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Topic · Cell Biology

melanin and skin pigmentation

melanin and skin pigmentation is a research topic within Cell Biology. Science Explorer counts 29k research works in it since 1950. 13.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.

This cluster of papers explores the genetics, regulation, and adaptive significance of melanin pigmentation in mammalian skin, including its role in UV damage protection, hormonal regulation, and conditions such as vitiligo. It covers a wide range of topics from the molecular mechanisms of melanogenesis to the evolutionary and adaptive aspects of skin coloration.

  • Melanin
  • Pigmentation
  • Melanocyte
  • Regulation
  • Tyrosinase
  • UV Damage
  • Skin Color
  • Genetics
  • Vitiligo
  • Adaptation
Research works
29k
fractional, since 1950
In the world top 10%
3.9k
per year above
Top-10% rate
13.4%
share of its works in the world top 10%
Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
+25%
the tick is no change

Which countries lead melanin and skin pigmentation research?

By volume, China and the United States publish the most (1k and 738 works in 2022–2025).

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 China 1k works
  2. 2 United States 738 works
  3. 3 India 457 works
  4. 4 South Korea 254 works
  5. 5 Japan 157 works
  6. 6 Egypt 152 works
  7. 7 France 150 works
  8. 8 Italy 132 works
  9. 9 United Kingdom 122 works
  10. 10 Brazil 121 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: 30.7%United States: 22.4%India: 13.9%South Korea: 7.7%6 others listed: 25.3%31%largest
China1,012 · 30.7%United States738 · 22.4%India457 · 13.9%South Korea254 · 7.7%6 others listed834 · 25.3%

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

Which institutions lead melanin and skin pigmentation research?

By volume in 2022–2025, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research publishes the most melanin and skin pigmentation research, followed by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College and All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

By volume, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research India 18 works
  2. 2 Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College China 18 works
  3. 3 All India Institute of Medical Sciences India 18 works
  4. 4 Cairo University Egypt 15 works
  5. 5 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Iran 14 works
  6. 6 Benha University Egypt 14 works
  7. 7 Xijing Hospital China 13 works
  8. 8 Ain Shams University Egypt 13 works
  9. 9 North Carolina State University United States 13 works
  10. 10 Third People's Hospital of Hangzhou China 12 works

Who are the leading researchers in melanin and skin pigmentation?

The most-cited researchers publishing on melanin and skin pigmentation include André G. Uitterlinden, Nicholas G. Martin and Thomas Schwarz.

  1. 1 André G. Uitterlinden 4.4k citations
  2. 2 Nicholas G. Martin 3.5k citations
  3. 3 Thomas Schwarz 3.1k citations

Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.

Where is melanin and skin pigmentation research done?

The largest centres of melanin and skin pigmentation research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Seoul (South Korea), Shanghai (China) and Guangzhou (China).

Largest cities, 2022–2025

  1. 1 Beijing China 139 works
  2. 2 Seoul South Korea 97 works
  3. 3 Shanghai China 86 works
  4. 4 Guangzhou China 64 works
  5. 5 Paris France 62 works
  6. 6 Hangzhou China 54 works
  7. 7 New Delhi India 48 works
  8. 8 New York United States 48 works
  9. 9 Tehran Iran 43 works
  10. 10 Nanjing China 43 works
See melanin and skin pigmentation on the map

Where is the best place to study melanin and skin pigmentation?

Among universities, judged by research, Jeju National University, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Air Force 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 17.97%fractional works in this node (log) →share in the world top 10% →Jeju National University: 11, 31.6%Shiraz University of Medical Sciences: 14, 15.4%Air Force Medical University: 10, 28.8%Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research: 18, 12.3%University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School: 11, 12.8%Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College: 18, 23.4%Al-Azhar University: 12, 6.2%Tanta University: 10, 10.3%Southern Medical University: 8, 38.3%Benha University: 14, 0.6%Jeju National Univer…Air Force Medical Un…Shiraz University of…Post Graduate Instit…
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
1Jeju National University South Korea 68.031.6%22.7×11 +69.3%
2Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Iran 62.415.4%11.2×14 +116.0%
3Air Force Medical University China 61.028.8%12.7×10 +59.4%
4Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research India 59.712.3%11.8×18 +19.8%
5University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School United States 59.412.8%14.9×11 +345.5%
6Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College China 57.623.4%4.0×18 +98.4%
7Al-Azhar University Egypt 50.26.2%6.5×12 +279.5%
8Tanta University Egypt 50.210.3%7.0×10 +328.8%
9Southern Medical University China 48.738.3%4.9×8 +27.6%
10Benha University Egypt 45.40.6%9.2×14

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 melanin and skin pigmentation research growing?

Output in 2018–2022 was 25% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are melanin and skin pigmentation.

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.