We employed a bibliometric approach to examine regional stem cell research in the USA, the UK, Japan and China based on publications from 2007 to 2011 with a co-citation clustering analysis to identify region-specific clusters of global competencies. We observed that there are clear differences in the number and interdisciplinary spread of competencies across regions: the USA retains the largest capacity and capability for pursuing medical and pharmaceutical applications; China has shown substantial growth through fusion approaches with chemistry and material sciences; Japan has been pursuing basic biology and is currently seeking further growth; and the UK has shown considerable growth and quality with a focus on medical research and the widest interdisciplinary spread. Furthermore, we discuss policy implications from these results in terms of industrial and clinical applications. These findings provide a rational way of evaluating research policies and forecasting research trends.
This article describes a recent trend in Japanese research, development and commercialization toward the application of stem cell technologies. Japan is the world's third largest economy and has a significant national presence in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses; as such, stem cell R&D is abundant in the country. As indicated by the second largest share of patent applications worldwide, Japan had been expected to assert significant added value in the commercialization and industrial application of stem cell technologies; however, difficulties have impeded clinical development in this area, particularly the very small number of clinical trials and approved products for regenerative medicine or cell therapy. To address this 'Japan paradox', this report provides an overview of approaches for the commercialization of stem cell technologies in areas such as drug discovery, cell therapy and regenerative medicine, by discussing representative case examples of listed firms.
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