The Evolving Landscape of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends, Omics Integration, and Future Directions

Purpose: This study aims to comprehensively analyze the evolution of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) education research from 2000 to 2025, with a specific focus on identifying global trends, research hotspots, term networks, and the integration of omics technologies into curricula. The goal is to understand the shifting educational landscape and address the attention needed in practical application and interdisciplinary approaches. Materials and Methods: The analyses were conducted on 1237 English-language articles focusing on BMB education, which were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering publications from January 2000 to December 2025. Two visualization and clustering tools (CiteSpace and VOSviewer) were utilized to conduct the core analyses, including term frequencies, keyword co-occurrences, thematic clustering, and temporal timeline evolution analysis. Results: Publication output has grown steadily, with a sharp spike post-2020, which indicates growing global attention in BMB teaching. Key journals including Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education and Journal of Chemical Education have played a leading role in driving the dissemination of relevant research. Through co-occurrence network mapping and clustering analyses, prominent themes were identified, include “active learning”, “medical student education”, and “biochemistry course design”. The cluster “biochemistry course” dominated the timeline from 2000 to 2025, reflecting a sustained and strong emphasis on BMB instructional design. Our analyses further revealed a pivotal paradigm shift in the field: omics technologies (genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) and associated bioinformatic tools have evolved from niche, emerging educational components to core pillars that bridge traditional BMB curricula and modern data-driven research practices. Conclusion: The findings underscore significant progress in BMB education research, driven by technological advancements and interdisciplinary approaches. Despite the explosive growth of omics research and its wide applications across the life sciences, yet they remain significantly underprioritized in BMB education curricula. Future directions should prioritize technology-driven curriculum enhancements, cross-sector collaboration, and policy support to address evolving healthcare and scientific demands. Keywords: biochemistry and molecular biology education, bibliometric analysis, educational research, omics curriculum