Target deconvolution strategies in drug discovery

Recognition of some of the limitations of target-based drug discovery has recently led to the renaissance of a more holistic approach in which complex biological systems are investigated for phenotypic changes upon exposure to small molecules. The subsequent identification of the molecular targets that underlie an observed phenotypic response — termed target deconvolution — is an important aspect of current drug discovery, as knowledge of the molecular targets will greatly aid drug development. Here, the broad panel of experimental strategies that can be applied to target deconvolution is critically reviewed.