Genomics, particle physics top study list
Source: Agencies |
June 6, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
GENOMICS and particle physics - offering different perspectives on the fundamental nature of life and the cosmos - are the two hottest areas of scientific research.
Eight of the 21 most closely followed scientists in 2012 studied genes and their functions, while the single most-cited paper last year covered the hunt for the long-sought Higgs boson particle.
It was the third year in a row in which genomics researchers topped the rankings, in terms of authoring the most highly cited scientific papers, underscoring the central importance of genetics in biological science and medicine.
"Genomics is a perennially hot topic as we learn more about how (DNA) sequences play out in the manifestation of disease," said Christopher King, editor of Thomson Reuters ScienceWatch, which tracks trends in research.
The growing importance of Chinese research was also highlighted in a number of fields, with institutions in the country producing four of the 21 hottest researchers, including Jun Wang from the Beijing Genomics Institute.
"When you look at the quantity of papers published by various nations, China has sky-rocketed in the last few years," said King. "That hasn't necessarily been commensurate with impact in the literature, as measured by citations, but this seems to be starting to change."
The relevance of the work in genomics was evident this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology congress in Chicago, where key advances in cancer medicine on display hinged on understanding the genetic basis of tumors.
The world's "hottest" researcher, as measured by the number of citations during 2012 for papers published between 2010 and 2012, was Richard Wilson at the Washington University School of Medicine.
Wilson's laboratory was the first to sequence the genome of a cancer patient and discover genetic signatures related the development of disease.
Other hot genomics researchers on the list included Eric Lander of the Broad Institute of MIT at Harvard and Kari Stefansson, the founder of Icelandic biotech company Decode Genetics, which was acquired last December by Amgen.
Papers related to the search for the Higgs boson accounted for nearly one fifth of the 51 papers published in the 2012 hottest research list.
Eight of the 21 most closely followed scientists in 2012 studied genes and their functions, while the single most-cited paper last year covered the hunt for the long-sought Higgs boson particle.
It was the third year in a row in which genomics researchers topped the rankings, in terms of authoring the most highly cited scientific papers, underscoring the central importance of genetics in biological science and medicine.
"Genomics is a perennially hot topic as we learn more about how (DNA) sequences play out in the manifestation of disease," said Christopher King, editor of Thomson Reuters ScienceWatch, which tracks trends in research.
The growing importance of Chinese research was also highlighted in a number of fields, with institutions in the country producing four of the 21 hottest researchers, including Jun Wang from the Beijing Genomics Institute.
"When you look at the quantity of papers published by various nations, China has sky-rocketed in the last few years," said King. "That hasn't necessarily been commensurate with impact in the literature, as measured by citations, but this seems to be starting to change."
The relevance of the work in genomics was evident this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology congress in Chicago, where key advances in cancer medicine on display hinged on understanding the genetic basis of tumors.
The world's "hottest" researcher, as measured by the number of citations during 2012 for papers published between 2010 and 2012, was Richard Wilson at the Washington University School of Medicine.
Wilson's laboratory was the first to sequence the genome of a cancer patient and discover genetic signatures related the development of disease.
Other hot genomics researchers on the list included Eric Lander of the Broad Institute of MIT at Harvard and Kari Stefansson, the founder of Icelandic biotech company Decode Genetics, which was acquired last December by Amgen.
Papers related to the search for the Higgs boson accounted for nearly one fifth of the 51 papers published in the 2012 hottest research list.
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