The state of biomedical radiation research as demonstrated by publications, funding and manpower activity: An analytical example of utilizing on-line medical informatics

The biomedical radiation research community has important goals. Research, risk assessment, preventative health and safety are some of its responsibilities. It is surprising that radiation research is growing only at 70% of the yearly Medline database. Funding is predictably underfunded (89% of expected) given its high percentage of research with animals and cells (127% (Medline = 100%)) vs. radiation's lower percentage of human studies (60%). Manpower studies demonstrate 4500 Ph. D.'s since 1960. 50% are in physics, 17% chemistry, and 11% biology. Biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, genetics, pathology and psychology contribute less than 3%. These indicators show activity in radiation research, yet deficits.