| Dimension | Scoring Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Study Design | Multiple human RCTs for wound healing and skin rejuvenation. Some early work funded by Neutrogena/industry, and some genuinely independent academic studies. Better human evidence base than most cosmeceutical peptides. |
20 / 25 |
| Sample Size | Individual studies typically 20-60 participants. Cumulative sample across wound healing and skin trials is moderate. |
8 / 20 |
| Replication | Findings replicated across wound healing, skin elasticity, and hair growth applications. Some independent replication outside original Pickart research group. |
10 / 20 |
| Journal Impact Factor | Publications in Wound Repair and Regeneration (IF ~3-4), Archives of Dermatological Research (IF ~3), and some aging/biology journals. Decent mid-tier placement. |
8 / 15 |
| Funding Independence | Loren Pickart (original GHK-Cu researcher) conducted much early work through his own company (ProCyte). Later academic work is more independent. Mixed picture. |
4 / 10 |
| Population Diversity | Skin studies predominantly female. Wound healing studies slightly more diverse. Moderate score. |
3 / 5 |
| Researcher h-Index | Loren Pickart, the defining GHK-Cu researcher, has an unusual career profile (independent researcher, non-institutional) making h-Index confirmation difficult. Other contributing researchers have moderate profiles. |
2 / 5 |