SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing is a research topic within Infectious Diseases. Science Explorer counts 14k research works in it since 1951. 23.6% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on the development, evaluation, and application of various diagnostic methods for the detection of COVID-19, including RT-PCR, antigen testing, and wastewater surveillance. The papers cover topics such as viral load analysis, saliva and nasopharyngeal swab testing, biosensors, and the challenges and opportunities in COVID-19 diagnostics.
- COVID-19
- diagnostics
- SARS-CoV-2
- wastewater surveillance
- RT-PCR
- antigen testing
- viral load
- saliva testing
- nasopharyngeal swab
- biosensors
- Research works
- 14k fractional, since 1951
- In the world top 10%
- 3.4k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 23.6% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +1102% the tick is no change
This ranks research output and citation impact. It says nothing about the quality of diagnosis, treatment or care.
Which countries lead SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research?
By volume, the United States and China publish the most (1.4k and 918 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 1.4k works
- 2 China 918 works
- 3 India 421 works
- 4 United Kingdom 271 works
- 5 Japan 243 works
- 6 Canada 235 works
- 7 Brazil 224 works
- 8 Germany 212 works
- 9 Italy 208 works
- 10 South Korea 189 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.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research?
By volume in 2022–2025, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill publishes the most SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research, followed by Stanford University and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill United States 36 works
- 2 Stanford University United States 24 works
- 3 Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Brazil 20 works
- 4 University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 19 works
- 5 Harvard University United States 19 works
- 6 Chinese Academy of Sciences China 19 works
- 7 Johns Hopkins University United States 18 works
- 8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention United States 17 works
- 9 Emory University United States 17 works
- 10 University of Washington United States 15 works
Who are the leading researchers in SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing?
The most-cited researchers publishing on SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing include Yonina C. Eldar and Kenji Shibuya.
- 1 Yonina C. Eldar 4k citations
- 2 Kenji Shibuya 3.7k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research done?
The largest centres of SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), London (United Kingdom), Seoul (South Korea) and Tokyo (Japan). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Atlanta.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- AtlantaUS · 62.9 works4.5×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing than the world average.
Where is the best place to study SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing?
Among universities, judged by research, Stanford University, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and University of Hong Kong 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.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University United States | 61.6 | 38.5% | 3.2× | 24 | +135.5% |
| 2 | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine United Kingdom | 59.4 | 31.0% | 9.0× | 8 | +49.6% |
| 3 | University of Hong Kong Hong Kong | 57.6 | 42.3% | 3.6× | 19 | -53.4% |
| 4 | Imperial College London United Kingdom | 50.6 | 39.8% | 2.3× | 13 | — |
| 5 | Harvard University United States | 49.7 | 27.3% | 2.4× | 19 | +153.5% |
| 6 | Emory University United States | 49.0 | 34.5% | 3.9× | 17 | — |
| 7 | Gachon University South Korea | 44.8 | 28.3% | 6.8× | 9 | — |
| 8 | Korea University South Korea | 42.0 | 29.2% | 3.7× | 12 | — |
| 9 | University of Waterloo Canada | 41.3 | 38.0% | 2.4× | 8 | — |
| 10 | National University of Singapore Singapore | 38.9 | 24.8% | 1.8× | 11 | +102.5% |
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 SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 1102% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2021. The fastest-growing topics are SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing.
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.