With this social science study we explore what people search for online, when searching for stem cell therapy. We compare the public online search interest with the research interest of stem cell medicine. So, what are the research topics of stem cell medicine in the scientific literature? This image helps us address exactly that question. We are interested in the gap between how (online) search and (academic) research addresses the diseases of stem cell medicine.
Impact
Patients are currently targeted with unproven, experimental, and potentially dangerous stem cell treatments by private clinics worldwide.
So while the pursuit of curing the incurable is a noble goal in stem cell medicine, our research highlights the importance of also supporting patient groups with less severe conditions as these can easily be forgotten by patient engagement projects – while they serve as income for the predatory private clinics.
reNEW research
For this study we are finalizing the research paper and continuing to experiment with various online data sources to strengthen the argument. This study is a part of a PhD project, interested in broader online life of stem cell medicine; In online search, social media, online advertisment, and for the patients seeking information. This PhD project concludes in 2025.
Image description
This image is a network graph of 140.000 keywords extracted from 300.000 scientific articles about stem cells. Each dot is one keyword, and the line between them indicate that keywords are used together. This creates groupings of topics.
Credits
Main contributor: Anders Grundtvig, PhD student, KU, PREPARE, reNEW Copenhagen. Co-authors for the study; Anders Kristian Munk, professor, DTU, and Klaus Høyer, professor, KU, PREPARE, reNEW Copenhagen. And the tools and database, Gephi, Python and Scopus.
