The heart of this project lies in mapping the often unseen yet transformative role of biomedical tools—what we term BioTools—in shaping scientific discovery and health innovations. BioTools include laboratory methods, modeling techniques, and software applications that facilitate scientific experiments and analyses, from detecting genetic variants to visualizing molecular structures. Despite their critical role, BioTools are frequently overlooked by traditional impact metrics, such as citation counts, leaving a significant gap in recognizing the scientists and research teams behind these innovations.
To address this, our NIH-funded project will establish a comprehensive knowledge base, BioToolKB, that captures and categorizes the spectrum of BioTools used across biomedicine. By building a large, searchable repository of BioTools linked to scientific publications, patents, clinical trials, and policy documents, we aim to trace each tool’s reach and influence in science, policy, and clinical practice. Additionally, we develop new metrics, moving beyond traditional indicators to capture BioTools’ contributions across sectors and their influence on disease research and treatment advancements. This work offers a much-needed empirical foundation to measure and appreciate the full breadth of BioTools’ impact and to guide future policies that foster the creation and adoption of transformative biomedical tools.
