5 CHS scientists, scholars among top 2% of most-cited researchers in world
Feb 25, 2026
By Alicia Gregory
UKNow
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 24, 2026) — UK's College of Health Sciences is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world. In a database compiled by Stanford University in a partnership with Elsevier, five current CHS scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines.
Citations are one measure of the impact of academic research. For researchers, publishing work in a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal is a key step in sharing research findings and new discoveries.
“Being cited is a sign that your work matters to the research community, and we congratulate these outstanding individuals for this citation recognition,” said Ilhem Messaoudi, Ph.D., UK acting vice president for research. “We acknowledge that citation metrics are not a perfect measure for the array of research at the University of Kentucky, as they can underrepresent certain fields. Our research crosses all spectrums of inquiry, and we value the contributions of all researchers who are impacting their communities and producing innovations that make Kentucky and the world healthier, wealthier and wiser.”
The database, published in September 2025 and available through the Elsevier Data Repository, was compiled by Stanford faculty member John P.A. Ioannidis. Database inclusion means the individual met a variety of metrics that place them among the top 2% of researchers based on citations for 2024.
The data reported in this article is a snapshot of recent productivity. It includes only citations received during the calendar year 2024, hence it may not reflect career publications. Please see “About Elsevier’s list” below for more information.
The following current CHS researchers (in alphabetical order) appeared on Elsevier’s top 2% of world’s most-cited researchers list:
- Esther Dupont-Versteegden, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
- Christopher Fry, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
- Phillip Gribble, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
- Scott Lephart, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
- Brian Noehren, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences
About Elsevier’s list
Elsevier’s single-year data, from which this list was derived, pertains to citations received during the calendar year 2024. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields according to the standard Science-Metrix classification. The selection is based on the top 100,000 scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or a percentile rank of 2% or above in the sub-field. Calculations were performed using all Scopus author profiles as of Aug. 1, 2025. If an author is not on the list, the composite indicator value was not high enough to appear. Using the most recent single-year data provides an up-to-date snapshot of productivity and expertise across 22 disciplines. This list does not include emeritus researchers, those who have left UK or are officially on leave. Some UK researchers may not be on the list because their Scopus account still has them affiliated with a former institution. Researchers can request Scopus update their ID to UK. Learn more.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.