Thomson acquires Biosis

This week, Thomson Corporation announced that it has bought Biosis, the nonprofit organization that produces databases and other services for the life sciences, including Biological Abstracts, Biosis Previews, and Zoological Record. A Thomson representative said those who use Biosis products will not notice any differences in how they get their data, the platforms they use to retrieve information, or the relationships they have with the people who provide the products.

“The message is: 'business as usual,'” James Pringle, vice president of product development at ISI, a component of Thomson, told The Scientist. Pringle added that Thomson hopes to create synergies between its products and those offered by Biosis, enhancing what both can offer subscribers.

Joel Baron of Knowledge Solutions, strategic advisors to the board of trustees at Biosis, said the nonprofit sought a buyer because it had become unable to generate enough cash to keep investing in its publishing business.

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