Instruction 9 - Medical Scientific Databases Overview

Medical Scientific Databases

• NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information): A US-based scientific institution that provides access to various biotechnology, biomedicine, and genomics databases. Resources like GenBank, PubMed, and BioProject are available online.
• ClinVar: A database that catalogs genome differences, mutations, and their correlations with health conditions.
• ClinicalTrials.gov: A database of ongoing and completed clinical trials globally. Provides information on the status, results, and progression of clinical tests.
• PubMed: A database of biomedical scientific articles. Searchable by Google.
• Google Scholar: A search engine for scientific articles, launched in November 2004. Includes both free and paid scientific databases.
• Polish Medical Bibliography: A database managed by Stanisław Konopka Main Medical Library. Includes scientific works from 1991 onwards.
• Scopus: A database by Elsevier Publishing Company, containing information on published scientific works. Available in Poland from 2012. Includes conference materials and patents.
• Web of Science: A platform with multiple databases. Provides bibliographic data and citations from academic journals, conference materials and other documents.

Database Utilization (Practice)

• Students can utilize NCBI and Google Scholar to gather basic medical information.
• Advanced search options and filters are available in these databases for precise results.
• Comparing search results across various databases provides a more nuanced understanding of the topic.

Sample Exercise (ERCC2 Gene)

• The ercc2 gene is linked to Xeroderma pigmentosum Group D, a genetic disorder impacting DNA repair.
• UV light damage causes the dysfunction.
• A variant of the ercc2 gene causing premature protein termination (nonsense mutation) can be identified in NCBI's ClinVar database.

Explore various critical databases in the medical and biotechnology fields, including NCBI, ClinVar, and ClinicalTrials.gov. This quiz will test your knowledge on different resources available for medical research, including scientific articles and clinical trials. Enhance your understanding of how these databases contribute to advancements in healthcare.