Abstract: The present disclosure relates to development and performance of screening methods capable of efficiently identifying candidate lead compounds that bind regulatory RNA oligonucleotides in a sequence-specific manner and exert a biological effect upon such regulatory molecules. Candidate lead compounds possessing RNA binding sequence specificity and targeted biological activity are described, as are approaches for merging structural, NMR-derived data with biological reporter assay results. Compound validation approaches capable of identifying the site(s) of action of such compounds within targeted RNA oligonucleotides are also provided.