Work Areas of Specialised Information Service

FID_Arbeitsbereiche_2021
Arbeitsbereich_Governance

 

  • SIS-licences
    The Specialised Information Service Pharmacy currently provides full-text access to 56 specialised journals (including about 140.000 articles) for university-based pharmaceutical scientists. These journals are mainly accessible campus-wide at the German university locations with pharmaceutical faculties, and only a few require free registration. Additionally, there is a limited license contingent for scientists from other public institutions.
    The journals are provided by the Competence Centre for Licensing Electronic Resources (KfL), and the articles are searchable with PubPharm.
Arbeitsbereich_Research_Development
  • Development and enhancement of the PubPharm search platform
    PubPharm is a search engine for pharmaceutical literature with more than 55 million searchable publications (12/2021), including 33 million from the database Medline (PubMed). Furthermore, journal articles from adjacent scientific disciplines, books (e-books and dissertations), conference papers, preprints, patents and information on clinical trials are included. At the same time, freely accessible subject-specific information resources have been integrated, providing further pharmaceutical compound-related data. A structure-based search capability (including substructure and structure similarity search) complements the text-based search.
    PubPharm is a discovery system based on the open-source software VuFind. The back end, the central search index K10plus, is operated by the GBV Association (VZG). PubPharm undergoes a process of continuous development. A planned enhancement affects the overall architecture of PubPharm.
    Extensive information about PubPharm is provided in the PubPharm Help function.
  • Development of innovative services
    In cooperation with the Institute for Information Systems innovative search tools are being developed as unique PubPharm characteristics, e.g. the display of related substances, diseases/symptoms and genes when searching for drugs or diseases, and their visualisation in corresponding networks. If a developed prototype receives positive feedback from the scientific community, it will be integrated into the PubPharm search platform.
    Within the scope of narrative intelligence, approaches to plausibilise research hypotheses are being explored. These approaches comprise precise literature research as well as a structuring of the existing literature based on scientific argumentations.
    Another research approach focuses on AI-based predictions of associations between pharmacy-relevant entities.
Arbeitsbereich_Dissemination_Outreach
  • Collaboration with the pharmaceutical research community
    Intensive and systematic feedback from the scientific community guarantees the requirements-based and user-centric orientation of all services.
  • Advisory board
    An advisory board consisting of scientists from pharmacy and computer science supports the ongoing development of the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy. Meetings are held annually.
  • Presentations at scientific conferences
    The services of the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy are presented at scientific conferences. These conferences offer the possibility to inform scientists directly and learn about their needs and requirements in a personal conversation.
  • Webinars and roadshows
    Webinars and roadshows are used to inform scientists about the services of the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy.
  • PubPharm Blog
    The PubPharm Blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn account provide information on the latest developments in the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy and content and functional enhancements of PubPharm.
  • Publications and press
    Publications by the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy and press reports are listed in the PubPharm Blog and on the parent webpage.
Arbeitsbereich_Content Management
  • Data management and integration
    PubPharm is continuously expanded with pharmacy-relevant data from heterogeneous sources, e.g. additional clinical trials registries, fact databases, and research data.
  • Digitisation and Open Access Services
    Until now, 1,700 books and 700 journal volumes, predominantly from the 19th and 20th centuries, have been digitised. They are open access available via Braunschweig University Digital Library. For example "Süddeutsche Apotheker-Zeitung", „Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung" and "Pharmazeutische Zeitung“ can be found in the repository.
    The Specialised Information Service Pharmacy actively promotes Open Access Publishing and offers consulting and support services in this area.
  • Digital preservation
    The digital preservation of contents licensed by the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy the conducted in cooperation with the TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology University Library Hannover.
  • Research data management
    The Specialised Information Service Pharmacy is a participant in the NFDI4Chem consortium, and thus involved in the development of a National Research Data Infrastructure for chemistry and pharmacy communities. For example, the Specialised Information Service Pharmacy is developing an Electronic Lab Notebook in close cooperation with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology for university-based research in pharmacy. In the NFDI4Chem task area 'Community Involvement and Training', roadshows and webinars are offered, and subject-specific training material is developed.