BMPedia is a wiki for Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs).
What's a wiki?
Wikis are interactive websites that are constantly edited and improved by their user base. Read more about wikis here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
Why a BMP wiki?
In science, information and knowledge are never static. Every day, new facts are uncovered. Every day, dozens of publications are released. The mass of information is almsot too much for a single individual to keep track of. One approach to provide scientists with a broad overview has been to write reviews. Reviews are a great way to read into a new subject. However, as we all know, by the time a review is published, it's already outdated.
The advantage of a wiki is that new information can be added anytime, anywhere and by anyone. Anyone can leave links to new publications or ideas and feedback in the comments. Writers will pick up the new information and integrate it into the wiki. Editors will control changes made by writers, add commentaries or open new discussions. In other words, a wiki grows, develops and changes constantly and is much more flexible than a published paper or review.
Moreover, the wiki provides a space where conflicting results or contradictory interpretations of results can be discussed in detail. It's a platform for scientists to exchange news and views on a more regular basis than any conference could provide.
How can I contribute?
Please feel free to add comments and suggestions to any page. If you would like to become a writer, please contact tsieber @ chemie.fu-berlin.de for details.
