Immediate Access to Patent Data, Expanded Visual Analysis Tools Key as CAS Projects Needs of Next Generation of Scientists, Intellectual Property Specialists

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- It took 30 years for Chemical Abstracts Service to publish its first million abstracts. CAS indexed more than a million records in 2006 alone, reflecting the accelerated pace of research and discovery around the globe.

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Marking its 100th anniversary in 2007, CAS is expanding into allied science fields and developing analysis tools for researchers on a global platform. For instance, customers can access and review technical data on Japanese patents within 48 hours of the patents being issued.

"CAS databases streamline the investigative process -- allowing you to take an idea and rapidly find the important and necessary information before you forget about the idea or it loses its excitement," said 2005 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Dr. Robert Grubbs. "That really is invaluable."

CAS provides access to the world’s chemical and scientific literature and patents to speed and enable scientific discovery to improve peoples’ lives. CAS databases are available through search and analysis software for scientists in all facets of the research process and anyone engaged in intellectual property investigation.

What started as a volunteer activity to share chemical abstracts has evolved into a $250 million a year enterprise serving 100 countries. CAS databases contain more than 27 million bibliographic records and 13 million reactions, while the CAS Registry(SM) includes more than 31 million records of organic and inorganic substances. Today scientists around the world rely upon the CAS Registry Number(R) as the globally accepted standard for describing a chemical substance.

In the 1990s, CAS introduced SciFinder(R), a desktop research tool. Analysis and visualization capabilities are now featured in STN(R) AnaVist(TM), supporting the evolving role of information professionals who are management advisers for major corporations and academic institutions looking to focus their R&D efforts.

CAS will mark its anniversary with customer briefings in Asia and Europe. A symposium will be conducted at the ACS meeting in Boston August 19-23. The company received recognition as a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society on June 14. CAS employs more than 1,300 people at its Columbus, Ohio headquarters.

To learn more, visit http://www.cas.org/newsevents/releases/casanniversary.html .