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Field · Life Sciences

Immunology and Microbiology research

Immunology and Microbiology is a field of the Life Sciences. Science Explorer counts 1.3M research works in it since 1950. 19.3% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

In short: study of the immune system and microorganisms, including their roles in health and disease.

Research works
1.3M
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
261k
per year above
Top-10% rate
19.3%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Topics
44
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+18%
the tick is no change

What is Immunology and Microbiology research about, and what is growing?

By the world's output in 2019–23, its most used keywords are Innate Immunity, Inflammation, Epidemiology, Immunity, Regulatory T Cells, Immune Regulation. Gaining share since 2009–13: Activation, Macrophage, Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Global Health. Losing share: Innate Antiviral Responses, Toll-like Receptors, CD4+CD25+, Foxp3.

▲ gaining share of this field◆ holding its share▼ losing share

Size is the world's fractional works in 2019–23 in the topics tagged with each word; colour compares the word's share of this field with 2009–13. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Innate Immunity54k◆ 1.07×7 topics
  2. Inflammation50k◆ 1.00×9 topics
  3. Epidemiology42k◆ 1.13×9 topics
  4. Immunity40k▲ 1.18×4 topics
  5. Regulatory T Cells29k▲ 1.17×4 topics
  6. Immune Regulation26k◆ 1.03×4 topics
  7. Immune Response24k▼ 0.78×5 topics
  8. Autoimmunity24k▼ 0.81×4 topics
  9. Cancer23k▲ 1.57×4 topics
  10. Antibiotic Resistance23k▲ 1.54×2 topics
  11. Dendritic Cells22k◆ 0.93×2 topics
  12. Public Health22k▲ 1.32×3 topics
  13. Cytokines22k◆ 1.02×3 topics
  14. Cancer Immunotherapy21k◆ 1.00×2 topics
  15. NK Cell Recognition19k▼ 0.84×1 topic
  16. Natural Killer Cells19k▼ 0.84×1 topic
  17. Pattern Recognition Receptors18k▼ 0.74×2 topics
  18. TGF-ß18k▼ 0.82×2 topics
  19. Antigen Presentation16k◆ 0.93×1 topic
  20. Tumor Antigen16k◆ 0.93×1 topic
  21. Host-Pathogen Interactions16k◆ 0.97×3 topics
  22. Infectious Diseases16k▲ 2.4×2 topics
  23. Pathogen Recognition14k▼ 0.66×2 topics
  24. Vaccine13k▼ 0.69×2 topics
  25. Activation13k▲ 2.4×1 topic
  26. Macrophage13k▲ 2.4×1 topic
  27. Aquaculture12k▲ 1.23×1 topic
  28. Fish Immunology12k▲ 1.23×1 topic
  29. Inflammatory Diseases12k▲ 1.26×3 topics
  30. Antimicrobial Peptides12k◆ 1.00×2 topics
  31. Host Defense12k◆ 1.00×2 topics
  32. Pathogenesis11k◆ 1.06×3 topics
  33. Diagnosis11k◆ 1.07×3 topics
  34. Antimicrobial Stewardship11k▲ 2.2×1 topic
  35. Global Health11k▲ 2.2×1 topic
  36. Innate Antiviral Responses10k▼ 0.60×1 topic
  37. Toll-like Receptors10k▼ 0.60×1 topic
  38. CD4+CD25+9,903▼ 0.61×1 topic
  39. Foxp39,903▼ 0.61×1 topic
  40. Decidual NK Cells9,859◆ 1.03×1 topic

Which countries lead Immunology and Microbiology research?

On research quality in 2022–2025, the United States, China and the United Kingdom rank highest in Immunology and Microbiology. By volume, China and the United States publish the most (48k and 43k works in 2022–2025).

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 United States · #1 all time 19.5% top 10% · 43k works
  2. 2 China · #2 all time 26.1% top 10% · 48k works
  3. 3 United Kingdom · #3 all time 22.9% top 10% · 7.4k works
  4. 4 Germany · #4 all time 21.0% top 10% · 7.5k works
  5. 5 France · #5 all time 19.7% top 10% · 6k works
  6. 6 Italy · #9 all time 23.4% top 10% · 5.3k works
  7. 7 India · #15 all time 11.4% top 10% · 10k works
  8. 8 Australia · #7 all time 23.2% top 10% · 3.6k works
  9. 9 Canada · #8 all time 20.1% top 10% · 4k works
  10. 10 Spain · #13 all time 17.9% top 10% · 4.7k works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 73 countries ranked in Immunology and Microbiology. Composite of field-normalised excellence (50%), output (30%) and citations (20%); the bracket is the all-time rank.

All countries ranked in Immunology and Microbiology

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 48k works
  2. 2 United States 43k works
  3. 3 India 10k works
  4. 4 Germany 7.5k works
  5. 5 United Kingdom 7.4k works
  6. 6 Japan 7k works
  7. 7 Brazil 6.1k works
  8. 8 France 6k works
  9. 9 Italy 5.3k works
  10. 10 Spain 4.7k works

How concentrated that is

The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.

China: 32.8%United States: 29.7%India: 7.1%Germany: 5.2%6 others listed: 25.2%33%largest
China48k · 32.8%United States43k · 29.7%India10k · 7.1%Germany7,495 · 5.2%6 others listed37k · 25.2%

Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.

Which institutions lead Immunology and Microbiology research?

Harvard University (United States) ranks first in Immunology and Microbiology on research quality in 2022–2025, followed by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College and Sichuan University.

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Harvard University United States · Cambridge · #1 all time 31.8% top 10% · 603 works
  2. 2 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College China · Beijing · #84 all time 29.3% top 10% · 760 works
  3. 3 Sichuan University China · Chengdu 34.6% top 10% · 505 works
  4. 4 University of Pennsylvania United States · Philadelphia · #9 all time 24.8% top 10% · 467 works
  5. 5 Sun Yat-sen University China · Guangzhou · #91 all time 32.1% top 10% · 635 works
  6. 6 Shanghai Jiao Tong University China · Shanghai 32.0% top 10% · 506 works
  7. 7 Zhejiang University China · Hangzhou 31.6% top 10% · 418 works
  8. 8 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center United States · Houston · #27 all time 20.7% top 10% · 432 works
  9. 9 Washington University in St. Louis United States · St Louis · #12 all time 25.3% top 10% · 422 works
  10. 10 Central South University China · Changsha 29.2% top 10% · 446 works

The track on each row is that row’s top-10% rate. The ranking itself is the composite score, which the rate is only one part of.

Of 682 institutions above the floor of 40 fractional works in Immunology and Microbiology.

Top 100 Immunology and Microbiology institutions

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeChina 759 works
  2. 2 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States 664 works
  3. 3 Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina 635 works
  4. 4 Harvard UniversityUnited States 603 works
  5. 5 InsermFrance 535 works
  6. 6 Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina 506 works
  7. 7 Sichuan UniversityChina 505 works
  8. 8 University of PennsylvaniaUnited States 467 works
  9. 9 Central South UniversityChina 446 works
  10. 10 Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States 442 works

Who are the leading researchers in Immunology and Microbiology?

Among the most productive authors in Immunology and Microbiology, Giuseppe Remuzzi, Mark J. Daly and Alberto Ortíz rank highest on the composite score.

  1. 1 Giuseppe Remuzzi Italy · #34 worldwide 8.1k citations · 312 works
  2. 2 Mark J. Daly United States · #47 worldwide 9.6k citations · 152 works
  3. 3 Alberto Ortíz Spain · #52 worldwide 5.9k citations · 191 works
  4. 4 Maarten J. Postma Netherlands · #90 worldwide 4.6k citations · 251 works
  5. 5 Amirhossein Sahebkar Iran · #123 worldwide 5.6k citations · 243 works
  6. 6 F. Stephen Hodi United States · #137 worldwide 3.4k citations · 149 works
  7. 7 Peter J. Hotez United States · #152 worldwide 5.1k citations · 122 works
  8. 8 Hugh R. Taylor Australia · #158 worldwide 2.9k citations · 132 works
  9. 9 Anthony S. Fauci United States · #216 worldwide 2.7k citations · 158 works
  10. 10 Charles G. Drake United States · #228 worldwide 2.4k citations · 133 works

Re-ranked on the composite score from the 5,580 highest-output authors in Immunology and Microbiology. Identities come from OpenAlex author disambiguation, which occasionally merges or splits people.

Top 100 Immunology and Microbiology researchers

Where is Immunology and Microbiology research done?

The largest centres of Immunology and Microbiology research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Shanghai (China), Guangzhou (China) and Paris (France). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Penicuik, Bad Kissingen and Seattle.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 6.4k works
  2. 2 Shanghai China 3.8k works
  3. 3 Guangzhou China 3.5k works
  4. 4 Paris France 2.6k works
  5. 5 London United Kingdom 2.4k works
  6. 6 New York United States 2k works
  7. 7 Nanjing China 2k works
  8. 8 Wuhan China 2k works
  9. 9 Hangzhou China 2k works
  10. 10 Tokyo Japan 1.9k works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. PenicuikGB · 20.9 works21×
  2. Bad KissingenDE · 22.0 works21×
  3. Seattle29.1 works21×
  4. Kol'tsovoRU · 39.7 works15×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Immunology and Microbiology than the world average.

See Immunology and Microbiology on the map

Immunology and Microbiology research by country

The best places for Immunology and Microbiology research inside each country, with that country's researchers and world standing.

Where is the best place to study Immunology and Microbiology?

Among universities, judged by research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Harvard University and Southern Medical University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.

0%20%40%mean 30.67%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College: 760, 29.3%Harvard University: 603, 31.8%Southern Medical University: 346, 31.1%Sun Yat-sen University: 635, 32.1%Sichuan University: 505, 34.6%London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: 127, 31.2%Shanghai Jiao Tong University: 506, 32.0%Nanjing Medical University: 422, 27.4%Karolinska Institutet: 324, 23.2%China Pharmaceutical University: 206, 34.0%Sun Yat-sen UniversityHarvard UniversitySouthern Medical Uni…Chinese Academy of M…
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.

#UniversityScoreTop 10%SpecialisationWorksGrowth
1 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeChina 50.029.3%3.9×760 +19.8%
2 Harvard UniversityUnited States 46.431.8%2.4×603 -11.8%
3 Southern Medical UniversityChina 45.231.1%4.7×346 +14.4%
4 Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina 44.032.1%1.9×635 +1.1%
5 Sichuan UniversityChina 43.534.6%1.4×505 +36.5%
6 London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineUnited Kingdom 43.431.2%4.1×127 +22.7%
7 Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina 43.332.0%1.1×506 +55.1%
8 Nanjing Medical UniversityChina 42.827.4%4.1×422 +8.4%
9 Karolinska InstitutetSweden 42.723.2%3.6×324 +1.2%
10 China Pharmaceutical UniversityChina 42.434.0%4.7×206 +28.8%

Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.

Is Immunology and Microbiology research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 18% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Immune cells in cancer, Antibiotic Use and Resistance and Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis.

19801990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Which topics inside it are moving

Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.

  1. Immune cells in cancer+271%
  2. Antibiotic Use and Resistance+207%
  3. Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis+151%
  4. Aquaculture disease management and microbiota+79%
  5. Parasites and Host Interactions+79%
  6. Vector-borne infectious diseases+64%
  7. Immune Response and Inflammation-1%
  8. T-cell and B-cell Immunology-8%
← shrinkingno changegrowing →

Growth in output from 2005–09 to 2015–19. Every topic is a page of its own.

What does Immunology and Microbiology include?

Immune Cell Function and Interaction: 112k fractional worksImmunotherapy and Immune Responses: 90k fractional worksT-cell and B-cell Immuno…82kT-cell and B-cell Immunology: 82k fractional worksImmune Response and Infl…76kImmune Response and Inflammation: 76k fractional worksHIV Research and Treatment: 58k fractional worksAquaculture disease management and microbiota: 50k fractional worksReproductive System and Pregnancy: 49k fractional worksImmunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders: 45k fractional worksImmune cells in cancer: 39k fractional worksParasites and Host Interactions: 38k fractional worksinterferon and immune responses: 35k fractional worksToxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins: 35k fractional works

Area is fractional works in that topic. Every name below is a page of its own.