Method for screening ligand

A method for screening for a ligand, at least a part of which forms a particular conformation upon binding to a target substance, the method comprising:

• (a′) contacting a first mixture of candidate ligands containing a plurality of candidate ligands with the target substance;
• (b′) contacting a solution containing the target substance and the first mixture of candidate ligands obtained in (a′) with a carrier having a recognizing site recognizing at least a part of the particular conformation, followed by collecting, as a second mixture of candidate ligands, a mixture of candidate ligands bound to the carrier by utilizing the ability of the recognizing site on the carrier to recognize at least the part of the particular conformation;
• (c′) removing the target substance from a solution containing the second mixture of candidate ligands;
• and
• (d′) contacting the carrier with the mixture of candidate ligands obtained in (c′), and then separating and removing a candidate ligand, at least a part of which forms the particular conformation under the absence of the target substance, from a mixture of candidate ligands obtained in (c′) by allowing the candidate ligand to be recognized by the recognizing site, and by utilizing the ability of the recognizing site on the carrier to recognize at least the part of the particular conformation.