The experts on experts

Network mapping

Our network maps show the interweaving connection such co-authorship, participation in clinical trials, and membership of the same committees. How does this help you?

• Identify new people - The research process behind the mapping can identify people who were previously unknown, and give a sense of their standing in their academic community
• Bring some clarity to a complex system - Often a KOL mapping can produce too much information, and make it difficult to target your activities
• Understand relationships – The doctors involved in a therapy area often have very strong links with their peers. You can find out who is particularly well-connected, who keeps themselves to themselves, who is most likely to work with those abroad etc
• Look for groups – we use a method called cluster analysis to find pockets of interconnected people in the overall network. Often these are colleagues at a certain department, but also may be friends, former teacher/pupil, working groups or research groups.
• Segment – which doctors publish on which topics, is there a division between paediatrics and adult, do the basic scientists work with the clinicians.
• Multidisciplinary authorship groups – do most clinicians often work with a geneticist, or an epidemiologist, or a statistician?

Network Map of coauthorship amongst UK KOLs - nodes arranged by institution