It's about who you know – Collaboration networks in transplant research

• Published in: The American journal of surgery 2024-01, Vol.227, p.22-23
• Main Authors: Griffeth, Elaine M., Craig-Schapiro, Rebecca
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bibliometrics; Boundaries; Citation analysis; Coagulation; Collaboration; Cooperation; Funding; Geography; Graft rejection; Humans; Immunology; Indigent care; Intersectoral Collaboration; Organ Transplantation; Pancreas transplantation; Pancreatic islet transplantation; Regenerative medicine; Science; Scientometrics; Society; Transplantation; Transplants & implants; Videoconferencing; Xenotransplantation
• ISSN: 0002-9610; 1879-1883; 1879-1883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.10.033

Team science and collaborative research efforts crossing institutional and geographic boundaries have seen significant growth over the past half-century, fostering exciting scientific breakthroughs, innovation stimulated by diverse and disruptive ideas, and a more complete exchange of ideas and knowledge.1–3 The field of solid organ transplantation has a robust history of research collaborations since its earliest era, such as those leading to improved understanding of post-transplant coagulation and graft rejection.4–6 Collaboration is particularly crucial in the field of transplantation, owing to its highly interdisciplinary nature, the complex clinical and immunological challenges faced, and the need to analyze rare events that necessitate large patient numbers. In this issue of The American Journal of Surgery, Faria et al. present a scientometrics analysis of the evolution of collaboration patterns in American-affiliated solid organ transplantation research networks.8 The authors studied 4265 articles with American authors in the first or last author position over the past decade from the top five surgical transplantation journals according to impact factor. Promotion of clinical and basic science connections across geographic boundaries is fostered by initiatives such as the International Transplantation Science Meeting which encompasses three international multidisciplinary societies, and the joint congress of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association, the International Xenotransplantation Association, and the Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society.6 Not surprisingly, Faria et al. showed increased collaborations among institutions that share similar geographical areas; however, given the increasingly significant role of social media and video conferencing platforms in facilitating connections, the transplant research community should take full advantage of their ability to foster partnerships and to increase the global impact of research.