Growth, Quality and Applied Science of Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences 02 03 Big Horizons for a Giant of Science

STAYING POWER

Growth, Quality and Applied Science of PRODUCED BY Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences 01

CONTENTS EXECUTIVE 02 16 SUMMARY

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is one sciences, which have a CAGR of 19%. Biological of the world’s largest research organizations. science also grows faster in high-quality Its output is not only a measure of Chinese research than in overall output. research, but of global science and innovation. Over the past 10 years, CAS’s output has grown • For high-quality publications, chemical Big horizons for a giant of science CAS’s global competitive edges continuously, both in total research output, sciences remains the top field by volume, and high-quality research. Moreover, CAS is followed by physical sciences and engineering. diversifying its research output and growing fast in applied science fields. • In the sub-specialities of high-quality research, physical chemistry has the largest 04 22 Here are some key findings based on analysis volume. Quantum physics has the highest of CAS’s journal publications from 2008 to concentration of high-quality research: around 2018, as tracked in Digital Science’s Dimensions half of CAS’s output is published in Nature database: Index journals. Oncology is the fastest growing subject with a CAGR of 32%. Case studies • Chemical science papers dominate CAS’s suggest CAS’s efforts in developing applications overall research output, with nearly 91,000 based on these research strengths. articles. Close behind is engineering, with more than 83,000 papers. The rest of the top five fields • In global comparisons, CAS’s output exceeds Diversified growth A Big Balancing Act are biological sciences, physical sciences, and that of the other 10 international research Earth sciences. institutions in all but medical sciences, where Harvard University is leading. • Applied science fields have shown some of the strongest growth. Information and computer • In high-quality research, the gap between CAS 10 2224 Appendix science is the fastest growing, with a compound and other leading institutions has decreased. annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18%. Medical CAS has even lost its leading position in some and health science has a CAGR of 13% — both fields, notably in some sub-specialities within the above the CAS average of 11%. Among CAS’s physical sciences, but is still leading in chemistry top five fields, Earth science has grown the and engineering, by a large margin. fastest. Whether research output can be transformed • CAS’s growth in high-quality science, as into real-world applications is another question. represented by the journals in Nature Index, As CAS is developing its transformative is stronger than its overall growth. This is research, fostering researcher innovation Detailed research analysis particularly evident in medical and health capacity is the key.

STAYING POWER GROWTH, QUALITY AND APPLIED SCIENCE OF RESEARCH AT THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 02 03 BIG HORIZONS FOR A GIANT OF SCIENCE

BIG HORIZONS FOR A GIANT OF SCIENCE

The Chinese Academy of Sciences supports more research and papers than any other research institutions. But is that research output translating into actual advances and real-world benefits? The data hold the answers.

CAS is exploring how to translate its growing scientific output into technologies and ideas. stablished in 1949, after the founding of financial support from the government, have the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese helped to drive the total number of papers. But Academy of Sciences (CAS) is the nation’s does this translate into high-quality research? E most prestigious research institution. Does CAS exhibit balanced growth in all research CAS researchers are dedicated to addressing fields? And how does CAS compare with the both theoretical and applied problems. Their other leading research institutions around the capacity, examining how CAS balances applied the world’s other leading research institutions to breakthroughs have contributed to China’s rise world? versus basic research and how it is diversifying assess where CAS leads and where it trails. These as a research powerhouse, and have driven Science and technology also drive societal its output gives a hint of how effectively CAS is data analyses are accompanied by case studies on innovation in China and beyond. impact. To boost its capacity for innovation, CAS addressing societal needs. the outstanding specialities that account for the CAS currently encompasses three universities has launched new initiatives to restructure its This report considers the volume and growth largest volume, the fastest growth, or the highest and 100-plus research institutes across China. It institutes, optimize its management systems, and of CAS’s research output, first, by broad research concentration in high-quality research output. leads the world in volume of scientific output, and enhance international collaboration. This report fields. It then drills down into high-quality The aim is to identify CAS’s research strengths has established research strengths in a number of will examine the patterns of growth in scientific research, as tracked by the Nature Index, and and its growth patterns, particularly, in applied science fields, including chemistry, engineering, publications over the past 10 years to see whether delves into research sub-specialities to identify fields, suggest reasons behind the trends, and biology, physics, and Earth sciences. these initiatives have had an effect. While this is areas of strength and growth potential. The report draw lessons for the future growth of CAS and of CAS’s scale, coupled with decades of generous not a comprehensive assessment of innovation also compares CAS’s research output with that of other research institutions. n

STAYING POWER GROWTH, QUALITY AND APPLIED SCIENCE OF RESEARCH AT THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 04 05 DIVERSIFIED GROWTH

Engineering is CAS’s second most published subject, and allies with the DIVERSIFIED GROWTH government’s emphasis on industrial research.

In recent decades, Chinese science has been characterized by fast growth and a dominance of chemistry over life sciences. These generalizations would seem to persist in CAS’s research performance, but, a closer look suggests a trend towards diversification, with some applied research fields emerging as new strengths.

including ones with a focus on microelectronics, mechanics, engineering thermophysics, remote sensing and digital earth, biomedical engineering, and space utilization technologies. They may also collaborate under the umbrella of CAS's Innovative Academies, both in research publications and commercialization. TOP RESEARCH FIELDS: considered a specialist in basic natural science In the realm of chemical sciences, China has more than chemistry research, but this is a misconception. CAS’s a long history of strength, particularly in organic research has always supported social development chemistry and synthesis. It has topped the Nature The assessment of research output is typically, and industrial growth. Its research fuelled the Index in organic chemistry since 20152. Research first, a volume game. This certainly gives an edge development of China’s first computer; led to the from this field also plays a crucial role in many to an institution as large as CAS. According to establishment of the country’s internet information industrial processes with a number of uses, from journal publication data tracked in Digital Science’s centre; and has informed a number of chemical synthetic drugs and food products, to polymer Dimensions database, CAS has published nearly engineering technologies, which in turn led to new materials and catalysts for energy and chemical 320,000 papers in the scientific literature from 2008 drugs1. CAS research even helped to inform China’s engineering industries. This helps explain why there to 2018 — more than any other research institution manned space mission. might be only 10 CAS institutes with an explicit in the world. In 2014, CAS put even greater emphasis on focus on chemical sciences, but the chemistry output Looking at the broad fields, it is no surprise that applied science. Responding to a national call for is so big. In fact, there are many other CAS institutes, CAS has published most in the chemical sciences, science and technology reform to better address including those in physical, biological and medical amounting to nearly 91,000 papers in 2008-2018. industrial and economic development needs, sciences, as well as engineering, that also produce Engineering is the second most common field, CAS launched the Pioneer Initiative, part of papers with a chemistry component, even if it is not with a cumulative total of more than 83,000 papers. which includes establishing a series of Innovative their main focus. As with chemistry, it accounts for more than one Academies. With a focus on mission-oriented By contrast, Dimensions identified 20 CAS quarter of CAS’s total output (Figure 1). Biological research, these institutions, which are usually based institutes for biological sciences, suggesting an sciences papers are the third most common field, on some existing CAS research institutes, seek to emerging emphasis on this field. Life science accounting for around 17% of output. Physical and promote industrially applicable innovation in areas research is relatively new in China, and is still Earth sciences round out the top five subjects. with commercial potential. developing. A larger accumulative output of The strength in the applied field of engineering Dimensions data indicated that today 24 CAS biological than physical sciences indicates a healthy might be surprising, given that CAS is usually institutes have an explicit engineering focus, upwards trajectory of research for the former.

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STRONG GROWTH: CAGR of nearly 13% over the past 10 years (Figure Chemical Sciences potential for applied fields 2). This growth coincides with a Strategic Priority FIGURE 1. 45,336 Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural) Research Programme (‘Priority’ programme) TOTAL 11,821 Macromolecular & Materials Chemistry Over the past 10 years, CAS’s research performance launched by CAS in 2012 for wide ranging PUBLICATION 8,530 Inorganic Chemistry OUTPUT BY 8,005 Organic Chemistry is a story of growth. From a baseline of less than geological, environmental/ecological investigations RESEARCH FIELD* 90,814 6,084 Analytical Chemistry 16,000 papers in 2008, its output has nearly tripled on the Tibetan Plateau. Among other elements, the 2008–2018 1,1131 Others to more than 46,000 papers in 2018, a compound programme has investigated how the India-Asia annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%. The highest collision led to the formation of Tibetan Plateau, and Engineering growth rates are observed in several applied science how animals’ evolution there diverged from those 36,957 Materials Engineering fields, hinting at future potential. in other regions. By the end of 2015, the project had 7,538 Chemical Engineering CAS’s fastest growth is in information and produced more than 500 papers3. 7,064 Electrical & Electronic Engineering computing science, with a CAGR of 18%. The To build on these discoveries, several CAS Chemical Sciences 6,797 Interdisciplinary Engineering 5,149 Environmental Engineering growth of the field came off a low baseline of only institutes, including the Institute of Tibetan Engineering 19,555 Others Biological Sciences 450 papers in 2008, but it outpaces other fields with Plateau Research and the Institute of Geology and Physical Sciences similarly low baselines. The finding points to the Geophysics, established the Center for Excellence Earth Sciences Biological Sciences rising importance of information and computing in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences in 2014. Such 83,034 Medical & Health Sciences 19,264 Biochemistry & Cell Biology science as central to China’s high-tech industry, centres of excellence are part of CAS’s efforts to Other sciences 16,907 Genetics including the emerging field of artificial intelligence. strengthen its frontier sciences by bringing together (including mathematical, 8,574 Plant Biology agricultural, environmental 8,503 Ecology While publication alone does not represent its multidisciplinary resources. sciences and IT and 4,568 Microbiology technology) innovation capacity, the high growth is indicative Chemical sciences and engineering, the two fields 4,922 Others of CAS’s increasing potential to drive information with the largest volume of research, also have above- technology innovations. average growth rates, meaning they will stay dominant Physical Sciences Medical and health sciences have also seen for years to come. Particularly, the strong growth of 13,756 Other Physical Sciences strong growth: output was below 1,000 papers in engineering reinforces the increasing weight of this 55,336 12,110 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle & Plasma Physics 2008, tripling to more than 3,300 in 2018, a CAGR of applied field in CAS’s research landscape. 7,640 Astronomical & Space Sciences 5,456 Optical Physics 13%. Growth in these applied sciences — allied with Both physical and biological sciences have 3,945 Quantum Physics strength in engineering — aligns with the Chinese below-average growth rates, though the number 4,118 Others government’s emphasis on research with immediate of papers has risen overall. The percentage share industrial application. of output for both these disciplines has also fallen, Earth Sciences Of CAS’s top five disciplines, Earth sciences, partly a reflection of the growing diversity in CAS’s 47,251 11,412 Geology with the lowest baseline, have grown fastest, with a research output. 8,339 Physical Geography & Environmental Geoscience 5,236 Atmospheric Sciences 4,771 Geochemistry 350 Chemical Sciences 2,500 Oceanography Engineering 2,528 Others 300 Biological Sciences 30,010 FIGURE 2. YEAR ON YEAR Physical Sciences 250 Medical and Health Sciences PUBLICATION Earth Sciences GROWTH RATE Medical & Health Sciences 4,075 Clinical Sciences 200 21,307 3,389 Neurosciences BY FIELD Average CAGR 3,070 Oncology & Carcinogenesis 2008–2018 150 2,881 Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical Sciences 2,337 Immunology 6,265 Others 100 54,702 50 Change relative to 2008 (%) Change relative

*research fields can overlap 0 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

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40 HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH: most common at around 34%. Engineering papers Bubbles are sized by output volume growth accelerated are only 16% of the total (Figure 3). volume: 1,000 Applied subjects, such as engineering, are FIGURE 5. volume: 500 VOLUME AND SHARE Research strength is not just represented by not as well represented in the life-sciences OF HIGH-QUALITY volume: 50 quantity of output, but also quality. Nature Index heavy Nature Index as in the general scientific SCIENCE 30 is a curated list of 82 journals that serves as a literature. Much of the engineering in the Nature proxy for high-quality research output. CAS’s Index journals likely supports more advanced publications in Nature Index journals represented basic research. Given that CAS’s high-quality just over 8% of total output in 2008. By 2018, engineering output is growing at an above-average high-quality papers accounted for 12% of total rate, it follows that many of those innovations 20 Physical Sciences output. The number of high-quality papers had will be supporting growth in other areas of CAS’s Chemical Sciences more than quadrupled, growing at an adjusted natural science research. Earth Sciences CAGR of 13%, which is significantly higher than Of the top five broad fields, biological sciences Biological Sciences Engineering the CAGR for CAS’s overall research. have grown faster than the average for high- 10 In these Nature Index journals, chemistry quality output (Figure 4). Given that biological Medical & Health Sciences accounts for more than 44% of all CAS’s high- science growth overall at CAS is low, this higher journal papers(%) Index of Nature Proportion quality papers. Physical sciences are the second rate suggests that each additional paper in this

Physical Sciences 2,500 Physical Sciences Chemical Sciences Chemical Sciences 2008 2013 2018 FIGURE 3. Earth Sciences FIGURE 4. Earth Sciences RELATIVE Biological Sciences VOLUME OF Biological Sciences PROPORTION OF Engineering HIGH-QUALITY Engineering HIGH-QUALITY Medical & Health Sciences RESEARCH Medical & Health Sciences RESEARCH OUTPUT 2008-2018 2,000 2008-2018 field contains notable research. It is also possible benefited in recent years from increased funding. that as the field is becoming more competitive, Health-related research, particularly in cancer, CAS researchers in biological sciences tend to aim has become popular. Two of the three centres of 1,500 only for high-quality publications. excellence in biological sciences have put a greater An indicator of CAS’s efforts to boost its high- focus on population health. Moreover, as more quality biological sciences research is that, of the scientists return to China from countries such as 13 established centres of excellence, three relate to the United States, their experience in life sciences biology, with focuses on molecular plant sciences, and medical research has boosted CAS’s ability to 1,000 biological macromolecules and molecular cell undertake and publish ground-breaking research biology. These centres employ cutting-edge in this field.n

Number of high-quality publications biotechnologies, such as gene editing, to explore plant physiology and ecology, and to examine the 10 molecular mechanisms of biological activities. 20 500 Outside the top five, one of the strongest growth 30 rates is, once again, in medical and health sciences, References 40 with a 10-year CAGR of nearly 19%. Of all of 50 CAS’s medical and health science papers, those 1. http://www.cas.cn/zz/yk/201410/t20141016_4225142.shtml 60 (%) considered high quality have grown from less than 2. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07693-3 0 5% to over 9% from 2008 to 2018 (Figure 5). 3. http://www.bulletin.cas.cn/publish_article/2016/Z2/2016Z220. 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 This field, as with biological sciences, has htm#outline_anchor_2

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TOP SUB SPECIALITIES BY HIGH QUALITY OUTPUT

DETAILED RESEARCH Across all the sub specialities, CAS publishes most high-quality papers in physical chemistry (5,557 since 2008). Indeed, this is also the sub speciality ANALYSIS with the largest volume of total output. Physical chemistry is the basis of many material engineering technologies, so has many applications in both A closer look at high-quality research output by basic research and society more broadly. The next strongest fields are in the physical sciences: atomic, sub specialities provides deeper insights into CAS’s molecular, nuclear, particle, and plasma physics (3,871 papers), and astronomical and space sciences strengths. Here, basic science subjects, particularly in (2,454 papers). chemical and physical sciences, are still dominant, while These basic science fields have also received increased numbers of external grants over the past applied subjects, in engineering and medical and health decade. The physical subjects in particular require sciences, again exhibit the greatest growth. big science facilities, such as powerful particle accelerators and large radio telescopes. As part of the Pioneer Initiative, CAS has built Mega-Science Research Centers, which provide facilities and platforms for innovative basic research of strategic importance. The Daya Bay Neutrino Experiment, led by the CAS Institute of High Energy Physics, is an example of CAS’s research capacity in this field. It involved several international partners and succeeded in measuring the third type of neutrino oscillation in 20121. Materials engineering and biochemistry and cell biology also have more than 2,000 high-quality publications apiece. The latter accounted for more than half of all high-quality papers in the biological sciences and had a CAGR of nearly 19%, the second fastest in the field. Several biochemistry papers have come from the two recently opened centres of In high-quality output, medical and health excellence, led by the Shanghai Institute of Biological research is growing strongly despite not Sciences (SIBS) and the Institute of Biophysics (IBP) in Beijing. IBP also led a ‘Priority’ programme being a traditional strength for CAS. studying biomacromolecules, which ran from 2014 to 2018. SIBS is leading another, ongoing ‘Priority’ programme that explores the molecular regulation of cell fate.

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CONCENTRATION OF highest concentration of high-quality research. demonstrating their potential as quantum keys to HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH Roughly one in every two quantum physics achieve ultra-secure communications3. This built papers is published in a Nature Index journal, a on an earlier result where Pan’s team demonstrated Another way to identify CAS’s strongest research proportion that has remained fairly stable over the quantum teleportation and entanglement fields is to examine the percentage of high-quality past 10 years. Two other physical science subjects, distribution over about 100 km in ground-based research, namely, the proportion of the output astronomical and space sciences, as well as atomic experiments. The CAS team has gone on to of each sub speciality published in Nature Index and molecular physics, have around 33% of papers construct a 2,000 km ground link between Beijing journals. Here, several physical and chemical in the high-quality group. In addition, inorganic and Shanghai to send quantum-encrypted keys. The science subjects stand out, suggesting CAS’s robust chemistry and organic chemistry, two traditional link will enable eavesdrop-proof data transmission, research capacity (Figure 6). strengths of CAS, have around 17% papers in making it the world’s longest terrestrial quantum key Quantum physics, in particular, has the Nature Index journals. distribution network. Another project, also initiated by Pan, is a 2012 ‘Priority’ programme designed to study coherent CAS launched the world's first control of quantum systems. In that programme, Pan seeks to apply basic theories in quantum physics 50 quantum satellite, a big step for to quantum computation. By manipulating multiphoton entanglement, Pan’s team developed the first FIGURE 6. Bubbles are sized by output volume quantum communication. GROWTH RATE, quantum computing prototype, which outperformed SHARE AND VOLUME volume: 5,000 early-generation classical computers in modelling OF HIGH-QUALITY photon behaviours4. “Our architecture is feasible to SCIENCE FOR volume: 2,500 SELECTED SUB- 40 be scaled up to a larger number of photons and with SPECIALTIES volume: 1,000 a higher rate, to race against increasingly advanced Quantum physics: classical computers,” the authors wrote in a Nature 5 volume: 100 Linking basic science and application Photonics paper . Collaboration among CAS research groups, and Quantum physics examines the fundamental energy between CAS and other universities, helps propel 30 and sub-atomic particles of the universe and it CAS’s quantum research. One such example is the represents a growing opportunity for CAS. Thanks to Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, generous governmental support, a number of large, Quantum Physics, established in 2014 as one of the Particle & Plasma Physics strategically important frontier research facilities first five CAS centres for excellence. Led by USTC, Quantum Physics Astronomical & Space Sciences have been constructed in recent decades. CAS has the centre includes interdisciplinary resources from turned this advantage into large numbers of high- the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics and the Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural) 20 Biochemistry & Cell Biology quality publications and, crucially, into real-world Institute of Semiconductors at CAS. It also led the Evolutionary Biology applications. development of the quantum computing prototype Genetics output (%) of high-quality research Proportion The Quantum Experiments at Space Scale alongside the CAS Institute of Physics, Zhejiang Neurosciences (QUESS)2, which CAS initiated in 2011 as a ‘Priority’ University and industry. Meanwhile, Pan’s team is Oncology & Carcinogenesis programme is one such project. QUESS is led by working with industry and local governments to Materials Engineering 10 Jianwei Pan from the University of Science and commercialize research in quantum communication Technology of China (USTC), which was established and quantum information. by CAS in 1958, and it made headlines in 2016 when To maintain its edge in quantum physics, CAS it launched the world’s first quantum satellite. also embraced student education. As Pan said in Named Micius (or Mozi in Chinese), after the an interview with MIT Technology Review6, “we ancient Chinese philosopher, the satellite marked are working hard to develop the workforce of the 0 a giant step for quantum communication. Pan’s future in quantum technology.” And the capacity 0 10 20 30 team sent entangled photons from Micius to two to integrate research and education also underlies Growth rate (%) ground stations more than 1,200 kilometres apart, CAS’s success in research output.

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HEALTH IS A GROWING CONCERN molecular typing for diseases to drug discovery,” said Jia Li, the director of SIMM, at the 2019 Pujiang When looking at growth, applied science subjects Innovation Forum7. have the greatest potential. The highest-growth One representative result is a 2018 Cell paper, led subject across all sub specialities, with a nearly by Meiyu Geng of SIMM, reporting potential of a 32% CAGR, is oncology and carcinogenesis. It is precision treatment strategy for a specific kind of solid followed by electrical and electronic engineering, tumours by targeting epigenetic crosstalk8. The result with a CAGR of almost 28%. Immunology and may inform drug development for this tumour. clinical sciences also have CAGRs above 20%. Apart from biological or health sciences-related Though the total output over the past decade is not institutes, other CAS institutes also contribute large, their fast rise suggests an increasing focus on to oncology research. The National Center for health-related research, which is reflected in the Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), for broader Chinese scientific community. instance, is developing nanorobots to deliver cancer drugs. In this intelligent system, programmed DNA Cancer research: A healthy growth is folded when entering the bloodstream and unfolds at the tumour site to Medical and health sciences are not a traditional dispense a cancer- strength for CAS. Out of CAS’s 100-plus institutes, fighting protein9. fewer than 10 have an explicit medical science focus, “This breakthrough "THIS a majority of which have been established since the integrates turn of the century. However, this type of research is nanotechnology with BREAKTHROUGH rapidly growing at CAS, and no subject is growing molecular biology,” faster than oncology and carcinogenesis: the study of said Yuliang Zhao, INTEGRATES cancer, including its formation and treatment. director of NCNST As cancer is becoming a leading cause of death, oncology research is booming globally and at CAS. Breakthroughs in genomics, immunology and who led this Nature NANOTECHNOLOGY stem cell research have spurred the development of Biotechnology cancer therapies. At CAS, the central government’s study. “It will open WITH MOLECULAR ‘Healthy China’ initiative, which emphasizes disease a new realm for prevention, chronic disease management and high- nanomedicine.” BIOLOGY." quality treatment, drove efforts to translate basic Much of CAS’s To promote such clinical application, CAS Academy of Sciences). As CAS’s first dedicated research in fields like biological sciences, chemistry, oncology work is signed an agreement in early 2019 with the Zhejiang cancer research institution, it will link basic, clinical and physics into medical and health innovations. cross-disciplinary between physical science and provincial government to establish the Institute and translational research, seeking to commercialize The focus on clinical application is explicit in a biomedical researchers. NCNST researchers also of Cancer and Basic Medicine based on Zhejiang its results. Future growth in cancer research output CAS ‘Priority’ programme initiated in 2016, which use nanoparticles to improve cancer imaging, and Cancer Hospital (which will itself be named the is expected to follow, along with greater clinical aimed at developing personalised drugs based on to combine therapeutic and diagnostic action. Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese benefits.n improved understanding of molecular mechanisms Moreover, researchers at the CAS Institute of Physics of diseases and genetic differences between work with hospital partners to develop improved patients. With developing cancer drugs as a major probing techniques for cancer detection. component, objectives were clearly set to identify Further development of cancer research requires References 5. Wang et. al. High-efficiency multiphoton boson sampling. Nature biomarkers for drug targets, and obtain new drug closer integration between CAS’s many institutes Photonics, 11, 361-365 (2017) certificates. and more cross-disciplinary collaboration between 1. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2012/03/07/daya-bay-first-results/ 6. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612596/the-man-turning- Led by the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica physical science and biomedical researchers, and 2. http://www.cas.cn/xw/zyxw/tpxw/201401/t20140116_4024081. china-into-a-quantum-superpower/ (SIMM), in collaboration with other institutes at even clinicians. Just as some nanoscience experts shtml 7. http://www.biodiscover.com/news/hot/734329.html SIBS, and IBP in Beijing, this programme links basic outline, the research should be guided by clinical 3. Yin et al. Satellite-based entanglement distribution over 1200 8. Huang et. al. Targeting Epigenetic Crosstalk as a Therapeutic Strategy research to clinical medicine. “In this billion dollar need, as after all, the ultimate goal is to benefit kilometers. Science, 356, 1140-1144 (2017) for EZH2-Aberrant Solid Tumors. Cell, 175(1), 186-199 (2018) programme, we are trying to apply the concept of cancer patients. 4. https://futurism.com/china-develops-a-quantum-computer-that- 9. Li et. al. A DNA nanorobot functions as a cancer therapeutic in response could-eclipse-all-others to a molecular trigger in vivo. Nature Biotechnology, 36, 258-264 (2018)

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AS’s overall output in the scientific literature overtaken MIT, the University of Cambridge, and has dwarfed that of the other leading the Helmholtz Association, and currently ranks international research institutions for the fourth in absolute annual output in medicine. C past decade. This gap is widening as CAS has Medical and health sciences only accounts a CAGR of 11%, the highest of its peer group. The for 7% of CAS’s overall research output, a big gap CAS’S GLOBAL second largest output is from Germany’s Helmholtz compared with 57% for Harvard University (Figure Association with slightly under 119,000 papers, only 8). As clinical research is not a traditional strength around one third the output of CAS, and a much of CAS, there is still a catch-up role to play. But, as COMPETITIVE more modest CAGR of 8% (Figure 7). It is followed discussed earlier, the strengthening of biological by Harvard University in the United States. sciences research and the national strategic push CAS has the highest output in all of the broad to promote population health have driven CAS’s research fields with one exception: medical and high growth in medical and health science research. EDGES health sciences. Here, CAS is seventh in terms of CAS’s heavy concentration on chemical sciences its 2008-2018 aggregate output, with Harvard in and engineering is also expected to become more the lead. CAS is catching up, however, as it has balanced with this growing national push for the highest CAGR, at 13%. By 2018, it had already population health. Comparing CAS’s output with that of its global peers, its traditional strength of chemistry is very evident. 50,000 The comparisons also highlight many FIGURE 7. CAS advantages enjoyed by large umbrella COMPARISON OF OUTPUT WITH 10 research organizations, which tend to OTHER LEADING 40,000 RESEARCH lead in overall research output. INSTITUTIONS

30,000 Numer o pulications

20,000

Helmholt Harvard Oord Stanord Toyo Chemical sciences is not only CAS’s 10,000 Camridge Ma Planc strongest subject, but is also the Peing MIT one where it is furthest ahead of the ETHZurich

international competition. 0

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LEGEND Harvard Ma Planc Stanord COMPARISON AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL papers as CAS in the past 10 years. total output () 60 CAS loses its leading position in both 50 FIGURE 8. 40 For high-quality science published in the mathematical and physical sciences though, where it 30 RELATIVE 20 Nature Index journals, the gap between CAS is behind Max Planck for 10-year output. The latter PROPORTION 10 OF OUTPUT BY and its rivals is often much smaller, but not is also growing more quickly than CAS. LEADING RESEARCH in chemistry and engineering (Figure 9). In In biological sciences, CAS’s performance in INSTITUTIONS chemistry, CAS not only dwarfs the output of high-quality publications is better than its general 2008–2018 the rest of the group, but is also growing the research output. Ten-year combined data show fastest, cementing its leading position. Max CAS in fourth, but it has the highest CAGR, and Planck publishes the second most overall, but year-on-year has surpassed the other institutes, in 2018 that was just over 600 papers compared showing potential to achieve a leading position in MIT Camridge Toyo Peing to more than 2,300 at CAS. Engineering shows annual output. From ranking ninth in 2008, it had a similar pattern, with MIT in second place, overtaken Max Planck by 2018 with slightly more Physical Sciences having published just over 25% the number of than 600 papers, behind only Harvard on 740. Chemical Sciences Earth Sciences Biological Sciences Engineering Medical & Health Sciences 20,000

*research fields can overlap FIGURE 9. ETHZurich Oord Helmholt CAS VOLUME OF 17,500 HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH OUTPUT FOR SELECTED BROAD FIELDS 15,000

12,500

Physical Sciences 10,000 Chemical Sciences Earth Sciences COMPARISON AT THE SUB SPECIALITY In most of the medical and health sciences sub Biological Sciences specialities, although CAS is not in the lead, it has Engineering 7,500 Drilling deeper into CAS’s strengths, slightly different narrowed the gap, particularly in neuroscience. Medical & Health Sciences Number of high-quality publications trends emerge. CAS leads the world in research From 2008 to 2015, CAS was in either sixth or output in the physical sciences overall. While that seventh in this group. Since 2016, however, CAS has 5,000 lead has not wavered in the past decade in the sub been publishing more, with the highest five-year specialty of atomic and molecular physics, CAS is CAGR. In 2018, its output exceeded that of close second in 10-year research output to the Max Plank rivals, such as Max Planck, to be the fourth most 2,500 Society in the astronomical and space sciences. That prolific. Against the backdrop of the approval of gap has recently closed though. Thanks to CAS’s the China Brain Project, CAS established a centre higher growth rate, its 2017 and 2018 research output of excellence on brain sciences in 2014, which 0 was larger. Both institutions lead the Helmholtz could well have contributed to this growth in Association, the third by volume, by a large margin. neuroscience. Harvard MaxPlanck Stanford MIT Cambridge Tokyo Peking ETHZurich Oxford Helmholtz CAS

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Physical chemistry: EMERGING PATTERNS FOR SUB SPECIALTIES IN A GLOBAL COMPARISON Chemistry is undoubtedly CAS’s strongest field. According to the Nature Index, chemistry papers Delving deeper into the sub specialities, CAS’s typically make up nearly half of CAS’s research superiority in physical chemistry is overwhelming. output in any given year, and CAS has produced the However, in astronomical and space science, CAS most chemistry papers of any institution worldwide has a way to go to top Max Planck for high-quality for four consecutive years. publications. The German group’s output is also Within chemistry, CAS’s strongest sub speciality growing at a faster rate. It is clear that there is an is physical chemistry — the study of chemical intense global competition in this subject area and systems using the theory and methods of physics. As no institution can rest on its past achievements. such, it is widely applicable in both the chemical and In medical and health sciences, CAS is quickly physical sciences, as well as in industry. catching up in neuroscience, with the highest growth “CAS is particularly strong in using physical rate among the studied institutions. While for eight chemistry techniques in topical and important years from 2008, CAS was consistently eighth or areas such as sustainable energy development,” ninth for neuroscience output in the Nature Index explains Richard Catlow, a chemist at University journals, starting in 2016, however, its high-quality College London, and foreign secretary of the Royal output has grown more strongly, rising to fourth Society. He adds that CAS has “invested well both in 2018, behind only Harvard, Max Planck and in people and in equipment and infrastructure” Stanford. Its 10-year CAGR is 13%, but 16% for the and consequently has “a number of world-leading past five years, an accelerating growth rate. physical chemistry labs”. Again, this probably reflects the influence of the One example is the Institute of Chemistry at CAS China Brain Project and the centre of excellence (ICCAS), which published 536 articles between 1 established to explore this field. Coinciding with June 2018 and 31 May 2019, according to the Nature this growth is a CAS ‘Priority’ programme launched Index, being the highest publishing count of CAS’s in 2012, trying to map the brain connectome for chemistry institutes. ICCAS houses three state key a better understanding of the brain functions laboratories and eight CAS key laboratories, and The scanning tunneling microscope is an important tool paper received global attention, and has been cited and intelligence. When the China Brain Project specializes in organic/polymer materials, molecular more than 600 times. was approved in 2016, improving diagnosis and science and nanoscience, energy, and green that has enabled many nanotechnology advances. In promoting green chemistry, CAS scientists at prevention of brain diseases was added to the agenda. chemistry, many of which use physical chemistry the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) in Shenyang The ‘Priority’ programme on brain science, led by the techniques. developed environmentally friendly refrigeration Institute of Neuroscience of SIBS and the Institute The CAS president, Chunli Bai, is himself a technology. In a recent Nature paper, they gave details of Automation, was renewed after the end of its first physical chemist who has published over 350 papers. interactions at the single-molecule level,” the authors of how the plastic crystal neopentylglycol behaves phase in 2017, suggesting prospects for continued Bai’s research highlights include developing China’s said in their paper1. The work has been cited in the at the microscale when cooled3. The end goal of this growth. As with other areas of medical research, first scanning tunnelling microscope and atomic scientific literature more than 200 times. field is to develop climate-friendly alternatives to CAS’s willingness to mobilize cross-disciplinary force microscope (AFM), important tools enabling CAS’s physical chemistry research aligns strongly hydrofluorocarbons for use in cooling systems. The resources, linking life sciences, medical sciences and the advances of Chinese nanotechnology. The AFM with industrial needs for alternative energy and green work “paves the way to next-generation solid-state information sciences, gives it a competitive edge in helped secure the first-ever image of the hydrogen production. Scientists at USTC in Hefei published refrigeration technologies,” wrote the authors. this increasingly interdisciplinary field.n bond. As revealed in a 2013 Science paper, scientists in Nature about a process to transform cobalt into at the NCNST used non-contact AFM to observe a particularly active and robust electrocatalyst for hydrogen bonds between clusters of the flat organic turning waste carbon dioxide into a useful liquid 2 2. Gao et. al. Partially oxidized atomic cobalt layers for carbon molecule 8-hydroxyquinoline on a copper surface. fuel . “Electroreduction of CO2 into useful fuels References “The present technique may provide an important represents a potentially ‘clean’ strategy for replacing dioxide electroreduction to liquid fuel. Nature, 529, 68-71 (2016) 1. Zhang et. al. Real-Space Identification of Intermolecular Bonding 3. Li et. al. Colossal barocaloric effects in plastic crystals. Nature, and complementary characterization method for fossil feedstocks and dealing with increasing CO2 unravelling the fundamental aspects of molecular emissions,” wrote the authors in this 2016 paper. The with Atomic Force Microscopy. Science, 342, 611-614 (2013) 567, 506-510 (2019)

STAYING POWER GROWTH, QUALITY AND APPLIED SCIENCE OF RESEARCH AT THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 22 23 A BIG BALANCING ACT

multidisciplinary research institutes, CAS has the capacity to mobilize resources across the disciplines to drive such strategic research. The ‘Priority’ A BIG programmes are good examples, which target science and technology issues of strategic importance and may well have boosted output in relevant subjects BALANCING from quantum physics to neuroscience. Similarly, the establishment of Centres of Excellence, part of CAS’s Pioneer Initiative to restructure the way it organizes research, also demonstrates its competitive edge ACT in integrating its multidisciplinary fields to boost its strengths in frontier science fields, the effects of which are just starting to show. A large, yet nimble organization, CAS has When assessing research strengths, demonstrated the advantages of a research quality-versus-quantity is a persistent agglomerate: being able to quickly respond to the needs of growing frontier sciences, which are usually debate, as is basic-versus-applied cross-disciplinary. As CAS strives to enhance its leading position, it also seeks to produce more research. CAS appears to be achieving a breakthroughs for societal impact, to truly boost the balance in both, with generally consistent science and technology innovation capacities of all its institutions, and of the nation. patterns of overall and high-quality However, there are also weaker areas in CAS’s research performance and symmetry research development. CAS still has a lot to catch up in the medical sciences, although this area is growing between its basic and applied research. fast. Moreover, it needs to further enhance its growth in high-quality research, and maintain its traditional areas of strength, such as physics. Furthermore, publications are not the only indicator of innovation capacity. Whether the n the world stage, CAS’s overall research output in research can be transformed to real-world output in the natural sciences is already applications is another story. There is also a danger formidable and is still growing. It has that CAS’s heavy emphasis on applied research, or O historical strengths in chemistry and immediate applications, could impair the development physics, but in the past decade has started to of its very fundamental science, which may be the real diversify its research output. Notably, applied engine that powers ground-breaking innovations. areas like medical sciences and information and Although a lot is said of the distinction between computer science are growing fast, and engineering basic and applied research, and between the has overtaken physics to become CAS’s strong field. scientific disciplines, it is a continuum. Too much In high-quality science, CAS is growing even emphasis on their differences risks undermining faster. Particularly, chemistry and engineering have transformative research or research with societal CAS is diversifying its research interdisciplinary development. Research should an overwhelming edge compared with other top impacts. Chemistry and engineering, both of which be driven by the intrinsic curiosity of researchers, international research organizations. And the trend have strong applications, represent the alignment of strengths, playing catch-up in the who are naturally attracted to questions that likely to diversify continues, with the strongest growth of CAS’s research with national strategic needs, as does medical sciences. to make societal impacts. How best to foster and medical sciences, particularly, cancer research. the rapid growth of medical and health sciences. support such curiosity is the remit for research Underlying these patterns is CAS’s emphasis on As a large organization with a range of institutions like CAS. n

STAYING POWER GROWTH, QUALITY AND APPLIED SCIENCE OF RESEARCH AT THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 24 APPENDIX

APPENDIX

REFLECTING ON 70 YEARS

Data and Methodology articles, Dimensions also tracks reviews, perspectives and sometimes news, which OF SCIENTIFIC SUCCESS This report uses journal publication data are all included in the analysis. tracked by Digital Science’s Dimensions database to assess CAS’s research output High-quality research output is represented Established in 1949, the Chinese Academy RESEARCH STRENGTHS from 2008 to 2018. by publications in Nature Index journals. Featuring CAS’s research strengths, this report of Sciences (CAS) is the nation’s most These data are not taken from the Nature will examine patterns of CAS’s growth in research prestigious research institution. For 70 years, output, identify subject areas where CAS is strong In Dimensions, Field of Research (FOR) Index database, but from Dimensions, or has great growth potential. Does CAS have it has been committed to advancing cutting- codes are used to categorize journal using the list of 82 Nature Index journals balanced growth in basic versus applied research? publications. There are 22 broad research as the source. The journal list can be found edge science and technology for the benefi t What drives this growth? Will CAS maintain its of China and the world. It has played a pivotal leading position in terms of high-quality research? fields with 2-digit FOR codes, and 147 on the Nature Index website: https://www. By answering these questions, we can draw some sub-specialities with 4-digit FOR codes. natureindex.com/faq#journals. role in China’s rise to becoming a research lessons from CAS’s success stories. When an article does not have an abstract, powerhouse, and in driving science and or there is not enough text or information Using Dimensions produces some technology innovation. SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS to assign it an FOR code, the article is given differences in the data. For instance, the Focusing on collaboration, this report will assess the importance of domestic and international the FOR code of its journal. Some journals, Nature Index did not start till 2012, but Housing three universities and 100-plus collaboration in scientifi c discoveries. Does normally interdisciplinary ones, only have the same journal list has been used to go research institutes across the country, CAS collaboration contribute to CAS’s seminal growth in research output? What is the role of international a 2-digit FOR code. Therefore, the count of back to 2008 to extract data for comparison is leading the world in the total volume of collaboration in shaping CAS’s global profi le? articles with a 2-digit FOR code is higher purposes. Furthermore, reviews and research output and breath of its subject We expect to demonstrate the importance of than the sum of articles with a 4-digit code. other article types have been included collaboration in CAS’s success, and in scientifi c areas. Many of its research results are the advancements in general. Also, one article can have multiple FOR alongside primary research papers. FOR outcome of collaborative work with domestic codes. codes are used instead of the Nature Index or international partners. Breakthrough subject categories. And calculation of ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES studies establish new frontiers, and address How does CAS’s research output contribute to FOR codes 1-11 are in the mathematical, compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)? natural and applied sciences, whereas normalized to compensate for the fact that sustainable development goals that shape a Where does CAS stand in addressing the SDGs better future. compared with other leading institutions? By 12-22 are humanities and social science the number of journals in the Nature Index examining research output data and linking them subjects. As FOR codes 1-11 account for has grown over the years. to SDGs, we hope to show CAS’s societal impacts, approximately 98% of CAS’s total output, Using research output data from the past 10 demonstrating the role of scientifi c discoveries in shaping a sustainable future. the analysis is focused only on these Institutions used in the global comparison years, three reports will examine diff erent categories. Note that while the majority of are selected from the top performers in aspects of CAS’s research performance, See www.nature.com/collections/CAS publications assessed are primary research Nature Index’s annual tables. painting a picture of its role and achievements. for the reports.

STAYING POWER 104 RESEARCH CAS INSTITUTES

23 23 INNOVATIVE CENTERS OF ACADEMIES EXCELLENCE

17 FEATURE INSTITUTES

MEGA-SCIENCE RESEARCH 5 CENTERS