About Microplastic Research Trendspotter

Microplastic Research Trendspotter is a browser-based application designed to analyze and visualize current research trends in microplastics science. Developed by Sarah Daniels, PhD, and Daniel Goodwin, PhD, at Engineered Resilience, this open-access tool helps researchers identify emerging areas, funding priorities, and active investigators across various data sources. It is especially useful for scientists tracking developments related to microplastic exposure, toxicity, and health impacts in marine, freshwater, and human health contexts.

The Streamlit-powered application integrates information from NIH grants, recent preprints (bioRxiv/medRXiv), PubMed papers, and ARPA-H STOMP teaming profiles. Users can filter and sort this research landscape to investigate specific topics, such as which organ systems, model organisms, or toxicity mechanisms are currently being funded or studied. It also supports identifying detection and exposure pathways, including less common matrices like placenta or breast milk. For a related resource focused specifically on microplastic toxicity data, consider the Toxicity of Microplastics Explorer.

Key Features of Microplastic Research Trendspotter

• Multi-source Data Integration: Consolidates research information from NIH grants, PubMed articles, bioRxiv/medRXiv preprints, and ARPA-H STOMP profiles.
• Granular Filtering: Allows sorting by organ systems, model organisms, toxicity mechanisms, and specific detection/exposure routes (e.g., placenta, breast milk).
• Cross-Field Insights: Enables searching for researchers working on similar problems involving other pollutants, such as heavy metals, PFAS, or pesticides, fostering interdisciplinary connections.
• Trend Visualization: Provides a visual interface to explore active research areas and funding distributions in microplastics science.

Development and Validation

The Microplastic Research Trendspotter was developed by Sarah Daniels, PhD, and Daniel Goodwin, PhD, as part of their work at Engineered Resilience. The tool leverages publicly available research databases and is presented in a beta version, indicating ongoing development and refinement based on user feedback. The expertise of the developing team focuses on synthesizing complex scientific information to make research trends accessible to the scientific community.

Access and Data Availability

The Microplastic Research Trendspotter is an open-access, browser-based application, freely available to all users. Researchers can access the tool directly via the Engineered Resilience website. As a Streamlit app, it operates entirely within the web browser, requiring no local software installation. The data presented originates from the named public sources (NIH, PubMed, bioRxiv/medRXiv, ARPA-H) and is dynamically accessed by the application.

Why This Resource Belongs on Plastiverse

This resource serves as a valuable intelligence tool for the microplastics research community. It directly addresses the need for understanding current scientific landscapes, funding priorities, and expert networks. By aggregating and enabling filtered analysis of grants, publications, and preprints, it helps researchers identify gaps, avoid redundant efforts, and find collaborators in critical areas like microplastic toxicity and human health impacts. Its focus on marine and freshwater compartments, coupled with its cross-pollutant search functionality, aligns with the interdisciplinary nature of microplastics science.