Elsevier to Unveil 'BrainNavigator' at 'Neurosc...

WASHINGTON, November 14 /PRNewswire/ --

    - Neuroscience Research Goes Digital with Online, 3D Mapping For Faster,
More Accurate Research



    A revolutionary product that will change the face of brain research was
announced today by Elsevier in partnership with the Allen Institute for Brain
Science. BrainNavigator (http://www.elsevierlabsuite.com/brainnavigator), a
3D research tool, will replace bulky desk atlases and move brain research
online, saving scientists time while improving the quality of day-to-day
research.


    BrainNavigator is an electronic brain map that combines the coronal,
transverse and sagittal atlases on easy-to-navigate planes that show detailed
image descriptions of each brain section. Instead of printed graphs,
BrainNavigator provides a 3D precise picture, allowing for better
visualization, enhanced accuracy and increased productivity. Researchers are
also able to slice the brain virtually and overlay images to see sections
that previously took hours to link. The preciseness of measurements on
BrainNavigator leads to faster and easier identification, marking, and
visualization of brain structures for researchers who depend on accurate
research data.


    "We are delighted to combine our cutting-edge 3-D technology with
Elsevier's leading brain atlases in order to create valuable open access
resources as a part of BrainNavigator," said Allan Jones, Ph.D., Chief
Scientific Officer of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. "By providing
meaningful tools and rich content to the research community in a mixture of
free and subscription content, the Allen Institute for Brain Science and
Elsevier enable important advancements in brain research worldwide with
BrainNavigator."


    "BrainNavigator will change the way Neuroscience research is conducted,"
said Dr. Johannes Menzel, Publisher for Science and Technology at Elsevier.
"By creating a research platform on a digital front instead of massive desk
atlases, scientists can more effectively work while actively comparing
against existing information. This tool is revolutionary for brain science."


    Elsevier will demo the prototype at Neuroscience 2008 in Washington D.C.
and begin registering potential beta testers. Scheduled for release in May
2009, registered users will have free access to select content on the
BrainNavigator prior to purchase. A Webcast demonstration on November 14,
along with on-site tutorials at the Neuroscience 2008 tradeshow in Washington
D.C., will demonstrate to researchers how it will truly alter life in the
lab.



About Elsevier

    Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and
medical information products and services. Working in partnership with the
global science and health communities, Elsevier's 7,000 employees in over 70
offices worldwide publish more than 2,000 journals and 1,900 new books per
year, in addition to offering a suite of innovative electronic products, such
as ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com/), MD Consult (
http://www.mdconsult.com/), Scopus (http://www.info.scopus.com/),
bibliographic databases, and online reference works.


    Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com/) is a global business headquartered in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide. Elsevier is part of
Reed Elsevier Group plc (http://www.reedelsevier.com/), a world-leading
publisher and information provider. Operating in the science and medical,
legal, education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides
high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with increasing
emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed Elsevier's ticker
symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and
ENL (New York Stock Exchange).



About the Allen Institute for Brain Science

    Launched in 2003, the Seattle-based Allen Institute for Brain Science is
an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit medical research organization dedicated
to advancing brain research. Started with US$100 million in seed money from
philanthropist Paul G. Allen, the Institute takes on projects at the leading
edge of science-far-reaching projects at the intersection of biology and
technology. The resulting data create publicly available resources that fuel
discovery for countless other researchers worldwide. The Institute's data and
tools are available on the Web free of charge at www.alleninstitute.org.