TEHRAN – The Web of Science (WoS) has ranked Iran first among Islamic countries in molecular and genetic technologies over the 10 years from 2000 to 2024.

The country’s best ranking is in transfection technology (14th globally), with 1,067 documents. It is also placed first in the region, followed by Turkey (with 309 documents), Egypt (with 273 documents), Saudi Arabia (with 207 documents), and Malaysia (with 190 documents), IRNA reported.

In gene therapy, Iran's global ranking is 15; it ranks first in the region. Turkey (374 documents), Saudi Arabia (363 documents), Egypt (305 documents), and Malaysia (210 documents) are placed second to fifth.

The country ranks 22nd globally, and first among Islamic countries in CRISPER technology (with 587 documents). Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey rank second to fifth, with 431, 430, 315, and 218 documents, respectively.

In RNA interference technology (with 338 documents), Iran is placed 29th in the world, and first among Islamic countries. Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey rank second to fifth with 269, 267, 193, and 181 documents, respectively.

The country ranks 17th and 18th in TALEN technology and Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) globally. Iran ranks second in TALEN technology and Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) in the region. Pakistan ranks first, and Saudi Arabia is placed third.

Notable Progress in Cell Therapy

Iran has made significant progress in the field of stem cells and cell therapy, advancing to eighth place in the world from 12th in the previous year.

“Last year, we had only one cell therapy product on the market and ranked 12th in the world, but this year we have reached eighth place in the world with 5 products,” according to Mostafa Qanei, an official with the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.

He made the remarks in a press conference in Tehran on Sunday with a focus on the achievements of the health sector.

“Our goal is to be among the top five countries in the world in this field and eliminate the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment,” he added.

Saeed Sarkar, an official with the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, has said that twenty technological projects related to the health sector are on the agenda in the current Iranian year, which ends in March 2026.

These projects include the production of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drugs, the development of early detection kits for digestive cancers, and other health-oriented products, which are expected to save up to $40 million in foreign currency, IRIB quoted Sarkar as saying.

Referring to medicinal plants, the official said: “We are pursuing two main goals, the first one is to improve the effectiveness of medicinal plants through technologies such as nanotechnology, for example, nanocapsules loaded with curcumin to enhance absorption capacity.

The second goal is to conduct clinical trials to document the effects of traditional medicine and present the results to the health ministry for verification.

Talking about the use of artificial intelligence in the health system, Sarkar said, “We are deploying artificial intelligence tools in sectors like radiology and pathology. These devices will play a complementary role in medical diagnostics, helping to improve accuracy, reduce costs, and improve public access to healthcare.”

The official went on to highlight the unprecedented potential of AI technology in the health sector, saying that the use of artificial intelligence in the health system can significantly enhance the accuracy and speed of clinical decision-making while simultaneously reducing costs and risks.

MT/MG