Research Guides: Getting the Most Out of SciFinder-n: SciFinder-n for non-chemists

SciFinder-n for non-Chemists

Can I use SciFindern if I am not a chemist?

Yes! Often described as "the central science," chemistry connects physical sciences with life sciences and applied sciences. Because of this, chemical information and data can be useful in a variety disciplines outside of chemistry.

The information in SciFindern can be used by those in fields adjacent to chemistry, including physics, biology, earth sciences, environmental science, medicine, material science and more. If a chemical substance is relevant to an area of study outside of chemistry, SciFindern can provide valuable data and references related to that substance.

Below are some examples of SciFindern uses that are not exclusive to chemists. (Click to navigate)

Finding clinically relevant substance uses

Find chemical information about substances in non-chemical disciplines

Search patents for chemical uses

Assessing clinical use of chemicals through Substance Role filtering

Find clinically relevant substance uses

In this example, a clinician is looking for information and potential use cases of psilocybin, a compound produced by fungi. To do this, they search references for "psilocybin" and filter by Substance Role.

This allows them to filter results by many different roles, including therapeutic use and adverse effects.

Finding information on chemical substances within references

Easily find more information about chemical substances discussed in non-chemistry literature

In this example, a histology professional studies novel fixatives that can be used in place of neutral buffered formalin. While searching references they want more information on glyoxal, a proposed substitute for formalin. By clicking on substances they can easily find information on that substance, like toxicity, or find suppliers for that substance if they wish to use it.

This displays the relevant chemicals within the reference, as selected by CAS professionals. Clicking on the CAS number brings up more information about the substance.

While viewing details of the substance, references, suppliers, and other substances from the original reference can be viewed.

Searching Patents for Unique Applications

Search patents in a variety of chemistry-adjacent fields

Suppose a plant scientist wants to investigate the uses of extracts from the plumeria flower to see if their application is novel. They can search in the reference section, refine the search results to patents, and review what relevant patents have been filed.