Elsevier launches Lipid Structures app for SciVerse Applications

Elsevier has announced the launch of a beta version of the new Lipid Structures app for its SciVerse ScienceDirect database.

Developed by the multi-institutional consortium Lipid Maps, the newest SciVerse Applications addition identifies and links lipid names or synonyms in articles within the Elsevier database.

This allows users to easily access information on particular lipids in context, including their structure and other key information such as common and systematic names, formula, exact mass and classification hierarchy.

It is hoped that the functionality provided by this app will make it a useful educational and reference tool for the lipidomics research community.

Rafael Sidi, vice-president for the application marketplace and developer network at Elsevier, said: "Applications which support these connections with key domain specific resources represent a new frontier in scientific search and discovery tools, and we hope this is the first of many to come."

Last week, the company announced that it will be acquiring Ariadne Genomics, a leading provider of pathway analysis tools and semantic technologies for the life science sector.