Ichthyology
http://www.nhm.org/research/fishes/index.html
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles has provided this online collection of fish records. This large collection includes almost three million cataloged specimens. The database is user-friendly, allowing users to search for collection records by location (either location name, or zooming and selecting areas on a map) or by scientific name. Each record includes a catalog number, date collected, taxonomy, and details on where the specimen was found. [AL]
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The Human Gene Mutation Database
http://www.hgmd.org
The Human Gene Mutation Database from the Institute of Medical Genetics at Cardiff provides practical information for researchers, physicians, and genetic counselors. The database is currently undergoing some reorganization, but information can be searched by "disease, gene name, or gene symbol." Search results are well organized and easy to navigate, linking directly to results from external Web databases without requiring that the user perform additional searches. Frequent users may also appreciate the listing of genes recently added to the database. [AL]
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Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory
http://www.pprl.usu.edu/
This Web site from the US Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service (ARS) focuses on poisonous plants and research currently being done on some of the problems caused by them. The main page gives some background on poisonous plants and the importance of the research, while the research page links to substantial information, including publication submissions and annual reports, about several ongoing ARS research projects. The site also contains a list of some poisonous plants in the western US, with links to detailed descriptions and photos of the plants and their potential effects. [AL]
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Biosphere Reserve Integrated Monitoring Programme
http://www.unesco.org/mab/brim/index.htm
This new Web site focuses on the Biosphere Reserve Integrated Monitoring (BRIM) Programme, part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. "BRIM undertakes abiotic, biodiversity, socio-economic and integrated monitoring in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves." Data included within the Resources section includes flora and fauna monitoring from the MAB programme, as well as abiotic, biotic, and socio-economic data from other sources. Links to resources that describe monitoring methods and protocols are other valuable components of this site. [AL]
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Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
http://www.genome.ad.jp:80/kegg/
The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, an ongoing project from Kyoto University, has recently updated this collection of molecular interaction information. The Introduction section provides substantial information on the project background and data, as well as user guides and manuals to help users orient themselves to the database. Users can search for information on specific interactions in selected species, or browse to find metabolic pathways or gene sequences of interest. Computational tools include the ability to find similar sequences and generate possible reactions between compounds. [AL]
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Alzheimer Research Forum
http://www.alzforum.org:80/members/index.html
"The Alzheimer Research Forum is an independent nonprofit organization" of science and medical professionals dedicated to research and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The site includes up-to-date information in the form of news, papers of the week, journal article abstracts in advance, live discussions, and more. A wide variety of resources focus on many different aspects of Alzheimer's research. [AL]
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ExPASy Molecular Biology Server
http://us.expasy.org/
The Expert Protein Analysis System (ExPASy) is a metasite associated with the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. The site focuses on the study and analysis of proteins, and includes a number of databases and analytical tools. A new Reference link provides a helpful description of the resources on the site; users may wish to view this to determine what tools are most useful to them. A number of other links provide educational and general molecular biology resources. [AL]
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Biology WorkBench
http://workbench.sdsc.edu/
From the San Diego Supercomputer Center, "the Biology WorkBench allows biologists to search many popular protein and nucleic acid sequence databases." After the free registration, users have access to a variety of molecular data sequencing and visualization tools through "a common point-and-click Web interface." New users may want to select the tutorials link, which includes several documents that aid the use of the Biology Workbench and the information obtained from it. The site is best viewed through Netscape Navigator. [AL]
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