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The United States is holding its position as the leader of biological sciences, but China is hot on its heels. Germany and the United Kingdom are neck-and-neck, as are Japan and France, each one vying to have a greater Share — a fractional count of output — in biological sciences research in the Nature Index.
In the 'Current Index', which shows research output for the latest 12-month rolling window of data, Germany has reclaimed third place for the first time since 2017. France has jumped to fifth place for the first time since 2019.
The Nature Index is a zero-sum equation: the journals that are tracked by the Index publish a finite number of articles, which means gains from some countries will equal declines for others. A strong performance is needed from the United Kingdom and Japan if they want to reclaim third and fifth position.
Leading countries in biological sciences
Countries are ranked by article Share in the latest 12-month window of data, 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. Also listed are each institution's article Count across the same period.
| Rank | Country | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States of America | 11,238 | 8,082.22 |
| 2 | China | 5,036 | 3,878.99 |
| 3 | Germany | 3,061 | 1,394.16 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 3,112 | 1,294.17 |
| 5 | France | 1,666 | 687.59 |
| 6 | Japan | 1,218 | 672.57 |
| 7 | Canada | 1,382 | 569.64 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 1,209 | 496.98 |
| 9 | Australia | 1,109 | 438.59 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 998 | 328.95 |
1. United States of America
Share: 8,082.22
Boasting more than half of the top 10 cities for biological sciences output in the Nature Index, the United States has maintained a strong lead in the subject since 2015.
Much of this strength comes from its leading academic institutions: six of the top 10 universities in the biological sciences are in the United States. Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a standout, in first place with a Share of 530.64, more than twice that of Stanford University, in California, (Share 212.62) in second place.
There are signs that the United States' performance in the biological sciences, is slowing. In 2023, the United States posted a drop in adjusted Share (which accounts for small changes in journal outputs from year to year) of 4.3%, while its closest rival in the Index, China, managed a 21.8% increase in adjusted Share for the same period.
China is still well behind the United States in the subject, but as the Trump administration targets research roles and funding with cuts, freezes and policy shifts — including in biomedicine and health — the United States' global position in biological sciences could weaken in the coming years.
2. China
Share: 3,878.99
China's biological sciences output has surged over the past decade. After sitting in third place for four years, it overtook the United Kingdom in 2019 to take second place in the subject.
More recently, it’s been rapidly closing the gap to the United States. In 2022, China’s Share in biological sciences (2,152.13) was less than 25% that of the United States (9,453.87). In the latest data, its Share was almost half that of the United States.
China’s change in adjusted Share for 2022–23 was the largest among the leading 25 countries in the Index for biological sciences, at 21.8%. Its cities dominated the fastest-rising cities list for the subject in 2023.
Many factors are at play in China’s strong biological-science performance, including prolific domestic and international collaborations and rapid infrastructure expansion, as well as government incentives, such as the Made in China 2025 strategic plan.
3. Germany
Share: 1,394.16
Many countries in the top 10 for biological sciences in the Nature Index recorded a negative change in adjusted Share for the subject in 2023 — but not Germany. Germany has regained the third spot in biological sciences for the first time since 2017, having overtaken the United Kingdom.
Key to Germany’s success in the biological sciences is the strength of the Max Planck Society, a network of more than 80 science institutes, and the third-ranked organization globally for biological research in the Nature Index in the latest 12-month window.
The country benefits from consistent research funding and strong support for fundamental basic research.
4. United Kingdom
Share: 1,294.17
The United Kingdom has recorded a slow decline in biological-science research. It held second place from 2015 to 2018 before being overtaken by China in 2019 and by Germany in the latest data.
Dramatic political changes have likely affected the country’s research performance. The separation of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU) in 2020 as a result of Brexit resulted in a major loss in research funding and made cross-border collaborations more difficult.
Private investment in biological sciences industry has also weakened as a result of the United Kingdom’s isolation, with foreign direct investment in the sector falling from £1.9 billion (US$2.46 billion) in 2021 to £1 billion in 2022.
5. France
Share: 687.59
For the first time since 2019, France has claimed the fifth position in the biological sciences, overtaking Japan. But there is very little between France and Japan, in terms of Share.
Political changes could affect the country’s future research performance. France’s new centre-right government, elected last year, has disappointed scientists by scrapping long-term budget increases. This comes after the president, Emanuel Macron, announced an overhaul to the country’s research ecosystem in 2023, a move that was received positively by some scientists.
6. Japan
Share: 672.57
Japan posted a positive change in its biological sciences Share for 2023 and is one of the few top ten countries to do so. But it still slipped behind the France in a very tight race for fifth place.
Japan’s research ecosystem has faced multiple challenges over the past few years. Its investment in science and R&D has grown only slightly year-on-year, prompting calls from scientists for greater funding to support science research projects.
A report from 2023 found that the country’s workforce was not producing the same level of high-impact research as it was two decades ago. Japan’s global share of research papers in the top 10% of most-cited articles has slipped from 6% to 2%.
7. Canada
Share: 569.64
Canada has placed seventh in the Nature Index biological sciences ranking every year since 2015, except in 2019, when it placed sixth.
Biomedical research and genomics are among the areas of biological sciences that Canada excels in. Its All for One Initiative, for example, is a national effort to enhance equitable access to genome-wide sequencing to improve diagnosis of genetic disease. In 2021, the federal government pledged more than Can$1.2 billion (US$864 million) to build Canada's vaccine and therapeutic capabilities, through its Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.
Canada also has strong private-sector investment in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, but its proximity and research ties to the United States could leave the country vulnerable to policy changes from the Trump administration.
8. Switzerland
Share: 496.98
Biological sciences is Switzerland’s strongest subject in the Nature Index. Having jumped between eighth and ninth place in the subject between 2015 and 2018, Switzerland has held eighth place for the past five years.
Key to the nation’s strength in biological sciences is a cluster of renowned research institutions, including the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) and the University of Zurich, as well as pharmaceutical firms, such as Roche and Novartis, which are two of the world’s leading biological science companies.
9. Australia
Share: 438.59
Between 2015 and 2018, Australia competed with Switzerland for eighth position in the biological sciences. Since 2019, it has held ninth position.
In 2023, Australia was one of several top 10 countries to record a small drop in adjusted Share in the subject.
Australian researchers are supported by several initiatives related to biological sciences, including the Aus$6.3 billion (US$4 billion) Medical Research Future Fund, a government-backed programme to support medical research, and the Aus$501 million biomedical translation fund , which helps to link private investors with researchers looking to develop new products.
10. Netherlands
Share: 328.95
The Netherlands has held 10th position in the biological sciences every year since 2016. It defends its position from Sweden (in 11th place) and Spain (in 12th place).
For Share in the subject in the latest data, there was not much between its strongest institutions: Utrecht University (Share 38.12), Leiden University (35.91) and the University of Groningen (32.05). In 2023, the University of Groningen was the country’s top-ranked institution in biological sciences, but it has since slipped down to third place.
The Netherlands faces challenges that could hinder its growth in the biological sciences, such as a small but fragmented funding landscape and high rental rates on life-science buildings, according to a 2019 report by UK professional services firm, KPMG. The report adds that while there is a healthy number of biological-science companies in the Netherlands, the country is limited in terms of manufacturing facilities, which has affected private investment.
