Research
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/peet_staph/index.html
Staphylinidae, also known as rove beetles, is comprised by "one of the largest families of animals, presently including over 47,000 described species placed in roughly 3200 genera, grouped in up to 31 subfamilies, with many more species and genera yet to be described." The PEET (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) project and website from Chicago's Field Museum, is studying this incredibly diverse animal group and offering databases and publications for perusal. Also at the site is a detailed description of the project's methods as well as a presentation of what has been found thus far from a field expedition to Chile. 2004 and 2005 field work will include trips to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Also available at the site is a link to the project's staff. [JPM]
http://mbrd.ucsd.edu/pages/ecolevol.cfm
With over 1,000 staff members, an annual budget of nearly $150 million, and its own fleet of ships capable of global travel, Scripps Institution of Oceanography is one of the most significant homes of scientific inquiry in the world. As part of its many diverse efforts, Scripps operates the Marine Biology Research Division which is presented at this website. The site, while simply designed and easy to navigate, is a great resource for students and researchers interested in learning more about the research activities at Scripps. Those interested in a certain type of research can narrow down the division into its specific labs, such as Cell and Developmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, and Physiology. Visitors to the site can also access the many sub-laboratories, each focusing on specific subjects, such as Sea Turtles, Bioluminescence, Coral Reef ecology, and tons more. [JPM]
http://www.informatics.jax.org/mgihome/GXD/aboutGXD.shtml
A very unique biomedical research institution, "The Jackson Laboratory, a non-profit institution, is the world's largest mammalian genetic research facility." As such, Jackson provides universities and hospitals worldwide with millions of mice -- representing more than 2,500 varieties -- each year. This website offering from Jackson Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, allows visitors to solicit valuable information on the mouse genome. "The Gene Expression Database (GXD) is a community resource for gene expression information from the laboratory mouse. GXD stores and integrates different types of expression data and makes these data freely available in formats appropriate for comprehensive analysis." At the site, visitors can learn about how to acquire data and search for via the Gene Expression Query Forms. Also of interest are the sections devoted to Who's Who in GXD and links to Selected Publications. [JPM]
The 1959 Antarctic Treaty set out to achieve "demilitarization, the ban on nuclear tests and on the disposal of radioactive waste material - the respect of which is guaranteed by a system of mutual inspection - and the promotion of international scientific cooperation. The approval in 1991 of the 'Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty' (Madrid Protocol), turned the area into a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. The Protocol prohibits any non-scientific activity relating to mineral resources and otherwise, makes provision for the realization of environmental evaluations to be based upon scientific evidences." At this site, visitors can learn about the goals of the programme and also learn more about some of the many phases of its research projects. Also of interest are is the metadata section, including links to data from projects such as "The Mass Balance of the Antarctic Ice Cap." Overall, a very interesting site for those interested in the fruits of the Madrid Protocol and the science that has occurred in its wake. [JPM]
The Universal Protein Resource, UniProt, "is the world's most comprehensive catalog of information on proteins." The Getting Started, Searches/Tools, and Databases sections are the true gems of the site. After getting acquainted with the trove of information and data offered by UniProt, users can then begin to search for various protein sequences and data collection via a well-organized searchable database organized by Classification, Function, Property and more. Also available for visitors is the ability to download some or all of the UniProt database. Other resources include a documents section that provides visitors with a user's manual and various technical information guides regarding the databases. [JPM]
"The National Peanut Research Laboratory's mission is to conduct basic and applied research to develop knowledge of the factors affecting the production, harvesting, storage, quality, and safety of peanuts." And, this exceptionally well-designed and informative site is a good example of all of the lab's work. Visitors can get a good appraisal of what's going on at the lab by checking out the Research site, where links such as Crop Production Technology, Prevention of Mycotoxins in Peanuts, Maintaining Peanut Quality During Postharvest Processing, and more, take the visitor to subpages that are full of information about the relative research program. Also available at the site are links to the lab's publications from the past several decades as well as information on how to order software to assist in management of peanut production and management. Also available at the On-line Tools link are helpful tools such as a Warehouse Ventilation Calculator, and free upgrades for previous software editions. [JPM]
