PSDS Transition

PSDS is Becoming Part of the Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI)

We are pleased to announce that the Physical Sciences Data Service (PSDS) is transitioning into the wider Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI). This move will create a more integrated and powerful platform for accessing trusted physical sciences research data.

For many years, PSDS has provided a single national portal offering free‑to‑access licensed databases in crystallography, thermodynamics, and related fields. By moving into PSDI, a nationally supported EPSRC infrastructure, we are making this access more sustainable, more efficient, and better connected to a broader ecosystem of tools and data services.

The transition to PSDI offers several long‑term benefits:

• Unified access – PSDS resources and many others are brought together through a single platform.
• Cross‑Data Search – Search across multiple datasets from a single interface, including CSD data, and more than 30 additional physical sciences data sources.
• Improved user experience – Streamlined registration, enhanced helpdesk support, clearer guidance, and a growing suite of research tools.
• Future‑proofing – PSDI is designed to evolve, integrate with community services, and support new research workflows such as AI‑driven data exploration.

What does this mean for you?

You will continue to have access to the same resources you know from PSDS, and the way you use most tools will remain largely unchanged. However, there are some important updates:

• PSDS will remain available until mid 2026, but will be shut down once all resources have been transitioned.
• You will need to re-register on PSDI to continue accessing licensed resources.
• Interfaces for webCSD, ICSD and DETHERM will still be available in PSDI.
• The way you search Propersea and ChASe will be through the PSDI cross-data search
• Crystalworks is being retired and superseded by cross-data search which searches across multiple crystallography data sources (and more)
• Remote desktop CSD access will remain with only minor changes to account setup / renewal https://guidance.psdi.ac.uk/docusaurus-pages/docs/guidance/psdi-resources/data-sources/subscribed/csd#using-the-csd-remote-desktop

Next Steps

Here’s how you can easily access the resources you previously had access to via PSDS.

Where login is required please use the ‘UK Institution Sign In’ on first login your email address will need to be verified.

If you are a repeat user, you may want to update your bookmarks to point directly to the new PSDI resource locations.

If you have any queries or need support you can read more on the PSDI Knowledge Base or contact the PSDI support helpdesk on [email protected]

Want to know more about PSDI – Read on

What tools and services are offered by PSDI?

PSDI provides tools and services to support researchers to work with their research data. For example, our Data Conversion Service makes it easy to convert between different scientific file formats and the PSDI Data Revival Service uses AI convert your handwritten lab book pages into machine-readable data. We work with many partners in the community who also contribute services and tools, for example, Catalysis Data Infrastructure (CDI) Thematic Portal and Bibliographic Data Web Service, Collaborative Computational Project for NMR Crystallography (CCP-NC), and Galaxy Workflow Management System.

You can find details about all of our resources in the What We Provide pages.

How do I find physical sciences data in PSDI?

PSDI provides access to an increasing number (currently over 40) of different databases and repositories of physical sciences data including the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), Chemical Availability Search (ChASe), Propersea (Property Prediction), Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD), and DETHERM that were formerly hosted by PSDS. You can search many of the data sources we provide using the PSDI Cross Data Search Service. You can also search for data provided by our partners in PSDI Community Data Collections.

You can find information about all our data sources in the What We Provide pages.

What guidance and training does PSDI provide?

PSDI offers guidance and training materials for physical scientists and those who support them, including guidance on working with scientific research data and using the technologies and resources provided by PSDI. Self-paced training supplements in-person learning opportunities to broaden researchers’ abilities beyond their specialised fields, focusing on areas like programming, machine-learning, research data management, and other transferable skills. You can find links to our guidance and training on the PSDI Knowledge Base and you can also find in-person learning opportunities on our Events page.

How do I get involved with PSDI?

• Join an event
• Read our latest news
• Sign up to our newsletter on Jiscmail
• Follow us on our social media channels: LinkedIn, Mastodon, X and Bluesky.
• Do you have a data collection, service, tool, guidance collection, course you’d like to share or an idea for an event to run with the community? Use our Contact form to let us know and see how we can help!