importance of research in technology

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

A comprehensive study of technological change

Press contact :.

Previous image Next image

The societal impacts of technological change can be seen in many domains, from messenger RNA vaccines and automation to drones and climate change. The pace of that technological change can affect its impact, and how quickly a technology improves in performance can be an indicator of its future importance. For decision-makers like investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, predicting which technologies are fast improving (and which are overhyped) can mean the difference between success and failure.

New research from MIT aims to assist in the prediction of technology performance improvement using U.S. patents as a dataset. The study describes 97 percent of the U.S. patent system as a set of 1,757 discrete technology domains, and quantitatively assesses each domain for its improvement potential.

“The rate of improvement can only be empirically estimated when substantial performance measurements are made over long time periods,” says Anuraag Singh SM ’20, lead author of the paper. “In some large technological fields, including software and clinical medicine, such measures have rarely, if ever, been made.”

A previous MIT study provided empirical measures for 30 technological domains, but the patent sets identified for those technologies cover less than 15 percent of the patents in the U.S. patent system. The major purpose of this new study is to provide predictions of the performance improvement rates for the thousands of domains not accessed by empirical measurement. To accomplish this, the researchers developed a method using a new probability-based algorithm, machine learning, natural language processing, and patent network analytics.

Overlap and centrality

A technology domain, as the researchers define it, consists of sets of artifacts fulfilling a specific function using a specific branch of scientific knowledge. To find the patents that best represent a domain, the team built on previous research conducted by co-author Chris Magee, a professor of the practice of engineering systems within the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). Magee and his colleagues found that by looking for patent overlap between the U.S. and international patent-classification systems, they could quickly identify patents that best represent a technology. The researchers ultimately created a correspondence of all patents within the U.S. patent system to a set of 1,757 technology domains.

To estimate performance improvement, Singh employed a method refined by co-authors Magee and Giorgio Triulzi, a researcher with the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC) within IDSS and an assistant professor at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. Their method is based on the average “centrality” of patents in the patent citation network. Centrality refers to multiple criteria for determining the ranking or importance of nodes within a network.

“Our method provides predictions of performance improvement rates for nearly all definable technologies for the first time,” says Singh.

Those rates vary — from a low of 2 percent per year for the “Mechanical skin treatment — Hair removal and wrinkles” domain to a high of 216 percent per year for the “Dynamic information exchange and support systems integrating multiple channels” domain. The researchers found that most technologies improve slowly; more than 80 percent of technologies improve at less than 25 percent per year. Notably, the number of patents in a technological area was not a strong indicator of a higher improvement rate.

“Fast-improving domains are concentrated in a few technological areas,” says Magee. “The domains that show improvement rates greater than the predicted rate for integrated chips — 42 percent, from Moore’s law — are predominantly based upon software and algorithms.”

TechNext Inc.

The researchers built an online interactive system where domains corresponding to technology-related keywords can be found along with their improvement rates. Users can input a keyword describing a technology and the system returns a prediction of improvement for the technological domain, an automated measure of the quality of the match between the keyword and the domain, and patent sets so that the reader can judge the semantic quality of the match.

Moving forward, the researchers have founded a new MIT spinoff called TechNext Inc. to further refine this technology and use it to help leaders make better decisions, from budgets to investment priorities to technology policy. Like any inventors, Magee and his colleagues want to protect their intellectual property rights. To that end, they have applied for a patent for their novel system and its unique methodology.

“Technologies that improve faster win the market,” says Singh. “Our search system enables technology managers, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to quickly look up predictions of improvement rates for specific technologies.”

Adds Magee: “Our goal is to bring greater accuracy, precision, and repeatability to the as-yet fuzzy art of technology forecasting.”

Share this news article on:

Related links.

• Sociotechnical Systems Research Center
• Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS)

Related Topics

• Technology and society
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E)

Related Articles

Shaping technology’s future

Tackling society’s big problems with systems theory

Patents forecast technological change

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Faces of MIT: Anthony Hallee-Farrell '13

Read full story →

From group stretches to “Hitting Roman,” MIT Motorsports traditions live on

Creating the crossroads

Study reveals why AI models that analyze medical images can be biased

Leaning into the immune system’s complexity

Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram

Talking about science and technology has positive impacts on research and society

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Science, Health, and Technology Communication, University of Waterloo

Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo

Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo

Disclosure statement

Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher works for the University of Waterloo and is the co-director of the TRuST network. She receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program and has received funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Early Researcher Program, and others.

Donna Strickland and Mary Wells do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Waterloo provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA.

University of Waterloo provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

View all partners

Discussions around science and technology can become controversial, such as public conversations around climate science or gene-editing tools .

That might leave the impression that such conversations are best avoided. But it is important to have constructive conversations about scientific and technical subjects because of how they impact our lives.

Not having these conversations can lead to further division and strained relationships. Avoidance of such conversations could also have serious implications for scientific research support such as the continued development of life-saving vaccines or in deciding how we might regulate emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.

Read more: Generative AI like ChatGPT reveal deep-seated systemic issues beyond the tech industry

The ancient Greeks had a term for opportune moments, or those qualitative measures of time where things just seem to be right for some action. They called these kairotic . The term kairos is a qualitative measure of time, as opposed to chronos , or linear quantitative time.

It is a kairotic moment to talk about trust — which we might think of as a very old idea but is highly important today — as we see new science emerging and technologies developing apace.

Polarizing information

The consequences of allowing issues in science and technology to be so polarized that we don’t talk about them include economic impacts , Canada falling behind in applied and basic scientific research and responsible technology development .

We need to have direct conversations about scientific research, progress, experts and expertise , and new technologies that may become critically important to society in the future .

Together, we have built a research network called TRuST at the University of Waterloo.

Our inaugural lecture series event began this conversation about trust in science, technology and health in Canada, and we hope to continue these conversations through an ongoing speaker series and collaborations with other researchers and organizations.

Our work asks the tough questions about why people do — or don’t — trust science and technology , who is found trustworthy , how trust is earned and lost and how we can have conversations about science and technology in the service of us all.

By doing so, we hope to launch conversations about these topics, not to provide definitive answers or to tell anyone what to think.

A crisis of trust?

While there appears to be a public crisis in trust, there is a good deal of complexity when we talk about concepts of trust and who is trustworthy. Trust in scientists and interest in science has remained high for a number of years, but there are some trends that raise questions about whether that is changing.

Overall, trust in medical doctors and scientists , for example, seems to have declined somewhat since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when trust was somewhat higher than normal.

Surveys and polls give us high-level insights, but we also know that there are issues that become controversial. We also know that how questions are asked in a survey or poll can influence the nature of responses. For instance, if we ask “do you trust scientists,” do you think about scientists generally or are you thinking of a specific scientist?

Sometimes controversy is manufactured , as in the case of climate change where the prevailing consensus among scientists was strategically downplayed. Sometimes the way we frame an issue can lead to confusion and mistrust.

Once an issue is controversial it can be polarizing and polarizing language can influence how we think and talk about issues.

And of course, social media influences how scientific knowledge is shared, distorted , “ironically reversed” , exploited and corrected — or not.

Communicating through disagreement

How do we talk to each other when we might not agree?

First, you need to have capacity, both emotionally and in terms of conversational skill, and some knowledge and interest in a topic to undertake this work.

Listening is a good place to begin, and by that we mean genuinely trying to hear and understand someone’s perspective. You might not agree, but you cannot engage their ideas if, for instance, you’re talking about if something actually happened and someone else is speculating about what happened.

This might seem like a subtle distinction, but these are the important distinctions. In the field of rhetoric , we might talk about this as a problem of stasis : you’re asking a question about if something is a fact and someone else is talking about the definition of what they have already taken to be a fact.

Listening means working hard to determine what someone else is talking about and while you can still disagree, calling out misinformation or otherwise challenging points, you should do so empathetically and respectfully. We can work towards building bridges that will productively move a conversation forward.

Built into this is a certain amount of respect for the person you’re talking to — even if you’re an expert , you need ethos which means character built upon goodwill ( eunoia ), good morals ( arete ) and good sense or reason ( phronesis ) — and also goodwill to understand their perspective.

Goodwill, however, goes both ways. If someone you are listening to does not seem to be coming to a conversation in good faith or with goodwill, it might be time to excuse yourself.

Read more: The U.S. Capitol violence could happen in Canada — here are 3 ways to prevent it

Better science, better technology

Improving science, our ethical processes for technology development and deployment and how we engage in conversations about how these efforts should shape our communities and everyday lives also requires work on the part of scientists, engineers and other experts.

Developing strategies to talk about our research methods and how science works and, critically, to listen to people’s concerns is a first step in responsibly and ethically communicating science . It is a step experts can take with family, friends and in their communities. Working to support knowledge sharing from a wide variety of experts that better reflect the range of people and experiences in our communities is also very important.

Because trust requires certain kinds of vulnerability, the trustworthiness of experts is important in science and technology.

Relationships between experts and non-experts are asymmetrical. Experts often have knowledge that others need, and others must trust that experts will provide that knowledge and do so with goodwill, good sense and good judgment in line with shared values. When this is perceived as not happening, trust can be reduced or lost.

Trust is critical to the advancement of science itself and science in the advancement of society.

• Science communication
• Scientific research
• Listen to this article
• Universites

PhD Scholarship

Senior Lecturer, HRM or People Analytics

Senior Research Fellow - Neuromuscular Disorders and Gait Analysis

Centre Director, Transformative Media Technologies

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

The Importance of Research in the Advancement of Society

Thanks to the internet and other technologies, life moves at a very fast pace. We’re constantly adapting and learning new ways to do things–as well as expecting and even demanding innovation from our scientists, executives, and leaders.

Without research, our demands would go completely unanswered!

Curiosity leads to research

Research is what propels humanity forward. It’s fueled by curiosity: we get curious, ask questions, and immerse ourselves in discovering everything there is to know. Learning is thriving. Without curiosity and research, progress would slow to a halt, and our lives as we know them would be completely different.

What would happen without research?

If early civilizations hadn’t been curious about the dark sky, we wouldn’t know anything about space. Decades of research have led us to where we are today: a civilized society with the knowledge and tools to move forward.

If that research slowed to a standstill, what would happen?

We’d become ignorant and unaware. We wouldn’t understand or go forward. Without research, we couldn’t say we were close to finding the cure for cancer or find the most eco-friendly way to light up our homes and offices. We wouldn’t know that, even though bees are not our favorites, they do a job that help us all.

Without research, we could not possibly have survived as long as we have.

And there are still millions of things that have yet to be discovered: diseases to cure, waters to explore, species to discover. All of that is possible with research.

The future of research

Thankfully, schools are becoming more concerned with science and technology, and research is finding its place in the minds of today’s students. Students are eager to make discoveries, create solutions to the world’s problems, and invent the next big thing. We’re going places, one research project at a time.

How do we enable researchers to spend their time on, well, research (instead of filling out forms)? Thankfully, there’s cloud-based software to make that easier. Researchers and research administrators can find funding faster , apply for it more easily, manage their funding once they get it, meet federal and local requirements for documentation, stay in compliance if research involves humans or animals, and make sure research facilities are safe .

All of that means they’re one step closer to tomorrow’s big discoveries.

Adapted from an essay by Cali Simboli

Ready for easier research administration?

Featured resource:.

6 ways to minimize risk in research administration

Get ebook >> 

The Fundamental Role of Science and Technology in International Development: An Imperative for the U.S. Agency for International Development (2006)

Chapter: summary.

Science and technology (S&T) capabilities are fundamental for social and economic progress in developing countries; for example, in the health sector, scientific research led to the development and introduction of oral rehydration therapy, which became the cornerstone of international efforts to control diarrheal diseases. Research also established that two cents worth of vitamin A given to children every six months could reduce child mortality in many countries by over one-third. In agriculture, rice-wheat rotation techniques have significantly enhanced food production in South Asia. In Central America, scientifically based natural resource management has been essential in developing the tourist industry, a major source of foreign currency.

International programs based on S&T are critical components of U.S. foreign policy, and particularly foreign assistance activities. Foreign assistance, probably more than any other international endeavor, provides opportunities for representatives of the U.S. government and its partners to join with political and economic leaders, intellectuals, and activists of dozens of countries in continuing, constructive dialogues and in concrete projects designed to enhance the quality of life of hundreds of millions of people. S&T are often the keystones for successful projects. The shared political and economic dividends from these activities can be enormous.

Maintaining and strengthening the contributions of the science, engineering, and medical capabilities of the United States to foreign assistance programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are the themes of this report. USAID has unique and broad legislative authority to support innovative programs in developing countries, unrivaled field experience in

adapting technological advances to conditions and capabilities of poor countries, and many successes in integrating S&T into development activities. Therefore, as S&T capabilities become even more important for all countries in addressing traditional development issues and in coping with increased international flows of goods and services and the rapid spread of diseases and contaminants, the agency should play a central role in promoting the S&T-related programs of the U.S. government throughout the developing world.

Unfortunately, many developing countries, particularly the poor countries of Africa, do not have the human resources, physical and economic infrastructures, and access to capital to take full advantage of the S&T expertise and achievements of the United States and other industrialized countries. Nevertheless, countries at all levels of development have a strong desire for more robust S&T capabilities. And some capability to understand the potential and limitations of S&T, to select and effectively utilize suitable foreign technologies, and to develop local innovations is needed in every country.

The observations and recommendations set forth below on the opportunities for USAID to continue to play an important role in bringing to bear the S&T resources of the United States on foreign assistance programs are based on extensive consultations by the committee of the National Research Council (NRC) responsible for this report. The members and staff met with many government officials, foreign assistance practitioners, and S&T specialists in the United States and abroad. The committee sent small teams to six developing countries where USAID has significant programs. These countries and areas of special interest during the field visits were:

India: health;

Philippines: energy;

Bangladesh: agriculture and food security;

Guatemala and El Salvador: biodiversity; and

Mali: poverty in a resource-deficient country.

To help ensure that the conclusions of this report have broad significance, the committee addressed five development challenges that affect hundreds of millions of people each year. These challenges are:

Child survival;

Safe water;

Agricultural research;

Microeconomic reform; and

Prevention of and response to natural disasters.

International approaches to providing assistance to developing countries are changing; for example, global programs with important S&T dimensions that

target health, food production, environmental, and other problems omnipresent in the developing countries are growing in number and size while bilateral assistance is also increasing. A particularly important challenge for USAID is to find its role amidst the expanding network of dozens of foreign assistance providers, and particularly those providers of S&T-related assistance that draws on the limited capabilities of recipient countries to manage technology-oriented programs.

Beyond foreign assistance funds provided by governments, other financial flows to developing countries with S&T implications are growing. They include foreign direct investment by the private sector, remittances to friends and relatives in developing countries sent home by émigrés who are resident in the industrialized countries, contributions to development projects by private foundations, and initiatives designed to benefit local populations supported by multinational companies. At the same time, some donors and international banks are canceling debt repayment obligations of a few poor countries, thereby enhancing the ability of these countries to invest more in education, agriculture, and other activities essential to long-term development.

Private flows often support technical education and vocational training. Private foundations sometimes support long-term research programs in search of breakthroughs, and Table S-1 presents an important example in this regard. Of special significance are public-private partnerships in mobilizing financial and technological resources for use in poor countries. For example, results achieved by the Global Development Alliance, which links USAID and many private company capabilities, have demonstrated the positive affects of well-designed technology-oriented partnerships.

Meanwhile, within the U.S. government the responsibilities for programs in developing countries are rapidly diffusing, with USAID now financing only about 50 percent of the government’s international development programs. The independent Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which was established by the U.S. government in 2002, has a multibillion-dollar development program directed to 23 countries although it has been slow in launching its initial projects. The Department of State has relatively new responsibilities for programs directed to combating HIV/AIDS, also with an annual budget in the billions of dollars. Its HIV/AIDS program is moving forward very quickly while a number of other U.S. departments and agencies, international organizations, and private foundations finance directly related activities (see Figure S-1 ).

A new office in the Department of State is responsible for planning and coordinating reconstruction activities following hostilities in countries around the globe. In addition to USAID, the Department of Defense continues to be a major contributor to reconstruction efforts in war-torn countries and plays an important role in responding to humanitarian disasters. Many other departments and agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy, have expanded the international dimensions of their mission-

TABLE S-1 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges to Global Health

oriented activities that potentially overlap with traditional development activities; and a large fraction of these programs have substantial S&T components.

Within this myriad of expanding activities, USAID supports hundreds of foreign assistance projects. But its role in carrying out its program is increasingly determined by dozens of congressional earmarks and White House initiatives, including many with S&T components. Some earmarks sustain important programs, but too often, earmarks do not have high development dividends when they focus on narrow special interests.

FIGURE S-1 Organizations involved in combating HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

In recent years, the agency has lost much of its direct-hire staff with technical expertise while other government departments and agencies with much stronger expertise in specific areas of interest to these organizations are expanding their activities in developing countries. This decline of technical expertise is the single most important reason why USAID has lost much of its S&T capability and reputation, which is critical in providing leadership in applying S&T to overcome development problems. Strong USAID internal capabilities are essential to guide the effective use of S&T resources in agency programs and to work collaboratively on problems of common interest with other organizations that have well-established technical capabilities.

Since S&T are integral components of many foreign assistance activities, consideration of USAID’s efforts to draw on the nation’s S&T capabilities must begin with consideration of USAID’s broader role in foreign assistance. USAID will, of course, continue to follow the decisions of the Administration and Congress to support program activities in many fields within USAID’s established program framework of governance and humanitarian assistance, reconstruction in war-torn areas, global health, and broadly defined economic growth; however, the agency should to the extent possible select a few areas of emphasis within this framework where it can concentrate resources and be an international leader in addition to its well-established leadership role in promoting democratic governance. Criteria for selecting such areas should include (1) high levels of develop-

ing country interest, (2) opportunities to have significant impacts on development, (3) relevance of USAID’s unique field experience, and (4) limited interest of other U.S. departments and agencies in providing substantial financial support for activities in the areas.

Programs in some or all of these areas will undoubtedly require substantial S&T inputs. One area for possible emphasis is health delivery systems, an area that the committee strongly supports. Other examples that the committee believes should be considered are small innovative firms, agriculture extension, and information technology. The program emphasis within each area should be on institution building, including establishment of research, education, training, and service capabilities.

In order to continue to support its current portfolio of programs as well as new activities, USAID needs stronger in-house technical staff capabilities. Given rigid congressional limitations on personnel levels, the agency will have no choice in the near term but to continue to rely heavily on a combination of direct-hire employees, assignees from other U.S. agencies, and contractor personnel to manage programs implemented by USAID’s partners. Nevertheless, as recommended in this report, the agency should recruit an adequate number of technically trained direct-hire employees to lead the design and evaluation of institution building and innovation activities, particularly in the areas of emphasis that are selected.

Against this background, the committee offers three overarching recommendations for consideration by USAID, the Department of State, the Office of Management and Budget, Congress, and other interested organizations. Suggestions of specific steps for implementing the recommendations are also set forth. The recommendations, if implemented, would strengthen USAID’s capabilities to play a more effective role in supporting technical innovation as a key to successful international development.

Most of the suggestions are general and cut across development sectors. As noted above, while carrying out the agency’s many programs mandated by Congress and the White House, USAID should also begin to focus on several areas of emphasis and concentrate available resources in these areas within the framework of the recommendations that are set forth below.

Recommendation 1: USAID should reverse the decline in its support for building S&T capacity within important development sectors in developing countries. Clearly, development of human resources and building relevant institutions must be at the top of the priority list if nations are to have the ability to develop, adapt, and introduce technological innovations in sectors of importance to their governments, the private sector, and their populations. To this end, USAID should:

Increase the number of USAID-sponsored participants in highly focused graduate training programs to develop future leaders in various S&T disciplines;

Increase financial support for applied research and outreach, including extension, at local institutions that can support host country priority programs of interest to USAID;

Provide increased financial support for development of local capacity to deliver public health services, including support for the establishment of strong schools of public health in developing countries;

Assist important institutions in developing countries in using broadband access to Internet and other modern technologies to strengthen their information acquisition and processing capabilities in support of S&T specialists; and

Sponsor expert assessments of the S&T infrastructures in countries where USAID has major programs when there are interested customers for such assessments.

Recommendation 2: USAID should strengthen the capabilities of its leadership and program managers in Washington and in the field to recognize and take advantage of opportunities for effectively integrating S&T considerations within USAID programs. The following steps by USAID would help achieve this objective.

Development of an S&T culture within USAID, with the agency leadership continually articulating in policy papers, internal discussions, and interactions with host governments the importance of (1) strengthening local S&T capabilities, (2) integrating these capabilities within a broad range of development activities, and (3) incorporating S&T in USAID programs;

Strengthening of USAID staff capabilities in S&T through (1) recruitment of senior officials with strong S&T credentials and good project management track records, (2) an increased number of entry-level positions devoted to young professionals with S&T expertise, and (3) career incentives for technically trained employees to remain at USAID, and particularly, promotion opportunities based on an individual’s success in applying technical skills to USAID programs; and

Appointment of a full-time S&T adviser to the administrator, with adequate staff, to alert the USAID leadership and program managers on a continuing basis to overlooked and new opportunities for programs with significant S&T content. Figure S-2 suggests how the adviser might be positioned within the agency.

Establishment of an independent S&T advisory mechanism to address technical issues of interest to the USAID leadership and to promote peer review throughout the agency (see Figure S-2 );

Establishment of a nongovernmental Innovation Center to concentrate on application of innovative technologies to specific development problems identified by USAID missions, USAID Washington, and the Center’s staff (see Figure S-2 );

FIGURE S-2 Strengthening the organizational structure for S&T in USAID.

Strengthening the economic analysis capability of USAID to help ensure that the many dimensions of technological change occurring in almost every developing country are adequately considered when designing and implementing agency projects; and

Revitalizing the program evaluation capability of USAID using rigorous methodologies to gauge program effectiveness.

Recommendation 3. USAID should encourage other U.S. government departments and agencies with S&T-related activities in developing countries to orient their programs to the extent possible to supporting the development priorities of the host countries, and USAID should provide leadership in improving interagency coordination of activities relevant to development. USAID’s long history of working in developing countries provides the agency with unique field perspectives, but it is not as strong as other departments and agencies in many technological areas. Its capabilities should be effectively integrated with the well-developed S&T capabilities of other U.S. government organizations. To that end, USAID should:

Assume leadership, in cooperation with the Department of State and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in the establishment in Washington of an effective interagency committee to coordinate the overlapping S&T interests of U.S. departments and agencies in developing countries;

Emphasize within the joint State-USAID planning process and in the field the payoff from broad interagency coordination of S&T-related activities;

Clarify the division of responsibilities for supporting research relevant to international development supported by USAID and other U.S. government departments and agencies. Table S-2 presents a suggested role for USAID in the health sector;

Work with other government organizations that are involved in preventing and responding to natural disasters with an expanded emphasis on the capacity of developing countries to improve early warning systems, upgrade the resilience of physical structures to impacts, increase availability of emergency social support resources, and develop hazard mitigation and emergency response strategies that can be integrated with long-term development programs;

Work closely with the Departments of State and Defense and other national and international organizations involved in reconstruction of war-torn areas, taking advantage of the technical capabilities of these partners while sharing USAID’s field experience in charting the course for recovery;

Develop USAID programs that complement the programs of the Department of State for combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, capitalizing on USAID’s unique field experience to build local capacity for delivering health services; and

Encourage the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to take advantage of USAID’s many years of experience in promoting international development in the countries where the MCC has initiated programs.

USAID has recorded many achievements in using S&T to overcome obstacles to development; for example, support of effective policies for integrating energy networks has brought electrical power to thousands of remote villages in South Africa. In Namibia a USAID partnership with Microsoft and Compaq has

TABLE S-4 Improving Health Outcomes: Role of USAID in the New Global Landscape for Research on Special Problems of Developing Countries

developed effective e-government services and has dramatically enhanced civil participation in parliamentary affairs.

Now, the challenge is for the entire agency to recognize more fully the opportunities to integrate one of America’s strongest assets—S&T—into foreign assistance and to transform this recognition into action programs in the field. The U.S. government faces many new issues in developing countries, from countering terrorism, implementing policies of the World Trade Organization, and addressing global environmental threats, to improving America’s image. U.S. S&T capabilities can help equip USAID to address such issues while also building bridges of mutual understanding that will far transcend traditional concepts of the payoffs to the United States from investments in foreign assistance.

Realization of this vision will not be easy. In the competition for access to limited foreign assistance funds, important constituencies of USAID that embrace basic human needs as the overriding priority have never accepted the approach of technology transfer, stimulation of economic growth, and diffusion of benefits to the general population from innovative nodes in the economy and in society. Nevertheless, with the upsurge in the foreign assistance budget and the globalization of problems, institutions, and solutions, there should be an opportunity for the private voluntary organizations to have funding for their grassroots programs and for USAID to simultaneously undertake serious S&T investments for long-term economic growth.

The entire foreign assistance establishment must be persuaded that S&T are crucial enablers of development and not simply endpoints. Just as governance has become a significant rationale for much of America’s global presence, so S&T must be recognized as an essential platform for transforming aspirations for better lives into durable and practical reality. Only then will the sustainability of a strong S&T component within USAID be assured.

This page intentionally left blank.

In October 2003 the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Research Council (NRC) entered into a cooperative agreement. The agreement called for the NRC to examine selected aspects of U.S. foreign assistance activities—primarily the programs of the USAID—that have benefited or could benefit from access to strong science, technology, and medical capabilities in the United States or elsewhere. After considering the many aspects of the role of science and technology (S&T) in foreign assistance, the study led to the publication of The Fundamental Role of Science and Technology in International Development . In the book special attention is devoted to partnerships that involve the USAID together with international, regional, U.S. governmental, and private sector organizations in fields such as heath care, agriculture and nutrition, education and job creation, and energy and the environment. This book explores specific programmatic, organizational, and personnel reforms that would increase the effective use of S&T to meet the USAID's goals while supporting larger U.S. foreign policy objectives.

READ FREE ONLINE

Welcome to OpenBook!

You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

Show this book's table of contents , where you can jump to any chapter by name.

...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

Switch between the Original Pages , where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter .

Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

View our suggested citation for this chapter.

Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

Get Email Updates

Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free ? Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released.

More From Forbes

The role of research at universities: why it matters.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

(Photo by William B. Plowman/Getty Images)

Teaching and learning, research and discovery, synthesis and creativity, understanding and engagement, service and outreach. There are many “core elements” to the mission of a great university. Teaching would seem the most obvious, but for those outside of the university, “research” (taken to include scientific research, scholarship more broadly, as well as creative activity) may be the least well understood. This creates misunderstanding of how universities invest resources, especially those deriving from undergraduate tuition and state (or other public) support, and the misperception that those resources are being diverted away from what is believed should be the core (and sole) focus, teaching. This has led to a loss of trust, confidence, and willingness to continue to invest or otherwise support (especially our public) universities.

Why are universities engaged in the conduct of research? Who pays? Who benefits? And why does it all matter? Good questions. Let’s get to some straightforward answers. Because the academic research enterprise really is not that difficult to explain, and its impacts are profound.

So let’s demystify university-based research. And in doing so, hopefully we can begin building both better understanding and a better relationship between the public and higher education, both of which are essential to the future of US higher education.   

Why are universities engaged in the conduct of research?

Universities engage in research as part of their missions around learning and discovery. This, in turn, contributes directly and indirectly to their primary mission of teaching. Universities and many colleges (the exception being those dedicated exclusively to undergraduate teaching) have as part of their mission the pursuit of scholarship. This can come in the form of fundamental or applied research (both are most common in the STEM fields, broadly defined), research-based scholarship or what often is called “scholarly activity” (most common in the social sciences and humanities), or creative activity (most common in the arts). Increasingly, these simple categorizations are being blurred, for all good reasons and to the good of the discovery of new knowledge and greater understanding of complex (transdisciplinary) challenges and the creation of increasingly interrelated fields needed to address them.

It goes without saying that the advancement of knowledge (discovery, innovation, creation) is essential to any civilization. Our nation’s research universities represent some of the most concentrated communities of scholars, facilities, and collective expertise engaged in these activities. But more importantly, this is where higher education is delivered, where students develop breadth and depth of knowledge in foundational and advanced subjects, where the skills for knowledge acquisition and understanding (including contextualization, interpretation, and inference) are honed, and where students are educated, trained, and otherwise prepared for successful careers. Part of that training and preparation derives from exposure to faculty who are engaged at the leading-edge of their fields, through their research and scholarly work. The best faculty, the teacher-scholars, seamlessly weave their teaching and research efforts together, to their mutual benefit, and in a way that excites and engages their students. In this way, the next generation of scholars (academic or otherwise) is trained, research and discovery continue to advance inter-generationally, and the cycle is perpetuated.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

University research can be expensive, particularly in laboratory-intensive fields. But the responsibility for much (indeed most) of the cost of conducting research falls to the faculty member. Faculty who are engaged in research write grants for funding (e.g., from federal and state agencies, foundations, and private companies) to support their work and the work of their students and staff. In some cases, the universities do need to invest heavily in equipment, facilities, and personnel to support select research activities. But they do so judiciously, with an eye toward both their mission, their strategic priorities, and their available resources.

Medical research, and medical education more broadly, is expensive and often requires substantial institutional investment beyond what can be covered by clinical operations or externally funded research. But universities with medical schools/medical centers have determined that the value to their educational and training missions as well as to their communities justifies the investment. And most would agree that university-based medical centers are of significant value to their communities, often providing best-in-class treatment and care in midsize and smaller communities at a level more often seen in larger metropolitan areas.

Research in the STEM fields (broadly defined) can also be expensive. Scientific (including medical) and engineering research often involves specialized facilities or pieces of equipment, advanced computing capabilities, materials requiring controlled handling and storage, and so forth. But much of this work is funded, in large part, by federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture, and many others.

Research in the social sciences is often (not always) less expensive, requiring smaller amount of grant funding. As mentioned previously, however, it is now becoming common to have physical, natural, and social scientist teams pursuing large grant funding. This is an exciting and very promising trend for many reasons, not the least of which is the nature of the complex problems being studied.

Research in the arts and humanities typically requires the least amount of funding as it rarely requires the expensive items listed previously. Funding from such organizations as the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and private foundations may be able to support significant scholarship and creation of new knowledge or works through much more modest grants than would be required in the natural or physical sciences, for example.

Philanthropy may also be directed toward the support of research and scholarly activity at universities. Support from individual donors, family foundations, private or corporate foundations may be directed to support students, faculty, labs or other facilities, research programs, galleries, centers, and institutes.

Who benefits?

Students, both undergraduate and graduate, benefit from studying in an environment rich with research and discovery. Besides what the faculty can bring back to the classroom, there are opportunities to engage with faculty as part of their research teams and even conduct independent research under their supervision, often for credit. There are opportunities to learn about and learn on state-of-the-art equipment, in state-of-the-art laboratories, and from those working on the leading edge in a discipline. There are opportunities to co-author, present at conferences, make important connections, and explore post-graduate pathways.

The broader university benefits from active research programs. Research on timely and important topics attracts attention, which in turn leads to greater institutional visibility and reputation. As a university becomes known for its research in certain fields, they become magnets for students, faculty, grants, media coverage, and even philanthropy. Strength in research helps to define a university’s “brand” in the national and international marketplace, impacting everything from student recruitment, to faculty retention, to attracting new investments.

The community, region, and state benefits from the research activity of the university. This is especially true for public research universities. Research also contributes directly to economic development, clinical, commercial, and business opportunities. Resources brought into the university through grants and contracts support faculty, staff, and student salaries, often adding additional jobs, contributing directly to the tax base. Research universities, through their expertise, reputation, and facilities, can attract new businesses into their communities or states. They can also launch and incubate startup companies, or license and sell their technologies to other companies. Research universities often host meeting and conferences which creates revenue for local hotels, restaurants, event centers, and more. And as mentioned previously, university medical centers provide high-quality medical care, often in midsize communities that wouldn’t otherwise have such outstanding services and state-of-the-art facilities.

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

And finally, why does this all matter?

Research is essential to advancing society, strengthening the economy, driving innovation, and addressing the vexing and challenging problems we face as a people, place, and planet. It’s through research, scholarship, and discovery that we learn about our history and ourselves, understand the present context in which we live, and plan for and secure our future.

Research universities are vibrant, exciting, and inspiring places to learn and to work. They offer opportunities for students that few other institutions can match – whether small liberal arts colleges, mid-size teaching universities, or community colleges – and while not right for every learner or every educator, they are right for many, if not most. The advantages simply cannot be ignored. Neither can the importance or the need for these institutions. They need not be for everyone, and everyone need not find their way to study or work at our research universities, and we stipulate that there are many outstanding options to meet and support different learning styles and provide different environments for teaching and learning. But it’s critically important that we continue to support, protect, and respect research universities for all they do for their students, their communities and states, our standing in the global scientific community, our economy, and our nation.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

Florida State University

FSU | Florida State University News

Site Navigation

Global navigation.

Florida State University News

The Official News Source of Florida State University

Home / News / Science & Technology / Understanding quantum states: New FAMU-FSU research shows importance of precise topography in solid neon qubits

Understanding quantum states: New FAMU-FSU research shows importance of precise topography in solid neon qubits

Quantum computers have the potential to be revolutionary tools for their ability to perform calculations that would take classical computers many years to resolve.

But to make an effective quantum computer, you need a reliable quantum bit, or qubit, that can exist in a simultaneous 0 or 1 state for a sufficiently long period, known as its coherence time.

One promising approach is trapping a single electron on a solid neon surface, called an electron-on-solid-neon qubit. A study led by FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Professor Wei Guo that was published in Physical Review Letters shows new insight into the quantum state that describes the condition of electrons on such a qubit, information that can help engineers build this innovative technology.

Guo’s team found that small bumps on the surface of solid neon in the qubit can naturally bind electrons, which creates ring-shaped quantum states of these electrons. The quantum state refers to the various properties of an electron, such as position, momentum and other characteristics, before they are measured. When the bumps are a certain size, the electron’s transition energy — the amount of energy required for an electron to move from one quantum ring state to another — aligns with the energy of microwave photons, another elementary particle.

This alignment allows for controlled manipulation of the electron, which is needed for quantum computing.

“This work significantly advances our understanding of the electron-trapping mechanism on a promising quantum computing platform,” Guo said. “It not only clarifies puzzling experimental observations but also delivers crucial insights for the design, optimization and control of electron-on-solid-neon qubits.”

Previous work by Guo and collaborators demonstrated the viability of a solid-state single-electron qubit platform using electrons trapped on solid neon. Recent research showed coherence times as great as 0.1 millisecond, or 100 times longer than typical coherence times of 1 microsecond for conventional semiconductor-based and superconductor-based charge qubits.

Coherence time determines how long a quantum system can maintain a superposition state — the ability of the system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured, which is one characteristic that gives quantum computers their unique abilities.

The extended coherence time of the electron-on-solid-neon qubit can be attributed to the inertness and purity of solid neon. This qubit system also addresses the issue of liquid surface vibrations, a problem inherent in the more extensively studied electron-on-liquid-helium qubit. The current research offers crucial insights into optimizing the electron-on-solid-neon qubit further.

A crucial part of that optimization is creating qubits that are smooth through most of the solid neon surface but have bumps of the right size where they are needed. Designers want minimal naturally occurring bumps on the surface that attract disruptive background electrical charge. At the same time, intentionally fabricating bumps of the correct size within the microwave resonator on the qubit improves the ability to trap electrons.

“This research underscores the critical need for further study of how different conditions affect neon qubit manufacturing,” Guo said. “Neon injection temperatures and pressure influence the final qubit product. The more control we have over this process, the more precise we can build, and the closer we move to quantum computing that can solve currently unmanageable calculations.”

Co-authors on this paper were Toshiaki Kanai, a former graduate research student in the FSU Department of Physics, and Dafei Jin, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The High Cost of Misaligned Business and Analytics Goals

• Preethika Sainam,
• Seigyoung Auh,
• Richard Ettenson,
• Bulent Menguc

Findings from research on more than 300 companies undergoing data and analytics transformations.

How and where do companies’ investments in new and improved data and analytic capabilities contribute to tangible business benefits like profitability and growth? Should they invest in talent? Technology? Culture? According to new research, the degree of alignment between business goals and analytics capabilities is among the most important factors. While companies that are early in their analytics journey will see value creation even with significant internal misalignment, at higher levels of data maturity aligned companies find that analytics capabilities create significantly more value across growth, financial, and customer KPIs.

Business leaders are feeling acute pressure to ramp up their company’s data and analytics capabilities — and fast — or risk falling behind more data-savvy competitors. If only the path to success were that straightforward! In our previous research, we found that capitalizing on data and analytics requires creating a data culture, obtaining senior leadership commitment, acquiring data and analytics skills and competencies, as well as empowering employees. And each of these dimensions is necessary just to start the analytics journey.

• PS Preethika Sainam is an Assistant Professor of Global Marketing at Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University.
• SA Seigyoung Auh is Professor of Global Marketing at Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, and Research Faculty at the Center for Services Leadership at the WP Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.
• RE Richard Ettenson is Professor and Keickhefer Fellow in Global Marketing and Brand Strategy, The Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University .
• BM Bulent Menguc is a Professor of Marketing at the Leeds University Business School in the U.K.

Partner Center

share this!

June 28, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

An important but often overlooked step in the green transition: Research center maps crucial climate genes in crops

by Aarhus University

Almost every morning Guillaume Ramstein walks through the university park in Aarhus on his way to work. At this time of the year the old oak trees teem with bright green colors and the grass is covered in dandelions and daisies.

When he takes a seat in front of his monitor, he's ready to study the genes of plants. Not the plants in the beautiful park, but a little known grass called Brachypodium.

On his computer he looks through enormous amounts of data trying to find useful genes in the small plant. Genes that enable the plant to withstand longer periods of drought or higher temperatures.

The reason he's studying this little known plant and not wheat, barley or corn which we all know from trips to the countryside, is that Brachypodium is kind of like mice in pharmacological research.

"We call Brachypodium the mouse of cereals, because it works as a model organism to test new things on. Like the mice used in the medical sector, it's much easier to breed and genetically it's pretty similar to crops like wheat or barley," Ramstein explains.

"Because Brachypodium only has about 300 million letters in its DNA compared to 17 billion in wheat, it's also much cheaper and easier to sequence and work with."

By mapping the useful genes that make these plants better suited for climate change and a more plant based future, Ramstein and his colleagues are laying the foundation for both genetic modifications and traditional breeding.

The letters of the DNA

In the center of human, animal and plant cells there is a small core called the nucleus which contains our DNA.

Inside the nucleus the long two-stranded threads of DNA curl up and form the chromosomes. The threads are made up of nearly endless sequences of four small molecules, which we abbreviate A, C, G and T. People also call them the letters of the DNA.

It's the order of these letters that determine the function of our genes. Usually genes consist of thousands of letters, but a single wrong letter in the sequence may lead to both good and bad outcomes.

Whenever cells divide they need to copy all the genetic information. This process of copying sometimes goes wrong resulting in incorrect letters in the genome. Usually the cell corrects these errors but not always.

The same thing happens when a new plant or animal is conceived. During the mixing of the genes of the mother and father errors or new combinations may occur. These random variations are the mechanism for evolution.

Small genetic deviation makes a huge difference

Brachypodium is not the only plant Ramstein and his colleagues are studying. They also have a plant called Sorghum under their microscope.

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop in the world in terms of production and harvested area. It's a tropical plant used for grain and for feeding animals, originally in Africa and Asia, but also in North America and Southern Europe.

In Sorghum they found a very useful genetic mutation, he explains. "We found a variant in a gene that does photosynthesis. Plants with an A instead of a G in this position seem to have a higher effectiveness when transforming sunlight into energy."

A foundation for new genomic techniques

When Ramstein and his colleagues at QGG find variations in crops they stop there—and there's a reason for that, he explains. "We publish our findings in academic journals and we collaborate with other research groups and the industry when they use our findings. Whether they use new genomic techniques like CRISPR or classical breeding."

Using new genomic techniques (NGTs) to edit crops is under strict regulation in the EU, but new legislation is on its way. Earlier this year the European Parliament voted to allow the use of NGTs in some cases. Moreover, scientists can already get a long way by introducing mutations by chemicals and other means, which are not under strict regulation under EU legislation.

As it is right now, NGTs are regulated by the same rules as GMO, but if the new legislation is passed in the European Council as well, it will allow for the use of NGTs in making genetic changes that could occur naturally in crops.

In other words it will enable the industry to use NGTs as a shortcut to getting the desirable traits in the crops. Traits that might take many generations of plants to achieve with traditional breeding methods.

And this is where Guillaume Ramsteins' research comes in. Many of his discoveries are mutations occurring naturally in other types of plants—like the variation in the Sorghum plant—and if the legislation is passed, the industry will be able to legally induce those mutations in popular European crops.

New Genomic Techniques (NTGs)

Since the early 2000s genomic technology has developed at a very fast pace. This has resulted in a lot of new techniques for editing the genome of plants and animals.

Overall these techniques can be put into two categories:

• Technologies that transfer genes from other organisms into the plant.
• Technologies that edit directly in the genome of the plant.

In 2012 Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier discovered that CRISPR, a bacterial immune system, could be reprogrammed to edit anywhere in the DNA of humans, animals and plants.

CRISPR is one of several techniques to edit DNA, but has been the cheapest and most successful so far. With the new EU-legislation on NGTs, the technology is going to be important for the agroindustry.

Other technologies, like mutagenesis by chemicals or radiation, also introduce mutations in plant genomes, but they are not regulated by EU legislation and will remain important for the industry.

People are very skeptical

In 2021, a company in Japan developed the first ever CRISPR-edited crop —a gene-edited tomato that contains high levels of an amino acid called GABA that has the ability to lower our blood pressure.

The tomato called "Sicilian Rouge High GABA" is sold in Japanese super markets, but in the EU we don't allow genetically altered crops. But there is a difference between GMO and crops made by using CRISPR, Ramstein explains.

"NGTs are often depicted as inherently harmful, but that is a misunderstanding. I think that the strong opposition towards GMO in Europe has spilled over into the debate on NGTs. Using NGTs to induce mutations that could occur naturally is, as far as I see it, not a problem. It could actually help us solve some of the big problems we face in agriculture."

That said, he acknowledges that the technology—as is the case with most technologies—can also be used to introduce harmful traits.

Ramstein says, "Some people say that allowing the agro industry to use NGTs will make it too powerful. And they are afraid that the industry will edit pesticide genes in the plants, so that they are able to better resist pesticides. This may in turn lead to more pesticides used in the fields.

"Of course we don't want to use more pesticides and the point is, that this technology can be used to do the opposite. To strengthen the plants natural defense against insects. It's not the technology, but how you use it."

A mixture of technologies for the future

At QGG Ramstein and his colleagues believe that genomic research will play an important role in the future. Not only will it allow us to provide food for more people, it will help us in the green transition, he explains.

Ramstein says, "Genomic research and technologies have their part to play in the green transition, but they are not the only solution. With a mixture of basic genomic knowledge, traditional breeding, organic farming and NGTs I'm convinced that we will solve a lot of the problems we face today."

Climate change is going to change where a lot of crops can grow. In Southern Europe some crops that thrive today will be impossible to grow in the future. In Northern Europe rising temperatures will allow for new crops to be introduced.

With the help of genomic research we can mitigate some of those changes, Ramstein explains. "Right now we are working on exploring genetic diversity for adaptation to changing climate conditions in the Nordic countries. We screen natural genetic diversity for useful traits in peas, oat and barley. It's a big part of our work which is complementary to the use of NTGs on these plants."

Provided by Aarhus University

Explore further

Feedback to editors

The beginnings of fashion: Paleolithic eyed needles and the evolution of dress

11 hours ago

Analysis of NASA InSight data suggests Mars hit by meteoroids more often than thought

New computational microscopy technique provides more direct route to crisp images

A harmless asteroid will whiz past Earth Saturday. Here's how to spot it

12 hours ago

Tiny bright objects discovered at dawn of universe baffle scientists

New method for generating monochromatic light in storage rings

13 hours ago

Soft, stretchy electrode simulates touch sensations using electrical signals

Updating the textbook on polarization in gallium nitride to optimize wide bandgap semiconductors

Investigating newly discovered hydrothermal vents at depths of 3,000 meters off Svalbard

Researchers develop technology to mass produce quantum dot lasers for optical communications

15 hours ago

Relevant PhysicsForums posts

Who chooses official designations for individual dolphins, such as fb15, f153, f286.

Jun 26, 2024

Color Recognition: What we see vs animals with a larger color range

Jun 25, 2024

Innovative ideas and technologies to help folks with disabilities

Jun 24, 2024

Is meat broth really nutritious?

Covid virus lives longer with higher co2 in the air.

Jun 22, 2024

Periodical Cicada Life Cycle

Jun 21, 2024

More from Biology and Medical

Related Stories

Hotter, drier, CRISPR: Editing for climate change

Feb 26, 2021

Plant breeding: Using 'invisible' chromosomes to pass on packages of positive traits

Sep 20, 2022

New plant breeding technologies for food security

Apr 1, 2019

Short cut to breed better non-GMO crops

Sep 16, 2020

Chinese hazelnut: The newest piece in the hazelnut genome puzzle

Apr 26, 2021

Tweaking just a few genes in wild plants can create new food crops – but let's get the regulation right

Oct 24, 2018

Recommended for you

Printed sensors in soil could help farmers improve crop yields and save money

Jun 27, 2024

A new CRISPR-driven technology for gene drive in plants

Scientists discover genetic 'off switch' in legume plants that limits biological ability to source nutrients

New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve agriculture sustainability

Mashed up purple marine bacteria makes an excellent eco-friendly fertilizer

Circular food systems found to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, require much less agricultural land

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

A systematic analysis of research trends on the permeable reactive barrier in groundwater remediation

• Published: 27 June 2024

Cite this article

• M. Vakili   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0003-6468-0375 1 ,
• T. Ebadi   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3566-9623 1 &
• M. Hajbabaie 1  

25 Accesses

Explore all metrics

Groundwater, one of the most important freshwater resources on Earth, is currently experiencing degradation in both quality and quantity. This has prompted scientists to seek solutions to this problem, one of which is permeable reactive barriers. While many researchers have studied PRBs, few have conducted comprehensive literature reviews. In this article bibliometric analysis has been done on permeable reactive barriers publications from 1995 to 2023. This study systematically analyzed various aspects of permeable reactive barriers research, including countries and sponsors, authors, journals, and keywords. This bibliometric analysis of permeable reactive barriers research revealed that China has become the leading country in publication output, due to its strong performance in recent years. The top journal in this field is Environmental Science and Technology, with 60 publications and 5726 citations. The author with the most publications is Faisal A.H., with 24 publications primarily published recently. Keyword analysis and clustering were performed to identify the leading and most popular topics in permeable reactive barriers research. Six clusters were identified, with heavy metals being the most popular topic. Nowadays, researchers are also showing a growing interest in sustainable and biological remediation. In the end, an in-depth comparison that compares different permeable reactive barrier methods with the conventional Pump and Treat approach has been carried out, with a particular emphasis on long-term sustainability and life-cycle cost considerations. Researchers can use the findings in this study as a helpful reference and comprehensive overview for their works.

Graphical abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Data availability

All relevant data and materials are within the manuscript and available from the corresponding author upon request.

Ahn JY, Kim C, Jun SC, Hwang I (2021) Field-scale investigation of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) injection parameters for enhanced delivery of NZVI particles to groundwater. Water Res 202:117402

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Al-Sahari M, Al-Gheethi A, Mohamed RMSR, Noman E, Naushad M, Rizuan MB, Vo DVN, Ismail N (2021) Green approach and strategies for wastewater treatment using bioelectrochemical systems: A critical review of fundamental concepts, applications, mechanism, and future trends. Chemosphere 285:131373

Amoako-Nimako GK, Yang X, Chen F (2021) Denitrification using permeable reactive barriers with organic substrate or zero-valent iron fillers: controlling mechanisms, challenges, and future perspectives. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 28:21045–21064

Beganskas S, Gorski G, Weathers T, Fisher AT, Schmidt C, Saltikov C, Redford K, Stoneburner B, Harmon R, Weir W (2018) A horizontal permeable reactive barrier stimulates nitrate removal and shifts microbial ecology during rapid infiltration for managed recharge. Water Res 144:274–284

Beheshtian Ardakani M, Ebadi T (2016) Landfill leaching-contaminated groundwater remediation by permeable reactive barrier. J Environ Sci Technol 18:83–94

Google Scholar  

Bierkens MF, Wada Y (2019) Non-renewable groundwater use and groundwater depletion: a review. Environ Res Lett 14(6):063002

Article   Google Scholar  

Bierkens MFP, Sutanudjaja EH, Wanders N (2021) Large-scale sensitivities of groundwater and surface water to groundwater withdrawal. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 25:5859–5878

Bilardi S, Calabrò PS, Moraci N (2023) A review of the hydraulic performance of permeable reactive barriers based on granular zero valent iron. Water 15(1):200

Buyanjargal A, Kang J, Lee JH, Jeen SW (2023) Nitrate removal rates, isotopic fractionation, and denitrifying bacteria in a woodchip-based permeable reactive barrier system: a long-term column experiment. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 30:36364–36376

Cai Q, Turner BD, Sheng D, Sloan S (2018) Application of kinetic models to the design of a calcite permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for fluoride remediation. Water Res 130:300–311

Cantonati M, Poikane S, Pringle CM, Stevens LE, Turak E, Heino J, Richardson JS, Bolpagni R, Borrini A, Cid N, Čtvrtlíková M (2020) Characteristics, main impacts, and stewardship of natural and artificial freshwater environments: consequences for biodiversity conservation. Water 12(1):260

Chen L, Wang C, Zhang C, Zhang X, Liu F (2022) Eight-year performance evaluation of a field-scale zeolite permeable reactive barrier for the remediation of ammonium-contaminated groundwater. Appl Geochem 143:105372

Ciampi P, Esposito C, Bartsch E, Alesi EJ, Petrangeli Papini M (2023) Pump-and-treat (P&T) vs groundwater circulation wells (GCW): Which approach delivers more sustainable and effective groundwater remediation? Environ Res 234:116538

Daoud W, Ebadi T, Fahimifar A (2015a) Optimization of hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous solution using acid-modified granular activated carbon as adsorbent through response surface methodology. Korean J Chem Eng 32:1119–1128

Daoud W, Ebadi T, Fahimifar A (2015b) Regeneration of acid-modified activated carbon used for removal of toxic metal hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by electro kinetic process. Desalin Water Treat 57:7009–7020

Daoud W, Ebadi T, Fahimifar A (2015c) Removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions using micro zero-valent iron supported by bentonite layer. Water Sci Technol 71:667–674

ELSEVIER 2023. Scopus. Netherlands.

Eslami A, Ebadi T, Moradi M, Ghanbari F (2015) Modelling the process of perchloroethylene removal from water using zero valent iron-permeable reactive barrier. Iranian J Health Environ 8:31–44

ESTCP 2005. COST AND PERFORMANCE REPORT MULTI-SITE IN-SITU AIR SPARGING. ESTCP Project. Port Hueneme, California: Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center.

Faisal AAH, Sulaymon AH, Khaliefa QM (2017) A review of permeable reactive barrier as passive sustainable technology for groundwater remediation. Int J Environ Sci Technol 15:1123–1138

Faisal AA, Al-Wakel SF, Assi HA, Naji LA, Naushad M (2020) Waterworks sludge-filter sand permeable reactive barrier for removal of toxic lead ions from contaminated groundwater. J Water Process Eng 33:101112

Falciglia PP, Gagliano E, Brancato V, Finocchiaro G, Catalfo A, de Guidi G, Romano S, Roccaro P, Vagliasindi FGA (2020) Field technical applicability and cost analysis for microwave based regenerating permeable reactive barriers (MW-PRBs) operating in Cs-contaminated groundwater treatment. J Environ Manage 260:110064

Fu F, Dionysiou DD, Liu H (2014) The use of zero-valent iron for groundwater remediation and wastewater treatment: a review. J Hazard Mater 267:194–205

GARFIELD, E. 2016. Impact Factor [Online]. Clarivate Analytics. Available: https://clarivate.com/webofsciencegroup/essays/impact-factor/ [Accessed 20 September 2023].

Ghaeminia M, Mokhtarani N (2018) Remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater by PRB-Electrokinetic integrated process. J Environ Manage 222:234–241

Gupta N, Fox TC (1999) Hydrogeologic modeling for permeable reactive barriers. J Hazard Mater 68:19–39

Hashim MA, Mukhopadhyay S, Sahu JN, Sengupta B (2011) Remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated groundwater. J Environ Manage 92:2355–2388

HAUSTEIN, S. & LARIVIÈRE, V. 2015. The Use of Bibliometrics for Assessing Research: Possibilities, Limitations and Adverse Effects. Incentives and Performance.

Hssaisoune M, Bouchaou L, Sifeddine A, Bouimetarhan I, Chehbouni A (2020) Moroccan groundwater resources and evolution with global climate changes. Geosciences 10(2):81

Huno SKM, Rene ER, van Hullebusch ED, Annachhatre AP (2018) Nitrate removal from groundwater: a review of natural and engineered processes. J Water Supply Res Technol AQUA 67:885–902

ITRC 2005. Permeable Reactive Barriers:Lessons Learned/New Directions. In: ITRC (ed.). Washington.

ITRC 2011. Permeable Reactive Barrier: Technology Update. In: COUNCIL, T. I. T. R. (ed.). Washington, DC, USA.: The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council.

Jin L, Sun X, Ren H, Huang H (2023) Hotspots and trends of biological water treatment based on bibliometric review and patents analysis. J Environ Sci (china) 125:774–785

Kim JH, Chang B, Kim BJ, Park C, Goo JY, Lee YJ, Lee S (2020) Applicability of weathered coal waste as a reactive material to prevent the spread of inorganic contaminants in groundwater. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 27:45297–45310

Kumar N, Couture RM, Millot R, Battaglia-Brunet F, Rose J (2016a) Microbial sulfate reduction enhances arsenic mobility downstream of zerovalent-iron-based permeable reactive barrier. Environ Sci Technol 50:7610–7617

Kumar N, Millot R, Battaglia-Brunet F, Omoregie E, Chaurand P, Borschneck D, Bastiaens L, Rose J (2016b) Microbial and mineral evolution in zero valent iron-based permeable reactive barriers during long-term operations. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 23:5960–5968

Kwak E, Kim JH, Choi NC, Seo E, Lee S (2024) Longevity prediction of reactive media in permeable reactive barriers considering the contamination level and groundwater velocity at the planning site, with a focus on cadmium removal by zeolite. Chemosphere 353:141532

Lawrinenko M, Kurwadkar S, Wilkin RT (2023) Long-term performance evaluation of zero-valent iron amended permeable reactive barriers for groundwater remediation—A mechanistic approach. Geosci Front 14:1–13

Li W, Lin X, Lv S, Yin W, Fang Z, Huang J, Li P, Wu J (2022) Column study of Cd(II) removal and longevity by nitrate-mediated zero-valent iron with mixed anaerobic microorganisms. Sci Total Environ 822:153538

Liu S, Yang Q, Yang Y, Ding H, Qi Y (2017) In situ remediation of tetrachloroethylene and its intermediates in groundwater using an anaerobic/aerobic permeable reactive barrier. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 24:26615–26622

Liu S, Gao B, Xiong X, Chen N, Xuan K, Ma W, Song Y, Yu Y (2023) Treatment of nitrate-contaminated groundwater using microbially enhanced permeable reactive barrier technology. Environ Sci: Water Res Technol 9:1610–1619

CAS   Google Scholar  

Luo X, Liu H, Huang G, Li Y, Zhao Y, Li X (2016) Remediation of arsenic-contaminated groundwater using media-injected permeable reactive barriers with a modified montmorillonite: sand tank studies. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 23:870–877

Lyu H, Hu K, Wu Z, Shen B, Tang J (2023) Functional materials contributing to the removal of chlorinated hydrocarbons from soil and groundwater: classification and intrinsic chemical-biological removal mechanisms. Sci Total Environ 879:163011

Mao G, Hu H, Liu X, Crittenden J, Huang N (2021) A bibliometric analysis of industrial wastewater treatments from 1998 to 2019. Environ Pollut 275:115785

Mclinden D (2013) Concept maps as network data: analysis of a concept map using the methods of social network analysis. Eval Program Plann 36:40–48

Mittal A, Singh R, Chakma S, Goel G (2020) Permeable reactive barrier technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with nitrate and phosphate resulted from pit-toilet leachate. J Water Process Eng 37:101471

Nazlabadi E, Moghaddam MRA, Karamati-Niaragh E (2019) Simultaneous removal of nitrate and nitrite using electrocoagulation/floatation (ECF): a new multi-response optimization approach. J Environ Manage 250:109489

Nejatijahromi Z, Nassery HR, Hosono T, Nakhaei M, Alijani F, Okumura A (2019) Groundwater nitrate contamination in an area using urban wastewaters for agricultural irrigation under arid climate condition, southeast of Tehran. Iran Agri Water Manage 221:397–414

Nielsen DM, Johnson AI (1990). Ground water and vadose zone monitoring

Obiri-Nyarko F, Grajales-Mesa SJ, Malina G (2014) An overview of permeable reactive barriers for in situ sustainable groundwater remediation. Chemosphere 111:243–259

Otte E, Rousseau R (2016) Social network analysis: a powerful strategy, also for the information sciences. J Inf Sci 28:441–453

Pandey P, Mathur S, Sivakumar V (2023) Flow and transport analysis and suggested optimal CAB design charts under varying hydraulic conditions. J Hazard, Toxic Radioact Waste 27(1):04022046

Ren Y, Cui M, Zhou Y, Sun S, Guo F, Ma J, Han Z, Park J, Son Y, Khim J (2024) Utilizing machine learning for reactive material selection and width design in permeable reactive barrier (PRB). Water Res 251:121097

Robert Powell RP, Patricia Powell (2002) Cost analysis of permeable reactive barriers for remediation of groundwater. In: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds.

Sabour MR, Alam E, Hatami AM (2020) Global trends and status in landfilling research: a systematic analysis. J Mater Cycles Waste Manage 22:711–723

Sabour MR, Zarrabi H, Hajbabaie M (2023) A systematic analysis of research trends on the utilization of life cycle assessment in pharmaceutical applications. Int J Environ Sci Technol 20:10921–10942

Safonov A, Popova N, Andrushenko N, Boldyrev K, Yushin N, Zinicovscaia I (2021) Investigation of materials for reactive permeable barrier in removing cadmium and chromium(VI) from aquifer near a solid domestic waste landfill. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 28:4645–4659

Sanchez-Ramos D, Garrido FLB, Hernández IA, Romero LR, Camacho JV, Fernández-Morales FJ (2023) Sustainable use of wastes as reactive material in permeable reactive barrier for remediation of acid mine drainage: batch and continuous studies. J Environ Manage 345:118765

Schwarz A, Perez N (2021) Long-term operation of a permeable reactive barrier with diffusive exchange. J Environ Manage 284:112086

Singh R, Chakma S, Birke V (2023) Performance of field-scale permeable reactive barriers: an overview on potentials and possible implications for in-situ groundwater remediation applications. Sci Total Environ 858:158838

Sinha A (2018) Role of microorganisms in permeable reactive bio-barriers (PRBBs) for environmental clean-up: a review. Global NEST J 20:269–280

Song J, Huang G, Han D, Hou Q, Gan L, Zhang M (2021) A review of reactive media within permeable reactive barriers for the removal of heavy metal (loid) s in groundwater: current status and future prospects. J Clean Product 319:128644

Thiruvenkatachari R, Vigneswaran S, Naidu R (2008) Permeable reactive barrier for groundwater remediation. J Ind Eng Chem 14:145–156

UNITEDNATIONS. 2015. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [Online]. United Nations. Available: https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda [Accessed].

UNITEDNATIONS 2022. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2022: Groundwater: Making the invisible visible., Paris, UNESCO.

Walker KL, McGuire TM, Adamson DT, Anderson RH (2020) Long-term evaluation of mulch biowall performance to treat chlorinated solvents. Groundwater Monitor Remed 40:35–46

Wilkin RT, Acree SD, Ross RR, Puls RW, Lee TR, Woods LL (2014) Fifteen-year assessment of a permeable reactive barrier for treatment of chromate and trichloroethylene in groundwater. Sci Total Environ 468–469:186–194

Wilkin RT, Lee TR, Sexton MR, Acree SD, Puls RW, Blowes DW, Kalinowski C, Tilton JM, Woods LL (2019) Geochemical and isotope study of trichloroethene degradation in a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier: a twenty-two-year performance evaluation. Environ Sci Technol 53:296–306

Xiao J, Pang Z, Zhou S, Chu L, Rong L, Liu Y, Tian L (2020) The mechanism of acid-washed zero-valent iron/activated carbon as permeable reactive barrier enhanced electrokinetic remediation of uranium-contaminated soil. Sep Purif Technol 244:116667

Yagub MT, Sen TK, Afroze S, Ang HM (2014) Dye and its removal from aqueous solution by adsorption: a review. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 209:172–184

Ye Z, Zhang B, Liu Y, Zhang J, Wang Z, Bi H (2013) A bibliometric investigation of research trends on sulfate removal. Desalin Water Treat 52:6040–6049

Zhang S, Mao G, Crittenden J, Liu X, Du H (2017) Groundwater remediation from the past to the future: a bibliometric analysis. Water Res 119:114–125

Zhang Y, Cao B, Yin H, Meng L, Jin W, Wang F, Xu J, Al-Tabbaa A (2022) Application of zeolites in permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) for in-situ groundwater remediation: a critical review. Chemosphere 308:136290

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Amirkabir University of Technology for their invaluable support with this study.

This publication has not been funded by any organization or individuals.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

M. Vakili, T. Ebadi & M. Hajbabaie

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection,data analysis, data visualization and writing first draft were performed by Mobin Vakili. Taghi Ebadi provided supervision and conducted the final review, ensuring the quality and accuracy of the manuscript. Mohammadreza Hajbabaie layed a pivotal role in the conceptualization of the study, guiding its overall research direction. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Ebadi .

Ethics declarations

Conflict interests.

The authors declare that they have no known financial or interpersonal conflicts that would have appeared to have an impact on the research presented in this study. AI tools using disclosure: In this work, AI tools have been employed to improve the text's readability and language.

Consent for publication

All authors have mutually agreed for it to be submitted to your prestigious journal. The results/data/figures in this manuscript have not been published elsewhere, nor are they under consideration by another publisher.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Ethical approval

Not applicable because no ethical issues were involved.

Additional information

Editorial responsibility: S.Mirkia.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (XLSX 23 KB)

Rights and permissions.

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Vakili, M., Ebadi, T. & Hajbabaie, M. A systematic analysis of research trends on the permeable reactive barrier in groundwater remediation. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05775-6

Download citation

Received : 27 December 2023

Revised : 04 April 2024

Accepted : 26 May 2024

Published : 27 June 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05775-6

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Cost comparison
• Groundwater
• Social network analysis
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Arab J Urol
• v.12(1); 2014 Mar

Why should I do research? Is it a waste of time?

Athanasios dellis.

a 2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieion Hospital, University of Athens, Greece

Andreas Skolarikos

b 2nd Department of Urology, Sismanogleion Hospital, University of Athens, Greece

Athanasios G. Papatsoris

• • In medicine, research is the search for scientific knowledge, which is crucial for the development of novel medications and techniques.
• • Conducting research provides a deeper understanding of several scientific topics of the specialty of each doctor.
• • Research through RCTs represents the principal methodological approach.
• • There are two main research processes; qualitative and quantitative studies.
• • It is important to develop Research Units in hospitals and medical centres.
• • Ethics and the high quality of research are ensured by committees (i.e., Internal Board Review, Ethics Research Committee).
• • Research sessions could be implemented in the job plans of doctors.
• • Research is not a waste of time, but a scientific investment.

To answer the questions ‘Why should I do research? Is it a waste of time?’ and present relevant issues.

Medline was used to identify relevant articles published from 2000 to 2013, using the following keywords ‘medicine’, ‘research’, ‘purpose’, ‘study’, ‘trial’, ‘urology’.

Research is the most important activity to achieve scientific progress. Although it is an easy process on a theoretical basis, practically it is a laborious process, and full commitment and dedication are of paramount importance. Currently, given that the financial crisis has a key influence in daily practice, the need to stress the real purpose of research is crucial.

Research is necessary and not a waste of time. Efforts to improving medical knowledge should be continuous.

What is research?

Research is a general term that covers all processes aiming to find responses to worthwhile scientific questions by means of a systematic and scientific approach. In fact, research is the search for scientific knowledge, a systematically formal process to increase the fund of knowledge and use it properly for the development of novel applications.

There are several types of research, such as basic science laboratory research, translational research, and clinical and population-based research. Medical research through randomised clinical trials (RCTs) represents the principal methodological approach for the structured assessment of medical outcomes. RCTs provide prospective and investigator-controlled studies, representing the highest level of evidence (LoE) and grade of recommendation, and define the ultimate practice guideline [1] . However, many constraints, such as ethical, economic and/or social issues, render the conduct of RCTs difficult and their application problematic. For instance, in one of the largest RCTs in urology, on preventing prostate cancer with finasteride, the LoE was 1 [2] . In this RCT, after 7 years of finasteride chemoprevention, the rate of cancer decreased from 24.4% to 18.4%. Based on this study, it could be postulated that finasteride chemoprevention should be offered to men in the general population in an attempt to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. However, the findings of this RCT could not be implemented universally due to financial issues [3] .

There are two main research processes, i.e., qualitative and quantitative studies. Although very different in structure and methods, these studies represent two arms of the same research body. Qualitative studies are based mainly on human experience, using notions and theoretical information without quantifying variables, while quantitative studies record information obtained from participants in a numerical form, to enable a statistical analysis of the data. Therefore, quantitative studies can be used to establish the existence of associative or causal relationships between variables.

From a practical perspective, adding a Research Unit to a Medical Department would ultimately enhance clinical practice and education. As such, almost all hospitals in Western countries have research and development (R&D) departments, where the R&D can be linked with clinical innovation. Basic areas in this field include business planning, sales policies and activities, model design, and strategic propositions and campaign development. However, if researchers are not motivated, the research could be counterproductive, and the whole process could ultimately be a waste of time and effort [4] .

The ethics and the high quality of research are ensured by committees, such as the Internal Review Board, and Ethics Research Committees, especially in academic hospitals. They consist of highly educated and dedicated scientists of good faith as well as objectivity, to be the trustees of ethical and properly designed and performed studies.

Do we need research?

Research is the fuel for future progress and it has significantly shaped perspectives in medicine. In urology there are numerous examples showing that current practice has rapidly changed as a result of several key research findings. For example, from the research of Huggins and Hodges (who won the Nobel Prize in 1966), hormone therapy has become the standard treatment for patients with advanced/metastatic prostate cancer. The use of ESWL to treat stones in the urinary tract is another example of research that has improved practice in urology. The current trend in urology to use robotic assistance in surgery is a relatively recent example of how constant research worldwide improves everyday clinical practice [5] . Furthermore, in a more sophisticated field, research is used to identify factors influencing decision-making, clarify the preferred alternatives, and encourage the selection of a preferred screening option in diseases such as prostate cancer [6,7] .

Conducting research provides a deeper understanding of several scientific topics within the specialty of each doctor. Furthermore, it helps doctors of a particular specialty to understand better the scientific work of other colleagues. Despite the different areas of interest between the different specialties, there are common research methods.

In a University, PhD and MSc students concentrate their efforts at higher research levels. Apart from having to produce a challenging and stimulating thesis, young researchers try to develop their analytical, conceptual and critical thinking skills to the highest academic level. Also, postgraduate students thus prepare themselves for a future job in the global market.

During the research process several approaches can be tested and compared for their safety and efficacy, while the results of this procedure can be recorded and statistically analysed to extract the relevant results. Similarly, any aspects of false results and side-effects, e.g., for new medications, can be detected and properly evaluated to devise every possible improvement. Hence, research components under the auspices of dedicated supervisors, assisted by devoted personnel, are of utmost importance. Also, funding is a catalyst for the optimum progress of the research programme, and it must be independent from any other financial source with a possible conflict. Unfortunately, in cases of economic crisis in a hospital, the first department that is trimmed is research.

Is research time a waste of time?

Even if the right personnel are appointed and the funding is secured, it would be a great mistake to believe that the results are guaranteed. Full commitment and dedication are of utmost importance for successful research. Also, these questions are raised in relation to the scientific papers that are accepted for publication in medical journals. About US$ 160 billion is spent every year on biomedical research [8] . Recently, in the Lancet [9] it was estimated that 85% of research is wasteful or inefficient, with deficiencies presented in the following questions: (1) is the research question relevant for clinicians or patients?; (2) are the design and methods appropriate?; (3) is the full report accessible?; (4) is it unbiased and clinically meaningful? Such questions about the importance, purpose and impact of research should surely be answered during the research. The view of the general public is that the purpose of medical research is to advance knowledge for the good of society, to invent new substances to fight disease, to create diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms, to improve public health, to prevent diseases, to improve the quality of life and to prolong overall survival.

Pharmaceutical companies that sponsor research are financially orientated. This fact leads to a sole result, i.e., profit, as a return on their investment. In this framework it would be impossible for academic institutions to operate on any other basis but finance. Economic indicators, even better benefits and the commercial potential of research are important for their survival. Nevertheless, the purpose of research is more than that. It is time to reframe the way research is done and rewarded, leaving profits in second place. We need to remind ourselves about the real purpose of scientific research. Moreover, we need to decide what research is needed and what impact it is likely to have. Researchers and those who benefit from research (i.e., patients, practising doctors) have a crucial role in the research process. Academic institutions should assess and reward researchers on a long-term basis, and help them to concentrate on meaningful research. Researchers must defend their selection of topics as being those appropriate to benefit public health.

Each medical specialty has a different working plan, and surgical specialties such as urology are characterised by a lack of time for research. It is suggested that specific sessions for research could be implemented in the job plan of urologists, and for other doctors. This is more important for the ‘academic doctor’, but even non-academic doctors could undertake research, if only of the current updated medical literature.

Last but not least is the issue of teaching research to junior doctors. This is very important, as the sooner each doctor is involved in the research process the better for his or her career. Even for junior doctors who are not interested in an academic career, understanding the research process helps them to develop their scientific skills. Young doctors should be motivated to understand and undertake research. However, it is important to guide them through the basic principles of research and to mentor them during their first scientific projects. Furthermore, specific academic training opportunities should be offered within developing programmes, such as the academic specialist registrar’s career pathways in the UK [10] .

In conclusion, research is necessary and not a waste of time. All relevant components of the research engine should co-operate to achieve scientific progress that will help patients and the general population.

Take-home messages

• • Ethics and the high quality of research are ensured by committees (i.e. Internal Board Review, Ethical Research Committee).

Conflict of interest

Source of funding.

Peer review under responsibility of Arab Association of Urology.

Scientific breakthroughs: 2024 emerging trends to watch

December 28, 2023

Across disciplines and industries, scientific discoveries happen every day, so how can you stay ahead of emerging trends in a thriving landscape? At CAS, we have a unique view of recent scientific breakthroughs, the historical discoveries they were built upon, and the expertise to navigate the opportunities ahead. In 2023, we identified the top scientific breakthroughs , and 2024 has even more to offer. New trends to watch include the accelerated expansion of green chemistry, the clinical validation of CRISPR, the rise of biomaterials, and the renewed progress in treating the undruggable, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. To hear what the experts from Lawrence Liverpool National Lab and Oak Ridge National Lab are saying on this topic, join us for a free webinar on January 25 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EDT for a panel discussion on the trends to watch in 2024.

The ascension of AI in R&D

While the future of AI has always been forward-looking, the AI revolution in chemistry and drug discovery has yet to be fully realized. While there have been some high-profile set-backs , several breakthroughs should be watched closely as the field continues to evolve. Generative AI is making an impact in drug discovery , machine learning is being used more in environmental research , and large language models like ChatGPT are being tested in healthcare applications and clinical settings.

Many scientists are keeping an eye on AlphaFold, DeepMind’s protein structure prediction software that revolutionized how proteins are understood. DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs have recently announced how their latest model shows improved accuracy, can generate predictions for almost all molecules in the Protein Data Bank, and expand coverage to ligands, nucleic acids, and posttranslational modifications . Therapeutic antibody discovery driven by AI is also gaining popularity , and platforms such as the RubrYc Therapeutics antibody discovery engine will help advance research in this area.

Though many look at AI development with excitement, concerns over accurate and accessible training data , fairness and bias , lack of regulatory oversight , impact on academia, scholarly research and publishing , hallucinations in large language models , and even concerns over infodemic threats to public health are being discussed. However, continuous improvement is inevitable with AI, so expect to see many new developments and innovations throughout 2024.

‘Greener’ green chemistry

Green chemistry is a rapidly evolving field that is constantly seeking innovative ways to minimize the environmental impact of chemical processes. Here are several emerging trends that are seeing significant breakthroughs:

• Improving green chemistry predictions/outcomes : One of the biggest challenges in green chemistry is predicting the environmental impact of new chemicals and processes. Researchers are developing new computational tools and models that can help predict these impacts with greater accuracy. This will allow chemists to design safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals.
• Reducing plastics: More than 350 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year. Across the landscape of manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers, reducing the use of single-use plastics and microplastics is critical. New value-driven approaches by innovators like MiTerro that reuse industrial by-products and biomass waste for eco-friendly and cheaper plastic replacements will soon be industry expectations. Lowering costs and plastic footprints will be important throughout the entire supply chain.    
• Alternative battery chemistry: In the battery and energy storage space, finding alternatives to scarce " endangered elements" like lithium and cobalt will be critical. While essential components of many batteries, they are becoming scarce and expensive. New investments in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that do not use nickel and cobalt have expanded , with 45% of the EV market share being projected for LFP in 2029. Continued research is projected for more development in alternative materials like sodium, iron, and magnesium, which are more abundant, less expensive, and more sustainable.
• More sustainable catalysts : Catalysts speed up a chemical reaction or decrease the energy required without getting consumed. Noble metals are excellent catalysts; however, they are expensive and their mining causes environmental damage. Even non-noble metal catalysts can also be toxic due to contamination and challenges with their disposal. Sustainable catalysts are made of earth-abundant elements that are also non-toxic in nature. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on developing sustainable catalysts that are more environmentally friendly and less reliant on precious metals. New developments with catalysts, their roles, and environmental impact will drive meaningful progress in reducing carbon footprints.  
• Recycling lithium-ion batteries: Lithium-ion recycling has seen increased investments with more than 800 patents already published in 2023. The use of solid electrolytes or liquid nonflammable electrolytes may improve the safety and durability of LIBs and reduce their material use. Finally, a method to manufacture electrodes without solvent s could reduce the use of deprecated solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidinone, which require recycling and careful handling to prevent emissions.

Rise of biomaterials

New materials for biomedical applications could revolutionize many healthcare segments in 2024. One example is bioelectronic materials, which form interfaces between electronic devices and the human body, such as the brain-computer interface system being developed by Neuralink. This system, which uses a network of biocompatible electrodes implanted directly in the brain, was given FDA approval to begin human trials in 2023.

• Bioelectronic materials: are often hybrids or composites, incorporating nanoscale materials, highly engineered conductive polymers, and bioresorbable substances. Recently developed devices can be implanted, used temporarily, and then safely reabsorbed by the body without the need for removal. This has been demonstrated by a fully bioresorbable, combined sensor-wireless power receiver made from zinc and the biodegradable polymer, poly(lactic acid).
• Natural biomaterials: that are biocompatible and naturally derived (such as chitosan, cellulose nanomaterials, and silk) are used to make advanced multifunctional biomaterials in 2023. For example, they designed an injectable hydrogel brain implant for treating Parkinson’s disease, which is based on reversible crosslinks formed between chitosan, tannic acid, and gold nanoparticles.
• Bioinks : are used for 3D printing of organs and transplant development which could revolutionize patient care. Currently, these models are used for studying organ architecture like 3D-printed heart models for cardiac disorders and 3D-printed lung models to test the efficacy of drugs. Specialized bioinks enhance the quality, efficacy, and versatility of 3D-printed organs, structures, and outcomes. Finally, new approaches like volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) of pristine silk- based bioinks are unlocking new frontiers of innovation for 3D printing.

To the moon and beyond

The global Artemis program is a NASA-led international space exploration program that aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon by 2025 as part of the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Additionally, the NASA mission called Europa Clipper, scheduled for a 2024 launch, will orbit around Jupiter and fly by Europa , one of Jupiter’s moons, to study the presence of water and its habitability. China’s mission, Chang’e 6 , plans to bring samples from the moon back to Earth for further studies. The Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission by Japan’s JAXA plans to bring back samples from Phobos, one of the Mars moons. Boeing is also expected to do a test flight of its reusable space capsule Starliner , which can take people to low-earth orbit.

The R&D impact of Artemis extends to more fields than just aerospace engineering, though:

• Robotics: Robots will play a critical role in the Artemis program, performing many tasks, such as collecting samples, building infrastructure, and conducting scientific research. This will drive the development of new robotic technologies, including autonomous systems and dexterous manipulators.
• Space medicine: The Artemis program will require the development of new technologies to protect astronauts from the hazards of space travel, such as radiation exposure and microgravity. This will include scientific discoveries in medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and countermeasures.
• Earth science: The Artemis program will provide a unique opportunity to study the Moon and its environment. This will lead to new insights into the Earth's history, geology, and climate.
• Materials science: The extreme space environment will require new materials that are lightweight, durable, and radiation resistant. This will have applications in many industries, including aerospace, construction, and energy.
• Information technology: The Artemis program will generate a massive amount of data, which will need to be processed, analyzed, and shared in real time. This will drive the development of new IT technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

The CRISPR pay-off

After years of research, setbacks, and minimal progress, the first formal evidence of CRISPR as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic was realized. Intellia Therapeutics received FDA clearance to initiate a pivotal phase 3 trial of a new drug for the treatment of hATTR, and using the same Cas9 mRNA, got a new medicine treating a different disease, angioedema. This was achieved by only changing 20 nucleotides of the guide RNA, suggesting that CRISPR can be used as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic.

The second great moment for CRISPR drug development technology came when Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics announced the authorization of the first CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, CASGEVY™, by the United Kingdom MHRA, for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. This was the first approval of a CRISPR-based therapy for human use and is a landmark moment in realizing the potential of CRISPR to improve human health.

In addition to its remarkable genome editing capability, the CRISPR-Cas system has proven to be effective in many applications, including early cancer diagnosis . CRISPR-based genome and transcriptome engineering and CRISPR-Cas12a and CRISPR-Cas13a appear to have the necessary characteristics to be robust detection tools for cancer therapy and diagnostics. CRISPR-Cas-based biosensing system gives rise to a new era for precise diagnoses of early-stage cancers.

MIT engineers have also designed a new nanoparticle DNA-encoded nanosensor for urinary biomarkers that could enable early cancer diagnoses with a simple urine test. The sensors, which can detect cancerous proteins, could also distinguish the type of tumor or how it responds to treatment.

Ending cancer

The immuno-oncology field has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. Approved products such as cytokines, vaccines, tumor-directed monoclonal antibodies, and immune checkpoint blockers continue to grow in market size. Novel therapies like TAC01-HER2 are currently undergoing clinical trials. This unique therapy uses autologous T cells, which have been genetically engineered to incorporate T cell Antigen Coupler (TAC) receptors that recognize human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) presence on tumor cells to remove them. This could be a promising therapy for metastatic, HER2-positive solid tumors.

Another promising strategy aims to use the CAR-T cells against solid tumors in conjunction with a vaccine that boosts immune response. Immune boosting helps the body create more host T cells that can target other tumor antigens that CAR-T cells cannot kill.

Another notable trend is the development of improved and effective personalized therapies. For instance, a recently developed personalized RNA neoantigen vaccine, based on uridine mRNA–lipoplex nanoparticles, was found effective against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Major challenges in immuno-oncology are therapy resistance, lack of predictable biomarkers, and tumor heterogenicity. As a result, devising novel treatment strategies could be a future research focus.

Decarbonizing energy

Multiple well-funded efforts are underway to decarbonize energy production by replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with sources that generate no (or much less) CO2 in 2024.

One of these efforts is to incorporate large-scale energy storage devices into the existing power grid. These are an important part of enabling the use of renewable sources since they provide additional supply and demand for electricity to complement renewable sources. Several types of grid-scale storage that vary in the amount of energy they can store and how quickly they can discharge it into the grid are under development. Some are physical (flywheels, pumped hydro, and compressed air) and some are chemical (traditional batteries, flow batteries , supercapacitors, and hydrogen ), but all are the subject of active chemistry and materials development research. The U.S. government is encouraging development in this area through tax credits as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and a $7 billion program to establish regional hydrogen hubs.

Meanwhile, nuclear power will continue to be an active R&D area in 2024. In nuclear fission, multiple companies are developing small modular reactors (SMRs) for use in electricity production and chemical manufacturing, including hydrogen. The development of nuclear fusion reactors involves fundamental research in physics and materials science. One major challenge is finding a material that can be used for the wall of the reactor facing the fusion plasma; so far, candidate materials have included high-entropy alloys and even molten metals .

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major public health concern, being a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. While there is currently no cure for any neurodegenerative disease, new scientific discoveries and understandings of these pathways may be the key to helping patient outcomes.

• Alzheimer’s disease: Two immunotherapeutics have received FDA approval to reduce both cognitive and functional decline in individuals living with early Alzheimer's disease. Aducannumab (Aduhelm®) received accelerated approval in 2021 and is the first new treatment approved for Alzheimer’s since 2003 and the first therapy targeting the disease pathophysiology, reducing beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of early Alzheimer’s disease patients. Lecanemab (Leqembi®) received traditional approval in 2023 and is the first drug targeting Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology to show clinical benefits, reducing the rate of disease progression and slowing cognitive and functional decline in adults with early stages of the disease.
• Parkinson’s disease: New treatment modalities outside of pharmaceuticals and deep brain stimulation are being researched and approved by the FDA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease symptoms. The non-invasive medical device, Exablate Neuro (approved by the FDA in 2021), uses focused ultrasound on one side of the brain to provide relief from severe symptoms such as tremors, limb rigidity, and dyskinesia. 2023 brought major news for Parkinson’s disease research with the validation of the biomarker alpha-synuclein. Researchers have developed a tool called the α-synuclein seeding amplification assay which detects the biomarker in the spinal fluid of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and individuals who have not shown clinical symptoms.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Two pharmaceuticals have seen FDA approval in the past two years to slow disease progression in individuals with ALS. Relyvrio ® was approved in 2022 and acts by preventing or slowing more neuron cell death in patients with ALS. Tofersen (Qalsody®), an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved in 2023 under the accelerated approval pathway. Tofersen targets RNA produced from mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) genes to eliminate toxic SOD1 protein production. Recently published genetic research on how mutations contribute to ALS is ongoing with researchers recently discovering how NEK1 gene mutations lead to ALS. This discovery suggests a possible rational therapeutic approach to stabilizing microtubules in ALS patients.

Gain new perspectives for faster progress directly to your inbox.

Drive industry-leading advancements and accelerate breakthroughs by unlocking your data’s full potential. Contact our CAS Custom Services SM experts to find the digital solution to your information challenges.