Gamification in genetics, genomics, and pharmacogenomics education: a bibliometric analysis of research trends,...

The rapid expansion of genomics and pharmacogenomics technologies has created an urgent need for education in genetics, genomics, and pharmacogenomics. Despite their importance in biomedical science and clinical practice, these disciplines remain conceptually challenging to teach and learn, often characterized by low learner engagement and limited conceptual understanding. Gamification, defined as the use of game-based elements to enhance learning experiences, has increasingly been adopted in health and science education to improve motivation, engagement, and skill development. However, evidence describing how gamification has been applied within genomic and pharmacogenomic education remains limited. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of global research trends and thematic developments in gamification applied to genetics, genomics, and pharmacogenomics education between 2000 and 2025. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed identified 112 eligible peer-reviewed studies involving gamified educational interventions targeting human learners. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using R and the Bibliometric package to evaluate publication growth, author productivity, institutional affiliations, keyword co-occurrence, and country level collaboration patterns. Results indicate minimal research activity in early years, followed by increased publication growth after 2015. Research output was dominated by institutions in high income countries, with limited contributions from low- and middle-income regions, including the Middle East and North Africa. Thematic analysis revealed emphasis on student engagement, interactive learning, simulation, and digital tools, alongside emerging interest in pharmacogenomics education. Few studies addressed long term learning outcomes. This bibliometric analysis identifies research gaps and informs future educational innovation in genomic and pharmacogenomic education.

https://osf.io/5yc9r/overview.