Chemistry for Chemical Genomics

New methods and strategies have been developed to design and use small molecules that allow the functional dissection of molecular pathways, cells, and organisms by selective small-molecule ligands or modulators. In this overview, we are focusing on diversity aspects, design methods, and chemical synthesis strategies for the application of small molecules as tools for chemical genomics. Examples for different successful chemical-genomics strategies include the selection of diverse drug-like molecules, target family—focused compound libraries, natural-product chemistry, and diversity-oriented synthesis.