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Public Health

MolBio Information Service (HSLS)

About MolBio Information Service

The mission of the HSLS Molecular Biology Information Service (MolBio) is to provide bioinformatics resources via software procurement, implementation, and training to assist biomedical scientists with solving their research questions. MolBio has supported Pitt researchers since 2002. 

Pitt Health Sciences Core Research Facilities

About HSCRF

"The Health Sciences Core Research Facilities (HSCRF) were established through the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences in recognition of the vital role that centralized research resources play in the academic research enterprise. The technology required to perform innovative biomedical research changes rapidly and centralized research resources provide access to expertise, technology applications, and state-of-the-art instruments that are otherwise unavailable to most investigators.

Our research resource facilities include scientists and technicians who provide expert advice for study design, standard and custom applications and assist the investigator to take their project aims from conception to data production. The scientific leadership is available to work with you to adapt and apply methods appropriate to your scientific goals and ensure that the interpretation of the results is supported by the data."

Support

HSCRF is focused primarily on supporting investigators at the University

HSCRF Facilities

National Center for Biotechnology Information: NCBI

NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information): All resources

NCBI is a center within the National Library of Medicine. They are responsible for biotechnology initiatives, including the ongoing development of the PubMed interface and algorithms. 

NCBI has an extensive collection of genomic, genetic, and biomedical resources-- databases, datasets you can download, tools, and training. The above link goes to the main page or you can choose from the list below for links to resources for specific topics.

NCBI Literature Resources

NCBI Literature Resources

  • Bookshelf
    • A collection of biomedical books that can be searched directly or from linked data in other NCBI databases. The collection includes genetic resources such as GeneReviews, and many other titles.
  • GeneReviews
    • A collection of expert-authored, peer-reviewed disease descriptions on the NCBI Bookshelf that apply genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients and families with specific inherited conditions.
  • Journals in NCBI Databases
    • Subset of the NLM Catalog database providing information on journals that are referenced in NCBI database records, including PubMed abstracts. This subset can be searched using the journal title, MEDLINE or ISO abbreviation, ISSN, or the NLM Catalog ID.
  • MedGen
    • A portal to information about medical genetics. MedGen includes term lists from multiple sources and organizes them into concept groupings and hierarchies. Links are also provided to information related to those concepts in the NIH Genetic Testing Registry (GTR)ClinVarGeneOMIMPubMed, and other sources
  • MeSH Database
    • MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) is the U.S. National Library of Medicine's controlled vocabulary for indexing articles for MEDLINE/PubMed. MeSH terminology provides a consistent way to retrieve information that may use different terminology for the same concepts.
  • NCBI C++ Toolkit Manual
    • A comprehensive manual on the NCBI C++ toolkit, including its design and development framework, a C++ library reference, software examples and demos, FAQs and release notes. The manual is searchable online and can be downloaded as a series of PDF documents
  • NCBI Handbook
    • An extensive collection of articles about NCBI databases and software. Designed for a novice user, each article presents a general overview of the resource and its design, along with tips for searching and using available analysis tools. All articles can be searched online and downloaded in PDF format; the handbook can be accessed through the NCBI Bookshelf.
  • NCBI Help Manual
    • Accessed through the NCBI Bookshelf, the Help Manual contains documentation for many NCBI resources, including PubMed, PubMed Central, the Entrez system, Gene, SNP and LinkOut. All chapters can be downloaded in PDF format.
  • PubMed (Uses the HSLS PubMed Link)
    • A database of citations and abstracts for biomedical literature from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. Links are provided when full text versions of the articles are available via PubMed Central (described below) or other websites.
  • PubMed Central (PMC)
    • A digital archive of full-text biomedical and life sciences journal literature, including clinical medicine and public health.

HSLS Literature Resources

Search for research literature

All of the databases listed below require you to login using your myPitt information.

Medline

While PubMed is often thought of (and rightfully so) as the premier biomedical literature research database, it isn't the only biomedical database. It is free, though, but not all of the articles found through PubMed will be freely available. 

  • Medline content from other database vendors
    • Other database vendors can license the PubMed/Medline content, but you use their interface to search. Essentially, it is the same content as PubMed but there will be a different look and feel to the search interface. 
  • Ovid Medline
    • Helena's favorite interface!
    • For older articles, click on Find Citing Articles to the right of the article record to find other authors who have cited an article you like.
    • Ex: Search for articles that cited "Relaxin reverses inflammatory and immune signals in aged hearts" which was co-authored by A Chattopadhyay (MolBio)
  • Ebsco Medline
  • WoS Medline
    • The Web of Science 

EMBASE (Elsevier)

Embase includes some European research journals not indexed by PubMed. It also includes all citations from PubMed. However, I would strongly recommend searching it in lieu of PubMed or one of the other providers listed above.


Science Citation Index (WoS/Clarivate)

This data database is searchable by topic, but I like to use it to see who has cited important articles, especially those published more than a few years ago. PubMed and Ovid Medline offer this feature, but it is limited to only those journals indexed by the 8,000 or so included journals.


SpringerLink Genetics Ebooks

We all know expensive it can be to buy books, right? But what if you could purchase a softcover version of an important genetics book for a nominal fee? SpringerLink has a program that allows you to purchase a copy of many of the books that Pitt has purchased.

Search for genetics books owned by Pitt

HSLS and ULS have purchased a large number of genetics-related books. 

Search for genetics ebooks at Pitt

  • 2015-2025
  • Published in English
  • Available online