Introducing the New HSLS Molecular Biology Resource Portal
Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) has launched an enhanced Molecular Biology Web site to promote access to resources and services in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and systems biology. The portal can be accessed through the Molecular Biology link under “Most Popular” on the HSLS Web site www.hsls.pitt.edu or directly at www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/genetics. The core of the Molecular Biology portal is the search.HSLS.MolBio search box, which allows users to quickly access the major bioinformatics databases, software tools, and related literature on the Web, in addition to HSLS licensed resources. Users have a selection of five resource tabs that may be searched by keyword, phrase, gene name, disease, biological process, etc. Each tab provides a federated search of various resources along with search examples. Results are organized into meaningful categories using Vivisimo clustering technology.
Resource tabs:
• Databases & Software: Find molecular databases and software tools from the HSLS Online Bioinformatics Resource Collection and BioMed Central databases.
• Articles on Databases & Software: Find journal articles specifically on molecular databases and software tools using a filtered PubMed search.
• Genes/Proteins: Find information on genes and proteins from NCBI Entrez Gene and the Protein Lounge database.
• Pathways: Find information on metabolic and signaling pathways from the Protein Lounge Pathway database and the Science STKE database of Cell Signaling.
• Protocols: Find protocols from Protocol Online, BioMedProtocols, the Current Protocols series, the journal Methods and book series Methods in Enzymology, Nature Protocols, and STKE Protocols.
Under Help and Feedback, users will find contact information for HSLS information specialists in Molecular Biology, tutorials on molecular biology tools, and a new resource, How Do I?—MolBio, which provides a step-by-step guide to answer many common bioinformatics questions.
HSLS licenses a number of subscription-based bioinformatics software tools and databases available to users affiliated with Pitt or UPMC. These resources, including Vector NTI Advance and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis, are listed under Licensed Tools and profiled under Featured Resources.
The HSLS Molecular Biology Information Service offers an extensive schedule of both introductory and tool-based workshops each term, which are listed under Upcoming Classes. Individual consultations are also available.
For more information regarding the Molecular Biology portal or the HSLS Molecular Biology information service, please contact Ansuman Chattopadhyay at 412-648-1297 or ansuman@pitt.edu, or Carrie Iwema at 412-383-6887 or iwema@pitt.edu.
--Carrie Iwema
