  Scientometric data is used to investigate empirically the emergence of search
regimes in Biotechnology, Genomics, and Nanotechnology. Complex regimes can
emerge when three independent sources of variance interact. In our model,
researchers can be considered as the nodes that carry the science system.
Research is geographically situated with site-specific skills, tacit knowledge
and infrastructures. Second, the emergent science level refers to the formal
communication of codified knowledge published in journals. Third, the
socio-economic dynamics indicate the ways in which knowledge production relates
to society. Although Biotechnology, Genomics, and Nanotechnology can all be
characterised by rapid growth and divergent dynamics, the regimes differ in
terms of self-organization among these three sources of variance. The scope of
opportunities for researchers to contribute within the constraints of the
existing body of knowledge are different in each field. Furthermore, the
relevance of the context of application contributes to the knowledge dynamics
to various degrees.
