An integrated approach to mapping worldwide bioterrorism research capabilities

Biomedical research used for defense purposes may also be applied to biological weapons development. To mitigate risk, the U.S. Government has attempted to monitor and regulate biomedical research labs, especially those that study bioterrorism agents/diseases. However, monitoring worldwide biomedical researchers and their work is still an issue. In this study, we developed an integrated approach to mapping worldwide bioterrorism research literature. By utilizing knowledge mapping techniques, we analyzed the productivity status, collaboration status, and emerging topics in bioterrorism domain. The analysis results provide insights into the research status of bioterrorism agents/diseases and thus allow a more comprehensive view of bioterrorism researchers and ongoing work.