A major problem in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery projects is the unknown identity of the molecular biological target, even when very potent ligands are available, such as those discovered in a phenotypic screen. Therefore, methods for hit optimization, such as structure-based design, or better understanding of the mode of action are hindered. As a result, despite technological advances, the pharmaceutical sector is suffering from a decline in the number of new chemical entities (NCEs) with ever-increasing costs. Therefore, target validation/identification is an emerging and rapidly developing area in drug discovery. The synthesis of smart and efficient chemical probes has become necessary for these approaches. These probes are used in combination with proteomics to decipher novel drug targets.In this project, we will build a platform for validation/identification of novel drug targets. This expertise, which we intend to integrate in our Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery, holds enormous potential for the discovery of new therapeutics.