BioMedScape: a Web based Environment for Diffusion and Analysis of Research Data in Discrete Areas of Life-Sciences

In this paper, we present BioMedScape, a computer aided cooperation environment intended to meet communication needs between researchers in neuroendocrinology, a welldefined area of Neurosciences. A set of tools are offered to the users, aimed to facilitate communications and diffusion of scientific information among its members. The software tools are based on a platform, hosting services for the management of large databases elaborated with and feed by researchers. Later on, currently implemented services will be used as the promoting environment for an electronic journal , the principles of which are presented in the paper. By attempting to provide more efficient and deliberately specialized tools for data processing and retrieval, as well as for original knowledge search methods adapted to well-defined communities, it is envisaged to speed up and improve the efficiency of literature screening, to allow “conceptual” identification of links between concepts and methods used in the different subfields of neurosciences, and to facilitate gathering and confrontation of expert opinions on newly emerging topics, thus permitting realization of state-of-the art or foresight reports on hot issues.