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Subfield · Immunology and Microbiology

Immunology research

Immunology is a subfield of Immunology and Microbiology. Science Explorer counts 923k research works in it since 1950. 20.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

In short: branch of medicine studying the immune system.

Research works
923k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
188k
per year above
Top-10% rate
20.4%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Topics
26
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+18%
the tick is no change

What is Immunology research about, and what is growing?

By the world's output in 2019–23, its most used keywords are Inflammation, Innate Immunity, Immunity, Regulatory T Cells, Autoimmunity, Cancer. Gaining share since 2009–13: Activation, Macrophage, Cancer, IL-17, TH17 Cells. 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. Inflammation50k◆ 1.01×9 topics
  2. Innate Immunity47k◆ 1.07×6 topics
  3. Immunity35k▲ 1.23×3 topics
  4. Regulatory T Cells29k▲ 1.18×4 topics
  5. Autoimmunity24k▼ 0.81×4 topics
  6. Cancer23k▲ 1.58×4 topics
  7. Dendritic Cells22k◆ 0.94×2 topics
  8. Cytokines22k◆ 1.02×3 topics
  9. Cancer Immunotherapy21k◆ 1.01×2 topics
  10. NK Cell Recognition19k▼ 0.84×1 topic
  11. Natural Killer Cells19k▼ 0.84×1 topic
  12. Immune Regulation19k◆ 1.05×3 topics
  13. Pattern Recognition Receptors18k▼ 0.74×2 topics
  14. TGF-ß18k▼ 0.82×2 topics
  15. Antigen Presentation16k◆ 0.94×1 topic
  16. Tumor Antigen16k◆ 0.94×1 topic
  17. Pathogen Recognition14k▼ 0.66×2 topics
  18. Activation13k▲ 2.4×1 topic
  19. Macrophage13k▲ 2.4×1 topic
  20. Immune Response12k◆ 0.96×3 topics
  21. Aquaculture12k▲ 1.23×1 topic
  22. Fish Immunology12k▲ 1.23×1 topic
  23. Inflammatory Diseases12k▲ 1.27×3 topics
  24. Innate Antiviral Responses10k▼ 0.60×1 topic
  25. Toll-like Receptors10k▼ 0.60×1 topic
  26. CD4+CD25+9,903▼ 0.61×1 topic
  27. Foxp39,903▼ 0.61×1 topic
  28. Decidual NK Cells9,859◆ 1.04×1 topic
  29. Fetal-Maternal Interface9,859◆ 1.04×1 topic
  30. T Cell Activation9,844▼ 0.84×2 topics
  31. Immune System9,177▲ 1.32×2 topics
  32. Phagocytosis8,271◆ 1.09×2 topics
  33. Interferon Signaling8,089◆ 1.04×1 topic
  34. Viral Infection8,089◆ 1.04×1 topic
  35. Genetic Mutations8,064◆ 1.02×1 topic
  36. Primary Immunodeficiency8,064◆ 1.02×1 topic
  37. IL-178,039▲ 1.47×1 topic
  38. TH17 Cells8,039▲ 1.47×1 topic
  39. Atherosclerosis7,707◆ 0.93×2 topics
  40. Infection6,722◆ 1.09×2 topics

Which countries lead Immunology research?

On research quality in 2022–2025, China, the United States and Germany rank highest in Immunology. By volume, China and the United States publish the most (39k and 31k works in 2022–2025).

By research quality, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China · #2 all time 26.7% top 10% · 39k works
  2. 2 United States · #1 all time 20.8% top 10% · 31k works
  3. 3 Germany · #4 all time 21.8% top 10% · 5.8k works
  4. 4 United Kingdom · #3 all time 23.5% top 10% · 4.8k works
  5. 5 France · #5 all time 20.6% top 10% · 4k works
  6. 6 Italy · #9 all time 24.2% top 10% · 3.8k works
  7. 7 Canada · #8 all time 21.2% top 10% · 2.8k works
  8. 8 Australia · #7 all time 24.3% top 10% · 2.2k works
  9. 9 Spain · #13 all time 18.4% top 10% · 3.1k works
  10. 10 India · #16 all time 12.5% top 10% · 5.7k 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 56 countries ranked in Immunology. Composite of field-normalised excellence (50%), output (30%) and citations (20%); the bracket is the all-time rank.

All countries ranked in Immunology

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 39k works
  2. 2 United States 31k works
  3. 3 Germany 5.8k works
  4. 4 India 5.7k works
  5. 5 Japan 5.5k works
  6. 6 United Kingdom 4.8k works
  7. 7 France 4k works
  8. 8 Italy 3.8k works
  9. 9 South Korea 3.1k works
  10. 10 Spain 3.1k 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: 37.0%United States: 29.3%Germany: 5.4%India: 5.3%6 others listed: 22.9%37%largest
China39k · 37.0%United States31k · 29.3%Germany5,797 · 5.4%India5,673 · 5.3%6 others listed24k · 22.9%

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

Which institutions lead Immunology research?

Harvard University (United States) ranks first in Immunology 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 32.4% top 10% · 500 works
  2. 2 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College China · Beijing · #74 all time 29.8% top 10% · 658 works
  3. 3 Sichuan University China · Chengdu · #92 all time 35.6% top 10% · 428 works
  4. 4 Sun Yat-sen University China · Guangzhou · #82 all time 33.4% top 10% · 558 works
  5. 5 Shanghai Jiao Tong University China · Shanghai · #94 all time 32.5% top 10% · 442 works
  6. 6 University of Pennsylvania United States · Philadelphia · #10 all time 25.6% top 10% · 372 works
  7. 7 Zhejiang University China · Hangzhou 32.1% top 10% · 348 works
  8. 8 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center United States · Houston · #21 all time 20.9% top 10% · 417 works
  9. 9 Central South University China · Changsha 29.9% top 10% · 390 works
  10. 10 Huazhong University of Science and Technology China · Wuhan 33.8% top 10% · 374 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 455 institutions above the floor of 40 fractional works in Immunology.

Top 100 Immunology institutions

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeChina 658 works
  2. 2 Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina 558 works
  3. 3 Harvard UniversityUnited States 500 works
  4. 4 Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina 442 works
  5. 5 InsermFrance 428 works
  6. 6 Sichuan UniversityChina 428 works
  7. 7 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterUnited States 417 works
  8. 8 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States 402 works
  9. 9 Central South UniversityChina 391 works
  10. 10 Nanjing Medical UniversityChina 374 works

Who are the leading researchers in Immunology?

Among the most productive authors in Immunology, 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 Amirhossein Sahebkar Iran · #123 worldwide 5.6k citations · 243 works
  5. 5 F. Stephen Hodi United States · #137 worldwide 3.4k citations · 149 works
  6. 6 Anthony S. Fauci United States · #216 worldwide 2.7k citations · 158 works
  7. 7 Charles G. Drake United States · #228 worldwide 2.4k citations · 133 works
  8. 8 Michael B. Atkins United States · #266 worldwide 3k citations · 126 works
  9. 9 Shizuo Akira Japan · #298 worldwide 3.6k citations · 192 works
  10. 10 David F. McDermott United States · #317 worldwide 3.1k citations · 132 works

Re-ranked on the composite score from the 5,457 highest-output authors in Immunology. Identities come from OpenAlex author disambiguation, which occasionally merges or splits people.

Top 100 Immunology researchers

Where is Immunology research done?

The largest centres of Immunology 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 Seattle and Tarrytown.

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 5.1k works
  2. 2 Shanghai China 3.3k works
  3. 3 Guangzhou China 3k works
  4. 4 Paris France 1.8k works
  5. 5 Nanjing China 1.7k works
  6. 6 Wuhan China 1.7k works
  7. 7 Hangzhou China 1.6k works
  8. 8 London United Kingdom 1.6k works
  9. 9 New York United States 1.6k works
  10. 10 Tokyo Japan 1.4k works

Where it is the local speciality

  1. Seattle27.8 works29×
  2. TarrytownUS · 64.7 works13×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

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

See Immunology on the map

Immunology research by country

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

Where is the best place to study Immunology?

Among universities, judged by research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Southern Medical University and Harvard 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 30.78%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College: 658, 29.8%Southern Medical University: 290, 32.2%Harvard University: 500, 32.4%China Pharmaceutical University: 184, 33.8%Nanjing Medical University: 374, 28.2%Sun Yat-sen University: 558, 33.4%Guangzhou Medical University: 225, 29.0%Karolinska Institutet: 272, 22.2%China Medical University: 245, 34.3%Shanghai Jiao Tong University: 442, 32.5%China Pharmaceutical…Harvard 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 53.129.8%4.9×658 +27.8%
2 Southern Medical UniversityChina 48.832.2%5.8×290 +21.2%
3 Harvard UniversityUnited States 48.232.4%2.8×500 -13.0%
4 China Pharmaceutical UniversityChina 47.433.8%6.2×184 +42.3%
5 Nanjing Medical UniversityChina 47.228.2%5.3×374 +19.1%
6 Sun Yat-sen UniversityChina 46.533.4%2.5×558 +6.3%
7 Guangzhou Medical UniversityChina 46.529.0%6.0×225 +29.0%
8 Karolinska InstitutetSweden 46.122.2%4.4×272 +4.2%
9 China Medical UniversityChina 45.734.3%5.5×245 -1.1%
10 Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChina 45.132.5%1.4×442 +67.2%

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 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, Biosimilars and Bioanalytical Methods and IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways.

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. Biosimilars and Bioanalytical Methods+237%
  3. IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways+217%
  4. Biomarkers in Disease Mechanisms+180%
  5. Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis+151%
  6. Immune responses and vaccinations+128%
  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 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 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 worksinterferon and immune responses: 35k fractional worksToxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins: 35k fractional worksAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases: 29k fractional worksPsoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis: 28k fractional works

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