Abstract: A method for screening a DNA-encoded library of chemical structures (2) for activity in a cellular target (11) wherein the chemical structures (2) of the library, the corresponding encoding DNA (4) and, optionally, a chemical probe (7/8/9) susceptible to the response molecule (12) are covalently linked to beads (1); the method comprising providing an incubation medium (13) or aliquot thereof comprising the cellular target (11) and exactly one or more than one bead (1) as defined above, releasing the chemical structures (2) from the bead(s) (1) in the incubation medium (13) or aliquots thereof by cleaving the structure linkers (3) and incubating the released chemical structures (2) and the cellular target (11); and sequencing the encoding DNA present or remaining on the bead(s) (1). A bead (1) suited for the method is also provided.

Abstract: A microtiter plate for processing samples, having a liquid component or a liquid and a solid component or a liquid and a gel component, comprising: a single piece body which has an array of cavities, each cavity having an open upper end, a closed bottom end, and a bottom inner surface and comprises a first chamber for receiving a predetermined volume of a sample to be processed, a second chamber and a passage which fluidically connects the first and second chambers with each other, and a region in the lower part of passage adjacent to the bottom end of the cavity, the region so configured and dimensioned that it allows passage of liquid from one of said chambers to the other only when a centrifugal force is applied to the microtiter plate, but does not allow passage of any solid or gel component the size of which is larger than the width of the region.