Biology & Biotechnology

Bio.com
This site is designed to organize information to professionals working in the life sciences and associated industries. It includes live panel discussions and interviews with scientists of biology and biotechnology, reviews and articles on current topics, news from academic and industrial labs, lab protocols, and a collection of links and web-based tools.

BioMed Central
BMC is an open access, independent publisher that provides immediate and free access to peer-reviewed biomedical research.

Entrez Gene on NCBI
Provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), this new database performs as a review article site on a particular gene. It includes gene structure, sequence, literature links, biological data, Gene RIF, gene ontology, homology, and phenotypes. Search function is similar to PubMed.

The Interactive Fly
This guide to Drosophila (fruit fly) genes and their roles in development is an interactive exploration into the gene activity from egg to adult. The site is updated quarterly.

Tree of Life Web Project
The diversity of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history, and characteristics are presented in a well designed and easy to navigate taxonomy. Features include identification keys, figures, phylogenetic trees, and other systematic information for a group of organisms. The site includes a customization tool for display options control and serves as an educational resource for all ages.

Health Information

CenterWatch
A provider of print and Internet-based information services focusing on the clinical trials industry, CenterWatch targets patients, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies, contract research organizations, and research centers. The site lists more than 41,000 active industry and government-sponsored clinical trials and new FDA approved drug therapies. A major feature includes JobWatch, listings of career and continuing education opportunities in the clinical trials industry worldwide.

INASP Health Links
The INASP objective is to promote access and dissemination of scientific and scholarly information and resources. The site is organized into three sections: General Health Resources, Subject Index and Library and Publishing support. Although the site is geared to the developing country audience, the website would be of use to institutions and individuals that have reliable Internet access but limited print resources.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices
ISMP is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing education about adverse drug events and their prevention. “The Institute provides an independent review of medication errors that have been voluntarily submitted by practitioners to a national Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) operated by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) in the USA.”

Medscape
For health professionals, patients, and interested consumers, this site features peer-reviewed articles, "zoomable" color graphics, self-assessment features, medical news, CME tracking, Medline reviews, and annotated links to Internet resources. Access is free, but the site requires a one-time membership registration.

PLM Latina
A Spanish-language listing of medication names from Physicians’ Desk Reference-equivalent references in Argentina, Brazil, Central America, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.

WebMD Health
This consumer health site features medical news, a health encyclopedia and dictionary, diseases and conditions, drugs and medications, herbals and vitamins, tests, and procedures. It requires a one-time free membership registration. Content is selected by a full-time staff of physicians, journalists and community moderators.

Botany & Zoology

eNature.com
Owned by the National Wildlife Federation, this general information site features more than 1,200 online field guides grouped by species that include detailed descriptions and photos. A customization feature generates focused regional guides based on your ZIP code. Other features include audio and video files of birds and backyard habitats and an online monthly newsletter.

The International Plant Names Index
Information on this site helps to “eliminate the need for repeated reference to primary sources for basic bibliographic information about plant names.” The data comes from three sources: Index Kewensis, Gray Card Index and the Australian Plant Names Index. Detailed descriptions to understanding the data are included. This redesigned site launched in February 2004.

InvasiveSpecies.gov
Developed and maintained by the National Agricultural Library, this site is “a gateway to Federal and State invasive species activities and programs.” A different invasive species (plant, animal or other organism) is highlighted each month.

Native American Ethnobotany Database
Maintained at the University of Michigan at Dearborn, this searchable database lists food, drugs, plants, and fibers used by Native Americans. Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make of use of indigenous plants

Smithsonian Catalog of Botanical Illustrations
Created by the Scientific Illustrator for the Department of Systematic Biology - Botany of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, this searchable database has more than 3,000 images, many of them in color. Three plant families are featured: Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae and Melastomataceae.

Veterinary Medicine & Animal Alternatives

AltWeb
This site is intended to serve as a “central reference point” for animal alternatives information, and includes publications, databases, calendars, events, and scientific news. Biomedical researchers, institutional groups that review animal protocols (IACUCs), lab technicians, veterinarians, and the animal welfare community as a whole will benefit from this resource.

IACUC.org
The federal government mandates that institutions that use laboratory animals for research or instructional purposes must establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution's animal care and use program. This site serves as a link archive and resource repository for IACUCs.

IVIS
The International Veterinary Information Service is a non-profit organization that provides free access to e-books, conference proceedings, short courses, continuing education, and a calendar of events for veterinarians, professionals and students. Free registration is required.

NetVet & the Electronic Zoo
Moderators of this site are dedicated to categorizing and organizing veterinary medical and animal-related information on the Internet. It includes links to publications, organizations, mailing lists, newsgroups, and other Internet resources.

NORINA
Provided by the Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Science and Alternatives, this database of audiovisual alternatives to the use of animals in teaching is searchable by record format. Detailed records include product descriptions, audiovisual format, source, pricing for models, and contact information.

SLA-June 2004