A classification of biomedical research laboratories based on scientific papers: the case of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute

Abstract

Given the importance of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, within Brazil and worldwide, for biomedical research, for technological development and for innovation, and given its major role in providing standard services for the diagnosis of infectious and genetic diseases and for vector control, it is suggested that a mapping of the productivity of its laboratories might contribute to its resource management, according to the needs and priorities of regional health demands. This study took into consideration the account of the managers of that institution that the division of laboratories was not efficient in meeting the investment needs in health research, due to the great dispersion of resources. The goal of this study was to evaluate and to present the potential for collaboration, interaction and integration between Oswaldo Cruz Institute’s research facilities by examining the scientific papers published by their researchers and the research areas and keywords related to the laboratories, as well as the areas of knowledge in Web of Science and the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) indexing the articles found in the PubMed database. We analyzed collaboration networks and a scientific research classification, and we used the software IRAMuTeQ to make quantitative analysis of texts. As a conclusion, possibilities of groupings with different approaches were presented. However, in addition to the need for expert opinion on the results, the study also clarifies that only information about scientific publications was used, which may imply a bias in the results found. We suggest the continuation of the deepening of the research, considering the graduate programs of the Institute and its professors, in addition to dissertation and thesis works defended in recent years (such as E-lattes) and featured in other publications.