Heyuan Niu,1,* Kai Yu Li,1,* Tao Yu,2,* Maorun Zhang,1 Zhe Ji,1 Ping Yu,3 Xianfu Yi,4 Gang Liu1 

1Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 3Library of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Gang Liu, Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 133 8909 8101, Email lg1059@tmu.edu.cn Ping Yu, Library of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 185 2681 6935, Email yuping@tmu.edu.cn

Background: Precision medicine is an innovative approach that integrates genomics, clinical informatics, and proteomics to address both genetic and environmental factors in disease prevention and treatment. This bibliometric study analyzes research trends, collaboration patterns, and the unique characteristics of precision medicine across countries to inform future research directions.
Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (1999– 2022) database to identify publications related to precision medicine. The analysis of publication patterns, collaborations, institutions, authors, and research hotspots was performed utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint 2019 in conjunction with the Bibliometrix package in R.
Results: A total of 30,777 publications on precision medicine were identified. The United States and the United Kingdom were recognized as the primary contributors, while European countries exhibited substantial collaborative efforts. Harvard University and the University of California System have played pivotal roles in advancing the field. The keywords analysis showed that in the early 2000s, “gene expression” and “personalized outcomes” were key themes. Since 2015, there’s been a significant shift towards advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, liquid biopsy, highlighting their growing importance in precision medicine. Research topics across various countries exhibit certain global similarities. However, different nations exhibit distinct thematic research focuses. China emphasizes “Informatics”, “Hepatocellular Carcinoma”, “Photothermal Therapy”, and “Lung Adenocarcinoma”, while the United States prioritizes “Informatics”, “Treatment Rules”, and “Consortium Guidelines”. Germany and France share similar interests in particular research domains.
Conclusion: Precision medicine is rapidly globalizing, with significant contributions from multiple countries and emerging technologies acting as catalysts for further development. Greater international cooperation is essential to elevate the quality and impact of research. These advancements hold great potential for transforming personalized healthcare by integrating cutting-edge scientific disciplines.

Keywords: precision medicine, bibliometric analysis, international collaboration, research topic