to 50,000 pure compounds by 2013.
As part of the compound registration process, members are required to generate a structural fingerprint and to calculate the "rule of five" descriptors using in-house developed software; QCL profiler. QFAB performed a clustering based method of selection to generate smaller diverse subsets. This allows members and their students to access a “snap shot” of the library before following up active compounds, with similarity matching, from the entire collection.