EMBL-EBI will be launching a new, more user-friendly search service in
February 2011. Beta testing of this service is just getting underway,
and ‘wet lab’ biologists are encouraged to give it a try.

The main feature of the new search is a concise, organised gene and
protein summary from which you can delve into the data and return
easily. For example, you can explore your gene or protein in Ensembl,
Uniprot or the Gene Expression Atlas as much as you like, and click on a
prominent ‘return to search results’ button to get back where you
started, instantly. Results are live from EBI resources (e.g. Ensembl,
Uniprot, Gene Expression Atlas, PDBe and CiteXplore).

EBI search results are arranged in a biologically relevant way. Tabs
guide you through gene, gene expression, protein, and protein structure.
A species selector allows you to switch easily between major organisms
at any point. Orthologues are shown across species, and in cases of gene
duplication all the paralogues are listed. This enables you, the user,
to decide what is most relevant. A literature tab organises published
resources rationally (e.g. full text, patents, reviews) and offers a
list of articles that have been selected by our database curators. A
reporting view allows you to share your summary search easily.

The new search has been tested extensively with many users across
Europe, which has informed many of the key changes to the interface.
Beta testing is just getting underway, and experimental biologists are
encouraged to give it a try. Researchers with limited experience with
bioinformatics are especially encouraged to share their thoughts with
the developers.

To try the new search, go to: www.ebi.ac.uk/beta

Let us know what you think! Send your feedback to: feedb...@ebi.ac.uk